In this special episode, David Yelland and Simon Lewis let When It Hits the Fan listeners set the agenda and answer questions sent in to the Fan postbag. They discuss the truth - when to tell it, and when to hide it. If fly-on-the-wall television comes calling will it always result in good publicity for you? And how far does PR drive the news agenda? Also, from Queen Camilla to Boy George, what are the best reputation comebacks? And, "as I was just saying to Bono...", does namedropping really oi...
Nov 05, 2024•28 min
David Yelland and Simon Lewis lift the lid on the rarely talked about world of establishment PR and the great battle for influence happening behind the scenes in modern Britain. It’s why Peter Mandelson, William Hague and 36 other hopefuls are all vying to be the next Chancellor of Oxford University. Also, how the new CEO of Starbucks is trying to reverse a recent decline in sales with the help of some back-to-basics internal communications. And the great cheese heist… how taking the financial h...
Oct 29, 2024•28 min
In the wake of the death of the One Direction star Liam Payne, David Yelland and Simon Lewis discuss the role of protection in PR. Advisers are often the first people to know about a problem, and the first to try to fix it. Could celebrity publicists learn something about duty of care from the world of corporate PR? David and Simon talk fame, addiction and the importance of creating private space. Also, the FA has walked into an apparent PR own goal appointing a German head coach to manage the E...
Oct 22, 2024•29 min
David and Simon discuss Kamala Harris’s interview on the hit US podcast Call Her Daddy. What can British politicians and business leaders learn about the power of being three-dimensional and opening up? Also, it’s a game of two halves – the PR behind the football civil war that is Manchester City versus the Premier League. And the LinkedIn job status update. To varnish, or not to varnish? Producer: Eve Streeter Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: William Miller Music by Eclectic Sounds A ...
Oct 15, 2024•28 min
Why does Keir Starmer need to start taking people behind the Number 10 bikesheds and having a quiet word? David Yelland and Simon Lewis explain 'bikeshed PR' and how to move a news story on. Also, knowing when to step back and call your PR battle a day is not always easy, as the ongoing Strictly Come Dancing fan-hitter shows. What can we learn from this and the returning saga of Wagatha Christie? And, the email you didn't mean to send.... David and Simon share tales of their personal gaffes and ...
Oct 08, 2024•28 min
Is there such a thing as too much good PR? It seems everyone is talking about the weight-loss drug Ozempic - David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at why might this be causing jitters in the company boardroom. Also, Phillip Schofield’s desert island TV return - will the "last roll of the dice” PR strategy work for him, or is Hillary Clinton's 1992 interview alongside her under-fire husband a cautionary tale? And with the release of the drama series A Very Royal Scandal, David and Simon look at how ...
Oct 01, 2024•29 min
Following the BBC investigation into Mohamed Al Fayed, David Yelland and Simon Lewis discuss the circle of reputational protection that existed around the former Harrods boss and allowed him to commit serial sexual abuse for so long and get away with it. Also, inside the Murdoch family's succession feud and the importance the results could have on the political state of global media. Producer: Eve Streeter Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: William Miller Music by Eclectic Sounds A Racon...
Sep 24, 2024•28 min
David and Simon discuss Huw Edwards, Strictly Come Dancing and the BBC in crisis. How is the corporation dealing with being in the news for all the wrong reasons? Plus, “They’re eating the dogs, they're eating the cats” - is the global mockery following Donald Trump’s pet-eating accusations in his TV debate with Kamala Harris a PR disaster for the former president? And what is the elephant in the room? Let’s talk about why the unmentionable is often at the heart of PR. Producer: Eve Streeter Edi...
Sep 17, 2024•28 min
David Yelland and Simon Lewis discuss the Princess of Wales’ unprecedented video announcing the end of her chemotherapy treatment. There has been nothing like it in the history of the Royal Family's communications and it’s a move that rewrites how they speak to people. Does it come with risks? Also, what have we learnt about how the Labour government is handling its PR? We look at leaning into unpopularity in an age of populism, and moving Margaret Thatcher’s portrait, and reveal the secret tact...
Sep 10, 2024•29 min
David and Simon share their advice on how to lead
Aug 28, 2024•9 min
David and Simon share their advice on how to deal with online abuse.
Aug 21, 2024•7 min
Amol and Nick use their decades of experience as journalists to discuss the future of news in this special episode of The Today Podcast. Joining them are Sun editor David Yelland and former No10 communications director Simon Lewis – the duo behind Radio 4’s When It Hits The Fan – to look at what’s happening in journalism, where the future lies for the profession... and why it really matters for us all. The senior producer is Tom Smithard, the producer is Hatty Nash, research and digital producti...
Aug 15, 2024•46 min
David and Simon share their advice on how to deal with backstabbers.
Aug 14, 2024•9 min
David and Simon share their advice on how to get ahead when you're shy.
Aug 07, 2024•9 min
David Yelland and Simon Lewis share their tips on dealing with the media
Jul 31, 2024•11 min
Quick Wins is a series of mini episodes from the When It Hits the Fan team to steer you through your own personal PR in your working life. In this episode, David and Simon answer listener Joe's question about how to deliver difficult information that people may not want to hear. Getting the tone right is crucial, tell it like it is and be visible. Producer: Eve Streeter Executive Producer: William Miller Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur production for BBC Radio 4
Jul 23, 2024•7 min
David Yelland and Simon Lewis discuss an extraordinary and terrifying weekend of political drama in the US, with the attempted assassination of Donald Trump crowding out calls for Joe Biden to quit the presidential race. And they reflect on England losing out once more on the main prize at an international football tournament. How does the invisible industrial complex of spin that quietly hums along, shaping so much of what you see and hear, kick into action in these moments of high public drama...
Jul 16, 2024•28 min
Just days after Sir Keir Starmer entered Downing Street, David Yelland and Simon Lewis take a special deep dive into what may prove to be a great communications reset at No 10 under the new Prime Minister, with greater transparency at its heart. But will Sir Keir be able to create the space to govern between the media and his administration? And if he plans to build, build, build, how is he going to manage being very unpopular in a populist era? Producer: Eve Streeter Editor: Sarah Teasdale Exec...
Jul 09, 2024•29 min
With the UK general election upon us, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the two sides of campaigning of all kinds – positive PR and negative PR. Who decides whether to go for optimism or fear, and what works? In the great game of persuasion that is PR, connection is key. When Banksy’s migrant boat was carried across a sea of hands at Glastonbury it was a moment of powerful positive communication. But in the world of short-term political campaigning, negative PR can be an equal but opposite s...
Jul 02, 2024•28 min
Three podcasts, one question: How influential is the media on the election? Newscast, The Today Podcast and When It Hits The Fan are coming together for a special election episode. Hosts from all three podcasts will discuss the role of the media in this summer's political campaign. Do newspapers still matter to political campaigns? Do the TV debates change people’s minds? And how much impact is social media really having? The episode features Adam Fleming, Amol Rajan, Alex Forsyth, Marianna Spri...
Jun 25, 2024•38 min
David Yelland and Simon Lewis discuss Taylor Swift’s 'magical air cover' and the power of having your photo taken backstage or anywhere inside the Eras tour, whether you’re the Royal family or Keir Starmer. But would every politician risk the Taylor test? And the latest political fan-hitters - why no-one wants to be a 'Putin ally', the Conservative’s 'Betgate' and how to get your message across if you're the SNP and you know most people listening can’t even vote for you. Also, how podcasts, soci...
Jun 25, 2024•28 min
David Yelland and Simon Lewis administer the Fan Hitter PR slide rule to Sir Keir Starmer's election campaign. How has the Labour leader dealt with some of his stickier PR moments around his previous endorsement of Jeremy Corbyn, questions on tax and his dad's job as a toolmaker provoking laughter in Grimsby? Also, even though they are currently ahead in the polls, Labour - like the England football team - has to deal with the perennial PR problem of expectation management. Perhaps they could bo...
Jun 18, 2024•31 min
David and Simon analyse what is arguably the biggest PR moment in British electoral history - Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's decision to leave the D-Day celebrations in Normandy early. Simon takes us behind the scenes at Number 10 to try to work out exactly how things went so wrong for the PM. Nigel Farage - he's been accused of 'dog whistle' politics. What are they, and how do they work? And - the acquittal of tech tycoon Mike Lynch. What are the lessons to be learned from surviving the nine circ...
Jun 11, 2024•29 min
David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at why private schools seem to be losing the PR battle over their VAT exemption. A core principle of PR is to anticipate problems and mitigate them. This one has been coming down the track towards independent schools for years - why did they get it so wrong? Also, the Liberal Democrats' election strategy of "tactical disruption" - which mainly involves Sir Ed Davey getting wet and apparently having the most fun of all the leaders on the campaign trail. As David...
Jun 04, 2024•29 min
David Yelland and Simon Lewis debate the first of a series of PR reviews into the up and coming general election. Starting with Rishi Sunak's announcement in the rain last week, they'll be looking at how the parties launched their campaigns, their use of campaign videos and slogans, and how and when the press decide to take sides. They also discuss how PR has been put on the stand at the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry. New to When It Hits The Fan, if you have a “Quick Wins” question for Simon an...
May 28, 2024•28 min
Quick Wins is a series of short episodes from the When It Hits the Fan team to help you navigate your own personal PR. In your professional life as well as your personal life, what you say no to can be more important than what you say yes to. In this episode David and Simon share their advice on how to do it the right way - to a boss who is asking you to overwork, to a job offer that's not the right fit or when you smell a rat. How to set the right boundaries? Producer: Eve Streeter Editor: Sara...
May 23, 2024•9 min
David Yelland and Simon Lewis discuss South West Water’s handling of the Brixham water contamination and what this tells us about the fundamental problems in the UK water industry. Why were the people of South Devon told their water was safe when it was not? And when a crisis hits, who is the best person to speak on behalf of a company. Is it the 'chief customer officer'? Also, in the week The Sunday Times Rich List is published, Simon and David share some secrets about how the blue chip PR worl...
May 21, 2024•29 min
Quick Wins is a series of short episodes from the When It Hits the Fan team to help you navigate your own personal PR. In this episode, David Yelland and Simon Lewis discuss the power of an apology. Professional - and personal - relationships are based on being able to say sorry at the right time. So how do you mark sure yours hits the mark? Do it before the sun goes down, do it the hard way and always mean it. Producer: Eve Streeter Executive Producer: William Miller Music by Eclectic Sounds A ...
May 16, 2024•8 min
This week, two of the world’s biggest tech companies have found themselves in PR crises of their own making. Why did Apple's new iPad Pro 'crush' advert misfire so badly? Meanwhile at Baidu - China’s biggest search engine - its PR boss has lost her job after videos of her promoting a toxic work culture went viral. David Yelland and Simon Lewis go to the heart of a secret and little understood reputational war and look at the real battle between the west coast of America and China’s Silicon Valle...
May 14, 2024•28 min
David Yelland and Simon Lewis discuss Manchester’s Co-op Live arena opening delays – will these prove to cause long-term reputational damage to the great north-western institution, or will they be a blip that's soon forgotten? Also, why did so-called "well-placed sources" in Westminster seek to spin the London Mayoral Election result after the polls had closed? Was it good PR? And how’s it going for Donald Trump trying to spin from inside his Manhattan court room? David and Simon peak inside the...
May 07, 2024•28 min
