When It Hits the Fan

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• PR's Rich Tapestry 15.07.2026 26min

  If PR is all about weaving great stories, then the Bayeux Tapestry might just be the perfect example.This week, David Yelland and Farzana Baduel celebrate the comms coup that was 1000 years in the making. The tapestry's arrival back in the UK was covered and celebrated in minute detail - with hype being generated from the most mundane details. The British Museum seems to have pulled off a public relations masterclass. But it comes as the museum is still battling to recover its reputation after a series of fan hitters.On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, the resignation bombshell that's gone global. A Chinese project manager at Alibaba has quit - and she didn't just hand in a brief note explaining she'd serve her notice period. She wrote a 100 page tome that tore into her entire industry. Farzana and David discuss the reputational risks to both employer and employee.Also, the noble art of dressing up and poking fun at someone. Count Binface has garnered coverage across the world as he prepares to stand in the Clacton by-election. He's just the latest in a long line of people who've used the absurd as a very effective - not to mention cheap - way of landing their point. And the tricky thing is, it's often very hard to counter.Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
• Me Against the World 08.07.2026 24min

  Whether you're a multimillionaire or the son of a King, sometimes it can still feel like everyone is out to get you.And so we turn to Nigel Farage and Prince Harry. Both are dealing with huge PR fallouts on which the dust is nowhere near settling.This week, David Yelland and Farzana Baduel discuss why even the most powerful people claim the whole world is against them. It's certainly a tried and tested PR tactic - painting yourself as the lone wolf, the outsider, you against the Establishment. It can help create a useful diversion to what the actual story is - a reframing of the narrative to tell the story you want to tell, as opposed to the media.It can illicit sympathy - but it can also just look like moaning.Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
• Just Answer the Question 01.07.2026 33min

  Public life would be an awful lot easier if you never had to answer questions from pesky journalists.Or would it?This week, David Yelland and Farzana Baduel look at Andy Burnham's decision to not take questions as he launched his vision for Britain, should he become the next Prime Minister.Pumping out your message on your own terms might sound like the PR dream - but the rapidly changing nature of comms in the age of AI means if you try and bypass traditional media, your message might sink without trace.On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, will they or won't they? Harry is due to visit the UK with Meghan and his children next week. The King had offered them a royal estate to stay at. But suddenly there's briefing and counter briefing and the whole trip is up in the air. If they do come, there are PR pitfalls for both sides at every turn.Unlike Taylor Swift, whose PR seems pretty bulletproof. She's expected to get married this weekend - and she (and/or her PRs) are playing a blinder. Speculation and fan theory is running wild about the details and the venue. But as David and Farzana explain, there's a special kind of skill to this sort of rumour-mongering. Let's call it 'breadcrumbing'.Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
• King Charles, Tax and Transparency 24.06.2026 25min

  Declaring your tax isn't straightforward, as anyone's who ever filled out their own return will know.King Charles probably has someone to help with the scraps of paper and receipts - but he'll still have to deal with a huge amount of scrutiny on becoming the first monarch to reveal their tax bill.This week, David and Farzana discuss why King Charles is going public - and why it was announced almost a week before the details are released. Are the public being softened up with talk of 'transparency' and 'accountability'? They explain that framing the narrative before a story breaks means you have more chance of creating a cushioning effect. On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, what's the PR takeout for Starbucks? The company's faced a huge backlash in South Korea after a marketing campaign seemingly referenced a historical military attack against pro-democracy protesters. How does something like that slip through the net? The finger of blame is being pointed at AI. But that only tells half the story.And after a deeply damaging few weeks, David and Farzana assess how one very public figure is seeking to rebuild their shattered reputation. It's not been easy but Sesame Street's Elmo seems to be winning back a few hearts and minds after his failure to fully come out in support of his home city's basketball team.Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
• Social Media Ban: Big Tech's 'Tobacco Moment' 17.06.2026 27min

  The public is against you, politicians are against you and the emotional argument has been well and truly lost.Which is exactly where the likes of TikTok, Instagram and X find themselves following the Prime Minister's announcement that social media will be banned for under-16s.It's being described by some as big tech's 'tobacco moment'. This week, David and Farzana assess what these companies might do next - how can opinions be shifted, who can be used to make their case? And if stopping the ban outright is not the goal, what would success look like?On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, bricks and mortar PR. Just why are the rich and powerful so obsessed with slapping their names on buildings? As David and Farzana explain, it's a bit like the elite class sending bat signals to one another - 'look how well I'm doing'.Plus, Westminster Abbey's loss is very much Bridlington's gain. David Hockney turned down the offer of being buried alongside kings and queens. Instead, the artist opted for his final resting place to be the East Yorkshire seaside town, alongside his mother and sister. David and Farzana celebrate the wonderful reputational legacy he's left to Brid.Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
• Hunter Biden: Back from the Brink 10.06.2026 27min

  When you're routinely described as a crackhead and convicted felon who uses sex workers, it's fair to say your reputation can't get much worse.And so we turn to Hunter Biden. Often labelled the 'black sheep' of the Biden family and a man who's been torn apart in the media.And yet, he is now being lauded (by some) for his attempts at reputational rehabilitation - including a blistering foray on X, where he's taken on his trolls head on. David and Farzana discuss whether going into the lions den is a smart PR move - and why, when you own your mistakes, use humour and honesty, you leave your critics with very little ammo.On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, the multi-trillion dollar PR story being told right now. As Space X prepares to launch on the stock market (with Anthropic and OpenAI closely following behind), what moves are at play to try and get you to part with your cash? Plus, why sitting on the fence can be a really bad PR move. Just ask Elmo from Sesame Street. Famously from The Big Apple, he's infuriated fans of the New York Knicks basketball team for posting a message saying he hopes 'both teams have fun' in the NBA finals. As David and Farzana explain, he's guilty of 'bothsideism.' With the World Cup just around the corner, there's a lesson here for anyone in the public eye.Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
• BP v 'Shouty' Albert 03.06.2026 33min

  When PR becomes the story, you know you're in trouble.And that's where BP finds itself right now - as the dust begins to settle after a tumultuous week for the company. David Yelland and Lauren Beeching unpick the drama - from the statement announcing the Chairman's shock sacking to the furious response from the man himself. They explain the PR mistakes made by both sides along the way - including creating a vacuum of information and, conversely, saying too much.And after all is said and done, who is the winner of this PR war?Also, on the extended edition on BBC Sounds, we're sticking with sacking. The world of redundancies has changed forever. Companies are now hiring crisis PR firms to manage the moment someone gets fired - because at a time where the person losing their job might have half a million TikTok followers, the old HR playbook just doesn't cut it anymore.And if you've been at the centre of a fan hitter, is it best to slink back to the shadows or try and stay firmly in the limelight? Rebekah Vardy's certainly taking the latter approach. Despite being publicly torn apart during the Wagatha Christie libel trial, she's now invited the cameras in for a new three-part ITV documentary. David and Lauren look at what this could mean for her reputation.Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
• Lower Value Humans 27.05.2026 28min

  Ever felt like your boss doesn't quite hold you in the highest esteem?Pity then, workers at Standard Chartered Bank. CEO Bill Winters described some of them as 'lower value human capital' during a speech to investors. His words came at a time when the bank is getting rid of thousands of positions and replacing them with AI.David and Farzana look at what happens when you say the quiet thing out loud - and what the repercussions are if you get your PR response all kinds of wrong.On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, are 'dark forces' really trying to tarnish the late Queen's reputation? Recent revelations about how she lobbied for Andrew Mountbatten Windsor to get a trade envoy job could be just the start of an attempt to gradually unpick her legacy.Also, big shout out to the GC. That's Gemma Collins, mega-influencer and former star of The Only Way is Essex. The Department for Education is facing a huge backlash for using her to try and persuade young people to stay in education. David and Farzana explain that the use of influencers in politics is a growing thing - but just chasing their millions of followers doesn't guarantee success. There's an art to getting it right.Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
• Did Swatch PR Backfire? 20.05.2026 26min

  Not every product launch comes complete with tear gas, police dogs and angry crowds.But those were the scenes at various cities around the world as a new Swatch went on sale.This week, David Yelland and Farzana Baduel discuss whether the chaos that surrounded the launch was PR heaven or hell. Advisors are paid handsomely to try and create such buzz - but can too much hype be a bad thing?On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, a PR path that is not well trodden. Because Pippa Middleton owns it and she doesn't want you anywhere near. The sister of the Princess of Wales is finding out being rich and famous is no use when it comes to matters of planning. It's all very public and trying to win over the locals is no easy matter.Also, tall tales. The mysterious case involving President Trump and President Xi Jinping of China. They are, apparently, wildly different heights. But when seen side by side, they seemed to be exactly the same height. Are dark PR arts at play when trying to make the boss look dominant? Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
• Knowing When To Quit 13.05.2026 26min

  There is an art to resigning.Fall on your sword immediately and you might end up enhancing your reputation. Cling on for months in spite of overwhelming evidence you should quit - and the opposite can be true.This week, David Yelland and Farzana Baduel look at whether the PR rules around resigning are changing. Has the tipping point moved in an age of fragmented media? Certainly the noise from the baying mob has never felt louder but if it's not laser-focused, does that make it easier to ignore?On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, an AI confession. The CEO of Pfizer, Albert Bourla, says he consults artificial intelligence when he has to make his biggest, most important decisions. Not just when he wants to draft an email.Is this a bit of canny PR - proving he's a very modern CEO - or does he risk being accused of 'cognitive outsourcing?'Also, Pope PR. From his choice of trainers to relatable tales of call centre hell, David and Farzana look at how it's often the small things that have been Pope Leo's biggest PR wins in his first year.Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
• The King's Speech 06.05.2026 27min

  Finding the right words in a high-pressure situation is not easy - especially when the world is watching. But by common consensus, King Charles' speech to Congress was deemed pretty much pitch perfect.This week, David Yelland and Farzana Baduel take you behind-the-scenes, into the writer's room. Who was involved in crafting the words, how did multiple people feed in and yet make it sound like a singular voice? They explain why the speech worked for multiple audiences in today's 'fragment economy' - and how difficult themes were smuggled in or glossed over with a specific turn of phrase.Also, on the extended edition on BBC Sounds, a similar message to the King's use of 'Keep Calm and Carry On'. As the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz continues, there's been a subtle shift in the Don't Panic messaging - both from government and business. As the ripples from the war look set to continue for many months, David and Farzana look at how we're being softened up for longer-term consequences.And she's the Queen of Country - and it seems, the Queen of PR. Dolly Parton has managed that rare thing - to let her fans down while making them love her even more. She's had to cancel her Las Vegas residency due to ill health, but her video message explaining her decision was pitch perfect.David and Farzana explain that authenticity is the key - as well as having a lifetime of goodwill to fall back on.Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
• Trouble at the FBI 29.04.2026 29min

  There are jobs and there are jobs. And then there are jobs like being head of the FBI. So when you're in that role and get accused of excessive drinking and unexplained absences from duty, the reputational risk is huge.This week, David Yelland and Farzana Baduel look at how Kash Patel has handled the claims - from getting into heated verbal battles with reporters to launching a $250m defamation lawsuit citing 'false and obviously fabricated allegations'. What were his options?As they explain, proving a negative can be one of the hardest jobs for those in the public eye.On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, why the universally awful publicity around the new Michael Jackson movie doesn't seem to matter one jot. Despite widespread criticism for ignoring the dark side of Jackson's story, it's smashing box office records. Is the film a perfect example of 'omission PR'? Also, how Apple's succession planning has been a total PR peach. David and Farzana explain how CEO Tim Cook mastered the graceful goodbye and what other leaders can learn from the manner of his departure from the role.Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: William Miller Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
• Don't Panic!!! 01.04.2026 28min

  These are busy days in the world of crisis comms. Keeping calm is vital - keeping the public calm is even more vital.David Yelland and Farzana Baduel explain what's going on behind-the-scenes everywhere - from supermarkets and airlines to energy companies - as concern rises that the war in Iran could affect supply lines.They discuss the importance of being like a meerkat - horizon scanning - for potential public flashpoints. And why PRs have to come up with calming strategies to avoid dreaded words like 'rationing' causing chaos in the aisles and at the pumps.On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, this isn't just any work/life balance, this is a Marks & Spencer work/life balance. CEO Stuart Machin says he doesn't think leaders should switch off while on holiday.That might be the only way for those at the very top - but what message does it send out to those lower down the chain? David and Farzana discuss how part of the job as a PR is making bosses understand that not everyone thinks like they do.Also, life is full of disappointments but how you handle them is what matters. As Wales saw their World Cup dreams vanish in penalty shootout heartache, manager Craig Bellamy elevated the post-match press conference by saying: "Tomorrow the sun will rise and I'm going to watch that sunrise." Getting the message right in the heat of the moment is no easy thing, but he seemed to nail it. Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
• When Poachers Turn Gatekeepers 25.03.2026 29min

  What happens when you cross enemy lines and join the other side?As King Charles hires a Sky Royal correspondent for a top comms job at the Palace, David Yelland and Farzana Baduel discuss what happens when journalists switch to PR.Crucially, they need to learn how to go from broadcast to mute. No more fabulously indiscreet anecdotes involving the rich and powerful over dinner - they're now your clients and your job is to protect their reputation.And that's just for starters. There are a whole load of different rules and shifts in power dynamics that can take years to fully understand.Also, on the extended edition on BBC Sounds, why Harry and Meghan have a window of golden PR opportunity - that could slam shut if they don't get their timing spot on. As David and Farzana explain, it's all to do with something called 'brand adjacency'.Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
• Can You Spin ChatGPT? 18.03.2026 22min

  In the good old days, if you wanted some favourable PR for a client, you could call up a journalist and take them out for a jolly good lunch. It's not so easy when the thing you're trying to influence is a bot. So is it possible to spin the likes of ChatGPT?This week David Yelland is joined by Lauren Beeching - a crisis management expert with clients that count their followers in millions.They discuss how AI is changing so much of the nuts and bolts of the PR reputation game - from having to become a tech wizard to work out if 'evidence' is real, to understanding how to influence what AI chatbots say. And on the extended edition on BBC Sounds, the Fan Hitter that almost broke the internet is back. The woman at the centre of the Coldplay KissCam scandal, Kristin Cabot, has done a big interview with Oprah - and discusses the PR advice she was given.She claims she was told, "Stay quiet, everything will blow over in three days."Hindsight is a wonderful thing.Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
• A Gulf in Communications 11.03.2026 27min

  When your country's PR plan relies on the projection of safety and security, how do you keep that image alive when you're under attack?This week, David Yelland is joined by global PR expert Farzana Baduel to examine how countries in the Gulf have managed their comms since the start of the war in Iran.In Dubai especially, social media influencers have been used as foot soldiers in the reputation battle. But has the relentlessly on-brand, 'we feel safe' messaging been successful? David and Farzana explain why it depends which end of the PR telescope you're looking through.Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
• The Generation Game 04.03.2026 19min

  Getting your message out is obviously a cornerstone of PR. But where you put that message is becoming even more important.This week, David Yelland is joined by Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty from the BBC podcast Fame Under Fire. Together they look at the challenge for big institutions - especially the Royal Family - of cutting through. You may think you've been successful if your story gets pick up in all the traditional places - but has anyone under-35 even seen it? They discuss the need to populate the places beyond your traditional base, to get beyond your echo chamber - and the need to interact rather than just pumping out one-way comms.As Anoushka says, 'Do the boring thing in the most interesting way possible.'Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
• Friends: The One About PR 25.02.2026 25min

  When you’re in a crisis, you discover very quickly who your friends are. Or perhaps more accurately, who your friends aren’t.This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis examine how different types of friends are deployed to the PR front line when it comes to reputational combat.When you can't defend yourself in public, you need the right sort in your corner. But not all friends are equal. There's the named friend, the unnamed friend and the showbiz favourite - 'close friend of the couple'.And David and Simon reveal there are often PR campaigns going on behind-the-scenes to ensure the best calibre of friend is speaking up - and why a 'source', a 'spokesperson' and a 'friend' might actually be the same person.On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, a moment of indulgence as When it Hits the Fan reaches its 100th episode. David and Simon explain what's surprised them about the world of PR since the show started - and why they've had to think differently about the world they move in. Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
• Heart v Head PR 18.02.2026 30min

  How do you fight a PR battle when everyone's already decided you're the bad guys?That's the problem facing the water industry on the eve of a new Channel 4 factual drama called Dirty Business. The clue is in the title. It focuses on a 10-year investigation into sewage-polluted waters.Sticking to the facts is a basic rule of PR - but when coming up against raw anger and emotion, do you need more than facts? How do you appeal to hearts as well as minds?On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, PR itself is in the dock. Two firms have found themselves making rather than shaping the news in recent weeks - over the Epstein files and allegations of trying to journalists. Put mildly, the companies involved have a battle on their hands to protect their own reputations. David and Simon explain why.And if you think Heathrow is too crowded, you're very much mistaken. According to the CEO of the airport, it's simply because people are 'walking in the wrong places'. He might have a point, but the problem is, if you say something that sounds ridiculous, it doesn't matter how right you are - you're wrong.Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4
• Is the Office of PM Beyond PR? 11.02.2026 26min

  Some jobs just can't be done. Circumstances, events and a changing world simply make them undoable.This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis ask whether one such job is communicating on behalf of the Prime Minister. Not just this Prime Minister, but any Prime Minister.After only five months, the PM's Director of Communications, Tim Allan has quit. He's the fourth person to hold the role under Sir Keir Starmer. The old levers of PR clearly aren't working and there seems to be a general bafflement has to how to get the public onboard.Put simply, is Downing Street now beyond PR?On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, how Buckingham Palace is rapidly changing its PR game. Widely criticised for being too slow to react to the scandal around Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, the Palace is going on the front foot - with two statements that would've been inconceivable just months ago. Plus there's nothing like a formal letter from the Government to put you in the mood for love. That's the hope anyway. In France, all 29-year-olds are being written to - to remind them of their duty to have babies. As you might expect, there's been something of a backlash.Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4