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PODCAST

When It Hits the Fan

Inside the world of crisis managers and spin doctors as David Yelland and Simon Lewis watch the week"s biggest PR disasters unfold. In each episode our hosts go behind the scenes of the latest news stories and find out how, where and when it all began to hit the fan. When It Hits The Fan is hosted by two of the most influential and experienced people in the game; David Yelland is the former editor of the Sun and alongside him is Simon Lewis, former trouble-shooter for the Queen and Gordon Brown, as

news politics

All Episodes

9:39

3. Don't Break the Fourth Wall

When It Hits the Fan ·

2026/01/07

Call it smoke and mirrors, call it sleight of hand. The best PR is often invisible PR.In this latest episode of our mini-series on the Golden Rules of PR, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the risks of showing your workings.Increased transparency is admirable in many cases - but beware of just how much you reveal.A great example from 2025 was the Heathrow Airport crisis. A power outage caused the airport to shut down - and it quickly became known that Heathrow's CEO was asleep when the decision

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10:13

2. Don't Delay PR

When It Hits the Fan ·

2025/12/31

Most of us are guilty of it. A problem looms or a crisis kicks off and the knee-jerk reaction is often to ignore it and hope it goes away.Newsflash - it rarely does.In this latest episode of our mini-series on PR's Golden Rules, David Yelland and Simon Lewis explain why doing something is usually better than doing nothing.Two great examples from 2025 involve the BBC and the Royal Family. Both faced enormous crises - both faced accusations of not saying or doing the right thing quickly enough.David

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10:19

1. Rolling the Pitch

When It Hits the Fan ·

2025/12/24

This episode will change your life. Seriously.It's a big claim and carries an enormous risk of over-promising.Welcome to the latest episode in our mini-series on the Golden Rules of PR. This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the risks of rolling the pitch - of laying the PR groundwork - for a forthcoming announcement.As the Chancellor Rachel Reeves found out in the run up to the Budget, trying to manage expectations can seriously backfire. But we all do it - we try to soften people up

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24:37

Why Optimism is a PR Superpower

When It Hits the Fan ·

2025/12/17

It may be the season to be jolly but there's not a lot of good cheer going around at the moment. With so much unrelentingly bleak news, how do you persuade anyone that not everything's as bad as it seems? This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the power of optimism. It's not just a useful PR tool, it's vital. When optimism is authentic, it can inspire and be incredibly infectious. The trouble is, it can also feel totally out of step with people's own experiences.That's why it's such a

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29:15

10/12/2025

When It Hits the Fan ·

2025/12/10

Who's in the news for all the wrong reasons? With David Yelland and Simon Lewis.

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30:14

Nuns on the Run

When It Hits the Fan ·

2025/12/03

It's not easy winning a PR fight when you're up against three octogenarian nuns whose story has become a global smash.This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the case of Sister Bernadette, Sister Regina and Sister Rita. They ran away from the care home they'd been sent to and broke back into the Austrian convent where they'd lived for more than 60 years. In the process, they've gained huge support on social media.Now, they've been told they can stay at the convent - so long as they stop

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30:43

Power, PR and the 'Epstein Class'

When It Hits the Fan ·

2025/11/26

Imagine being able to read the private emails sent between some of the most powerful people on the planet. This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis do exactly that. The release of thousands of pages from the so-called Epstein files shows the ways in which the elite communicate with each other. The exchanges reveal what one New York Times columnist describes as the 'nomadic bat signals' the rich send the rich. Epstein's criminality and cruelty are already crystal clear - but the legacy of these

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28:58

The Secrets of the List: Putting Yourself in the...

When It Hits the Fan ·

2025/11/19

When a top job becomes available, there very soon follows a list of potential 'runners and riders'. But how do you get your name on it? And how do you get your name off it?This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis reveal the PR secrets of The List. Whether it's the BBC, HSBC or Apple, there are suddenly lots of big names being touted around for some very serious jobs.But there are PR traps along the way. Being seen as the frontrunner doesn't always end well - and if you didn't put your name forward,

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27:34

Is the BBC 'hopeless at PR'?

When It Hits the Fan ·

2025/11/12

"They make really stupid basic mistakes and they are hopeless at PR."If you're a podcast about PR, then that quote - made about the BBC this week - is a good place to start when assessing the reputation of the Corporation. This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis examine the crisis engulfing the BBC. One which began with a leaked memo, resulted in two huge resignations and now has President Trump threatening to sue for $1bn.How did we get here and did the BBC make some cardinal PR mistakes along the

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31:43

Two Weeks that Shook the Palace

When It Hits the Fan ·

2025/11/05

It was barely a fortnight - but in that time everything seemed to change.This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the dramatic way Buckingham Palace responded to the growing crisis over the then-Prince Andrew. Going from an initial statement that seemed - to many - to get almost everything wrong to a second statement that went further than almost anyone was expecting.Behind-the-scenes, just what was going on for the Royal comms team? What powers were at play, how was there such a gulf

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36:06

The Strictly Bombshell

When It Hits the Fan ·

2025/10/29

As PR moves go, it would surely have earned a '10 from Len'.But what about the BBC's own communications team, who were seemingly as surprised as everyone else when Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announced they were leaving Strictly Come Dancing?This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at what happens when a PR team is left blindsided by events. And while not strictly a double act, Tess and Claud are a Strictly double act - so it's a chance to discuss the challenges of how to bow out when your

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25:59

The Prince Andrew Crisis

When It Hits the Fan ·

2025/10/22

No more Duke of York, no more Order of the Garter. But he is still Prince Andrew. And he is still the King's brother.This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at how Buckingham Palace is trying to distance the Royal Family from the constant slew of damaging headlines. But many questions remain about the way it's being handled.Why was Prince Andrew allowed to sound like he was giving up his titles voluntarily, in a statement that may be argued to show little contrition, focussing instead on his

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27:48

What Victoria Beckham's revelation reveals about PR

When It Hits the Fan ·

2025/10/15

Victoria Beckham is no stranger to headlines. And now she's revealed that intense media scrutiny led to her developing an eating disorder. Cue more headlines. One particular article stood out, which asked why those around Victoria - including her PR team - didn't seem to address the problem at the time.This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at what this tells us, not just about Victoria Beckham’s story, but the delicate line that people in the world of PR must tread when they are dealing with

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32:04

Michelle Mone: Her PR Rise and Fall

When It Hits the Fan ·

2025/10/08

This week, David and Simon look at Michelle Mone's meteoric rise and spectacular fall - and examine the PR decisions that have come back to haunt her.The Baroness has come out swinging after a judge ruled a company linked to her and her husband Doug Barrowman must pay £122m in damages for breaching a government contract for the supply of personal protective equipment during the Covid pandemic. She says she's been made a scapegoat and is the victim of sexism and classism. Is playing the blame game

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28:23

Prince Harry and the Men in Grey Suits

When It Hits the Fan ·

2025/10/01

It was all going so well. Just a couple of weeks ago, it looked like a genuine reconciliation was on the cards between Prince Harry and his father, the King. But in the past few days, there's been a blizzard of headlines, anger and yet another breakdown of trust.At the heart of it, a leak about a private meeting between Harry and his father. Harry's side have blamed 'the men in grey suits' for trying to sabotage any such reconciliation.This week, David and Simon look at the timing of the leak - and

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30:38

Why the Macrons are willing to bare all

When It Hits the Fan ·

2025/09/24

We are living in troubling times when Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, feel they have to go to court to prove she is a woman. The couple's lawyer says 'a line has been crossed' by an online influencer who has repeatedly claimed Mrs Macron is a man. This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the 'fight for truth'. Famous people and businesses used to be able to ignore or not comment on stories that were clearly untrue. But in the disinformation age, lies gain traction - and stick -

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38:20

Prince Harry's PR Comeback

When It Hits the Fan ·

2025/09/17

It was only a few months ago that Prince Harry was being roundly criticised pretty much everywhere. An ill-judged and hot-headed BBC interview where he discussed the King's health did him few favours. And yet, this week, there has been a shift. In this week's episode, David Yelland and Simon Lewis discuss whether this is a genuine turning point for Harry's PR.Also, in the extended edition on BBC Sounds, they'll explain why it might not all be over for the master of spin, Peter Mandelson. He may have

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31:36

Alas WH Smith and Jones

When It Hits the Fan ·

2025/09/10

Rebrands, name changes, financial black holes. Just what is going on with WH Smith?This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the reputation of a high street institution. With stores up and down the country now being called TG Jones, what sort of messaging - if any - has taken place between the new owners and Smith's existing customers? And with most of us looking for a cheap online deal, they'll also explain why retail PR is no longer the glamorous industry it once was.And in the extended

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8:02

7. Be Honest With Yourself

When It Hits the Fan ·

2025/09/03

'PRs hold up the mirror and sometimes people don't like what they see.'So say David Yelland and Simon Lewis in their final episode on golden rules.This week, it's all about self-awareness and the ability to ask, 'Are we the bad guys?'. David and Simon look at why it's vital to understand how other people really see you or your business, because it changes how you behave.And why it can lead to making far better PR decisions.Part of the solution is to challenge groupthink and having the confidence to

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8:08

6. Never Over Promise

When It Hits the Fan ·

2025/08/27

If you say you're going to hit a target, make sure you hit it.Managing expectations is one of the most important golden rules of PR, according to David Yelland and Simon Lewis.In this episode, they look at the pitfalls of over promising - both to shareholders and the public. It's far better for people to be pleasantly surprised at what you've achieved rather than wildly disappointed.David and Simon look at real examples taken from the boardroom and politics to highlight the risks and rewards of

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132 results

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