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PODCAST

Insiders: The TV Podcast

Expectation / Hat Trick

Old friends Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville are the ultimate TV insiders, and in their new podcast, they"ll share their insights and analysis of the goings on in the world of television. In short, they"re going to get together once a week to gossip!Jimmy is the co-founder and Chief Executive of Hat Trick Productions. His hit shows include Have I Got News For You (series 69 now airing), Father Ted, Derry Girls, Outnumbered, and Episodes.In the US Hat Trick launched Whose Line Is It Anyway in 1997

tv & film

All Episodes

35:35

Disney departs Doctor Who, Winkleman & Norton to...

Insiders: The TV Podcast ·

2025/10/31

This week, with Claudia Winkleman reportedly being lined up for a BBC chat show (to be produced by Graham Norton's company), Peter and Jimmy ponder how that’s going to work in practice, and remember some chat show hits (and misses) of their own. And as Disney announce they’re ending their deal with the BBC to make Doctor Who, we ask what the future holds for the series, and whether the BBC’s cast-iron commitment to the so-called “Whoinverse" makes it a show that’s simply too big to fail?Plus,

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36:32

Claudia & Tess's departure from Strictly,...

Insiders: The TV Podcast ·

2025/10/23

This week, Jimmy and Peter discuss the future of Strictly, and what to make of the mid-series announcement that Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are leaving the show.As Studio Canal file their first court papers in the Paddington vs Spitting Image case, we indulge ourselves one more time in the story (and the publicity) that never stops giving. And we ask what (if anything) the results of the Our BBC, Our Future survey really tell us?Plus, Jimmy sings Sondheim, William G Stewart’s middle name, and

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33:20

Meghan Markle’s impressive efforts to spin her...

Insiders: The TV Podcast ·

2025/10/16

This week, Peter and Jimmy ask whether Harry and Meghan’s much-diminished first look deal with Netflix is really the “sign of strength” that Meghan claims. But lest anyone roll their eyes too hard, isn’t that blend of resilience and self-delusion exactly what every good independent producer needs? And as Banijay strike a deal that “paves the way” (but no more than that) for the return of The Inbetweeners, we talk the science and art of programme announcements.Plus,Sir Phil Redmond’s eyebrows, what

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35:43

A “very upset" Paddington Bear, Euan Blair and last...

Insiders: The TV Podcast ·

2025/10/09

This week, Peter and Jimmy debate the wisdom of Studio Canal’s decision to bring legal action against Avalon over the portrayal of Paddington Bear in the new Spitting Image. Jimmy talks about the error that found its way into last Friday’s ep of Have I Got News For You, and what's happened in the days since the show went out. And we discuss the results of the latest BBC tender process, and how remarkably successful BBC Studios are at winning BBC contracts.Plus, the circuitous journey of

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25:11

Guilty viewing, shows we wish we’d made, and what the...

Insiders: The TV Podcast ·

2025/10/02

This week, Peter and Jimmy discuss the programmes they love that they didn’t make, but rather wish they had. And we ask what the popularity of re-watching old shows means for producers and broadcasters - if you can get consistently strong ratings playing familiar things, are you inevitably less likely to commission new stuff?Plus, the margins on drug smuggling, why the original BBC Tinker Tailor looks a bit ropey now, and the unlikely role the TalkBackcafetiere played in the history of British

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36:14

Trump vs Kimmel, ITV turns 70, and all the news from...

Insiders: The TV Podcast ·

2025/09/25

As Jimmy Kimmel returned to the air this week (and to record ratings), Peter and Jimmy reflect on the extraordinary row between ABC and the White House, and the enduring power of satire to rile thin-skinned politicians who can’t take a joke.We discuss all the news from the RTS Cambridge Convention, including the case for improved tax breaks, particularly at lower price points, in the hope that half hour comedy can benefit just as much as drama. And we say happy 70th birthday to ITV (even though,

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39:38

Andy Harries on The Crown, the genius of Caroline...

Insiders: The TV Podcast ·

2025/09/18

Something a bit different this week - we've got a guest!Peter and Jimmy are joined by legendary producer Andy Harries. He was Head of Comedy and Head of Drama at Granada, before setting upLeft Bank Pictures in 2007.His enviable list of credits include The Royle Family, Cold Feet, The Deal, The Queen, The Crown, and Department Q.We discuss the BBC’sbemused response when they first received The Royle Family, and their resistance to the idea of a sitcom being shot single camera, without an audience

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37:16

Piers Morgan heads to 5, life at Fox after Rupert...

Insiders: The TV Podcast ·

2025/09/11

This week, Peter and Jimmy discuss the DG’s appearance at the Culture Media and Sport committee, and his big idea to have a “succession plan” in place for every BBC presenter, just in case they happen to become embroiled in something unsavoury. We talk Piers Morgan Uncensored, and the smart move by all involved to start playing it on 5. And as we all come to the terms with the news that Melvyn Bragg is stepping down from In Our Time after 27 years, Peter remembers the jolly old chat they had when he

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31:29

Crime Special: From the verdant cosiness of Midsomer...

Insiders: The TV Podcast ·

2025/09/04

This week, as the all-conquering Thursday Murder Club tops the Netflix charts, we take a deep dive into the crime and detective genre.Jimmy talks about his long-running and hugely successful partnership with Jed Mercurio, and Peter tells the story of his hit series, The Chelsea Detective.And we ask, is there an unlikely common ground between cosy crime and panel shows - both perennially out of fashion with commissioners, but consistently beloved of viewers?And for writers and producers looking for

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43:06

Netflix and the row over TV tourism, ITV’s efforts to...

Insiders: The TV Podcast ·

2025/08/28

This week, Jimmy and Peter unpack all the news from Edinburgh, from the bad tempered sniping between Netflix and Channel 4, to the headlines from James Harding’s McTaggart lecture (or could it also be read as a 5000 word job application to be the next DG?). And from Eric and Ern, to Brucie’s Big Night, to Trinny and Susannah, we talk the decidedly chequered history of talent who make the move from the BBC to ITV.Plus, Jimmy drafts a grumpy letter to the Times, Peter wonders if his children were all

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40:24

Trump vs South Park, C5 revive Play for Today, and...

Insiders: The TV Podcast ·

2025/08/21

This week, Jimmy shares his highlights from the Edinburgh Fringe, and Peter tries to remember what on earth his McTaggart was about. We discuss doing comedy in the age of Trump, and South Park’s successes in riling the White House. And we talk the return of Play for Today - another smart move from 5’s Ben Frow?Plus, Jimmy’s friendly chat with Cherie Blair, the perverse logic of banning shows, and we finally answer the question that's been on everyone’s lips... is Roy Wood Jnr, the host of HIGNFY in

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42:49

Harry and Meghan’s new (watered down) Netflix deal,...

Insiders: The TV Podcast ·

2025/08/14

This week, Peter and Jimmy discuss Harry and Meghan’s newly announced Netflix first look deal, and why it’s a much diminished beast compared to the output deal they had before. As Disney+ buys up the rights to show Spanish football in the UK, we ask whether live sport is the next frontier for the streamers.And we remember Blue Peter producer Biddy Baxter, who's died at the aged of 92. An inspirational leader and maverick producer who wasn’t afraid to make enemies... and did.Plus, how to pronounce

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36:33

The renaissance of the old fashioned audience sitcom...

Insiders: The TV Podcast ·

2025/08/07

This week, as the Edinburgh Fringe gets underway, Peter and Jimmy ask whether having success at the Fringe is still a worthwhile route for performers who want to carve out a career on television.And we talk Netflix’s new (but decidedly retro) sitcom Leanne. Given that Friends is still one of the streamer’s most watched shows, is the only surprising thing about Leanne that it’s taken Netflix quite so long to start commissioning audience sitcoms that feel like they were made in the 1990s?Plus, cocaine

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46:08

The rise and rise of YouTube, a mixed bag of results...

Insiders: The TV Podcast ·

2025/07/31

This week, Peter and Jimmy discuss the news thatYouTube has become the second most watched video platform in the UK - what does its inexorable rise mean for both producers and broadcasters? And we talk ITV, and try to look beyond their not-great-but-not-quite-as-bad-as-expected results, and ask if they’re getting the big strategic questions right?Plus,the perils of slow lifts, Jimmy’s efforts at self-immolation in the name of selling a show, andthe pilot that Peter made that was so bad, everyone at

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42:46

Cancelling Colbert, the shifting balance of power in...

Insiders: The TV Podcast ·

2025/07/24

This week, Peter and Jimmy discuss the smorgasbord of news from the BBC, from the future of Masterchef to the devil in the detail of the annual report. And we talk CBS’s decision to cancel the Late Show, and ask whether the age of the made-for-TV chat show is coming to an end?Plus, Clive Anderson upsetting the Bee Gees, Jimmy’s dinner with Jeremy Hunt, and why you should be wary of any meeting where someone tells you how much they “value” you (you’re almost certainly about to be fired).Jimmy

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38:36

The state of the audience sitcom, the best (and...

Insiders: The TV Podcast ·

2025/07/17

This week, in a special Q&A episode, Peter and Jimmy ask whether the audience sitcom has become a dying breed, and if there’s sufficient willingness amongst broadcasters to persist with series while they find their feet? And we discuss the tricky business of cancelling a show, and whether there’s ever a good way to do it. Peter recalls the day his scheduler dared him to cancel Last Of The Summer Wine, and Jimmy talks Episodes, and the time the BBC did their level best to cancel it, only to fail

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36:31

Spitting Image returns (but this time on YouTube),...

Insiders: The TV Podcast ·

2025/07/10

This week, Peter and Jimmy discuss the news that Spitting Image is coming back as a YouTube series, and the ways producers can make premium content for YouTube while still turning a profit. And we ask whether Netflix have missed a trick after spending all that time, money, and effort teaching us all about F1 in Drive to Survive, only for Apple to swoop in and make the F1 movie?Plus, the joys of a bottle episode, how to get your kids to text you back, andThe Rime of the Ancient Mariner.Jimmy Mulville

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39:35

The BBC and the controversy at Glastonbury, the...

Insiders: The TV Podcast ·

2025/07/03

This week, Peter and Jimmy discuss the Glastonbury controversy that the BBC has found itself embroiled in, and Peter offers some eye-witness reporting from on the ground at the festival. We talk Disney’s latest non-scripted announcements, including the return of Blind Date. And we ask why, when you sell a format to the Australians, they always try and make it smuttier than anyone ever imagined it could possibly be.Plus, Jimmy’s day at Wimbledon with Johnny Vaughan, a visit to Cilla’s house, and a

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38:20

The challenges ahead for Kate Phillips as the BBC’s...

Insiders: The TV Podcast ·

2025/06/26

This week, as Kate Phillips is confirmed as the new BBC Chief Content Officer, Peter and Jimmy unpack the big issues piling up in her inbox. As the commissioning downturn continues to bite, we discuss the immensely challenging outlook for TV freelancers across the industry.And wepay tribute to the much loved Joanna Beresford, whose death was announced this week - a woman to whom countless producers owe a vast debt.Plus, Sir Trevor McDonald's Bernard Manning gags, the unlikely part Bridget Jones

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41:12

Royal Special: TV and the monarchy

Insiders: The TV Podcast ·

2025/06/19

This week, Peter and Jimmy discuss the complex (and occasionally combustible) relationship between television and the royals. They unpack how the Faustian deal works, and what happens when it goes wrong.Jimmy shares fond memories of the time HIGNFY suggested Prince Harry had taken cocaine, only for the show to find itself in hot water for upsetting an entirely different aristocrat. And Peter talks all things Queen-gate, and tells his side of the story.Plus, Jimmy’s water cooler encounter with

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30 results

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