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BBC Radio 4

When It Hits The Fan takes you behind the headlines and into the high-stakes world of power, influence and reputation. Each week, it unpacks the PR playbook used by some of the world's most powerful people and asks how the hidden hand of the communications industry shapes what you see, hear and believe. 

Hosts David Yelland and Farzana Baduel dive into the week's biggest media storms, scandals and corporate crises, revealing how PR disasters unfold in real time. From political controversies to celebrity missteps and brand meltdowns, they trace where the story began, how it spiralled, and who ended up in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Bringing sharp insight and insider knowledge.

David Yelland is the former editor of The Sun and Farzana Baduel is an award-winning communications strategist and crisis management specialist. Together, they draw on decades of frontline experience shaping narratives, handling reputational firestorms and understanding what really drives the news cycle.

When It Hits the Fan

'Never complain, never explain.' Until recently, that could've been the unofficial motto for the Royal Family. 

Not anymore.

David Yelland and Farzana Baduel discuss whether it was wise for Buckingham Palace to issue a statement in response to bombshell claims made in Earl Spencer's new book. Advisors closest to the King must have known it would pour rocket fuel on an already incendiary story - but would it have been even worse not to respond? 

And sticking with statements, on the extended episode on BBC Sounds, Ed Sheeran. The singer is right in the middle of an enormous PR storm, over where he stands on the situation in Gaza. He's now said he's 'made mistakes and is so, so sorry', but as David and Farzana explain, whatever he does now won't be enough to appease everyone. So what is he supposed to do next?

Producer: Duncan Middleton
Editor: Sarah Teasdale
Executive Producer: Eve Streeter
Music by Eclectic Sounds
A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4

A Statement from the King

When an interviewer's first question is whether your product could kill all humans, you know it's serious.

This week, David Yelland and Lauren Beeching look at how the boss of Anthropic, Dario Amodei, handled himself following insider claims that AI could indeed wipe us all out.

As Amodei outlined the risks - and benefits - the vital thing to look at is the timing. With Anthropic preparingto sell its shares on the Nasdaq stock exchange, he needed to appeal to investors more than the general public. And explaining just how incredibly powerful your product is, is not necessarily a bad thing. Even if it could lead to the end of the world.

Also - the secret game being played behind-the-scenes when your client is given a right to reply. David and Lauren discuss what options you have - including how quickly to respond and how much or how little detail to give. And they explain how these days, you can be given as little as an hour to put your side, as publications try to stop people going on social media to control the narrative.

And it's never a good idea to get on the wrong side of a National Treasure. Sir Tom Jones has made it very clear he's not happy at being offered a reduced role on The Voice. He says ITV told him it was due to a 'financial difficulty with insurance'. With producers looking to 'refresh' the show, is everything as it seems?

Producer: Duncan Middleton
Editor: Sarah Teasdale
Executive Producer: Eve Streeter
Music by Eclectic Sounds
A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4

How to PR the End of the World

It's a feeling, it's something you can't quite put your finger on - but you know it when you see it.

This week, David Yelland and Farzana Baduel are all about the vibes. The good ones. Whether it's at Downing Street or M&S, vibes have been one of the stories of the summer. 

But good vibes aren't easy to manufacture, they often need intricate planning. And they also require risk, being bold and authenticity. 

Plus, on the extended edition on BBC Sounds, excuses. Nigel Farage says he 'wasn't listening' during a conversation with his former chief of staff and an undercover reporter discussing what appears to have been a scheme to funnel money to Reform UK. 

As a defence, it may sound simple - but as David and Farzana explain, they're often the hardest ones to disprove. See also, 'I didn't read the email', 'my phone was hacked' and 'the dog ate it'. Whether you choose to believe someone's defence will rest on their 'residual reputation'.

And, following one of the most spectacular PR coups of the summer, who are the real winners after Meghan was rumoured to be starring in The Gentlemen? Was there a calculated plan to allow the story to snowball - and was Meghan's team wrong to allow a vacuum to build around the actual facts?

Producer: Duncan Middleton
Editor: Sarah Teasdale
Executive Producer: Eve Streeter
Music by Eclectic Sounds
A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4

The Power of Good Vibes

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

PR's Rich Tapestry

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

Me Against the World

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

Just Answer the Question

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

King Charles, Tax and Transparency

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

Social Media Ban: Big Tech's 'Tobacco Moment'

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

Hunter Biden: Back from the Brink

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

BP v 'Shouty' Albert

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

A Gulf in Communications

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