When It Hits the Fan Podcast
Inside the world of crisis managers and spin doctors as David Yelland and Simon Lewis watch the week's biggest PR disasters unfold.
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 well as for major corporations like the Nat West, Vodafone and British Gas. Together they bring decades of experience in both creating and managing crises. They'll share all they know about what's keeping those big stories in and out of the news.
Episodes to download
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2024: the big ideas that shaped our year
Tuesday
David and Simon reflect on Prince Andrew's China crisis and the defining trends of 2024.
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Quick Wins: Office Parties
Last Friday
David Yelland and Simon Lewis share their advice on how to survive the office party.
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Murdoch loses 'succession’ battle, killing of a US CEO and why tycoons get up at 4am
Tue 10 Dec 2024
David and Simon discuss Murdoch's lost legal case, Brian Thompson and early risers.
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Gregg Wallace, ‘casting doubt’ PR and Ed Davey’s Christmas single
Tue 3 Dec 2024
The MasterChef crisis, Australia’s social media ban and is Ed Davey a PR genius?
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Jaguar’s rebrand, John Prescott and Meet the Rees-Moggs
Tue 26 Nov 2024
Jaguar’s risky rebrand, Prescott’s precarious PR and Jacob Rees-Mogg’s reality TV debut.
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Has business lost the argument? X versus Bluesky, and Coleen’s jungle PR
Tue 19 Nov 2024
Why business should get political, migrating from X, and a PR coup.
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Why Trump means boom times for PR, and a Rivals spat
Tue 12 Nov 2024
The power of PR under a second Trump presidency and how public Rivalry can backfire.
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Telling the truth, being on TV and the best PR comebacks
Tue 5 Nov 2024
David and Simon answer listeners' questions on honesty, flies on the wall and comebacks.
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Inside prestige PR, Starbucks and a cheese heist
Tue 29 Oct 2024
David and Simon discuss the art of influence, Starbucks messaging and Neal’s Yard Dairy.
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Could PR have helped Liam Payne?, Thomas Tuchel and the Trump biopic
Tue 22 Oct 2024
David and Simon discuss protection in PR, leaning into an own goal, and The Apprentice.
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Kamala Harris, Man City v the Premier League and LinkedIn
Tue 15 Oct 2024
David and Simon discuss the power of opening up, football PR and unvarnished job updates.
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Why Keir needs Bikeshed PR, Strictly’s tabloid battle and Undo Send!
Tue 8 Oct 2024
David and Simon discuss Number 10 comms, knowing when to stop battling and email gaffes.
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Ozempic, Phillip Schofield and PR on screen
Tue 1 Oct 2024
David and Simon discuss goldrush PR, the last roll of the dice and A Very Royal Scandal.
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Al Fayed revelations, and the Murdoch succession battle
Tue 24 Sep 2024
David Yelland and Simon Lewis discuss Mohamed Al Fayed and the Murdoch family feud.
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Â鶹ԼÅÄ in crisis, laughing at Trump and the elephant in the room
Tue 17 Sep 2024
David and Simon discuss the Â鶹ԼÅÄ, Trump and navigating the unmentionable.
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Kate’s video and Labour PR in power
Tue 10 Sep 2024
David and Simon discuss Kate’s video and what we've learnt about the government's PR.
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Quick Wins: How to Deal with Online Abuse
Wed 21 Aug 2024
David and Simon share their advice on how to deal with online abuse.
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When It Hits The Fan x Today Podcast Summer special: Is journalism in crisis?
Thu 15 Aug 2024
The Today Podcast x When It Hits The Fan Summer special.
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Quick Wins: How to Deal with Backstabbers
Wed 14 Aug 2024
David and Simon share their advice on how to deal with backstabbers.
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Quick Wins: How to Get Ahead When You're Shy
Wed 7 Aug 2024
David and Simon share their advice on how to get ahead when you're shy.
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Quick Wins: The Nine Circles of Media Hell
Wed 31 Jul 2024
David Yelland and Simon Lewis share their tips on dealing with the media
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Quick Wins: How to break unwelcome news
Tue 23 Jul 2024
David Yelland and Simon Lewis share their tips on communicating difficult information.
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Trump shooting, Biden and loser PR
Tue 16 Jul 2024
David and Simon discuss Trump’s near miss, ‘elder PR’ and the art of losing gracefully.
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Can Keir kill spin?
Tue 9 Jul 2024
David Yelland and Simon Lewis discuss the great communications reset at Number 10.
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Positive campaigning, how to deal with disappointment and why PR loves Wimbledon
Tue 2 Jul 2024
David and Simon discuss positive political campaigning, losing and schmoozing.
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When It Hits The Fan x The Today Podcast x Newscast
Tue 25 Jun 2024
Three podcasts, one question: How influential is the media on the election?
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Taylor Swift’s PR stardust, the Putin effect and Southgate’s pundit problem
Tue 25 Jun 2024
David and Simon on Taylor Swift's 'magical air cover', Farage and Putin, and Southgate.
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Can Starmer do PR?, the Green Party and being Taylor Swift's ex
Tue 18 Jun 2024
David and Simon discuss Keir Starmer's PR, the Greens' election tactics and Joe Alwyn.
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Sunak's D-Day blunder, is Farage using dog whistles?, and Mike Lynch
Tue 11 Jun 2024
David and Simon discuss Rishi Sunak's PR problems, Nigel Farage's tactics and Mike Lynch.