When It Hits the Fan

David Yelland and Farzana Baduel take you behind the headlines and into the high-stakes world of power, influence and reputation as they unpack the PR playbook.

Radio 4,150 episodes

Episodes

ListGrid

BP v 'Shouty' Albert
David Yelland and Lauren Beeching look at the spectacular PR fallout from a sacking at BP.
03 Jun 2026,33 mins
Lower Value Humans
David Yelland and Farzana Baduel on why words really matter, especially around job cuts.
27 May 2026,28 mins
Did Swatch PR Backfire?
David Yelland and Farzana Baduel discuss if chaos is ever good PR.
20 May 2026,26 mins
Knowing When To Quit
David Yelland and Farzana Baduel on the PR art of knowing when to resign.
13 May 2026,26 mins
The King's Speech
David Yelland and Farzana Baduel on why the King's speech to Congress was high-risk PR.
06 May 2026,27 mins
Trouble at the FBI
David Yelland and Farzana Baduel on how to fight claims of going missing in action.
29 Apr 2026,29 mins
When it Hits The Fan is back!
A new series and a brand-new co-host.
27 Apr 2026,1 min
Don't Panic!!!
David Yelland and Farzana Baduel discuss how to keep the public calm in a crisis.
01 Apr 2026,28 mins
When Poachers Turn Gatekeepers
David Yelland and Farzana Baduel discuss crossing the great PR divide.
25 Mar 2026,29 mins
Can You Spin ChatGPT?
David Yelland and Lauren Beeching look at the secretive world of influencing the chatbots.
18 Mar 2026,22 mins
A Gulf in Communications
David Yelland and Farzana Baduel look at the role of influencers during the war in Iran.
11 Mar 2026,27 mins
The Generation Game
David Yelland and Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty on the struggle to cut through to Gen Z.
04 Mar 2026,19 mins
Friends: The One About PR
David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the use of friends in reputational combat.
25 Feb 2026,25 mins
Heart v Head PR
David Yelland and Simon Lewis discuss how to fight a PR battle in the face of raw emotion.
18 Feb 2026,30 mins
Is the Office of PM Beyond PR?
David Yelland and Simon Lewis ask whether doing comms for any PM is now an impossible job.
11 Feb 2026,26 mins
Are Andrew and Mandelson Beyond the Fan?
David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at reputational black holes.
04 Feb 2026,29 mins
Is the Beckham Brand in Jeopardy?
David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at how a family feud could be bad for family business.
28 Jan 2026,24 mins
A New Blueprint for PR
David Yelland and Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty look at how the rules of PR are changing.
21 Jan 2026,31 mins
Is the Worm Turning on 'Fat Jabs'?
David Yelland and Simon Lewis examine how the discussion on 'fat jabs' is subtly shifting.
14 Jan 2026,25 mins
Golden Rules - S3
3. Don't Break the Fourth Wall
David Yelland and Simon Lewis explain the risks of showing your PR workings.
9 mins
Golden Rules - S3
2. Don't Delay PR
David Yelland and Simon Lewis explain why speed can be vital in a crisis.
10 mins
Golden Rules - S3
1. Rolling the Pitch
David Yelland and Simon Lewis explain why making your plans public can carry great risks.
10 mins
Why Optimism is a PR Superpower
David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at why PR needs reasons to be cheerful.
17 Dec 2025,24 mins,
Simon Cowell's PR: Judged!
David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at whether Simon Cowell's PR has the X-Factor.
10 Dec 2025,29 mins
Nuns on the Run
David Yelland and Simon Lewis celebrate the PR brilliance of an incredible Sister Act.
03 Dec 2025,30 mins
Power, PR and the 'Epstein Class'
David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the secrets of how the elite communicate.
26 Nov 2025,30 mins
The Secrets of the List: Putting Yourself in the Frame for a Top Job.
David Yelland and Simon Lewis reveal how to PR yourself onto the list for a top job.
19 Nov 2025,28 mins
Is the BBC 'hopeless at PR'?
David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at how the BBC's handling its reputation in a crisis.
12 Nov 2025,27 mins
Two Weeks that Shook the Palace
David Yelland and Simon Lewis examine the gulf between two royal statements.
05 Nov 2025,31 mins
The Strictly Bombshell
David Yelland and Simon Lewis dance around what happens when a PR team is blindsided.
29 Oct 2025,36 mins