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

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

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

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

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