When It Hits the Fan

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.

Recent Episodes
  • China's meme warfare, rats and rockets
    Apr 23, 2025 – 29:04
  • Quick Wins: How to avoid being typecast
    Apr 15, 2025 – 10:47
  • Quick Wins: How to deal with redundancies
    Apr 8, 2025 – 10:43
  • The truth about ‘no comment,’ managing expectations and cost-effective PR
    Apr 1, 2025 – 20:29
  • Heathrow special: inside the crisis
    Mar 25, 2025 – 26:26
  • Thames Water’s PR gamble, Tesla backlash and William’s Villa in The Sun
    Mar 18, 2025 – 28:24
  • Carney’s Canada v Trump, Abrdn’s U-turn and Ambassador Suzuki
    Mar 11, 2025 – 28:19
  • Trump, Zelensky, the King and Mummy Pig
    Mar 4, 2025 – 28:07
  • PR in the disinformation bubble, Mandelson’s doorstep and breaking cover
    Feb 25, 2025 – 28:23
  • BP’s PR battle, Jamie Dimon’s rant, and two men and a baby
    Feb 18, 2025 – 28:16
  • Inside the woke war room, puff quote PR and WhatsApp comms
    Feb 11, 2025 – 28:16
  • Rachel Reeves’ PR pivot, how to talk to Trump and Bill Gates’ memoir
    Feb 4, 2025 – 28:09
  • Inside the Sun's historic apology to Prince Harry
    Jan 28, 2025 – 28:16
  • Power and influence in the (medieval) court of Trump
    Jan 21, 2025 – 28:28
  • California in crisis and is the UK running out of gas?
    Jan 14, 2025 – 28:34
  • Quick Wins: How to quit a new job
    Jan 7, 2025 – 07:38
  • Quick Wins: How to use storytelling
    Dec 31, 2024 – 07:57
  • Quick Wins: How to recover from embarrassment
    Dec 24, 2024 – 08:35
  • 2024: the big ideas that shaped our year
    Dec 17, 2024 – 28:15
  • Quick Wins: Office Parties
    Dec 13, 2024 – 07:13
  • Murdoch loses 'succession’ battle, killing of a US CEO and why tycoons get up at 4am
    Dec 10, 2024 – 28:03
  • Gregg Wallace, ‘casting doubt’ PR and Ed Davey’s Christmas single
    Dec 3, 2024 – 28:30
  • Jaguar’s rebrand, John Prescott and Meet the Rees-Moggs
    Nov 26, 2024 – 28:32
  • Has business lost the argument? X versus Bluesky, and Coleen’s jungle PR
    Nov 19, 2024 – 28:14
  • Why Trump means boom times for PR, and a Rivals spat
    Nov 12, 2024 – 28:20
  • Telling the truth, being on TV and the best PR comebacks
    Nov 5, 2024 – 28:22
  • Inside prestige PR, Starbucks and a cheese heist
    Oct 29, 2024 – 27:40
  • Could PR have helped Liam Payne?, Thomas Tuchel and the Trump biopic
    Oct 22, 2024 – 28:40
  • Kamala Harris, Man City v the Premier League and LinkedIn
    Oct 15, 2024 – 28:29
  • Why Keir needs Bikeshed PR, Strictly’s tabloid battle and Undo Send!
    Oct 8, 2024 – 28:16
  • Ozempic, Phillip Schofield and PR on screen
    Oct 1, 2024 – 28:30
  • Al Fayed revelations, and the Murdoch succession battle
    Sep 24, 2024 – 28:03
  • BBC in crisis, laughing at Trump and the elephant in the room
    Sep 17, 2024 – 28:24
  • Kate’s video and Labour PR in power
    Sep 10, 2024 – 28:33
  • Quick Wins: How to Lead
    Aug 28, 2024 – 08:56
  • Quick Wins: How to Deal with Online Abuse
    Aug 21, 2024 – 07:08
  • When It Hits The Fan x Today Podcast Summer special: Is journalism in crisis?
    Aug 15, 2024 – 45:54
  • Quick Wins: How to Deal with Backstabbers
    Aug 14, 2024 – 08:57
  • Quick Wins: How to Get Ahead When You're Shy
    Aug 7, 2024 – 08:52
  • Quick Wins: The Nine Circles of Media Hell
    Jul 31, 2024 – 10:51
  • Quick Wins: How to break unwelcome news
    Jul 23, 2024 – 07:05
  • Trump shooting, Biden and loser PR
    Jul 16, 2024 – 28:21
  • Can Keir kill spin?
    Jul 9, 2024 – 28:33
  • Positive campaigning, how to deal with disappointment and why PR loves Wimbledon
    Jul 2, 2024 – 28:27
  • When It Hits The Fan x The Today Podcast x Newscast
    Jun 25, 2024 – 38:08
  • Taylor Swift’s PR stardust, the Putin effect and Southgate’s pundit problem
    Jun 25, 2024 – 28:25
  • Can Starmer do PR?, the Green Party and being Taylor Swift's ex
    Jun 18, 2024 – 30:30
  • Sunak's D-Day blunder, is Farage using dog whistles?, and Mike Lynch
    Jun 11, 2024 – 28:41
  • Private school PR, Lib Dem tactics and Trump's conviction
    Jun 4, 2024 – 28:59
  • General Election PR strategy and the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry
    May 28, 2024 – 28:20
Recent Reviews
  • Sicopaw
    Royal family epic fail
    Fact is the UK Royal Family needs America. And boy the wool cannot be pulled over our eyes again, the UK media is a joke. They are client “journalists” or “PR” for the monarchy. But they crossed the line trying to guilt trip the world because Will &Kate are lousy at their jobs. The gaslighting is INSANE!!! There is something very disturbing about how Harry and Meghan are treated in the press. The UK press and the royal family are sadistic. Thank goodness Harry escaped that salty island.
  • AlexaMVD
    Conflicts of interest in PR?
    So apparently it is totally fine for it to go completely unacknowledged that Simon Lewis’ brother, Will Lewis, current editor of the Washington Post, is heavily implicated in Prince Harry’s lawsuit against the Sun, having worked for Murdoch for over a decade after the scandal came to light. That would have noooo bearing on his analysis of Prince Harry’s apparently foolish war with the media, correct? Nope, nothing to see here. Silly, Prince Harry. David is the only one saying anything worth listening to on this podcast, but this also reflects poorly on him and the BBC. Is there any shred of media integrity left anywhere in the UK? Acknowledging a potential bias, even if it is to dispel it, should be the foundation of critical analysis. Without it, the conclusions make themselves. PR 101, I guess. But what do I know.
  • Nitram99
    Ethics!
    They're struggling to find anything ethical in PR. Let me recommend : Bowen, S. A. (2007). Ethics and public relations. Institute for Public Relations Gainesville, FL. So let’s see. Greta Thunberg does good without a penny of PR. Facebook does bad paying millions for PR. Mmm, what should we conclude? 🤔
  • Beebstan
    Uneven
    It can be fascinating sometimes and a bit superficial other episodes. Love the concept but would like to hear more from Simon and a bit less from David
  • EssieEmme
    Eye opening
    A fascinating look into the world of PR/strategic communications. I’ve already learned a lot and am excited to learn more!
  • Lhrice
    Lies
    The palace does brief. Already starting the propaganda. Will never listen again.
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