TV Insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville are joined by Michael Grade to talk about the challenges facing new BBC Director General Matt Brittin, questions asked of Channel 4 after allegations made about Married at First Sight UK and Blackadder, Doctor Who, Father Ted and more!

In this episode:

• What the new BBC Director General needs to do first, and why coming in from the outside can be a strength
• Why Michael Grade thinks the BBC should take more risks and become “a nursery and not a grocery”
• The BBC’s culture, Oxbridge snobbery, scheduling, and why the middle of television has disappeared
• Why the BBC needs to justify public money in a streaming world and what its real purpose should be
• Michael Grade’s take on Channel 4, new voices, and whether it can survive as a smaller, distinctive broadcaster
• The Married at First Sight UK allegations, duty of care, and whether reality TV has gone too far
• Telling talent the truth, spotting blind spots, and why great TV still depends on taste
• Blackadder, Father Ted, Doctor Who and more!

Have a question or opinion? Leave a comment, find us on socials (@InsidersTVPod), or email us at [email protected].

If you enjoyed the episode, make sure to give us a 5 star rating on Apple podcasts or Spotify, follow the podcast wherever you're listening to it now and share this episode with a friend — it really helps us grow.

Chapters

00:00 Coming up!

01:10 The Challenges for the New BBC Director General

18:19 Running Channel 4

22:35 Almost Cancelling Black Adder

25:07 Married at First Sight UK and reality TV ethics

30:55 The Rest of Michael's Career

#BBC #MichaelGrade #MarriedAtFirstSightUK #Channel4 #DoctorWho #Blackadder #FatherTed #RealityTV #TVPodcast #BritishTV #Television #InsidersTVPod #PublicServiceBroadcasting #BAFTA #Streaming #Podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TV Insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville tackle Eurovision's biggest controversy yet, the BBC getting called out at the BAFTA TV awards, and why Wordle could actually work as a prime-time TV show.

In this episode:

• Why Eurovision 2026 final has been marred by the row over Israel’s inclusion and why the contest has become more political than ever
• The BBC’s handling of the Gaza: Doctors Under Attack BAFTA speech and what it says about broadcaster pressure
• How Wordle could work as a television format, and how Tipping Point was commissioned
• Stephen Colbert bidding farewell to The Late Show with his fellow hosts Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, John Oliver and Seth Myers in Strike Force Five reunion
• James Corden teams up with Rio Ferdinand to make his return to FIFA World Cup coverage
• Listener reactions, questions and more

Have a question or opinion? Leave a comment, find us on socials (@InsidersTVPod), or email us at [email protected]

If you enjoyed the episode, please make sure you're following the podcast, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share an episode with a friend — it really helps us grow

#Eurovision #Eurovision2026 #Wordle #TippingPoint #BBC #BAFTA #StephenColbert #TheLateShow #StrikeForceFive #FIFAWorldCup #WorldCup #TV #Podcast #Television #Channel4 #Streaming #InsidersTVPod

Jimmy Mulville is the co-founder and Chief Executive of Hat Trick Productions. His list of hit shows includes Have I Got News For You, Father Ted, Derry Girls, Outnumbered, and Episodes. In the US Hat Trick launched Whose Line Is It Anyway in 1997 which ran on ABC for seven years and was the first British series to be recreated for American network television by a British producer.

Peter Fincham ran TalkBack, where he executive produced many of their biggest shows including I’m Alan Partridge, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, and Da Ali G Show. He went on to be Controller of BBC1, then he was Director of Television at ITV, before returning to the independent sector as the co-CEO of Expectation, the company behind Clarkson's Farm and Alma's Not Normal. New episodes every Friday.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TV Insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville break down Helena Bonham Carter’s shock exit from The White Lotus Season 4, discuss the huge Celebrity Traitors line-up and celebrate Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday.

In this episode:

•The White Lotus announcement from HBO and what “creative differences” actually means in television

•The surprising omission from the Celebrity Traitors cast

•Why the BBC still beats Netflix and Amazon at “event TV”

•How AI is already changing television editing and ADR

•The career decision that made David Attenborough a legend

•PLUS: your reactions to our AI in editing debate, Hollywood power struggles, BBC commissioning insights, and more

Have a question, opinion or suggestion? Leave a comment on Spotify or YouTube, find us on socials @InsidersTVPod, or email us at [email protected].

If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a review 5-star review, share it with a friend and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

01:08 Celebrity Traitors lineup revealed

07:49 Helena Bonham Carter exits The White Lotus

15:33 AI controversy in TV editing

22:13 David Attenborough at 100

30:47 Corrections, cocaine and conclusions

#TheWhiteLotus #CelebrityTraitors #DavidAttenborough #HelenaBonhamCarter #MikeWhite #AI #BBC #Netflix #Streaming #Television #Podcast

Jimmy Mulville is the co-founder and Chief Executive of Hat Trick Productions. His list of hit shows includes Have I Got News For You, Father Ted, Derry Girls, Outnumbered, and Episodes. In the US Hat Trick launched Whose Line Is It Anyway in 1997 which ran on ABC for seven years and was the first British series to be recreated for American network television by a British producer.

Peter Fincham ran TalkBack, where he executive produced many of their biggest shows including I’m Alan Partridge, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, and Da Ali G Show. He went on to be Controller of BBC1, then he was Director of Television at ITV, before returning to the independent sector as the co-CEO of Expectation, the company behind Clarkson's Farm and Alma's Not Normal. New episodes every Friday.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter and Jimmy catch up on Expectation’s new gameshow pilot, as well as Jimmy’s attendance at a charity event for the Andy Taylor Foundation, before turning to the week’s TV news.

They discuss the cancellation of Football Focus after 52 years on our screens, and what it says about how audiences now consume football content.

From there, they debate whether an AI editing technique used on a TV show should have been banned by the production — exploring whether ethical boundaries can be maintained, if it enhances or undermines creativity, and whether the industry is resisting inevitable change.

This leads them to unpack Donald Trump’s accusation that the BBC used AI in a Panorama documentary to defame him, and why that misunderstanding could weaken his $10 billion lawsuit against the corporation.

Finally, they look at how formats like A League of Their Own are evolving beyond television into live events and broader IP monetisation strategies.

Plus: Alan Titchmarsh’s unsigned wellies, Paul Simon’s decades-long grudge, and why every drama set in Liverpool seems to benefit from a conveniently placed bag of cocaine…

Jimmy Mulville is the co-founder and Chief Executive of Hat Trick Productions. His list of hit shows includes Have I Got News For You, Father Ted, Derry Girls, Outnumbered, and Episodes. In the US Hat Trick launched Whose Line Is It Anyway in 1997 which ran on ABC for seven years and was the first British series to be recreated for American network television by a British producer.

Peter Fincham ran TalkBack, where he executive produced many of their biggest shows including I’m Alan Partridge, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, and Da Ali G Show. He went on to be Controller of BBC1, then he was Director of Television at ITV, before returning to the independent sector as the co-CEO of Expectation, the company behind Clarkson's Farm and Alma's Not Normal. New episodes every Friday.

YouTube:    / @insiderstvpodcast  

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @InsidersTVPod

The producer is Owen Braben

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter and Jimmy bid farewell to Ian Katz, the outgoing Chief Content Officer at Channel 4, reflecting on what really happens when a top TV executive steps down before answering listener questions. 

They unpack who really holds creative power in TV versus film — from auteur directors and “final cut” culture in Hollywood to why, in television, producers and writers often overrule directors in the edit. They also lift the lid on how shows get recommissioned or cancelled, revealing the crucial role of schedulers, the temptation to keep ageing hits on air, and how streamers’ data-driven decisions could be the death of the “slow burn” success story. And finally, they tackle why there’s no ‘right way’ to sack someone in TV when people rarely believe they deserve to go.

Plus, Peter’s top fashion tips, Jimmy’s new ‘Guess That Fishy Channel Controller’ gameshow, and why you should never say never on a Saudi Arabian version of Outnumbered…

Jimmy Mulville is the co-founder and Chief Executive of Hat Trick Productions. His list of hit shows includes Have I Got News For You, Father Ted, Derry Girls, Outnumbered, and Episodes. In the US Hat Trick launched Whose Line Is It Anyway in 1997 which ran on ABC for seven years and was the first British series to be recreated for American network television by a British producer.

Peter Fincham ran TalkBack, where he executive produced many of their biggest shows including I’m Alan Partridge, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, and Da Ali G Show. He went on to be Controller of BBC1, then he was Director of Television at ITV, before returning to the independent sector as the co-CEO of Expectation, the company behind Clarkson's Farm and Alma's Not Normal. New episodes every Friday.

YouTube:    / @insiderstvpodcast  

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @InsidersTVPod

The producer is Owen Braben

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Peter and Jimmy discuss Christopher Eccleston’s claim that TV executives think audiences are “stupid”, and swap war stories from the front line of tricky commissioning meetings.

Later, they chat about the actors and producers in the US rallying together to oppose the Paramount-Warner Brothers merger. They then set about unpicking the BBC’s announcement of 2,000 job cuts, a hiring freeze, and the interim DG’s surprising candour around the current funding model being “unsustainable" and "reaching the end of its sell-by date".

Plus, we get live reaction to Content Chief Ian Katz leaving Channel 4, some insight into the world of being an ex-channel controller, and as Peter reports back on his recent visit to Clarkson’s Farm, we ask, what exactly does an executive producer actually do? (clue: mostly get in the way on set)

Jimmy Mulville is the co-founder and Chief Executive of Hat Trick Productions. His list of hit shows includes Have I Got News For You, Father Ted, Derry Girls, Outnumbered, and Episodes. In the US Hat Trick launched Whose Line Is It Anyway in 1997 which ran on ABC for seven years and was the first British series to be recreated for American network television by a British producer.

Peter Fincham ran TalkBack, where he executive produced many of their biggest shows including I’m Alan Partridge, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, and Da Ali G Show. He went on to be Controller of BBC1, then he was Director of Television at ITV, before returning to the independent sector as the co-CEO of Expectation, the company behind Clarkson's Farm and Alma's Not Normal. New episodes every Friday.

YouTube:    / @insiderstvpodcast  

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @InsidersTVPod

The producer is Owen Braben

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Peter and Jimmy ask whether the arrival of HBO Max might be nudging us all dangerously close to peak demand for subscription services. Does the subscription model thrive as much on inertia as it does on the content they offer? And is that really sustainable? 

We talk revisionism when it comes to the question of what’s acceptable on television, and ask what are the shows that we love today that we’ll one day be embarrassed by? 

And with a new series in full swing on BBC1, Jimmy shares fond memories of some left-field HIGNFY bookings. Some of whom were memorable for all the right reasons (Play Your Iraqi Cards Right, anyone?). Some of whom were just memorable...

Plus, the BBC Twat Memo, Peter’s irrational fear of watching medical dramas, and wishing David Dimbleby well in his retirement.

Jimmy Mulville is the co-founder and Chief Executive of Hat Trick Productions. His list of hit shows includes Have I Got News For You, Father Ted, Derry Girls, Outnumbered, and Episodes. In the US Hat Trick launched Whose Line Is It Anyway in 1997 which ran on ABC for seven years and was the first British series to be recreated for American network television by a British producer.

Peter Fincham ran TalkBack, where he executive produced many of their biggest shows including I’m Alan Partridge, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, and Da Ali G Show. He went on to be Controller of BBC1, then he was Director of Television at ITV, before returning to the independent sector as the co-CEO of Expectation, the company behind Clarkson's Farm and Alma's Not Normal. New episodes every Friday.

YouTube:   / @insiderstvpodcast  

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @InsidersTVPod

The producer is Owen Braben

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jimmy and Peter are joined by former Director General Greg Dyke as he talks the highs and lows of his time running the BBC, and what advice he’d give to Matt Brittin as he prepares to take on the top job.

During his 4 years as DG, Dyke oversaw huge changes at every level of the organisation, from the birth of the iPlayer to a concerted effort to make the BBC less London-centric. But it was the row with the government over the Iraq war, and the Hutton Report that followed, that came to define his time in charge. He talks candidly about what that experience was like, and his regrets looking back more than 20 years later.

Plus, the bygone era of union dominance of television, unlikely book buying in Kampala, and why, if anyone ever asks you to join the LWT share options scheme, you should always, always say yes.

Jimmy Mulville is the co-founder and Chief Executive of Hat Trick Productions. His list of hit shows includes Have I Got News For You, Father Ted, Derry Girls, Outnumbered, and Episodes. In the US Hat Trick launched Whose Line Is It Anyway in 1997 which ran on ABC for seven years and was the first British series to be recreated for American network television by a British producer.

Peter Fincham ran TalkBack, where he executive produced many of their biggest shows including I’m Alan Partridge, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, and Da Ali G Show. He went on to be Controller of BBC1, then he was Director of Television at ITV, before returning to the independent sector as the co-CEO of Expectation, the company behind Clarkson's Farm and Alma's Not Normal. New episodes every Friday.

YouTube: / @insiderstvpodcast

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @InsidersTVPod

The producer is Owen Braben

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Peter and Jimmy discuss the challenges that lie ahead for Matt Brittin as he’s (finally) confirmed as the next DG. While he’s doubtless a vastly able and experienced corporate leader, his in-tray already looks unenviable. We wish him well. 

The British iteration of SNL launched last weekend. There was a bit of sniping from the critics, but it was fundamentally a really strong start, and a very funny show. Could this be the turning the point that convinces broadcasters to start commissioning sketch shows again? 

And in this week’s political-correctness-gone-mad news, Peter and Jimmy offer their analysis of the fuss around The Repair Shop and Bob Monkhouse’s joke books.

Plus, Peter’s youthful dreams of being a cox (in the rowing sense), Jimmy’s zooms with the obscenely handsome Jamie Dornan, and the unlikely link between Matt Brittin’s Cambridge alma mater and the world of television. 

Jimmy Mulville is the co-founder and Chief Executive of Hat Trick Productions. His list of hit shows includes Have I Got News For You, Father Ted, Derry Girls, Outnumbered, and Episodes. In the US Hat Trick launched Whose Line Is It Anyway in 1997 which ran on ABC for seven years and was the first British series to be recreated for American network television by a British producer.

Peter Fincham ran TalkBack, where he executive produced many of their biggest shows including I’m Alan Partridge, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, and Da Ali G Show. He went on to be Controller of BBC1, then he was Director of Television at ITV, before returning to the independent sector as the co-CEO of Expectation, the company behind Clarkson's Farm and Alma's Not Normal. New episodes every Friday.

YouTube:   / @insiderstvpodcast  

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @InsidersTVPod

The producer is Owen Braben

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jimmy and Peter are joined by broadcaster and soon-to-be media entrepreneur Amol Rajan to talk about the smaller but even more important future for the BBC, the rise of the creator economy and why YouTube versus Netflix is the media battle of our age.

They also unpack what it takes to build a media company in 2026, from audience-first thinking to monetisation challenges, and why individual creators are becoming more powerful than institutions. Amol shares his plans to create a global, intellectually curious audience through podcasts, video, live events and more whilst reflecting on lessons from legacy media and figures like Piers Morgan who’ve successfully followed the audience.

Plus, crashed boats, care homes and Amol’s presenting tips for Jimmy and Peter…

Jimmy Mulville is the co-founder and Chief Executive of Hat Trick Productions. His list of hit shows includes Have I Got News For You, Father Ted, Derry Girls, Outnumbered, and Episodes. In the US Hat Trick launched Whose Line Is It Anyway in 1997 which ran on ABC for seven years and was the first British series to be recreated for American network television by a British producer.

Peter Fincham ran TalkBack, where he executive produced many of their biggest shows including I’m Alan Partridge, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, and Da Ali G Show. He went on to be Controller of BBC1, then he was Director of Television at ITV, before returning to the independent sector as the co-CEO of Expectation, the company behind Clarkson's Farm and Alma's Not Normal. New episodes every Friday.

YouTube:   / @insiderstvpodcast  

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @InsidersTVPod

The producer is Owen Braben

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.