David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the £75billion PR battle currently waging between BP - one of the UK's biggest companies - and American activist investors who say it’s too weak and too woke.

Also, the world’s top banker is caught ranting about work-from-home GenZers. Is it good PR or bad PR?

And will the claim from conservative influencer Ashley St Clair that Elon Musk is the father of her baby derail his White House bromance with President Donald Trump? Do such 'scandals' matter in the US any more?

Producer: Eve Streeter

David Yelland and Simon Lewis take you inside the woke war rooms in which some of the world’s biggest companies have been sitting these last few weeks with their PR teams, working out whether to abandon their diversity, equity and inclusion programmes following Donald Trump’s ban. With net zero and US foreign aid also coming under the umbrella of what Elon Musk calls the 'woke mind virus’, is the war on woke the great PR distraction trick of our time?

Also, 'Illuminating and electrifying!' Are book endorsements dead in the age of the influencer?

And how can PR professionals keep a handle on the WhatsApps and private communications of their CEOs?

Producer: Eve Streeter

How do you PR a pivot and change the mood music as a politician? David Yelland and Simon Lewis take a look at the language Rachel Reeves is deploying as she tries to go for growth and what might lie behind the timing of AstraZeneca scrapping its UK vaccine plant.

Also, the split that divides the world's PR elite - the political and business world is having to decide whether to follow Donald Trump's language or resist it, kowtow or fight. How do we all talk to America now?

And a PR take on the publicity for Bill Gates' new memoir.

Producer: Eve Streeter

In a rare, open and frank discussion, David Yelland and Simon Lewis go behind the scenes of The Sun newspaper's historic apology to Prince Harry, including for 'serious intrusion' by The Sun and unlawful activity by private investigators.

There's no suggestion that any Sun journalist broke the law. But as a former editor of the paper during this time, what light can David shed on practices at Rupert Murdoch's company then - the use of private investigators and oversight of this, questioning sources, as well as protecting the privacy of Prince William and Prince Harry while they were at Eton? Will this settlement draw a line under the hacking scandal and Harry’s crusade against the tabloid press?

Producer: Eve Streeter

In the wake of Donald Trump’s inauguration, David Yelland and Simon Lewis decode what it means for how the 47th US president does business.

For the tech billionaires in the court of King Donald, as in the days of yore, proximity to power is key. The court can be a risky place if your king is capricious, so stay close, give him what he wants and prove your loyalty – and hope you can still look yourself in the mirror.

Also, what TikTok, crypto and the PR tactic of “flooding the zone” reveal about how the Trump presidency may play out.

Producer: Eve Streeter

As the LA wildfires continue to burn, David Yelland and Simon Lewis discuss the challenge looming for US insurers that find themselves on the frontline of climate change communications - because it looks likely it's not the world's politicians who are going to explain to people the consequences of our warming planet, it's the insurance companies.

Also, a fan-hitting Hollywood feud that has PR at the centre of it. What does the lawsuit between actors Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni reveal about the use of publicity smear campaigns?

And - just what was behind the UK's biggest energy company warning about low levels of gas storage during the coldest week of the winter?

Producer: Eve Streeter

Quick Wins is our how-to guide to personal PR from the When It Hits the Fan team. David Yelland and Simon Lewis share their expert advice on how to navigate the working world like a pro. In these special short episodes, you'll lots of useful tips that might just change your working life – and it’ll only take a few minutes.

In this episode David and Simon answer a listener's question on how to leave a job when you've only just started. They explain how to tactfully u-turn and quit before anyone notices.

Producer: Ella Blaxill

Quick Wins is a series of short episodes from the When It Hits the Fan team to help you navigate your own personal PR.

In this episode, David and Simon answer a listener's question on how to use storytelling when presenting to your boss. They run us through their dos and don'ts when it comes to telling stories and presenting like a pro.

Producer: Ella Blaxill

Quick Wins is our how-to guide to personal PR from the When It Hits the Fan team. David Yelland and Simon Lewis share their expert advice on how to navigate the working world like a pro. In these special short episodes, you'll lots of useful tips that might just change your working life – and it’ll only take a few minutes.

In this episode they discuss how to recover from embarrassment at work. Mastering the art of the apology is key and remember, it may feel like the end of the world but no one's thinking about it as much as you are.

Producer: Ella Blaxill

David Yelland and Simon Lewis discuss the use of 'royal sources' in Prince Andrew's China crises and reflect on the big ideas that have shaped our world in 2024. What are the common themes that might help us understand and navigate our increasingly uncertain world a bit better?

They discuss how the Royal Family is the canary in the PR mine when it comes to dealing with the coming era of algorithms that work to channel negativity and disinformation, as well as the consequences of social media algorithms for all of us.

What does this mean for what happens next in 2025? How best to get a clear message out in a polluted ocean of information? In our changing world, the enduring power of storytelling and connection will be needed more than ever.

Producer: Eve Streeter