Insiders: The TV Podcast

Afleveringen

1. Is the BBC Censoring Pride Pins? & Why Reform Reported ITV to the Police...

   30 oktober 2026 · 32 min

   Afspelen
   TV Insiders Jimmy Mulville and Peter Fincham discuss why the BBC blurred pride pins on University, why Reform has reported ITV to the police, Netflix has lost viewers, Channel 4 has teamed up with Disney+ and how Ghosts and Ali G have taken on the big screen… Lees meer

   In this episode:

   • Why the BBC edited pride pins out of University Challenge

   • Whether blurring a “Protect the Dolls” T-shirt on Strictly was impartiality or censorship

   • The Poppy, Remembrance Day and where the BBC should draw the line

   • Reform’s police complaint against ITV over its undercover investigation

   • Whether undercover journalism was in the public interest or went too far

   • Why Netflix engagement is falling and whether the streaming boom is ending

   • Weekly episode releases versus the full-season box-set drop

   • How YouTube now beats Netflix for US streaming viewing

   • Channel 4’s Disney+ deal and what it means for British public service television

   • Whether comedy films are the new future as Ghosts and Ali G hit the big screen

   • Why British TV comedy is struggling despite Ludwig, Ann Droid and Small Prophets earning millions of viewers

   Have a question, opinion or suggestion? Leave a comment on YouTube, find us on socials @InsidersTVPod, or email us at podcasts@hattrick.com.

   If you enjoyed the episode, please like, subscribe and share the podcast with a friend — it really helps us grow.

   Chapters

   00:00 BBC removes University Challenge pride pins

   06:10 Strictly blurs “Protect the Dolls” t-shirt

   09:40 Reform reports ITV to the police

   14:40 Netflix: why are people watching less?

   21:20 Channel 4’s Disney+ deal explained

   27:20 Are comedy movies the future for TV sitcoms?

   #BBC #BBCNews #UniversityChallenge #StrictlyComeDancing #Pride #LGBTQ #Impartiality #ReformUK #NigelFarage #ITV #UndercoverJournalism #Journalism #Netflix #Streaming #YouTube #Channel4 #DisneyPlus #BritishTV #TVNews #TVPodcast #TVIndustry #Ghosts #AliG #TheInbetweeners #BritishComedy #Sitcom #InsidersTV

   Jimmy Mulville …

2. We Ranked Britain’s Best Sketch Shows

   23 oktober 2026 · 31 min

   Afspelen
   Monty Python’s Flying Circus, The Benny Hill Show or Morecambe & Wise — what is Britain’s greatest sketch show? TV Insiders Jimmy Mulville and Peter Fincham rank the best British sketch shows, from That Mitchell and Webb Look and The Two Ronnies to The Fast Show, Spitting Image, French & Saunders, Goodness Gracious Me! and more… Lees meer

   In this episode:

   Morecambe & Wise’s incredible castings

   The Two Ronnies, Four Candles and the “dull in Hull” weather forecast

   How Not the Nine O’Clock News made Rowan Atkinson a star

   The Fast Show, Caroline Aherne and sketches made for the YouTube age

   A Bit of Fry & Laurie and the privatised police sketch

   That Mitchell and Webb Look’s “Are we the baddies?”

   Why Benny Hill was left off the list

   Spitting Image, David Owen, David Steel and the puppets that punctured political careers

   French & Saunders and their brilliant Bananarama parody

   Goodness Gracious Me!’s “Going for an English”

   Armstrong and Miller and whether sketch shows should ever be revived

   How Monty Python’s Flying Circus changed sketch shows

   PLUS: The League of Gentlemen, Little Britain, Smack the Pony and more

   Chapters:

   00:00 Intro and the rules

   03:50 A Bit of Fry & Laurie

   05:40 The Two Ronnies

   07:55 Not the Nine O’Clock News

   11:05 The Fast Show

   13:25 That Mitchell and Webb Look

   14:45 The Benny Hill Show

   17:05 Spitting Image

   20:15 French & Saunders

   21:35 The Morecambe and Wise Show

   23:45 Goodness Gracious Me!

   26:40 Monty Python’s Flying Circus

   Have a question, opinion or suggestion? Leave a comment on YouTube, find us on socials @InsidersTVPod, or email us at podcasts@hattrick.com.

   If you enjoyed the episode, please like, subscribe and share the podcast with a friend — it really helps us grow.

   #BritishTV #SketchShows #BritishComedy #MontyPython #MorecambeAndWise #TheTwoRonnies #TheFastShow #SpittingImage #FrenchAndSaunders #BennyHill #FryAndLaurie #MitchellAndWebb #GoodnessGraciousMe #NotTheNineOClockNews #RowanAtkinson #FourCandles #AreWeTheBaddies …

3. The Traitors: How I Commissioned the BBC Hit with Syeda Irtizaali

   16 oktober 2026 · 35 min

   Afspelen
   The Traitors almost went to Costa Rica with bikinis and hot tubs with BBC editorial policy suggested avoiding the words “murder” and “kill”. Lees meer

   Now the show’s commissioner, Syeda Irtizaali joins TV Insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville to reveal the decisions, disagreements and casting choices behind the hit show…

   In this episode:

   How the Dutch format became The Traitors on the BBC

   Why Syeda pushed for a Scottish castle instead of Costa Rica

   The BBC’s concerns about “murder” and “kill” and why she rejected the advice

   The A-list star who was almost in Celebrity Traitors Series 2

   Claudia Winkleman’s worries about the first big twist

   Why the original series launched with ordinary people, not celebrities

   The fan test used to cast Celebrity Traitors

   Can Netflix create its own nation-gripping reality hit?

   “Prestige reality”, Netflix: Will You Marry Me? and the future of unscripted TV

   PLUS: The Big Breakfast, a beer-stained job application and secretly training Denise Van Outen

   Have a question, opinion or suggestion? Leave a comment on YouTube, find us on socials @InsidersTVPod, or email podcasts@hattrick.com.

   If you enjoyed the episode, please like, subscribe, and share the podcast with a friend—it really helps us grow.

   CHAPTERS

   00:00 Welcome and meet Syeda Irtizaali

   01:20 Celebrity Traitors and the unnamed A-list star

   03:30 How The Traitors came to the BBC

   07:50 Costa Rica, hot tubs and the Scottish castle

   09:10 Why the BBC questioned “murder” and “kill”

   11:20 Claudia Winkleman and the first big twist

   13:50 Why The Traitors started without celebrities

   16:50 Celebrity Traitors and the casting fan test

   18:10 Can Netflix create the next big reality hit?

   19:30 Netflix: Will You Marry Me?

   20:50 What is “prestige reality”?

   22:20 Moving from the BBC to Netflix

   24:00 The future of the BBC and Channel 4

   27:10 Getting into television and The Big Breakfast

   30:30 Secretly training Denise Van Outen

   31:20 Something for the Weekend’s outrageous dating s…

4. Is the BBC About to Close BBC Three and BBC Scotland? & The Traitors Returns...

   9 oktober 2026 · 33 min

   Afspelen
   TV Insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville discuss proposed cuts to BBC Three and BBC Scotland, the extraordinary success of The Traitors, Channel 4’s new programming structure and the possible impact on British comedy. They also remember Esther Rantzen and the unforgettable television moment involving Nicholas Winton. Lees meer

   In this episode:

   Why The Traitors is still able to dominate television viewing

   Richard E. Grant, James Acaster and Amol Rajan’s early exit

   Early exits of Robert Kilroy Silk, Noel Edmonds and Susannah Constantine from I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here

   Why BBC Three’s online-only future is so complicated

   The debate over BBC acquisitions including Suits, Schitt’s Creek and Scooby-Doo

   Whether the BBC should charge audiences overseas

   What longer iPlayer availability could mean for producers and programme rights

   Could BBC iPlayer become a home for Channel 4 and other public-service content?

   Why the BBC should consider advertising around some of its archive programming

   Whether YouTube should give UK public-service broadcasters greater prominence

   The BBC World Service and Britain’s soft power

   BBC MediaTech cuts and staff’s emojis reaction to the announcement

   David Brindley’s appointment at Channel 4

   Why merging Channel 4’s comedy and drama teams could be bad news for comedy

   Esther Rantzen, That’s Life! and the television legacy of Nicholas Winton

   Have a question, opinion or suggestion? Leave a comment on YouTube or Spotify, find us on social media at @InsidersTVPod, or email podcasts@hattrick.com.

   If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and share the podcast with a friend — it really helps us grow.

   Chapters

   00:00 Introduction

   00:40 Why The Traitors is still a television phenomenon

   06:40 BBC cuts and the future of BBC Three

   11:00 Proposals to reform the BBC licence fee

   22:40 BBC MediaTech cuts and the emoji backlash

   24:40 Why merging comedy and drama could hurt Channel 4

   27:20 Remembering Esther Rantzen

   #BBC #BBCThree…

5. Who is Britain’s Greatest TV Detective? We Rank Our Top 10

   2 oktober 2026 · 32 min

   Afspelen
   Morse, Vera or Prime Suspect — who is Britain’s greatest TV detective? TV Insiders Jimmy Mulville and Peter Fincham rank the best British detectives, from Inspector Morse and Prime Suspect to Poirot, Sherlock, Midsomer Murders, The Sweeney and more… Lees meer

   In this episode:

   Whether Ludwig could eventually join the great British detective pantheon

   Why Helen Mirren’s Jane Tennison remains one of television’s strongest detectives

   Brenda Blethyn’s defining performance as Vera Stanhope

   David Suchet’s iconic Hercule Poirot

   Benedict Cumberbatch and Steven Moffat’s modern Sherlock

   Why A Touch of Frost doesn’t compare with the rest of the list

   The Sweeney, John Thaw and the difference between action-led policing and puzzle-solving

   How Midsomer Murders replaced John Nettles with Neil Dudgeon

   Why Bergerac gives John Nettles two iconic TV detectives

   The strange appeal of Van der Valk’s canals and Dutch names

   Why a great detective does not need to be likeable

   The “eureka” moment that makes detective dramas so reassuring

   Why the best mysteries were often 90 minutes long

   How ITV is the home of the great detectives

   Have a question, opinion or suggestion? Leave a comment on YouTube, find us on socials @InsidersTVPod, or email us at podcasts@hattrick.com.

   If you enjoyed the episode, please like, subscribe and share the podcast with a friend — it really helps us grow.

   Chapters

   00:00 Intro and rules

   01:21 Could Ludwig become a classic detective?

   03:37 Ranking begins with Hercule Poirot

   06:38 Sherlock Holmes and Benedict Cumberbatch

   07:52 A Touch of Frost

   11:14 The Sweeney

   13:10 Miss Marple

   13:39 Midsomer Murders and the Barnaby succession

   17:37 Van der Valk

   18:39 Vera and Brenda Blethyn

   22:40 Inspector Morse

   25:47 Prime Suspect and Helen Mirren

   27:43 Bergerac

   #BritishTV #BritishDetectives #DetectiveShows #InspectorMorse #Morse #Vera #PrimeSuspect #HelenMirren #BrendaBlethyn #JohnThaw #Sherlock #BenedictCumberbatch #Poirot #DavidSuchet #MidsomerMurders #Ludwig #…

6. Why the BBC Cut Sketches from That Mitchell and Webb Look, Strictly’s New Presenters & Trump TV

   25 september 2026 · 34 min

   Afspelen
   TV Insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville debate the BBC’s decision to remove potentially offensive sketches from That Mitchell and Webb Look, asking whether modern comedy can still break taboos without being censored. They also discuss Trump TV & press freedom, Strictly Come Dancing and why some television formats survive their stars. Lees meer

   In this episode:

   Why the BBC is reviewing That Mitchell and Webb Look before its iPlayer return

   The controversy around the The Civil War sketch, blackface and the limits of contextual comedy

   Why some sketches involving Gary Rhodes, Bill Oddie and Jimmy Savile may have been removed

   How Brass Eye used irony to challenge media attitudes

   The Real Housewives of ISIS sketch and Jimmy’s police warning

   Peter time at Talkback and the alleged threat connected to the Krays

   Donald Trump’s new 24/7 Trump TV channel and its production values… or lack thereof

   Whether YouTube could become the future home of political satire

   Does changing presenters can make or break a television format?

   What Strictly Come Dancing, The Great British Bake Off, The Grand Tour and Top Gear reveal about presenter changes

   The Apprentice’s decision to keep Alan Sugar as its central figure

   The TV-am “Famous Five” and the dangers of putting too many stars together

   The Generation Game, Bruce Forsyth, Larry Grayson and the importance of a strong format

   Nigella Lawson and Peter’s most unexpected television regret

   Have a question, opinion or suggestion? Leave a comment on YouTube, find us on social media @InsidersTVPod, or email us at podcasts@hattrick.com.

   If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and share the podcast with a friend — it really helps us grow.

   Chapters

   00:00 Intro

   00:40 Why BBC cut 11 sketches from That Mitchell and Webb Look

   16:17 Trump bans news outlets and launches Trump TV

   24:36 Will Strictly Come Dancing survive new presenters?

   #ThatMitchellAndWebbLook #MitchellAndWebb #BBC #BBCiPlayer #Comedy #BritishComedy #ComedyCensor…

7. The Harry Potter Reboot: 5 Questions HBO Must Answer | BBC iPlayer 2.0 & Netflix’s New Dating Shows

   18 september 2026 · 32 min

   Afspelen
   Is the Harry Potter series arriving too soon? TV insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville examine why HBO is returning to Hogwarts, whether the original films are still impossible to replace, and what other big issues face the Harry Potter TV show. Lees meer

   They also debate BBC Director-General Matt Brittin’s vision for an iPlayer shaped by a “public service algorithm”, examine new research on women working behind the camera in US television, and ask why Netflix is betting so heavily on dating and reality formats.

   In this episode:

   Why is Harry Potter being adapted for television so soon after the original films?

   Christopher Columbus’ reaction to the new Harry Potter series

   Whether the reboot is a creative opportunity or a commercial franchise play

   The continuing debate around J.K. Rowling’s views on gender and the new cast

   The Harry Potter series cast like Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, John Lithgow as Dumbledore and Nick Frost as Hagrid

   Behind the Scenes on the Harry Potter production as leaked reports say props have to be tracked for security

   Matt Brittin’s vision for a BBC iPlayer 2.0

   Could the BBC really host YouTube-style user generated content?

   Why a “public service algorithm” might be useful or “schoolmasterish”

   The decline in women creators and directors on US streaming programmes

   How age and gender affect the roles available on television

   Why Netflix is commissioning more dating and reality formats

   What streamers can learn from broadcasters about genre mix, live television and audience habits

   Have a question, opinion or suggestion? Leave a comment on YouTube, find us on socials @InsidersTVPod, or email us at podcasts@hattrick.com.

   If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and share the podcast with a friend — it really helps us grow.

   Chapters

   00:00 Intro

   00:40 HBO's Harry Potter Problems

   10:53 Matt Brittin’s ideal iPlayer 2.0

   18:26 Why fewer women are creating TV shows

   23:44 Netflix’s Reality-TV revolution

   #HarryPotter #HarryPott…

8. Tom Jones' Sacking Statement, Seven Up Ending and Channel 4’s Huge Cuts

   11 september 2026 · 34 min

   Afspelen
   TV Insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville discuss Sir Tom Jones’s shock exit from The Voice UK, Channel 4’s plan to cut around 300 jobs, allegations that some LG smart TVs can capture audio in standby mode, the end of Seven Up, and ITV’s new I’m a Celebrity…The Wild Frontier spin-off. Lees meer

   In this episode:

   •Why Sir Tom Jones says ITV removed him from The Voice UK

   •Channel 4’s proposed 300+ job cuts and the financial pressures facing the broadcaster

   •How YouTube is competing with traditional television for audiences, advertising and attention

   •The remarkable legacy of Seven Up and why the Up series is ending with 70 Up

   •Why Asif Kapadia is directing the final instalments of the landmark ITV documentary

   •What researchers allege about microphone capture, network scanning and standby audio on some LG smart TVs

   •ITV’s expansion of the I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! universe

   •Whether spin-offs make successful formats stronger or less special

   •PLUS: Celebrity Traitors, Strictly Come Dancing, and more!

   Have a question, opinion or suggestion? Leave a comment on Spotify or YouTube, find us on socials @InsidersTVPod, or email us at podcasts@hattrick.com.

   If you enjoyed the episode, please leave us a rating on your podcast platform, follow the show and share this episode with a friend — it really helps us grow.

   Chapters

   00:00 Intro

   00:51 Sir Tom Jones leaves The Voice UK

   04:49 Channel 4’s Major Job Cuts & YouTube vs TV

   12:01 The End of Seven Up

   19:35 Can LG TVs Listen in Standby Mode?

   25:39 ITV announces I’m a Celebrity: The Wild Frontier

   #TomJones #TheVoiceUK #Channel4 #7Up #70Up #AsifKapadia #LGTV #SmartTV #TVPrivacy #YouTube #ImACelebrity #WildFrontier #CelebrityTraitors #StrictlyComeDancing #ITV #Television #TVIndustry #Broadcasting #TVPodcast #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 …

9. Our Top 10 Best British Sitcoms Ever (and the 'Rules' of Comedy)

   4 september 2026 · 35 min

   Afspelen
   Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville rank the 10 best British sitcoms ever, debating Fawlty Towers, The Office, Only Fools and Horses, Blackadder, Dad’s Army, Peep Show, Absolutely Fabulous and more. Lees meer

   In this episode:

   Peter and Jimmy discuss Ann Droid and what makes a great sitcom

   How each episode of Fawlty Towers is constructed so well

   Why Dad’s Army has survived across generations

   How The Office became a timeless British comedy

   The cultural importance of Derry Girls

   Why Blackadder works despite its unlikeable central character

   Whether Only Fools and Horses deserves a higher place

   The enduring appeal of Victor Meldrew in One Foot in the Grave

   The difference between British and American comedy

   Whether shorter series create a stronger television legacy

   Whether controversial sitcoms such as Till Death Us Do Part can still be watched today

   And the worst comedy note Jimmy ever received…

   Have a question, opinion or suggestion? Leave a comment on YouTube, find us on socials @InsidersTVPod, or email us at podcasts@hattrick.com.

   If you enjoyed this episode, please give us a 5 star rating on your podcast app, subscribe to the show and share this episode with a friend — it really helps us grow.

   Chapters

   00:00 Introduction and rules

   03:39 Dad’s Army

   06:15 Peep Show

   08:10 Blackadder

   10:43 Miranda

   12:22 Fawlty Towers

   16:03 One Foot in the Grave

   18:14 Till Death Us Do Part

   20:52 The Office

   24:04 Only Fools and Horses

   28:26 Absolutely Fabulous versus Not Going Out

   #BritishSitcoms #BestBritishSitcoms #FawltyTowers #TheOffice #OnlyFoolsAndHorses #Blackadder #DadsArmy #PeepShow #AbsolutelyFabulous #Miranda #OneFootInTheGrave #TillDeathUsDoPart #DerryGirls #AlanPatridge #FatherTed #AnnDroid #BritishComedy #TVComedy #Comedy #Television #TVPodcast #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 Tr…

10. Steph McGovern chats to TV Insiders Jimmy & Peter

    28 augustus 2026 · 40 min

    Afspelen
    TV Insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville are joined by the brilliant Steph McGovern to talk about her career, the television industry, and slime! Lees meer

    In this episode:

    The Rest Is Money Podcast

    Steph's Career

    BBC News

    The TV Industry

    Steph's Packed Lunch

    Steph's Novels

    Have I Got News For You

    Have a question, opinion or suggestion? Leave a comment on Spotify or YouTube, find us on socials @InsidersTVPod, or email us at podcasts@hattrick.com.

    If you enjoyed the episode, please like, subscribe, and share the podcast with a friend — it really helps us grow.

    CHAPTERS

    01:26 Robert Peston / The Rest Is Money

    03:01 Steph's engineering roots

    03:56 Steph's first steps into TV

    05:25 Steph's background

    09:30 Steph's first job at the BBC

    11:40 The Big Deal

    13:27 Working full time at the BBC

    15:49 Is TV harder now?

    17:40 Steph's Packed Lunch

    24:08 Post Packed Lunch life

    28:16 Steph's businesses

    30:09 Steph's novels

    33:50 Steph's first time on HIGNFY

    35:48 Steph's first TV appearance

    #StephMcGovern #RobertPeston #TheRestIsMoneyPodcast #BlackAndDecker #BBC #Middlesbrough #TheBigDeal #StephsPackedLunch #Gootopia #Deadline

    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: podcasts@hattrick.com

    Instag…

Alle 82 afleveringen →