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82 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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Is the BBC Censoring Pride Pins? & Why Reform Reported ITV to the Police...
30 oktober 2026 · 32 min
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 …
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We Ranked Britain’s Best Sketch Shows
23 oktober 2026 · 31 min
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 …
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The Traitors: How I Commissioned the BBC Hit with Syeda Irtizaali
16 oktober 2026 · 35 min
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…
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Is the BBC About to Close BBC Three and BBC Scotland? & The Traitors Returns...
9 oktober 2026 · 33 min
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…
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Who is Britain’s Greatest TV Detective? We Rank Our Top 10
2 oktober 2026 · 32 min
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 #…
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Why the BBC Cut Sketches from That Mitchell and Webb Look, Strictly’s New Presenters & Trump TV
25 september 2026 · 34 min
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…
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The Harry Potter Reboot: 5 Questions HBO Must Answer | BBC iPlayer 2.0 & Netflix’s New Dating Shows
18 september 2026 · 32 min
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…
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Tom Jones' Sacking Statement, Seven Up Ending and Channel 4’s Huge Cuts
11 september 2026 · 34 min
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 …
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Our Top 10 Best British Sitcoms Ever (and the 'Rules' of Comedy)
4 september 2026 · 35 min
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…
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Steph McGovern chats to TV Insiders Jimmy & Peter
28 augustus 2026 · 40 min
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…
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Ofcom vs Satire, Eurovision's Rule Changes, Subtitles vs Dubbing, Roku's A.I. Channel
21 augustus 2026 · 44 min
TV Insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville discuss Ofcom vs Satire, Eurovision's voting rule changes, the "Sub v Dub" debate, and Roku's new A.I channel. Lees meer
In this episode:
The TV Festival
Ofcom vs Satire
Eurovision's voting rule changes
Subtitles vs Dubbing
Roku's A.I channel
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
00:27 - Intro
01:24 - The TV Festival
03:16 - Ofcom vs Satire
19:44 - Eurovision's voting rules change
26:48 - Subtitles vs Dubbing
34:27 - Roku's A.I. channel
43:24 - Outro
#EdinburghFringeFestival #EdinburghTVFestival #BBC #StewartLee #Radio4 #ArmandoIanucci #JamesPrice #LBC #HaveIGotNewsForYou #DonaldTrump #Ofcom #BorisJonhson #Channel4 #EurovisionSongContest #Subtitles #Dubbing #Roku #FairgroundTV
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
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Can A Self-Funded-To-TV Model Work? BBC's Live At The Apollo Axed
14 augustus 2026 · 32 min
TV Insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville discuss the viability of self-funded programming, the increasing lack of stand up on British TV now that Live At The Apollo has been axed, and whether Channel 4 should reinstate their "Red Triangle" programme warning. Lees meer
In this episode:
- Self funded to TV model
- Shane Gillis + Tires road to Netflix
- BBC cancels Live At The Apollo
- Do comedians need to be on television?
- Should C4 reinstate their "Red Triangle" programme warning?
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
01:27 - Self-funded to TV model
07:31 - Ad-funded programming
11:45 - Shane Gillis + Tires road to Netflix
15:30 - BBC cancels Live At The Apollo
23:28 - C4 celebrates 40 years since Red Triangle debut
#ShaneGillis #Tires #Netflix #BBC #Channel4 #YouTube #LiveAtTheApollo #BlanketyBlank #CelebrityMastermind #MaryWhitehouse #NeverMindTheBuzzcocks #
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
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
Hosted …
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Ash Atalla on Unearthing The Office, His Worst Ever TV Show & Why He Left the BBC
7 augustus 2026 · 35 min
Comedy producer Ash Atalla joins Jimmy Mulville and Peter Fincham to tell the inside story of The Office, his struggles trying to sell the IT Crowd and what the worst TV show he ever made was… Lees meer
In this episode:
•How The Office got off the ground — and why nobody was guaranteed to believe in it
•Why Ash left the BBC and founded Roughcut Television
•The tough reality of trying to sell shows like The IT Crowd
•What the worst TV show Ash ever made was and what he learned from it
•Why streamers will buy shows like How to Get to Heaven from Belfast but not Big Boys
•What the future holds for the TV industry
•PLUS: The BBC, Channel 4, Netflix, new comedy, old-school commissioning, 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 give us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share the podcast with a friend – it really helps us grow.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Coming Up...
01:53 Unearthing The Office, Big Boys and Stath Lets Flats
10:10 Joining Talkback & Starting Rough Cut
19:10 The Worst Show Ash Ever Made
22:45 How to Sell Shows Today
29:54 The Future of TV
#TheOffice #AshAtalla #JimmyMulville #PeterFincham #TVPodcast #BritishComedy #BBC #Channel4 #RoughcutTelevision #TheITCrowd #PeopleJustDoNothing #StathLetsFlats #BigBoys #Television #Comedy
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The BBC’S Controversial New Ad, Luke Littler’s Netflix Show & Have UK TV's Diversity Pledges Failed?
31 juli 2026 · 34 min
"What has the BBC ever done for me...?" TV Insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville take on the BBC's much-debated new advert, dig into Hollywood's revolt against the $110 billion Paramount-Warner Bros Discovery merger, and ask whether anyone can ‘Beat Luke Littler’ in his new Netflix show… Lees meer
In this episode:
Is the BBC's "What Has The BBC Ever Done For Me?" advert a costly own goal?
Hollywood stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Alan Cumming and Benedict Wong speak out against the Paramount-WBD merger
A new report revealing UK TV's diversity promises that haven't delivered
The latest on Donald Trump's $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC
Luke Littler’s new Netflix show with £501,000 prize pot
PLUS: Chris Martin's baffling cameo, Count Binface’s election chances and why Peter reckons he's more "Luke Littler" than "Mo Farah"
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 a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share it with a friend – it really helps us grow!
#BBC #RomeshRanganathan #BBCFundedByAllOfUs #ThisIsOurBBC #BBCAdvert #Advert #LicenceFee #2026 #Paramount #WarnerBrosDiscovery #LukeLittler #Diversity #DonaldTrump #Podcast #Television #Netflix #TVNews #InsidersPodcast
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 independen…
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Should Broadcasters Be Removing British Comedy History? And More Listener Questions!
24 juli 2026 · 37 min
TV Insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville answer listener questions on Channel 4 and Netflix removing classic sitcom episodes, the secret scheduling battle between the BBC and ITV and why some revived formats soar while others flop. Lees meer
Correction: It was actually Matt Berry's character of Douglas who dates April, not Chris O'Dowd's character Roy. You'll forgive us for getting this mistaken – we obviously couldn't watch the episode to check!
In this episode:
Why Channel 4 removed “The Speech” episode of The IT Crowd
Why Netflix removed episodes of Little Britain, Come Fly with Me & The Mighty Boosh
The Fawlty Towers, Father Ted and Peep Show scenes that got cut or pulled entirely
Whether broadcasters should be editing TV history
How the BBC and ITV secretly traded schedules ahead of the Radio Times deadline and why the ITV's Christmas strategy was always to "lose with honour"
Forgotten TV creatives, like Brian Clemens, who never get mentioned today
Why revivals like Gladiators and Blankety Blank succeeded as revivals when Challenge Anneka and Blind Date didn't
The real story behind Have I Got News for You's rotating host, and how QI almost had a very different presenter
How actors fake smoking, drinking and eating on screen
Have a question or opinion? Leave a comment on Spotify, find us on socials (@InsidersTVPod), or email us at podcasts@hattrick.com.
If you enjoyed the episode, please give us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it really helps us grow.
#BBC #ITV #Channel4 #Netflix #ITCrowd #FawltyTowers #FatherTed #PeepShow #LittleBritain #TVPodcast #BritishTV #Television #InsidersTVPod #HaveIGotNewsForYou #QI #Gladiators #PublicServiceBroadcasting #Streaming #Podcast
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Should Under-16s Be Banned From Social Media? Time Team's Patreon Fortune & Snubbing Tom Hanks with Strongwatch Studios
17 juli 2026 · 39 min
Ben Powell-Jones and Thom Gulseven of Strongwatch Studios join Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville to reveal what it was really like to work at LADbible when it was booming, why they had to turn down Tom Hanks and whether the UK's proposed social media ban for under-16s can actually work. Lees meer
In this episode:
•Why they said no to Tom Hanks's agent (and almost turned down Billie Eilish)
•How a £500 video made £80k overnight (and why platform ad revenue can vanish just as fast)
•Building LADbible's YouTube channel from zero to millions of views
•Why Patreon and direct-to-consumer content is the future of monetisation, from Fin vs History to Time Team
•Why focus groups lie (and what LADbible's data really showed about who was watching Love Island)
•How TV and YouTube are merging, from Rest Is Football's move to Netflix to broadcasters commissioning entire YouTube channels
•Their honest take on the UK's proposed social media ban for under-16s
Have a question or opinion? Leave a comment, find us on socials (@InsidersTVPod), or email us at podcasts@hattrick.com.
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 Meet Strongwatch Studios
04:37 Building LADbible's YouTube Empire
09:44 Snubbing Tom Hanks and (almost) Billie Eilish
12:40 Starting a Company in a Constantly Changing Digital World
15:30 Patreon and the Rise of Direct-to-Consumer Content
22:10 Data in Digital versus TV and why Focus Groups Lie
23:07 TV as ‘Secondary Distribution for YouTube’
26:05 Broadcasters Now Commissioning YouTube Channels
33:20 The Social Media Ban for Under-16s
#YouTube #LADbible #SocialMediaBan #StrongwatchStudios #ContentCreator #Patreon #TVPodcast #BritishTV #DigitalMedia #InsidersTVPod #TomHanks #BillieEilish #CreatorEconomy #Streaming #Podcast
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Sky buys ITV: How will this change what we see on TV?
10 juli 2026 · 38 min
TV Insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville discuss Count Binface, the BBC's World Cup cost saving efforts, Sky's ITV purchase, and Peppa Pig using A.I. Lees meer
Topics discussed:
Farage vs Count Binface
BBC not going to the US in the World Cup Quarter Finals
The Sky/ITV deal
Peppa Pig using A.I. for its younger voice actors
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:12 Farage vs Count Binface
03:20 The BBC's World Cup cost saving efforts
09:27 Sky's ITV deal
29:19 Peppa Pig + A.I.
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.
#CountBinface #NigelFarage #BBC #ITV #FifaWorldCup2026 #Sky #ITV #PeppaPig #GeneWilder
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.
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Jimmy & Peter Answer Your Questions
3 juli 2026 · 38 min
TV Insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville address your comments and questions regarding the BBC's Sarah Everard drama, axing long-running TV shows, Claude writing quiz show questions, as well as discussing Michael Grade's recent comments about terms of trade. Lees meer
Topics discussed:
Michael Grade's comments regarding terms of trade
The BBC's Sarah Everard drama
Exploitative true crime shows
TV quiz show question writing
Claude and the use of AI in TV
Axing long-running TV shows
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:12 Michael Grade's comments regarding terms of trade
09:59 Question 1) regarding the BBC's Sarah Everard drama
12:11 Question 2) regarding the BBC's Sarah Everard drama
13:26 Statement from Lindsay Salt, BBC Director of Drama
19:16 Question 3) regarding exploitative true crime TV shows
20:49 Question 4) some dramatisations are simply poor taste
23:09 Questions from Kenton Allen
24:16 Question 5) regarding TV quiz show question writing and AI
29:59 Peter's Bob Dylan quiz
35:01 Question 6) regarding the axing of long-running TV shows
37:09 Outro
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.
#MichaelGrade #BBC #BBCDrama #SarahEverard #TrueCrime #KentonAllen #Quiz #QuizShows #Mastermind #BobDylan #TheBill #GMTV
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…
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The World Cup Coverage Battle | BBC's 500 Job Cuts | The Government's Social Media Green Paper
26 juni 2026 · 36 min
TV Insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville tackle the World Cup coverage battle, the TV Festival's Manchester move, the BBC's 500 job cuts, and the Government's social media green paper - recorded on the UK's hottest June day on record! Lees meer
Topics discussed:
The UK's Prime Minister
England cs Ghana
The World Cup coverage battle between the BBC & ITV
The Edinburgh TV Festival moving to Manchester
The BBC's 500 job cuts
The Government's social media green paper
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:30 The UK's next PM
02:06 England vs Ghana
02:32 What's on the show today?
03:13 The World Cup coverage battle
10:00 The Edinburgh TV Festival moves to Manchester
14:30 Hydration Break
14:53 The BBC's 500 job cuts
25:01 The Government's social media green paper
35:25 Outro
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.
#PrimeMinister #AndyBurnham #England #FIFAWorldCup2026 #BBC #ITV #HydrationBreak #EdinburghTVFestival #Manchester #UKGovernment #GreenPaper #YouTube
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: / @insi…
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C4's Charlie Perkins on Comedy
19 juni 2026 · 41 min
TV Insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville are joined by Channel 4's Head of Comedy Charlie Perkins to discuss the importance of comedy for a channel identity, monetising comedy on YouTube, SNL's budget, talent deals and how hit comedies can prove a good investment years after their first release. Lees meer
Topics discussed:
Channel 4's sitcom commissions
Comedy + YouTube
SNL UK
New comedy talent
Producer's rights
Monetising comedy on YouTube
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
02:40 Channel 4's sitcom commissions
04:25 The value of comedy
08:10 Comedy on digital platforms
09:27 The trickle down effect in comedy
11:45 SNL UK's on C4?
14:13 TV + Comedy talent
19:45 Will YouTube change how we make TV?
27:26 How to monetise comedy on YouTube
38:07 What's your pitch for more comedy on Channel 4?
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.
#Comedy #Channel4 #SNLUK #YouTube #DontHugMeImScared
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
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
Host…
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2026 World Cup Kick Off
12 juni 2026 · 37 min
TV Insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville debate whether it’s coming home after 60 years of hurt in this 2026 World Cup episode that covers The Rest Is Football’s lucrative Netflix deal, extortionate live sport paywalls, and nostalgic chat about previous world cups. Lees meer
Topics discussed:
England winning the World Cup in 1966
The Rest Is Football Netflix series
World Cup Coverage tussles between BBC and ITV
Are sport paywalls taking the piss?
The ongoing issue of viewers illegally streaming live sports events
Will the 2026 World Cup make Americans finally love football or, as they continue to call it, soccer
What is the future relationship between live sports and free-to-air television?
Geopolitics and football
The World Cup and Brazil at Goodison Park, 1966
Players who were destined for greatness but sadly never achieved it
Chapters:
00.00 - The 1966 World Cup
05.27 - The Rest Is Football World Cup coverage
13.37 - Live sport behind paywalls / Illegal live sport streaming
17.10 - Will America learn to love football?
20.12 - Listed events / World Cup coverage
24.26 - Watching the 2026 World Cup / Geopolitics in football
28.05 - World Cup at Goodison Park
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.
#2026WorldCup #TVPodcast #TheRestIsFootball #paywalls #soccer #GoodisonPark #DonaldTrump #ColePalmer #BBC #ITV #LiveSports
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, w…
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Should a Man Write the Sarah Everard Drama? 400 Female Screenwriters vs. The BBC
5 juni 2026 · 35 min
TV Insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville debate the BBC's controversial Sarah Everard drama and whether a man should be writing it, explore how the Married at First Sight UK fallout could threaten Love Island, and confirm your suspicions: your favourite TV shows DO keep disappearing for longer and longer… Lees meer
Topics discussed:
The 400 female screenwriters who signed an open letter against the BBC commissioning Jeff Pope to write the Sarah Everard drama
Should men write dramas about violence against women? Or is it too soon for a factual drama about Sarah Everard at all?
Love Island relaunching under the shadow of the Married at First Sight UK/Panorama scandal
What next for MAFS UK after all episodes taken down from Channel 4, TUI pulls sponsorship and the "hush email" sent to workers?
The Stranger Things Effect: why the gap between TV seasons has more than doubled in a decade – and does it actually matter?
After the success of ice hockey romance dramas Heated Rivalry and Off Campus, is sport + sex TV's hottest new genre?
Could croquet, bowls or darts be the UK's answer to ice hockey romance?
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 a review 5-star review, share it with a friend and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!
Chapters:
0:00 Intro and Jon Petrie joining Hat Trick Productions
2:51 The Sarah Everard Drama: Should a Man Be Writing It?
14:35 Love Island, Married at First Sight UK & Reality TV's Reckoning?
25:06 The Stranger Things Effect: Why TV Shows Disappear for Years
30:33 Ice Hockey Romance: TV's Hottest New Genre?
#BBCDrama #SarahEverard #LoveIsland #MarriedAtFirstSight #StrangerThingsEffect #TVNews #BehindTheScenes #UKTelevision #PeterFincham #JimmyMulville #InsidersPodcast #BBCControversy # #TwinPeaks #HappyValley #StrangerThings #Euphoria #TVPodcast #BritishTV #RealityTV #JeffPope #M…
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Why Do Great TV Shows Often End So Badly? How To Tell an Actor They’re Being Killed Off & Why Polymarket has Changed Reality TV Forever
29 mei 2026 · 37 min
TV Insiders Jimmy Mulville and Peter Fincham discuss whether Euphoria is on its final series, how to end a TV hit properly, why killing off characters can backfire, how prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket are spoiling reality TV shows like Survivor, and what the BBC can learn from YouTube. Lees meer
They also talk about:
The Bear and Emily in Paris announcing their final series
The endings of Derry Girls and The Sopranos compared to Game of Thrones
What it was like to cancel shows like the The Bill and Bodies
The art of writing shocking character deaths in shows like Emmerdale
Who tells the talent that they’ve been written out of a show
The ‘Prediction Markets’ could change reality TV forever
How outcomes of The Masked Singer, Next Level Chef and The Bachelorette were all correctly predicted months before they even aired
Matt Brittin’s comments on the BBC, improving the iPlayer and YouTube
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 a review 5-star review, share it with a friend and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!
#TV #Television #BBC #Euphoria #TheBear #DerryGirls #GameOfThrones #Survivor #Survivor50 #DowntonAbbey #Eastenders #Emmerdale #RealityTV #YouTube #Podcast #Insiders #PeterFincham #JimmyMulville #Kalshi #Polymarket
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, the…
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Michael Grade on Solving the BBC’s Big Problems, MAFS UK Allegations & Running Channel 4
22 mei 2026 · 36 min
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! Lees meer
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 podcasts@hattrick.com.
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.
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Eurovision Turns Off Anti-Booing Software | The BBC BAFTA Backlash & A Wordle TV Show!?
15 mei 2026 · 34 min
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. Lees meer
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 podcasts@hattrick.com
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 sec…
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Why Helena Bonham Carter left The White Lotus | Celebrity Traitors, AI & David Attenborough
8 mei 2026 · 35 min
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. Lees meer
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 podcasts@hattrick.com.
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…
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Trump accuses the BBC of using AI on him (And the editing technique changing TV forever)
1 mei 2026 · 40 min
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. Lees meer
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: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: …
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Who really controls what you watch? (And why TV sackings are always messy...)
24 april 2026 · 36 min
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. Lees meer
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: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
The producer is Owen Braben
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Do TV Execs Think You’re Stupid? Hollywood A-listers fight back against Paramount and Big BBC Cuts
17 april 2026 · 43 min
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. Lees meer
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: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
The producer is Owen Braben
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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HBO Max launch frustrations, how Alan Sugar got the gig on The Apprentice, and the shows you couldn’t make today...
10 april 2026 · 36 min
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? Lees meer
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: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
The producer is Owen Braben
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Greg Dyke on the BBC’s new DG, how to get your staff on side & the importance of public service broadcasting
3 april 2026 · 35 min
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. Lees meer
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: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
The producer is Owen Braben
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Matt Brittin to be the next DG, SNL UK launches on Sky, and Bob Monkhouse’s famous joke books are back in the news
27 maart 2026 · 35 min
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. Lees meer
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: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
The producer is Owen Braben
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Amol Rajan on leaving the Today Programme, the BBC's future and leaping into the "Digital Narnia" of the creator economy
20 maart 2026 · 44 min
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. Lees meer
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: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
The producer is Owen Braben
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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New BBC funding ideas, uncertainty over CNN's future and Meghan Markle’s jam making empire consciously uncouples from Netflix
13 maart 2026 · 37 min
Jimmy kicks us off with his tales from the Writers Guild Awards in New York and the feeling on the ground around David Ellison’s takeover of Paramount and the future of CNN. Then, Peter outlines the BBC’s latest ideas as to how it will fund itself in the streaming age where licence fee evasion costs the BBC more than £1 billion a year. Lees meer
Later, they discuss what we can learn from the end of Meghan Markle’s partnership with Netflix as her lifestyle brand ‘As Ever’ heads out into the world selling jam and “flower sprinkles”.
Plus, Barry White running CBS News, George Osborne getting booed at the Paralympics and why a traumatic memory from Peter’s childhood inspired him to commission Robin Hood years later…
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: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
The producer is Owen Braben
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The Banijay All3 Mega Merger, BBC Bafta Fallout and Paramount emerge victorious in the battle for Warners
6 maart 2026 · 37 min
Jimmy and Peter unpack the Banijay / All3Media merger, and ask what the creation of a €4.4bn mega indie with some 170 creative labels across 25 countries could mean for the rest of the sector. Lees meer
As Paramount prevail over Netflix in the battle for Warner Bros Discovery, we discuss what the future holds for Warner’s output - not least Donald Trump’s bete noire CNN.
And we talk all things BBC, and the controversy around their Bafta coverage.
Plus, Everton’s new kick off strategy, the (hitherto untested) link between being good at rowing and being a good Director General, and Prince Phillip not doing a Nazi salute.
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: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
The producer is Owen Braben
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Lisa McGee on creating How to Get to Heaven from Belfast & what the future holds for Derry Girls
27 februari 2026 · 38 min
Jimmy and Peter welcome Lisa McGee into the studio, creator of the BAFTA and Emmy-winning Derry Girls and the writer behind Netflix’s new comedy-drama How to Get to Heaven from Belfast. Lees meer
Lisa explains how she moved from pure sitcom into mystery, how writers’ rooms are now her preferred way to work and why music is so central to her storytelling, even when the rights negotiations get painful.
Together, they also discuss the post-Game of Thrones production boom in Northern Ireland, the challenge of balancing comedy and drama in an industry that often separates the two and whether Derry Girls might one day take to the stage….
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: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
The producer is Owen Braben
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Can TV Copy the Music Industry? Sky’s Ad/Subscription Paradox & Latest BBC Cuts
20 februari 2026 · 37 min
Jimmy and Peter chat about whether the music industry’s rights-roll-up model could ever work for television after a listener question about untapped TV archive potential. From there they tackle the thorny question of how channels like Sky still run adverts on premium subscription channels and what that says about the future of ad-funded TV. They also unpack the latest BBC cost-cutting plans ahead of charter negotiations and the Government’s BBC Green Paper consultation (including the mysteriously under-marketed “Freely”), before rounding off with the latest on the ITV–Sky/Comcast takeover talks slowing down thanks to the messy reality of splitting ITV Studios from the broadcast business. Lees meer
Plus, what hiring a Cabinet Secretary and a Director General has in common, Peter’s airport immigration story that inspired a cavity-search comedy sketch and a detailed account of Jimmy’s use of the fast-forward feature on his TV...
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: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
The producer is Owen Braben
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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ITV’s picture-in-picture ads, day drinking with Claudia Winkleman and the Wild West era of 90s reality TV (with Gill Wilson)
13 februari 2026 · 41 min
Jimmy and Peter briefly discuss the two latest industry curveballs: fresh Westminster chat about a potential BBC–Channel 4 tie-up, and ITV squeezing ad breaks into rugby scrums, before inviting Gill Wilson into the studio… Lees meer
Gill Wilson is Head of Factual at Plum Pictures, the co-founder of indie label Betty and a former Channel 4 commissioning editor heading up Features and Daytime with programmes including 'Escape to the Chateau', 'Love it or List it', and 'The Supervet'.
Together, they get into the differences between being a commissioner and producer when around 97% of ideas put forward by producers are met with a “no” and how the business has shifted from TV’s wilder, more maverick side in the 90s to now, where duty of care is on the rise but our producers proximity to audiences is closer than ever.
Plus: Jimmy’s newspaper comment that got a Gill’s train station show stopped in its tracks, Tom Jones’ trip to the rugby and Peter's does a rendition of King Lear...
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: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
The producer is Owen Braben
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Trump’s fury at the Grammys, the BBC’s latest funding conundrum & Channel 4’s Big Gamble
6 februari 2026 · 34 min
Jimmy and Peter tune into Donald Trump’s latest reality show – the Grammys – and his threats to sue host Trevor Noah, before unpacking leaked details from a BBC board meeting about plans for a post-licence-fee future and questioning whether Channel 4 risks alienating the independent sector by expanding its in-house production. Lees meer
Plus, tales of World Cup hospitality, BBC executives hiding from the rain in Salford and everyone’s favourite cooking utensil: the wok…
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: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
The producer is Owen Braben
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The Cup of Tea That Led to Ludwig, TV’s Algorithmic Future & Cancellation Nightmares w/ Kenton Allen
30 januari 2026 · 45 min
Jimmy and Peter kick off with a rapid roundup of the latest TV headlines like The Traitors heading to the stage, Nigella Lawson joining The Great British Bake Off and the revival of Farmer Wants a Wife in the UK, before welcoming Kenton Allen into the studio. Lees meer
Kenton Allen is CEO of Big Talk, one of the UK’s leading film and television production companies, and the producer behind hits including Rev, Him & Her, Mum, Friday Night Dinner, and most recently Can You Keep a Secret.
Together, they discuss the origins of Ludwig and the development of its American adaptation, finding a home for Mitchell & Webb on YouTube and how AI can be used both to market new shows and uncover untapped value in archive content.
Plus: unexpected encounters with listeners at urinals, how to respond when broadcasters claim they have no money and Kenton’s horror story of a US TV show cancellation…
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: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
The producer is Owen Braben
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Has YouTube changed the BBC’s strategy? Why Amol Rajan went solo & will MediaWan buy North Road?
23 januari 2026 · 38 min
Jimmy and Peter dig into the latest mergers and acquisitions chatter, including MediaWan’s interest in North Road and the broader risks of buying creative companies built around individual talent. Next, they chat the BBC’s decision to commission bespoke content for YouTube and what that signals about platform strategy, public service broadcasting, and where audiences are really heading. Then, they discuss Amol Rajan’s decision to step away from Radio 4’s Today programme, prompting a wider discussion about control, reach, lifestyle, and whether you should ever “quit the hit.” Lees meer
Plus, there’s a sighting of megastar Margot Robbie, tales of attempts to buy BBC Three for £1, Donald Trump on skis and the Sky remote that almost ended a marriage…
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: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
The producer is Owen Braben
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Banijay & All3Media Mega-Merge, Netflix's $83 billion play & The BBC standing firm against Trump
16 januari 2026 · 29 min
This week, Peter and Jimmy discuss the potential Banijay–All3Media mega-merger and unpack why “independent TV” may soon exist in name only. They challenge headline claims that YouTube has overtaken the BBC, interrogate what those numbers really mean, and ask who actually pays for content in a platform-first world. Lees meer
Then, it's Netflix’s all-cash play for Warner Bros and a discussion about the fragile future of broadcast news, the economics of Sky News and Channel 4, and what happens to impartial journalism when linear television fades.
Lastly, we get an update on Trump vs the BBC, with the broadcaster set to stand firm in Florida...
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: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
The producer is Owen Braben
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Why The Traitors Changed Format, will Disney buy Taylor Swift and can YouTube rule TV? (with Tim Hincks)
9 januari 2026 · 37 min
This week, Peter and Jimmy are joined by Tim Hincks, co-CEO of Expectation and former global president of Endemol responsible for shows like Big Brother, Deal or No Deal, 8 Out of 10 cats, Would I Lie to You? Black Mirror, Humans and Peaky Blinders… Lees meer
They take a look at some predictions for what 2026 might hold, digging first into why The Traitors has made a bold format shift while it’s still on the rise (and what happens in the room when producers decide to change a hit), plus the industry’s obsession with “the next Traitors” and why copying a breakout doesn’t usually end well.
Next, they examine the possibility (and possible reality) of ‘micro-budgets’, the state of play when it comes to getting scripted shows funded and whether YouTube will become the ‘undisputed king of TV’.
And finally, they unpick the idea Disney may one day aquire Taylor Swift, what it would actually mean to “buy” a global superstar and why the next boardroom battle might be over individuals, not companies.
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: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Trump sues the BBC for $10bn, the Gordian Knot of Charter renewal, and looking ahead to the world of TV in 2026.
19 december 2025 · 30 min
This week, as Donald Trump files his $10bn legal action against the BBC in Florida, Jimmy and Peter ask how the corporation might best respond. And we discuss the government’s newly minted Green Paper on Charter renewal, and the alternatives being considered for the future funding of the BBC - is the licence fee the worst option, except for all the others? Lees meer
Plus, Jimmy’s Christmas in Memphis, Samir Shah’s breakfast, and our continued failure to secure a sponsorship deal with the Edinburgh Woollen Mill.
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: https://www.youtube.com/@InsidersTVPodcast
Email: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
Insiders: The TV Podcast is an Expectation and Hat Trick co-production.
The producer is Owen Braben.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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A new Chief Exec at Channel 4, the bidding war for Warner Bros, and the unlikely link between "With Love, Meghan" and The Liz Truss Show
12 december 2025 · 33 min
This week, Peter and Jimmy discuss the appointment of Priya Dogra as the new Chief Exec of Channel 4. Her commercial background will doubtless be vital in helping C4 to navigate the commercial challenges it faces. But how will she approach and articulate her editorial vision for the channel? We talk all the latest twists and turns in the Netflix / Paramount bidding war for Warners. And we give ourselves an early Christmas gift by watching the "With Love, Meghan" Christmas special on Netflix and The Liz Truss Show on YouTube - do they actually have rather more in common than you might imagine? Lees meer
Plus, the politics of personalised parking spaces, Peter’s deeply disappointing school trip to Coventry, and is everything (including this podcast) always too long?
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: https://www.youtube.com/@InsidersTVPodcast
Email: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
Insiders: The TV Podcast is an Expectation and Hat Trick co-production.
The producer is Owen Braben.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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More pressure on BBC Chair Samir Shah, Gary Lineker’s big money Netflix deal, and a Q&A at Content London.
5 december 2025 · 37 min
This week, the pod comes live from the Content London TV conference. We discuss the latest in the BBC leadership saga, and ask whether you need to be a bit of a bruiser in the mould of Christopher Bland or Marmaduke Hussey to be a really effective BBC Chair? And Peter and Jimmy answer some great questions from the Content London audience - does indie production have a sustainable future; is legacy TV in terminal decline; and what’s the best (and worst) way to develop an idea? Lees meer
Plus, an unlikely duet with Myleene Klass, Peter’s Dickensian Christmas, and what the Americans really mean when they say “let’s circle back”.
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: https://www.youtube.com/@InsidersTVPodcast
Email: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
Insiders: The TV Podcast is an Expectation and Hat Trick co-production.
The producer is Owen Braben.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Andy Wilman on Top Gear, The Grand Tour, and Clarkson’s Farm.
30 november 2025 · 41 min
It’s another guest ep! Lees meer
This week Peter and Jimmy are joined by Andy Wilman, the genius producer behind Top Gear, The Grand Tour, and Clarkson’s Farm.
Andy tells the story of the extraordinarily ordinary Top Gear pilot, and traces how the series grew into a record breaking TV behemoth, before unravelling slowly… and then all at once. We discuss the Top Gear team's move to Amazon and The Grand Tour (and how close Richard and James really were to staying at the Beeb). And we ask whether the Clarkson / Wilman Top Gear really had to end the way it did?
Andy’s new book, Mr Wilman’s Motoring Adventure, is available now in all good bookstores, and would make an excellent Christmas present. Get it while stocks last. Maybe buy two, just to be safe.
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: https://www.youtube.com/@InsidersTVPodcast
Email: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
Insiders: The TV Podcast is an Expectation and Hat Trick co-production.
The producer is Owen Braben.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The BBC’s legal stand off with Donald Trump, Sky’s bid for ITV, and Alex Mahon’s take on TV’s AI future.
21 november 2025 · 28 min
This week, Peter and Jimmy discuss the latest fallout from the Panorama edit row, not least the Culture Secretary's suggestion that the next DG should have a news and current affairs background. Is that really the lesson to be learned from this, and what the BBC needs right now? And we talk Sky’s move to buy ITV’s broadcast business. However compelling the business case might be, isn’t it an immutable fact that consolidation of broadcasters inevitably means fewer customers for indies to sell to? Lees meer
Plus, all the things wrong with country music, Peter’s special loathing for the word “curate”, and what Scotland’s World Cup success tells us about the importance of live TV.
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: https://www.youtube.com/@InsidersTVPodcast
Email: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
Insiders: The TV Podcast is an Expectation and Hat Trick co-production.
The producer is Owen Braben.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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A turbulent week of resignations at the BBC, the challenges facing the next DG, and the vibrant health of the indie sector in Northern Ireland.
14 november 2025 · 36 min
This week, Jimmy and Peter unpack the extraordinary events of the last seven days at the BBC. With Tim Davie and Deborah Turness both offering their resignations, we discuss how the BBC got itself into this mess, and where it goes from here. Lees meer
And, as the pod comes live from the Belfast Media Festival, we ask whether there’s still an unconscious bias when it comes to nations and regions commissioning, and what more can be done to make sure broadcasters and producers really make the most of the vast pool of talent in Northern Ireland.
Plus, the runners and riders to be the next DG (maybe Jimmy or Peter fancy it?), and long-suffering producer Owen makes an appearance.
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: https://www.youtube.com/@InsidersTVPodcast
Email: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
Insiders: The TV Podcast is an Expectation and Hat Trick co-production.
The producer is Owen Braben.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Panorama's Trump edit and the BBC's latest own goal, Kim Kardashian’s zero-star Disney drama debut, and the $7bn Micro Drama boom.
7 november 2025 · 33 min
This week, Peter and Jimmy unpack the row over the “misleading” edit in Panorama's Trump doc. Could (and should) there be resignations? We talk Kim Kardashian’s appallingly reviewed new drama “All’s Fair”. Does being panned in the press actually put streaming audiences off, or does it simply pique their interest and make them more likely to try a show for themselves? And we dip a toe into the fascinating and fast-growing world of micro drama. Lees meer
Plus, our first live stage show, an idea for a new gig for Nadine Dorries, and an apology to Bruno Brookes (and Andy Peebles too).
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: https://www.youtube.com/@InsidersTVPodcast
Email: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.com
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
Insiders: The TV Podcast is an Expectation and Hat Trick co-production.
The producer is Owen Braben.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.