When It Hits the Fan

When you live life in the fast lane and the wheels come off, the results can be spectacularly bad. Just ask Christian Horner.
He was sacked as boss of F1's Red Bull amid claims of sexual harassment (of which he was cleared by internal investigations) and a slump in the team's form.
This week David Yelland and Lauren Beeching discuss his concerted campaign to drag himself out of the PR pits. Rather than revisit the past scandal, he seems to be seeking to reframe how we see him. His new book is part of that campaign - but the audience he cares about the most may not be the general public.
On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, what happens when your partner becomes a PR liability? It's especially hard if you're both public figures. How do you avoid contagion even if you've done nothing wrong? And how do you discreetly advise a client that their other half is a reputational nightmare?
Also, how many times have we all been told to keep things simple? It's certainly a mantra that seems to be serving the Vatican well. A statement to confirm the Pope 'got up and had breakfast' conveyed more honesty and transparency in one sentence than other press releases manage across acres of print. David and Lauren look at how, when it comes to Pope Leo's health, the Vatican seems to understand that silence doesn't stop speculation.
Producer: Duncan Middleton
Editor: Sarah Teasdale
Executive Producer: Eve Streeter
Music by Eclectic Sounds
A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4

Group chats aren't known for holding back. Take a scroll through your own neighbourhood chat and the word 'Evri' probably features quite highly.
This week, David Yelland and Farzana Baduel look at the reputational problem facing the delivery giant. In terms of business, it's a great success story but it has a huge word-of-mouth issue, with people needing little encouragement to vent their fury. Now, the CEO is fighting back - saying because they have so many customers, it only takes a fraction of them to complain to make it feel like there's a problem.
He may be entirely right - but is this one of those times when people aren't interested in the facts? And is he really more interested in appealing to the retailers who use Evri, rather than the public?
On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, a double whammy of reputational management - Tom Watson and Palantir. The former Labour deputy leader has joined the tech company - but can he do anything to change people's perception of this deeply unpopular company? Or is Palantir just laser-guided on landing lucrative contracts rather than public affection?
Also, just how long should you leave it before speaking ill of the dead? In Jeffrey Archer's case, it seemed the gloves came off almost immediately. But, as Farzana and David explain, there is a whole industry around what you could call Legacy PR - with people paying big money to make sure all the right things are said about them, long after they're gone.
Producer: Duncan Middleton
Editor: Sarah Teasdale
Executive Producer: Eve Streeter
Music by Eclectic Sounds
A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4

The stakes could not be higher. To the winner, global supremacy. To the loser, irreversible decline.
That is how the battle for building more data centres is being fought by Amazon.
This week, David Yelland and Farzana Baduel look at how the company is fighting back against the "misinformation and outright lies" that surround data centres. The public has apparently got them all wrong. But just how do you shift opinion when it seems everyone has already made up their mind?
On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, a slightly more modern slice of Bayeux brilliance. The Conservatives scored a great PR win with their own 88ft 'tapestry' depicting the last two years in politics. The masterstroke was to include a number of journalists in the artwork - which meant they all posted about it, giving the stunt far more publicity. The very obvious flattery worked a treat - but there are more subtle ways of getting journalists on side which are just as effective.
Also, the risks of making pets political. Labour minister Jenny Riddle-Carpenter found herself in hot water after rather clumsily linking black labradors to some kind of 'Far Right fantasy'. The reaction has been exactly as you can imagine.
Producer: Duncan Middleton
Editor: Sarah Teasdale
Executive Producer: Eve Streeter
Music by Eclectic Sounds
A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4

"That's it, I'm leaving." After which, there is often the sound of a door slamming. But in this case, it's more likely to be the sound of a private jet revving its engines.
This week, David Yelland and Farzana Baduel look at why some of the UK's richest people seem so keen to quit the UK. Recent stories includes claims that the country is not just on the slide - but has irreversibly slid. What's really behind the decision to publicly say you're off - or that you're thinking of leaving? Who is the message really aimed at - and what are the risks of sticking your head above the parapet?
On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, AI seems to have a PR problem. Literally. OpenAI is still looking to fill its head of comms role after almost a year's search. When PR becomes the story, it's never good. And is there any real chance of one person being able to change the reputation of AI - given the catastrophic predictions for it ending humanity?
Also, there are times when it doesn't hit the fan. But it's not because of PR brilliance. This week, Ed Sheeran was saved from a potentially huge crisis when his controversial gigs at a stadium in the US had to be cancelled because of the weather. His problems over his stance on the conflict in Gaza have not gone away for good - but David and Farzana look at times from their own careers when a good old slice of luck has saved the day. And then ask, should you ever take the credit it for it?
Producer: Duncan Middleton
Editor: Sarah Teasdale
Executive Producer: Eve Streeter
Music by Eclectic Sounds
A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4

'Never complain, never explain.' Until recently, that could've been the unofficial motto for the Royal Family.
Not anymore.
David Yelland and Farzana Baduel discuss whether it was wise for Buckingham Palace to issue a statement in response to bombshell claims made in Earl Spencer's new book. Advisors closest to the King must have known it would pour rocket fuel on an already incendiary story - but would it have been even worse not to respond?
And sticking with statements, on the extended episode on BBC Sounds, Ed Sheeran. The singer is right in the middle of an enormous PR storm, over where he stands on the situation in Gaza. He's now said he's 'made mistakes and is so, so sorry', but as David and Farzana explain, whatever he does now won't be enough to appease everyone. So what is he supposed to do next?
Producer: Duncan Middleton
Editor: Sarah Teasdale
Executive Producer: Eve Streeter
Music by Eclectic Sounds
A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4