Insiders: The TV Podcast

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.

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 [email protected].

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

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

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

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

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

Chapters
00:00 Coming up!
01:10 The Challenges for the New BBC Director General
18:19 Running Channel 4
22:35 Almost Cancelling Black Adder
25:07 Married at First Sight UK and reality TV ethics
30:55 The Rest of Michael's Career

#BBC #MichaelGrade #MarriedAtFirstSightUK #Channel4 #DoctorWho #Blackadder #FatherTed #RealityTV #TVPodcast #BritishTV #Television #InsidersTVPod #PublicServiceBroadcasting #BAFTA #Streaming #Podcast
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TV Insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville tackle Eurovision's biggest controversy yet, the BBC getting called out at the BAFTA TV awards, and why Wordle could actually work as a prime-time TV show.

In this episode:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In this episode:
•The White Lotus announcement from HBO and what “creative differences” actually means in television
•The surprising omission from the Celebrity Traitors cast
•Why the BBC still beats Netflix and Amazon at “event TV”
•How AI is already changing television editing and ADR
•The career decision that made David Attenborough a legend
•PLUS: your reactions to our AI in editing debate, Hollywood power struggles, BBC commissioning insights, and more

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

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

CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:08 Celebrity Traitors lineup revealed
07:49 Helena Bonham Carter exits The White Lotus
15:33 AI controversy in TV editing
22:13 David Attenborough at 100
30:47 Corrections, cocaine and conclusions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

YouTube: / @insiderstvpodcast
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @InsidersTVPod
The producer is Owen Braben
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.