Royal Special: TV and the monarchy

This week, Peter and Jimmy discuss the complex (and occasionally combustible) relationship between television and the royals. They unpack how the Faustian deal works, and what happens when it goes wrong.Jimmy shares fond memories of the time HIGNFY suggested Prince Harry had taken cocaine, only for the show to find itself in hot water for upsetting an entirely different aristocrat. And Peter talks all things Queen-gate, and tells his side of the story.Plus, Jimmy’s water cooler encounter with Princess Di, the story of the commissioning of Grand Designs, and, for some reason, an honourable mention for Bernie The Bolt. 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 (series 69 now airing), 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.Our email address is [email protected], or you can get in touch via our socials at @InsidersTVPod. New episodes every Friday.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.