Insiders: The TV Podcast

You can send questions to our email – podcasts@hattrick.comDM us a question on Instagram – we're @insiderstvpodOr comment your question on this episode on Spotify or our most recent episode on YouTubeThanks so much everyone – see you Friday!

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.Topics discussed:Channel 4's sitcom commissionsComedy + YouTubeSNL UKNew comedy talentProducer's rightsMonetising comedy on YouTubeChapters:00:00 Intro02:40 Channel 4's sitcom commissions04:25 The value of comedy08:10 Comedy on digital platforms09:27 The trickle down effect in comedy11:45 SNL UK's on C4?14:13 TV + Comedy talent19:45 Will YouTube change how we make TV?27:26 How to monetise comedy on YouTube38:07 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.comInstagram: @InsidersTVPod

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. Topics discussed:England winning the World Cup in 1966The Rest Is Football Netflix seriesWorld Cup Coverage tussles between BBC and ITVAre sport paywalls taking the piss?The ongoing issue of viewers illegally streaming live sports eventsWill 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 footballThe World Cup and Brazil at Goodison Park, 1966Players who were destined for greatness but sadly never achieved itChapters:00.00 - The 1966 World Cup05.27 - The Rest Is Football World Cup coverage13.37 - 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 football28.05 - World Cup at Goodison ParkHave 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, 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.comInstagram: @InsidersTVPod

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…Topics discussed:The 400 female screenwriters who signed an open letter against the BBC commissioning Jeff Pope to write the Sarah Everard dramaShould 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 scandalWhat 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 Productions2:51 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 Years30:33 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 #MAFS #Channel4 #HatTrick #TVIndustry #ScreenwritingDebate #HeatedRivalry #OffCampus #TVDramaJimmy 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.comInstagram: @InsidersTVPod

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 seriesThe endings of Derry Girls and The Sopranos compared to Game of ThronesWhat it was like to cancel shows like the The Bill and BodiesThe art of writing shocking character deaths in shows like EmmerdaleWho tells the talent that they’ve been written out of a showThe ‘Prediction Markets’ could change reality TV foreverHow outcomes of The Masked Singer, Next Level Chef and The Bachelorette were all correctly predicted months before they even airedMatt Brittin’s comments on the BBC, improving the iPlayer and YouTubeHave 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 #PolymarketJimmy 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.

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 everThe BBC’s handling of the Gaza: Doctors Under Attack BAFTA speech and what it says about broadcaster pressureHow Wordle could work as a television format, and how Tipping Point was commissionedStephen Colbert bidding farewell to The Late Show with his fellow hosts Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, John Oliver and Seth Myers in Strike Force Five reunionJames Corden teams up with Rio Ferdinand to make his return to FIFA World Cup coverageListener reactions, questions and moreHave a question or opinion? Leave a comment, find us on socials (@InsidersTVPod), or email us at podcasts@hattrick.comIf 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 #InsidersTVPodJimmy 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.

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 moreHave 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!CHAPTERS00:00 Intro01:08 Celebrity Traitors lineup revealed07:49 Helena Bonham Carter exits The White Lotus15:33 AI controversy in TV editing22:13 David Attenborough at 10030:47 Corrections, cocaine and conclusions#TheWhiteLotus #CelebrityTraitors #DavidAttenborough #HelenaBonhamCarter #MikeWhite #AI #BBC #Netflix #Streaming #Television #PodcastJimmy 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.

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: InsidersTVPod@expectationtv.comInstagram: @InsidersTVPodThe producer is Owen Braben