Media interviews rarely go wrong because leaders don’t know what to say. They go wrong because of how answers come across under pressure. At senior level, interviews are often high-stakes - linked to reputation, performance, or moments of scrutiny. Preparation isn’t about scripting answers. It’s about understanding how communication actually works in those situations. Start with the audience, not the message A common mistake is to begin with: “What do I want to say?” The more

Difficult questions? Senior leaders rarely struggle in interviews because of difficult questions. They struggle because their answers don’t land clearly enough. After years in newsrooms, you start to see the same patterns again and again. It’s not a lack of expertise. It’s how that expertise is communicated under pressure. The problem: trying to say too much One of the most common mistakes is trying to be complete. Leaders want to: cover every angle anticipate every follow-up

Podcasts can be powerful. They can build profile, credibility and reach. But only when there is a clear match between: the platform the audience the message the person speaking

Early in my career as a reporter, I was sent to interview a very high-profile business leader, the kind of name most people would recognise. We met in an office at Gatwick Airport, sitting on a sofa overlooking the runway. The conversation began confidently. He was articulate, composed and entirely at ease. Then I asked a particular question. He paused. A few seconds later came a stuttering, stumbling answer - sentences abandoned midway through, thoughts half-formed, clari

In recent months, the UK has seen a familiar pattern: a public figure makes a comment, issues an apology, and then watches as the story refuses to disappear. In the UK media environment, apologies rarely end a story. Without media training, public statements made under pressure can quickly escalate into prolonged scrutiny. C reating new angles, follow-up questions and prolonged exposure. This isn’t because apologies are insincere. It’s because the rules of public communicatio

There’s endless hype around AI in video and podcast production at the moment. Some say it will replace creative professionals altogether; others think it’s nothing more than a gimmick. The truth sits somewhere in between and that’s where things get interesting.

One of the newer requests I’ve been getting is media training specifically for podcast interviews.

Is there still a role for humans in producing podcasts and video content, or is AI taking over?

One question keeps popping up whenever we develop new podcast shows or refresh old ones: “What’s the video plan?” It’s the same story at...

As a producer of what are known as branded podcasts - programmes created on behalf of organisations and brands - I’m often asked two...