Hacks & Flaks

n the final episode of this series of Hacks and Flaks, host Petrie and regular panellist Giles, welcomes two guests to the show, each with very different perspectives on how photographs are used to illustrate the news. In the studio is renowned photojournalist, Stefan Rousseau, who shares some amazing stories from his career with the Press Association, photographing world leaders, and what it's like to be in a room alone with Vladimir Putin. We also welcome EastEnders actor Lucy Benjamin back to the series, sharing some shocking truths of what it was like to be relentlessly pursued by the paparazzi pack, who even went as far as following her on her honeymoon. The team also look back at some notorious pap shots which have possibly broken brands and saved lives, although perhaps the subjects of the photographs may not agree. Thank you for joining us for the second series of Hacks and Flaks, if you enjoy the show, tell your friends and we'll see you next time - Goodbye for now!

How has the world of sports journalism changed and adapted to the new realm of online news? Why are there fewer stories about the personal lives of sports personalities in the press? And what does the future hold for the world of sport and how it's reported? Sports reporter for the London Evening Standard, Nizaar Kinsella, joins Petrie, Andrew, and Giles, to talk about all of this and a whole lot more in today's episode of Hacks and Flaks, and we also find out what is going on behind the scenes in a world tightly controlled by sponsors, PR and international diplomacy.

This week's Hacks and Flaks welcomes a cast of thousands to the studio. Not only is our host Petrie, joined by regular panellists Andrew MacDougall, and Giles Kenningham, but we also have at least two ex-Prime Ministers, two wannabe PMs AND 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump....plus, comedian, and impressionist Matt Forde, who just so happens to have Trump, Johnson, Cameron, Corbyn and Starmer in his repertoire. As well as hearing about the new incarnation of TV political puppet show, Spitting Image, the team also discusses why there will always be a need and desire for such comedy, and we are also given some real-life moments from Giles and Andrew's careers which are beyond satire!

Why does a celebrity need someone managing their public relations? Can't they manage that themselves? Well, it would appear that's getting increasingly difficult in these days of trial by social media and a single tweet can ruin a carefully crafted reputation, potentially destroying a career. What can a PR do to stop the damage seeping in further? Can they keep a story out of the press? And why would a journalist do PR's bidding if they happen to be sitting on a solid gold scoop about their client? PR to the stars, Richard Dawes dropped into the studio, to tell us how he would deal with certain awkward situations and gives us an insight into what it's like to manage some of the biggest names in the music biz. As always, our host Petrie is on hand to ask the burning questions, and regular panellists Andrew and Mick share some occasions when the PR machine didn't quite roll in their favour.

Something tells me we're not in Kansas anymore Toto, as the team are frogmarched down the yellow brick road by this week's guest, editor of The Sunday Sport (yes, THAT Sunday Sport), Nick Appleyard. Where else can you hear the plight of a wronged monkey postman, get the inside scoop on a missing plane found on the moon, and read all about the sticky end of the overzealous hide and seek champ? Well, obviously – and quite rightly - nowhere else. In today’s show, Nick pulls back the curtain and allows us inside the secretive and frankly, baffling world of this great British institution. Our host Petrie wears the ruby slippers, as we and regular panellists, Andrew, Giles, and Mick are all friends of Dorothy in this tornado of an episode.

Today's Hacks and Flaks is an education, education, education, as we find out what goes on behind the scenes to produce a political speech. Whether it's supposed to be a rallying cry, resignation, or to talk pork markets, there are a myriad of purposes for them and reasons why they might be remembered. And who better to hear from than the man with the fastest PM acceptance and resignation turnaround in recent history, Asa Bennett, who was speech writer for former British PM, Liz Truss. As always, our host Petrie gets to the nub of the matter and finds out what a writer might do if the person giving the speech isn't blessed with natural charisma, or perhaps a penchant to bluster off-piste. Regular panellist Andrew MacDougall is also on hand to provide some anecdotes from his own career, and the team also look at the winners and losers of political speeches of times gone by.

In today's episode, the team pick away at some old war wounds as they recount incidents when they've had to rely on composing a 'killer statement' to avert trouble…but are there times when spin just isn't enough? And, what happens if, like regular panellist and resident 'hack', Mick Booker, you're at the receiving end of a statement in a bid to stop a story you KNOW to be true? As always, our host Petrie, wrangles some fantastic revelations from the panel about what happens behind closed doors between the politicians and the press. And we also find out which Hollywood A-Listers were hacked-off enough to write to Mick, who perhaps has a clairvoyant gift for spotting rifts in showbiz couples, after all, they certainly aren't saying 'I'll be there for you' now!

In today's episode of Hacks and Flaks, what happens on tour doesn't stay on tour, as host Petrie welcomes journalist and presenter of 'Choppers Politics Podcast', Chris Hope to the show to talk about what really happens on political press trips. Chris and regular panellists, Giles and Andrew, all share stories of times they have accompanied Prime Ministers to foreign shores - and not all of those shores are friendly ones - as Andrew can attest, after having his BlackBerry hacked in China and needing to think of an escape plan, should he find himself stuck in Democratic Republic of the Congo. Giles recounts some awkward times when calming down an angry Prime Minister on a plane full of story-hungry journalists and the importance of being vigilant to the ever-present honey trap, and Chris talks about when he almost caused an international incident after some candid questioning of a foreign leader. But it's not all having to take afternoon tea with despots and looking for hidden cameras in your hotel room, sometimes you get to sneak off to a panda sanctuary or drink the plane dry on the way home ....

In today's episode of Hacks and Flaks, host Petrie and her panel discusses how public inquiries, such as Leveson, continue to shape the news agenda and changed public tastes in the stories they want to read. As well as regular panellists, Mick Booker, Giles Kenningham, and Andrew MacDougal, we are also joined by Tom Anelay, who has worked on numerous public inquiries, including Grenfell and gives us an idea of why and when an inquiry is needed and how much work goes on behind the scenes to make them happen. Petrie also speaks to ex EastEnders actor, Lucy Benjamin, who speaks publicly for the first time about her own phone hacking ordeal and the far reaching effect it had on her relationship, career, mental health and why she began to even suspect her own family of selling stories about her to the tabloid press. TW: Discussion surrounding cases involving child murder are included in this episode.

Hacks and Flaks is back with another series of salacious insights from the worlds of politics and journalism. We start in toe curling style as our resident flaks and special guest, Dr Alastair Masser, recount some of the most awkward conversations they've had during their careers in government. What would you do if someone demanded you delay an airplane take-off because they were 'running late'? Is there an ideal way to tell someone that their dress sense makes them look like an idiot on the world stage? And how would YOU tell an MP that their personal hygiene was severely lacking? Well, our panel has had these cringeworthy conversations, so you don't have to. Instead, you can sit back and enjoy the schadenfreude as they share some of the most uncomfortable moments of their career with our host, Petrie. Enjoy! Next week on Hacks and Flaks: Eastenders star, Lucy Benjamin speaks publicly for the first time about being a victim of the phone hacking scandal. Lucy also shares how not knowing where the stories about her were coming from impacted her relationship, job, and trust in her own family. EMAIL: hackflakpod@gmail.com PRESENTER - Petrie Hosken PANEL - Giles Kenningham & Andrew MacDougall GUEST - Alastair Masser Produced by Amanda Redman Brought to you by Trafalgar Strategy

Series two of Hacks and Flaks lands on Thursday 6th April 2023, bringing an exciting array of guests who share their insights on how the news gets made… We'll be hearing from comedian, impressionist and former political advisor, Matt Forde about why the need for satire is stronger than ever. Journalist and presenter of Chopper's Politics Podcast, Chris Hope shares some antics of what happens on government foreign trips. Liz Truss' former speech writer lifts the lid on the pressures and frustrations of working in the role. And Former Eastenders actress, Lucy Benjamin speaks publicly for the first time about what it was like to be the victim of phone hacking, whilst having no idea how such intimate stories from her life kept appearing in the press and even suspecting her own family of selling stories on her. We'll also be looking at how celebrity PRs keep certain stories about the rich and famous out of the news, what goes on behind the scenes of a public enquiry and how on earth niche publications such as The Sunday Sport manage to thrive when printed press is in decline. Plus, as always host Petrie is joined by regular panel of Giles, Andrew, and Mick, who are ready to tell all about their former roles as ‘Hacks and Flaks’, including the time Giles tried to stop a former PM committing crimes against fashion, Andrew thought an incident with a communal wafer was going to cause an international crisis and Mick managed to hack-off TV reality star, Katie Price. All this and more coming soon!

In the final offering of this series, Petrie seeks the advice of resident flaks, Giles and Andrew about how she might go about switching over to the dark side of a job in government. How does one become a political advisor, and is it impossible to turn back once you've gone from hack to flak? During the program, Andrew and Giles will take us on a journey into their past roles in government spin, offering Petrie a fascinating glimpse into the role and some of its extremes. Can the hack,hack it? Listen to find out. The second season of Hacks and Flaks is already underway with exciting guests and more secrets to be revealed, so stay tuned and we'll see you soon. EMAIL: hackflakpod@gmail.com PRESENTER - Petrie Hosken PANEL - Giles Kenningham & Andrew MacDougall Produced by Amanda Redman Brought to you by Trafalgar Strategy

During today's Hacks and Flaks, Petrie, Giles and Michael discuss something most journalists try to avoid: super injunctions. How did they come about and what are they? You may be surprised to learn that they weren't invented for the rich and famous, but celebrities have seized the opportunity to keep certain details of their personal lives out of the spotlight. How much money and time does it take to obtain one and under what circumstances might someone try to get them? Moreover, is it just a waste of time when so many super injunctions have become staples of social media gossip? And, what are the consequences for the average keyboard warrior for openly speculating on the topic? EMAIL: hackflakpod@gmail.com PRESENTER - Petrie Hosken PANEL - Giles Kenningham & Michael Booker Produced by Amanda Redman Brought to you by Trafalgar Strategy

On Hacks and Flaks today, the team debates whether online news has killed traditional journalism and whether physical newspapers are doomed to extinction. What are the dangers associated with relying solely on online media and how is that affecting our local press? In the age of social media, how difficult is it to break a story? Is shareability a deciding factor on what is even covered, especially on the front page? We learn about all of this and more from Petrie and her panel, who share insider knowledge about how clicks have affected what stories appear at the top of our news feeds. EMAIL: hackflakpod@gmail.com PRESENTER - Petrie Hosken PANEL - Giles Kenningham, Andrew MacDougall & Michael Booker Produced by Amanda Redman Brought to you by Trafalgar Strategy

In today's episode, our host Petrie and her panel of Hacks and Flaks, debate the consequences of what can happen when the news goes wrong. When the press ends-up persecuting the wrong person, who is to blame and has the Leveson Inquiry done anything to prevent the hounding of those in the public eye? How could a situation like the one involving Caroline Flack and the Jo Yates murder case have arisen in the first place and what lessons have been learned in their wake? Hack, Michael Booker, and Flak, Giles Kenningham discuss the instances when they have dealt with the repercussions of mistaken identities, stories about government ministers' families and what happened when a famous footballer was falsely accused of buying a kebab. Plus, you can still buy Michael's book, although it costs slightly more than one penny. The Business: Amazon.co.uk: Michael Booker: WARNING: Discussions surrounding suicide and murder occur during this episode. EMAIL: hackflakpod@gmail.com PRESENTER - Petrie Hosken PANEL - Giles Kenningham & Michael Booker Produced by Amanda Redman Brought to you by Trafalgar Strategy

In this week's episode, Petrie, Giles, Andrew and Michael examine redemption and reinvention in an ever-changing world. Can someone in the public eye atone for bad behavior? Why are some people able to get away with things that would see others cancelled almost instantly? The team discusses when reinventions have succeeded and failed, and rates those who are trying to demonstrate real-time change, plus we hear how they would have handled redemptions which have gone wrong. EMAIL: hackflakpod@gmail.com PRESENTER - Petrie Hosken PANEL - Giles Kenningham, Andrew MacDougall Michael Booker Produced by Amanda Redman Brought to you by Trafalgar Strategy

In the week that Prince Harry's autobiography 'Spare' finally hit the shelves and after his explosive interview with Tom Bradby, we thought it fitting to share with you our episode on royal scandals in the news. Petrie is joined by her regular panel of hacks and flaks, Andrew and Michael, but there's an extra addition, in the form of journalist Jo Elvin, who hosts The Daily Mail's royal chat show, Palace Confidential. In this episode, the team discusses how the news cycle handles the saga of Harry and Meghan versus the House of Windsor, how past and present scandals surrounding the monarchy have been handled by the press, and why and how that Prince Andrew interview even made it to air in the first place. EMAIL: hackflakpod@gmail.com PRESENTER - Petrie Hosken PANEL - Andrew MacDougall, Michael Booker & Jo Elvin Produced by Amanda Redman Brought to you by Trafalgar Strategy

Recorded 28th October 2022 As Elon Musk became the owner of Twitter at the time of recording, this episode of Hacks and Flaks seemed like the perfect opportunity for the panel to discuss the phenomenon of social media journalism and its impact on traditional news gathering. What do flaks do when someone in government is embroiled in a Twitter storm, and when have Andrew and Giles had to put out a fire caused by one of their charges? Is it even worth our MPs' time to be on social media when the risk of being cancelled or creating negative news stories is so great? And with more journalists expressing their political opinions on Twitter and Instagram, Petrie asks hack Michael, what this means for impartiality and if journalists are now just trawling social media for the next story. Our team also discuss the death of the tabloid gossip column and how Trump's online rants fed into the news cycle. EMAIL: hackflakpod@gmail.com PRESENTER - Petrie Hosken PANEL - Giles Kenningham, Andrew MacDougall & Michael Booker. Produced by Amanda Redman Brought to you by Trafalgar Strategy

Recorded14th October 2022 In the first episode of Hacks and Flaks, host Petrie Hosken explores the art of the political interview. How does a politician prepare for a potential roasting on live TV? What are the signs that an interviewer thinks they're the star? And has the public become jaded with the traditional mauling of politicians by TV journalists? To Help Petrie dissect the delicate interplay between the public's right to know and the dark art of political and corporate spin are regular panellists and former Prime Ministerial advisors Giles Kenningham and Andrew MacDougall. From their careers as flaks, Andrew and Giles share insights on how they deal with the fallout of a bad interview, how deals are struck with journalists to ensure a positive outcome for both parties, and whether the art of political interview can survive in a world driven by social media. EMAIL: hackflakpod@gmail.com PRESENTER - Petrie Hosken PANEL - Giles Kenningham & Andrew MacDougall Produced by Amanda Redman Brought to you by Trafalgar Strategy

Recorded late October 2022 Everyone loves a scandal, and even in these technological times, a juicy front-page headline can still sell newspapers. But, has public sympathy shifted post-Leveson and what makes a scandal newsworthy? As part of today's episode, Petrie is joined by former political advisor Giles Kenningham and journalist Michael Booker, who both talk about scandals they may have fought to get on, or keep off, the front pages. Why is it that the likes of Trump seem impervious to scandal, while others have their careers destroyed by one salacious story about them? And in a world of social media cancel culture, do people still turn to tabloids for their gossip? EMAIL: hackflakpod@gmail.com PRESENTER - Petrie Hosken PANEL - Giles Kenningham & Michael Booker Produced by Amanda Redman Brought to you by Trafalgar Strategy