On Wednesday 25th March I headed up t’North to attend a couple of insider sessions with BBC journalists, hosted by Roxhill Media.
The first session covered how to engage with The Big Boss podcast and BBC Work and Money. The second was a deep dive into how BBC Breakfast is organised and how to pitch effectively.
I spent more time on trains than I did in the actual sessions. And I’d do it again without hesitation.
Here’s why.
As a PR Strategist, it’s my job to understand how different media outlets operate — who they’re aimed at, what they need and the type of stories, case studies and experts they want to feature. That’s what clients are paying me to know. Being in these rooms is how I stay ahead.
My biggest takeaway from both sessions? These outlets aren’t designed for the type of clients I work with.
Did that make it a waste of time? Absolutely not. Knowing where your clients don’t belong is just as valuable as knowing where they do. And getting that intelligence straight from the journalists themselves saves hours of research, client approval rounds and pitch writing — only to be competing for attention in an inbox receiving around 199 other pitches that same day.
Here’s everything I captured.
THE BIG BOSS PODCAST
As the name suggests, this podcast is only looking for interviews with big bosses from big brands. And when they say big, they mean it.
As Olie D’Albertanson, producer of the podcast, said directly: “This is not an interview for start-ups or disruptor brands.” They’re not interested in one-man bands who’ve built impressive businesses, nor brands with large headcounts but relatively modest revenue. No specific revenue figures were shared, but looking at past guests tells you everything you need to know. Think Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock. Mark Neale, Founder and CEO of Mountain Warehouse. Marco Amitrano, European boss of PwC. A quick Google will give you the revenue figures — we’re talking billions, not millions.
That immediately eradicates any opportunity for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Which matters, because 95% of UK businesses are classified as micro businesses with 0-9 employees.
I pushed back on this, politely, in a conversation with Olie after the session. I asked whether he had the autonomy to pitch his own boss on the idea of a podcast that interviews CEOs and entrepreneurs at a lower level, given how significant that audience is to the UK economy.
I didn’t get a clear answer. But the conversation was worth having. And it reinforced something I already believed — that niche media outlets built specifically for entrepreneurial audiences aren’t just nice to have. They’re necessary. The BBC isn’t coming for your clients anytime soon. The right podcast host, the right trade publication, the right industry platform, that’s where the real opportunity lives for most business owners.
Olie also mentioned how important their social media team is at disseminating interview content into bitesize clips across multiple platforms, keeping exposure high for guests long after the original recording. Worth noting for anyone who does eventually land a Big Boss feature: the content lifecycle is long and well-supported.
BBC WORK & MONEY
Henry Jones, Editor of BBC Work & Money oversees business and workplace coverage across BBC News, which means he’s often working across Wake Up To Money on Radio 5 Live, MoneyBox on Radio 4 and The Today Programme on Radio 4.
His team meets daily to agree on topics and guests. For The Today Programme specifically, the 6:15am slot is the one to aim for, typically 8-11 minutes long, which is substantial exposure for the right guest.
A useful detail worth knowing: BBC Work & Money will pick up interviews directly from the Big Boss podcast. If a guest has already been recorded and edited for Big Boss, there’s a strong chance that content gets redistributed across Henry’s outlets too. More reach, same interview.
Wake Up To Money can be more lifestyle and consumer-focused, but topics must still be relevant to what Henry called a “proper” business. The flagship element of the show is a daily conversation with an investor on markets and economics. Guests should be prepared to speak beyond their specific business or industry if the conversation goes there.
BBC BREAKFAST
The second session was with Will Batchelor, Senior Journalist at BBC Breakfast, who confirmed something I’ve been telling clients for years: pitch stories that are relevant to the BBC Breakfast audience.
If you’re unsure who that audience is, think: health, education, crime, social media, nostalgia, pets. The show prioritises guests on the sofa, particularly case studies and personal stories. Where a case study appears, they’ll often bring in an expert alongside them. The expert can be in the studio or down the line, but they would never have an expert on the sofa and a guest appearing remotely. Good to know before you pitch.
For business owners specifically: there are two business segments per hour, but these focus on an industry rather than a specific business or commercial agenda. B2B stories don’t work well given the show’s demographic. If you had the red sofa in your sights, factor that in.
Practical pitching intelligence from Will:
Pitch before 9:30am or after 1pm. The team is in a daily planning meeting from 10am to 11am. Always pitch to the planning desk by email first, not to individual producers or researchers. If it’s urgent, call the planning desk and reference the email you’ve already sent so they can locate it while you’re on the call.
The planning team looks ahead four days from today, so lead times are short for a daily TV programme. Move quickly when you have something relevant.
The show reaches 5 million viewers daily, though not all from start to finish, which is why hard news runs for 15 minutes at the top of every hour. Outside that, there are 2-3 pitchable slots per hour. The 8:15am slot is the most valuable, it’s a longer-form feature where they’ll bring in VTs, case studies and guests together.
The regional representation insight:
This is the detail most people pitching to BBC Breakfast don’t know. While the show has no specific diversity metrics or geographical quotas, regional representation matters. If a pitch arrives from a London-based expert and a similar pitch arrives from an expert based in Ireland, they’ll choose Ireland. Regional and national voices outside of London and the South East are genuinely underrepresented and actively welcomed. If your clients are based outside the capital, that’s a competitive advantage, not a disadvantage. The story still has to come first, but geography can tip the balance.
On building relationships with journalists:
This is where Will said something that goes against conventional PR wisdom, and I respect him for saying it. Due to the speed and intensity of BBC Breakfast’s production, building and nurturing individual journalist relationships matters less here than it does elsewhere. What will get you remembered is a well-written, well-researched, well-targeted pitch. And being a brilliant guest when the opportunity comes.
TO WRAP UP
Here’s what this PR event confirmed for me:
The biggest media outlets in the country aren’t built for most business owners. And that’s not a problem, it’s intelligence. Because knowing where you don’t belong is just as valuable as knowing where you do.
The business owners who get featured consistently aren’t the ones pitching everywhere and hoping something lands. They’re the ones who understand exactly which outlets serve their ideal audience, what those outlets actually need and how to position themselves as the obvious choice when the right opportunity arises.
A spray and pray approach doesn’t just waste time. In 2026, it will damage your reputation before you’ve even built one.
This is why working with a PR strategist who understands both your business and the media landscape isn’t a luxury, it’s the difference between being featured and being filed in the bin alongside the other 199 pitches that landed that day.
Not all PRs are made equal. And not all media coverage is created equal either.
The right feature, in the right outlet, in front of the right audience, that’s what changes everything.
If this resonates and you’re wondering what a strategic PR approach could look like for your business, send me an email (laura@prwithperkes.com) and let’s find out if we’re a fit.
