When It Hits the Fan - Is the Beckham Brand in Jeopardy?

Download Is the Beckham Brand in Jeopardy?

It started with a bombshell but the aftershocks are only just getting started.

This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis ask whether David and Victoria Beckham's seemingly bulletproof brand is under threat. The cause is of course the incredibly emotional social media outburst from their son, Brooklyn.

Theirs is a brand built on family - so what are the PR challenges when threads start to unravel? And crucially, what say will the money men have about how the Beckham's handle the fallout?

On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, where best to see where the worlds of PR, power and business collide than Davos? Simon spent the week there and reveals what's really going on behind-the-scenes. It's certainly not as glamorous as you might think.

Plus, how to take on Elon Musk and win. Ryanair's Michael O'Leary delivered a PR masterclass as the two men had a very public spat - using a killer blend of humour and facts. It seems to have done wonders for the airline's business - and given us a timely reminder of how to use your opponent's strength against them.

Producer: Duncan Middleton
Editor: Sarah Teasdale
Executive Producer: Eve Streeter
Music by Eclectic Sounds
A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4

Published on Wednesday, 28th January 2026.

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