Use BBC.com or the new BBC App to listen to BBC podcasts, Radio 4 and the World Service outside the UK.

Find out how to listen to other BBC stations

Episode details

World Service,01 Jan 2026,22 mins

The Media Show: How to Make a Hit TV Show

The Explanation

Available for over a year

Have you ever wondered how reality TV gets made? Why some shows become instant classics, while others vanish without trace? In this special edition of The Media Show, four of the UK’s top creatives in unscripted television reveal their secrets. From The Traitors to Pointless, Hunted to Gogglebox, they discuss what makes a hit format, how casting decisions are made, how streamers and influencers are changing the landscape, and where the next big hit might come from. With Tim Harcourt, Chief Creative Officer, Studio Lambert; Matt Bennett, Director of Programmes, Shine Television; Tamara Gilder, Joint MD, Remarkable Entertainment; Art Sejdiu, Head of Commissioning Development, Channel Four. Presenters: Ros Atkins and Katie Razzall Producer: Dan Hardoon Content producer: Lucy Wai Researcher: Ruth Waites

Programme Website
More episodes