Showbiz to Spotlight: Winning Broadcast Coverage That Lands

At our latest Broadcast Revolution event, we spoke to John–Michael Flynn, Entertainment Producer at Good Morning Britain, and Jessica Bulman, Deputy Editor at 5 News. In conversation with our Head of Newsroom, Ashleigh Carroll, they unpacked what producers are really looking for right now, how to turn talent into timely, newsworthy stories, and how to position your guests so they resonate with both editors and audiences.

What does a typical day look like – and when should PRs pitch?

Both producers walked us through their daily workflows, and the message was clear: PRs who understand the rhythm of the newsroom get better results.

Jessica’s day at Channel 5 starts early: a 7am call with the news editor, followed by an 8:30 editorial meeting. Most stories are pre‑planned the day before, but the 10:30 next day planning meeting is where PR opportunities often crystallise. A more formal 3:30 meeting then locks in experts and guests that are booked for the next day.

For GMB, the programme is effectively 24/7.

“There’s always someone working on the show,” John-Michael said. Himself and the planning team arrive at 9am, but are already across the news cycle. Their first meeting happens as soon as the show comes off air, discussing with presenters the potential stories for the next day. Then the big planning meeting comes at 11am, booking guests, resourcing reporters and shaping the next day’s running order.

How far in advance do they book and what helps a pitch break through?

Top tier talent can be booked up to six months ahead, but most guests fall into a four-to-six week booking window.

There must always be some sort of news hook for guest bookings. Whether it’s a new film or music a celebrity wants to promote, a new personal development, or new research that ties into the news agenda.

For PRs, personal stories linked to a brand can help create this news hook they are looking for – bonus points if the celebrity’s appearance can be paired with something new, such as a book, documentary or a major life update.

On pitching style, the two shows differ slightly. John-Michael says “I prefer a text or a heads up first” when talent is in the diaries, followed via an email with campaign details so he can pass through compliance.

Jessica says Channel 5 operates predominantly on email, but she values selective, relationship-driven pitching. She says, “blanket emails just create noise”. Being targeted with your email pitches help to break through the inbox.

Where do celebrity campaigns fit and what makes them work?

5 News’ running order is tightly structured, with the first 15 minutes being reserved for the major news stories of the day. The second half leans into consumer stories – this is where campaigns would usually sit. Celebrity guests then would typically close the programme.

GMB used to aim for one celebrity a day, but that is no longer the case.

“The story needs to be strong”, John-Michael said, “It’s not a given that we’ll book a guest every day.”

Both producers stressed that authenticity is a non-negotiable.

“People pick up on a lack of authenticity very quickly”, he added.

Guests must genuinely care about the topic they are booked on for and have something new to say about the subject. Jessica says they will not book someone “just for the sake of it” as this does not make for an interesting interview for the guest, interviewer or audiences.

However, John-Michael says that “If the celebrity is strong, but the story is not quite right, we’ll try and make it work.”

GMB are open to collaborating with PRs to get stories over the line, understanding what brand non-negotiables are and exploring compromises to shape a segment that fits the show.

What are some standout celebrity guests you have booked on recently?

Both Jessica and John-Michael cited Vicky Pattison as a standout guest they have booked recently.

Jessica booked Vicky for an interview on endometriosis, a subject she is genuinely passionate about,  which ended up becoming one of their best performing social clips.

John-Michael added that Vicky is a guest that they have on frequently, but the reason she gets booked is because she is always bringing something new to the table.

John-Michael also cited Martin Clunes as a great guest, who did an exclusive interview with GMB on his new Huw Edwards drama, which drove the news for the rest of the day.

On exclusives, Jessica added, “It’s obvious when an ‘exclusive’ has been offered to everyone else first. That’s not appealing.”

How big of a role does legal play and what about brand mentions?

Legal is a major factor for both programmes.

John-Michael explained that brand mentions always require legal consultation. He referenced the Peppa Pig campaign, noting that the only reason it worked was because the team involved legal early and were completely transparent from the start.

Jessica added that Channel 5 legally checks everything, and “over-branded items simply cannot be broadcast.”

Final thoughts

The message from both GMB and Channel 5 aligned:

Authenticity, relevance and strong storytelling win.

PRs who understand the structure of the shows, pitch with purpose, and bring guests who genuinely care about their subject will always stand out – even in a crowded news cycle.