Category: The Team

Posted on

What did dodgy washing machines & Matt Allwright teach me?

Matt Allwright & Abby Mangold

Walking onto the set of BBC Watchdog in Television Centre in 1997 was daunting.

As a Junior Clerk my job was simple – do whatever anyone asks and do it well.

It was always fast paced and often last minute – as you would expect when producing a live, weekly, consumer affairs programme for BBC1.

As I moved up the ranks to Researcher, Assistant Producer and finally Producer/Director there were a handful of people who took the time to teach me the skills I continue using today.

Matt Allwright is the best scriptwriter I’ve ever worked with.

  • Where I used 20 words, he could say it in 10.
  • Where I struggled with structuring a 5 minute film, he knew the narrative before I’d put pen to paper.
  • Where I battled to make broken washing machines look sexy – he always had a clever, and often funny, treatment.

Producing programmes for a BBC1 audience meant making every word count and finding an engaging way to keep viewers interested.

I use those same skills every day, helping clients communicate in a crisis which ironically, is often triggered by a call from BBC Watchdog.

And I think it’s fair to say that Matt Allwright and I continue to learn from each other to this day.

Posted on

What I learned from Anne Robinson…

Anne Robinson

I worked with Annie Robinson from the late 90s, initially as a researcher at BBC Watchdog.

What you see with Annie, is what you get in real life. She is tough and a class act. She knows what she wants and what she doesn’t want and it’s that approach which brought her success, originally on Fleet Street (at the time a heavily male dominated world) and latterly on BBC TV.

She’s well known for her sharp wit on The Weakest Link, turning every contestant to jelly but that was nothing compared to her legendary performances on BBC Watchdog.

In every interview, she manifested the ‘killer opening question’, and I learned so much from those on camera grillings. Particularly since I sat in the chair opposite her during programme dress rehearsals, assuming the role of the company spokesperson.

During live transmission, I watched as nervous leaders tried, and often failed, to hold the corporate line.

So now I media train people to assume the unexpected from the moment they walk into the studio, or even before – remember the series The Thick of It and Nicola Murray’s faux pas as she left the national newspaper interview?!

It’s true that interview styles and approaches have changed but I wouldn’t be doing my job with clients if I didn’t channel a little of my inner Anne Robinson.

What are your favourite interview moments?

Posted on

What David Frost taught me

David Frost

I’ve honed my craft working with and listening to journalists.

My most valued moments? One of them has to be working with David Frost on Breakfast With Frost.

His mantra was to ‘Make Every Word Count’.

New to BBC TV in 1997 with very little experience, I was fortunate to learn so much by being in the presence of this TV giant.
As a programme runner I got to watch him reviewing every script, red penning superfluous words. It is forever burnt into my memory.

And today preparing communications in a crisis, I remind myself to ‘be more David’ and chuck out every syllable that doesn’t reinforce what needs saying.

Where do you need to “be more David”?

Posted on

Journalism runs in our blood

Abby Mangold and Jess Mangold in meeting

Quite an odd statement to make but with all the experience I had during 15 years at the BBC and my time since then working on the other side of the media in crisis comms – I eat, sleep and breathe interviews.

My sister, Jess Mangold, is the same after years as a print journo. We’re both voracious consumers of news, media and social content.

And of course it helps growing up with a Dad in the business, where dinners are filled with ferocious debate about current affairs.

Listening to big interviews constantly, across a range of formats and setups, we digest and analyse content and ask did that work? What went wrong? Why did they approach the interview that way?

Take the infamous example of BBC Newsnight, Emily Maitlis and Prince Andrew. The work put into that – the preparation by the team including the fabulous Sam McAlister, meticulously researching and investigating – made for a jaw dropping interview. It’s not about attacking the interviewee as some have done in the past, it’s all about the preparation.

I approach every challenge from the perspective of a journalist and that’s how I deliver for my clients.

Posted on

My Anne Robinson x Ronnie Wood Sandwich…

Godolphin & Latymer The Pod

Picture the scene – the original BBC TV Centre, we’re hours away from the latest episode of BBC Watchdog being broadcast.

Anne Robinson and I are on the hunt for a Diet Coke as we talk strategy for the imminent live interview with a nervous company spokesperson. And then we see the ACTUAL Ronnie Wood from the Rolling Stones…

It was a real joy to reminisce on the Godolphin and Latymer podcast – The Pod.

Hear this and other less name-dropping stories on The Pod, Old Dolphin Network.

Posted on

Good Ship Mangold ahoy!

The Good Ship Mangold

The good ship Mangold Consultancy continues on a strong course, thanks to the team covering my watch during a recent stay ashore!


Here are some treasures discovered on my return…

Problem: Keeping the spokesperson’s muscle flexed.

Solution: Meet our clients with a fitness mindset to media training – regular sessions to grow the muscles needed by providing current, timely and relevant insight and examples of press performance done well.

Problem: Organisations are facing increasing scrutiny from unannounced visitors demanding a big ask of frontline teams who meet them.

Solution: Provide practical ways to keep pace with changing methods of scrutiny, which reinforce reputation management and protect staff wellbeing.

PS. Time out is an excellent way to take a bird’s-eye view of your surroundings and future course. Many thanks to Jess Mangold, Estelle Kinzett, Justin Clark, Amanda Coleman and Emma Davies for your “all hands on deck” approach!

Thank you to DALL-E Open Ai for this image.

Posted on

Mangold Consultancy just got a new Mangold!

Jess Mangold

Very excited to welcome Jess Mangold as a Director, bringing a fresh and complimentary set of skills and experience to Mangold Consultancy.

Jess’ has a brilliant combination of journalism and communications experience.  A trained newspaper journalist who has worked across daily regional and national print titles, she’s also got a mean black book.  Continue reading “Mangold Consultancy just got a new Mangold!”