The Media Club · 23 January 2026 · 35 min

Prince Harry In Court, BBC on YouTube, Channel 4 Studios

With Steven D Wright, Rhianna Dhillon

Listen at themediaclub.com →AppleSpotify

• Prince Harry vs Daily Mail Court Case
• BBC YouTube Deal
• Channel 4 In-House Production
• Telegraph Sale CMA Referral
• Oscar Nominations 2026
• Mock the Week Return
• Streaming Content Saturation
• Media Gossip and Diary Columns

In this episode of The Media Club, host Matt Deegan is joined by journalist and TV producer Steven D Wright and TV critic Rhianna Dhillon to discuss the week's media stories. The main topics include Prince Harry's high-stakes court case against the Daily Mail, the BBC's new deal with YouTube and Ofcom to produce content for the platform, and Channel 4's appointment of its first in-house commercial production chief. The panel also covers the government's referral of the Telegraph sale to the CMA, the return of Mock the Week, and the Oscar nominations, with Sinners breaking records. The episode includes the Audio Network Media Quiz, where the panel decodes gossip column stories.

Key takeaways

• Prince Harry is suing the Daily Mail with a group including Elton John and Doreen Lawrence, with potential costs of £40 million.
• The BBC has agreed a deal with YouTube and Ofcom to produce content for the platform, with a £2 million fund for indies.
• Channel 4 has appointed Sarah Dilliston to lead its first in-house commercial production arm, sparking concerns among indies.
• Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is 'minded' to refer the Telegraph sale to the CMA.
• Sinners received a record 16 Oscar nominations, breaking previous records.
• Mock the Week is returning on TLC with Dara O'Brien and Hugh Dennis from February 1st.

In this episode

• Intro and Plus Ones0:00 · Host Matt Deegan introduces guests and they discuss their plus-one picks.
• Prince Harry in Court2:00 · Panel discusses Prince Harry's court case against the Daily Mail.
• BBC YouTube Deal10:00 · Discussion of the BBC's deal with YouTube and Ofcom.
• Channel 4 In-House Production18:00 · Panel reacts to Channel 4's appointment of Sarah Dilliston.
• News Round-Up25:00 · Other stories including Telegraph sale, Birthday Draw, Mock the Week return.
• Oscar Nominations30:00 · Discussion of the Oscar nominations and films.
• Audio Network Media Quiz40:00 · Quiz segment with three coded media stories.
• Outro50:00 · Wrap-up and where to find guests.

Notable quotes

“I'd be amazed if Harry loses.”

Steven D Wright · 0:00

“Justice isn't justice, it's about money.”

Steven D Wright · 0:00

“They've ruined my wife's life, I think, for mine.”

Prince Harry · 0:00

“This is an outright scandal from an indie perspective.”

Steven D Wright · 0:00

“It's a completely unfair advantage because what about all the other indies?”

Steven D Wright · 0:00

“She's 86, for God's sake.”

Steven D Wright · 0:00

Discussed

Prince Harry · BBC · Channel 4 · Daily Mail · YouTube

Also mentioned: Elton John · David Furnish · Liz Hurley · Sadie Frost · Simon Hughes · Doreen Lawrence · Sarah Dilliston · Lisa Nandy · Dara O'Brien · Hugh Dennis · Prue Leith · Alan Rusbridger · Jamie Laing · Sophie Habu · Peter Hoare · Russell T Davies · Jacob Tierney · Michael B. Jordan · Timothée Chalamet · Jacob Elordi · Jessie Buckley · Leonardo DiCaprio · Hugh Laurie · Alexander Skarsgård

Mentioned or recommended

• Heated Rivalry · tv show
• Blake's 7 · tv show · Terry Nation
• The Last of Us · tv show · HBO
• Boots · tv show
• Tip-Top · tv show · Russell T Davies
• Mock the Week · tv show
• Sinners · film · Ryan Coogler
• Hamlet · film
• Pillion · film
• Murderbot · tv show · Apple TV+
• Severance · tv show · Apple TV+
• Pluribus · tv show
• The Traitors · tv show
• Slow Horses · tv show · Apple TV+
• Doctor Who · tv show · BBC
• The Great British Bake Off · tv show
• Junior Bake Off · tv show
• Celebrity Call Centre · tv show
• The Birthday Draw · product · ITV and Global
• The New European · publication