[intro theme playing] [director] Standby 2.

Mix through, cue on 2.

[reporter] The BBC's announced the appointment of ex head of Olympic Delivery, Ian Fletcher, as its new Head of Values.

[radio presenter] Time now for the shipping forecast.

[man] Superimposed.

[beeping] Sure, OK, no, I get that.

No, I still get it.

No, shut up.

[narrator] Monday morning at the BBC's London Headquarters, New Broadcasting House, and already things are happening.

So, what we do here, OK, is--no, shut up-- what we do is we go straight to Tamsin at IBS.

OK, yeah, Tasmin, yeah, whatever.

Like, she's the only one who knows what's happening.

Like, the others are all gap year, hair, whatever.

[narrator] So potentially serious are things that Head of BBC Brand, Siobhan Sharp from communications giant Fun Media is on her way in physically and at speed.

OK.

So, what she does is she gets Claudia to tweet a denial.

Like, now, OK. Like, strictly as my life, whatever.

And we retweet the... out of it, like, we totally take out social media -from yeah, OK. -[phone beeps] OK, no, shut up, I got her.

I got Tamsin coming at me.

Yeah, Tasmin, yeah, whatever.

OK, yeah, I gotta go.

I gotta go.

OK, OK, bye.

Yeah?

Hey, Tansmin, how are you?

Good, yeah, I'm good, thanks.

-[Tracy] So, according to the BBC News app-- -[Neil] Don't blame me, OK. [Tracy] No, I'm not, Neil.

I'm just saying.

Apparently they're offering her a deal worth [bleep] million pounds over two years.

-No, I'm sorry.

-Three [bleep] pounds.

Yeah, the fact is that cannot happen.

-That's what it says here.

-No, I'm sorry.

Right.

Well, we're stuffed then.

[narrator] Meanwhile, upstairs, what was supposed to be a renewal meeting, mainly about something called distinctivity, has spontaneously turned into an emergency damage limitation meeting, mostly about disaster.

Yes, apparently it's a circus-based show they're talking about.

-Sure.

-Circus-based?

Apparently they're rebooting the Cirque de Celebrité format.

-Uhh.

-No, sure.

-Right.

-[Neil] Honestly.

No, I'm sorry.

I mean, what is it with shows in... tents?

Well, yes.

[narrator] Rumors have surfaced on Twitter that one of the BBC's biggest faces and co-host of Strictly Come Dancing, Claudia Winkleman, could be on the point of leaving the BBC after being approached by rival broadcaster [bleep]... to host a rival show of their own.

So, I'm on the Mail Online here, OK. -Right.

-Blimey.

I know.

Anyway.

Apparently, a source close to Tess Daly is saying that if Claudia leaves Strictly then Tess will go too, out of loyalty.

-Right.

-OK, no.

-OK. -I'm sorry.

-Loyalty to what, Lucy?

-That can't happen.

-I don't know, it doesn't say.

-Brilliant.

I'm not being negative or anything, but we are in a very dark place here, guys.

-Brilliant.

-No, I'm sorry, no.

[narrator] With charter renewal pending, this is the worst possible time to be facing the prospect of a BBC devoid of competitive celebrity dancing of any kind.

OK, well, look.

The key thing is that everybody remains calm.

-And-- -OK.

So, hey guys.

-Ah, right.

Siobhan.

-OK, let's do this, OK?

-Yes.

-Let's nail this beaver to the tree.

[narrator] Chronologically, Siobhan may have arrived late to the meeting, but in other ways, she's already ahead of both herself and everybody else.

OK, so, I spoke with Claudia's agent.

-Right.

-Brilliant.

So, here's the thing with this, here's what it is, OK?

So, um, Claudia loves Strictly, she loves the BBC, whatever.

-Hurrah.

-Yes, exactly.

But the thing with Claudia is that she wants, like, um, a change of direction at this point, in her, you know, blah-de-blah, whatever.

-Right.

-A change of-- -No, it's still me.

-Right, yes.

So, Claudia's like, um, I wanna do, like, serious... you know, like people dying, whatever.

And S--[bleep], um, are like, you know, that's cool.

That's like, you can totally do that as well.

Um, like, you can do whatever you want.

Plus, we'll pay you, like, a... of money at the same time.

-So, when-- -So, she's like, OK, OK, I need headspace there.

Like, I need to be in Cornwall, whatever.

-Right.

-Brilliant.

So, the headline is, Claudia's in Cornwall -at the moment, thinking it over?

-Excuse me?

Right, OK. OK, the headline, OK, is "Claudia Winkleman leaves Strictly ."

OK?

You pretty much crash the BBC.

-No, I'm sorry.

-Well, that's one way of looking at it, obviously.

-It totally is.

-OK.

But-- You're gonna say something brilliant, now, aren't you?

-Yes.

-Well, no.

Yeah, you are, I can feel it in my bones.

No, but before we get locked into the idea of this being some kind of problem, Is it worth stepping back and looking at the positives for a moment?

-Really?

-The positives?

-Yes.

-I knew it.

-Blimey.

-I mean, for one thing, it looks as though this might not actually be about money.

Well, that's handy, 'cause we haven't got any money.

Well, exactly.

So, that's a good fit straightaway.

[narrator] As Head of Values and chair of the Renewal Group, the ability to think the sort of thoughts under pressure that no one else would even think of thinking is one of Ian Fletcher's distinguishing characteristics.

And we know she's at a point where she's looking for a change of direction, uh, maybe, perhaps, to be taken a bit more seriously.

-Sure.

-But if you think about what we were supposed to be talking about this morning... -Right.

-Yes.

-No, sure.

-Brilliant.

Yeah, just remind me.

-The distinctivity audit.

-Oh, yeah, great.

[narrator] As part of the charter renewal process, the BBC has been invited to spend time conducting a special distinctivity audit of all the ways in which its output is different from anything else you've ever seen.

Yeah, it's a question of identifying anything we might have in development that's uniquely BBC, which is why I asked Matt to join us here for this as Head of Output.

-Yeah, no, sure.

Hey, guys.

-Yeah.

But what if what Claudia wants and what we are looking for turn out to be exactly the same thing?

-Blimey.

-Sure.

OK, no, I get that.

That could work.

'Cause if we are looking at a solution and not a problem, here, we could be looking at a solution of truly epic proportions.

Really, Ian, please don't take this the wrong way, but this is where we all kind of want to hug you.

-Sure.

-Well, uh... -No.

-You the man.

-Yes, exactly.

-No, really.

Just to say, you're safe with me, OK?

Yes, good.

[narrator] Meanwhile, elsewhere in the building, development executive Izzy Gould is busy thinking about ideas.

-Hi.

-Oh, hi.

How are you?

-So, have you seen this?

-No, what?

I thought not.

[narrator] But although she may not realize, she's about to realize that she may well be involved in enough developments already for the moment.

-Oh, Jesus, no.

-Yeah.

-When did this-- -I don't know, just right now.

-No.

-It's already trending.

Oh... [narrator] It's not good news.

After Hugh Grant was asked for a selfie on a recent visit to New Broadcasting House, his people have decided to become incensed that he was misled into endorsing an online campaign for a BBC product, when he thought he was just giving a selfie to a slightly unusual, but apparently harmless intern.

OK, so, first of all, it's nothing to do with me, OK?

-What?

-Like, it wasn't my idea.

-No, I know it wasn't.

-But also-- -It was mine.

-No.

-It was my idea.

-I knew you'd say that.

That's why I came up here.

[narrator] In the circumstances, they're demanding not only that his image be immediately removed from the campaign, but that the BBC make a charitable donation 1,475,000 pounds to the Worldwide Wildlife Fund.

A pound for every Youtube hit so far.

-OK, OK. -OK, so this is really serious, OK. -I know.

-Like, it's really serious.

-I know it is.

-OK, but it isn't your fault.

What d'you mean it wasn't my fault?

Of course it's my fault!

Look, OK, you're panicking.

I'm not panicking.

Of course I'm panicking.

Look, whose idea was it... to ask Hugh Grant for a selfie?

-OK, no.

-Was it your idea?

No, I'm sorry, I'm not doing that.

You can, you absolutely have to.

I'm not--I can't.

I can't do that.

I mean, basically, what we're talking about is the sort of programs you wouldn't see other broadcasters making.

-Yeah.

-Exactly.

-Brilliant.

-Yeah.

The sort of thing no one's gonna watch.

No, I'm talking about the sort of thing only the BBC can do.

-Yeah, I think that's what I just said, isn't it?

-It's not very good.

[narrator] Back in renewal, it's becoming clear that coming up with a list of distinctively BBC projects currently in development might not be as easy as it sounds.

[Lucy] Sorry, what's this?

Right, OK. Simon, do you wanna... Oh, yes, no, sorry, Lucy.

Sorry, Ian.

Brilliant.

No, it's just a card for Ben and Jerry, that's all.

-Right.

-A leaving card?

-Yes.

-Right.

-Christ.

-Oh, I know.

Who knew they weren't here?

-Brilliant.

-Who?

No, obviously I have no idea how these things work but... [narrator] In the meantime, it seems that after interviewing both Ben and Jerry for a new single post, it's been decided that in the spirit of more of less, the new post itself is to be reimagined as not existing going forward.

...reimagined as not existing going forward.

-Reimagined as not existing?

-Exactly.

I mean, it's terribly bad luck.

If it's any help, Lucy, I didn't know what to put, -so, in the end I put "Best of luck, guys."

-Yes.

-I don't know if that helps.

-Yes, I'm not sure.

-No, probably not.

-Right, OK, well.

-Yeah, so, anyway.

-Yes, exactly.

[narrator] More of less issues aside, Ian's challenge now is to marshal his remaining troops towards an outcome that could just solve the BBC's distinctivity issues, and its Claudia Winkleman problem, in one giant solution to end all solutions.

So, yes.

I mean, have we actually got anything in development?

-Sure.

-Yes, exactly, have we actually got anything?

Yeah, no sure, that's great.

So, I guess, something to think about here at this point, I don't know, I may be wrong about this, is genre.

-Right.

-Brilliant.

-Genre?

-I'm just putting it out there.

-Yes.

-So, I guess what I'm asking, is it worth thinking, you know, what area are we in here, -drama, factual, scripted... -Yes.

Also, just in terms of reach, is it-- [Siobhan] OK, OK, I'm so bored of this.

-Right, uh-- -Bored?

Yeah, like hashtag face down in my soup.

-Well-- -So, like, here's the thing with this, OK. OK, so like, this is not a safety drill, OK?

The engines are like totally on fire here.

-Brilliant.

-No, I'm sorry.

-Yes.

-The cabin's just filled with smoke.

-No, not that.

-OK, so, what you need to do is you guys need to get into a BBC taxi to Cornwall, like now, and you need to love-bomb Claudia to death.

-Well, that's-- -A BBC taxi to Cornwall?

Sure.

Or else you guys are flying a stone turkey one way to Oblivionsville here.

-Right.

-Yes, no, brilliant.

Very clear.

[David Attenborough on video] It's March and light returns to the high Arctic, sweeping away four months of darkness.

A polar bear stirs.

She has been in her den the whole winter.

Her emergence marks the beginning of Spring.

After months of confinement underground, she toboggans down the slope, perhaps to clean her fur, perhaps for sheer joy.

Wow.

-Will.

-Her cubs gaze out at the bright new world, -for the very first time.

-Will.

Yeah, hey, Izzy.

Yeah, hey, how are you?

-I'm good, thanks.

No, I'm good.

-Cool.

-Yeah, so I'm watching this for Ian Fletcher.

-Yes.

-Yeah, pretty cool.

-Yes.

It's that David Attenborough, such a cool guy.

Yes, yes, yes.

Uh, I don't want to bother you-- -Yeah, no worries, you're cool.

-But I just... with the whole, um, super-selfie thing.

-Yeah, I know, yeah, mental.

-Well, no.

Yeah, I don't know, like, a million hits.

I didn't even know who he was.

No, but when you spoke to him, -when you actually asked him to say "Me"-- -Yeah.

Did you tell him what it was for?

-Yeah, I don't know.

-So-- I definitely told him it was for you.

-For me?

-Yeah.

OK, that's great, Will, thanks.

OK, cool.

Yeah, so, people think polar bears can't smell underwater.

It's like, no, they totally can.

Yes.

Yeah, like, there's this bear-- Actually, Will, I better get off.

-OK. -But thanks, yeah, it's been really... -No worries.

-Yeah, really helpful.

Yeah, no worries.

Yeah, no worries.

Cool.

[David] OK, what about--and stay with me on this, OK, guys-- but what about Claudia Winkleman's History of the Elephant ?

-Right.

-History of the elephant?

I know what you're thinking, a bit left field.

That isn't what I was thinking.

[narrator] Meanwhile, it's tomorrow morning, and Head of Output Matt Taverner has gathered together some of his finest brains for an important meeting.

But also, it's, like, a dead-serious subject for Claudia.

-Sure.

-'Cause, like, they have, like, they're own funerals and everything.

Yeah, no, sure, that's great.

I mean, I get where you're coming from with the "History of" thing... uh, but I don't know, I guess what I'm asking...

I guess part of my job is to... [narrator] Their mission is to come up with program ideas that might address Claudia Winkleman's need to be taken more seriously, whilst also addressing the BBC's distinctivity and charter renewal issues in one fell swoop.

...or is there something out there that might give us distinctive and serious, and, I don't know, quirky and hinterland in one hit?

-Yes.

-Where the idea of BBCness is a kind of coda and a leave behind at the same time.

-Right.

-Yes.

-Yes... -Do you know what, Matt?

That's really interesting, Matt.

What about--is there something-OK. -Gloria Winkleman's History of Water.

-OK. -Water?

-I don't know, it's like it's more BBC somehow.

-No, sure.

-I don't know, d'you not think it's a bit dry for Claudia?

-Dry?

-Sure.

-She's so gorgeous.

-The history of water?

Right, no, yes, I see what you're saying, Jack.

-OK, so maybe-- -Claudia Winkleman's History of Fruit.

-Yeah.

-No, OK. Maybe we should go past -the whole "History of" thing.

-Yes.

OK, well, if it's BBCness we're talking about then... -what about On Your Bike, then?

-Ooh, now.

-OK. -On Your Bike?

-Yes.

-You're joking.

-In its original format, I mean.

-Sure.

You know, as a serious, like a proper chat show for Claudia, -but just, you know, on wheels.

-No, sure.

'Cause the thing about that was, like I kept trying to say, was... -it's--it's so BBC.

-Aha.

-Genius.

-I don't believe this.

-Really interesting.

-Oh, my God, Izzy.

Yeah, no sure, Izzy, that's great.

[salsa music playing] [narrator] It's the end of the day, and a number of people are already gathering in the shared experience space for a special ceremony to celebrate the end of Ben and Jerry's time at the BBC.

I'm not being funny or anything, but I can't -be doing with goodbyes.

-No.

-Oh, no.

-No.

Maybe it's my childhood or something, but they always end up getting to me in the end.

Yes, no, very good, Tracy.

[narrator] They've been with the BBC from their arrival as junior research executives, all the way through to their departure as people whose jobs no longer exist.

So, it's appropriate that a block of an entire hour has been booked out on the Syncopati-space booking system in order to speed them on their way.

...is someone going to say something?

Yes, no sorry, Ian, about what?

Well, about Ben and Jerry.

Oh, yes, of course.

Oh, yes, no, that' brilliant.

-Well, no, no.

-No, listen, you'll know how you want to deal with this.

-No, no, I wasn't-- -Yes, exactly.

But the good news is, we've got them these as a surprise.

-Right.

What--what are they?

-Yes, it's interesting, isn't it?

We don't even know what we've got them?

I mean, I have no idea how these things work.

but I suppose that's part of the surprise, is it?

-Yeah, probably.

-Genius.

[narrator] Ben and Jerry's unexpected departure may herald the dawn of a new more-of-less era for the BBC.

Even though no one really knows what that means.

But if there's a new feeling of uncertainty in the air, it seems that Lucy has decided that she might as well, after all, apply for the new post of Head of Empowerment, even though no one really knows what that means, either.

-I won't get it, obviously.

-No, it's really good.

Is it?

I don't know.

I was gonna ask you, though-- I probably shouldn't be asking you this-- but do you know if Anna's on the panel?

-Anna?

-It's fine if you don't want to-- No, no, it's fine.

Uh, I don't think she is, no.

-Right.

-I mean, nobody tells me anything, obviously, -but as far as I'm aware, she's not, no.

-Right.

-You're not on it?

-Me?

-'Cause I mean... right.

Yes.

-No, thank God.

Anyway, if I was, I suppose I'd have to declare an interest, wouldn't I?

-Right.

-I mean... -Yes, no, yes.

-I just--I mean... -Yes.

-[glass clinking] OK. OK, thank you.

Uh, thank you.

[clinking continues] Brilliant.

Yes, no, very good.

Um, who was it who said that life is a series of letting go?

-Anyway.

-Do you know what, Simon?

-I want to say Elton John.

-Brilliant.

-Elton John?

-Anyway, what do I know?

But no, uh, a moment to say a few words about why we're all here, of course.

And not just any old words, either.

Ladies and gentlemen, current Head of Values and all round Captain Renewal himself, Ian Fletcher.

Whoo!

Right, yes.

I mean, thanks, Simon.

-Hurrah.

-Uh, so, yes.

[clears throat] As Simon very much says, here we are.

Hurrah.

So, what to say about Ben and Jerry that hasn't been said before.

I might as well be honest and confess that when I first arrived, a bit like with Ant and Dec, I wasn't completely confident about which one was which.

-Shame.

-Shame.

Brilliant.

But it didn't take me long to realize, that just like with Ant and Dec, -it doesn't actually matter.

-Hurrah.

In the end, that's not the point.

The point is they both share the ability to make whatever it is they do look genuinely easy, whilst at the same time making everyone around them -look better than they would have done otherwise.

-Yes.

-And that's a very rare quality to have.

-Yes, it is.

And with that in mind, uh, we've got you these.

Just as a token, really, of, well, really of everything we feel and have felt about you in the past and will continue to feel, of course, in the future, as you seek out different challenges in new places with very different outcomes.

-Brilliant.

-Yes, no, very good.

So, I'd ask us all to join me in raising a toast to Ben and Jerry.

-[all] Ben and Jerry!

-To moving onwards.

[all] Moving onwards!

-Brilliant.

-So, that's all good.

[applause] [narrator] It's another day at New Broadcasting House.

But not just any other day.

-Claudia!

-Oh, hi.

Today is Winkleman Day.

Claudia, Claudia, Claudia, what can I say.

Welcome to the pleasure dome.

After wide ranging discussions between her agent and the BBC, Claudia Winkleman has agreed to come in and talk about On Your Bike as a potential vehicle for her.

And Simon Harwood himself is on hand in reception in order to take her as seriously as possible.

I'm so sorry, I'm really embarrassed about this, but I don't think I actually know your name.

Ah, no, God!

-Sorry.

-No of course, yes, no listen, why would you.

I wouldn't bother with it myself if it wasn't for the doctors and so on.

-Right.

-Simon.

-Simon.

-Simon Harwood.

Director of, I don't know, Strategic Governance, or something like that.

-OK.

This is Tasmin.

-Hi.

-My agent.

-Oh, yes, of course.

Welcome, Tasmin.

-Yes.

-Now listen, I know we haven't met, but honestly, I feel like I want to thank you for making our lives that much brighter with, you know, with-- Yes, thanks.

So, shall we go up?

Oh, yes, of course.

Yes, no, very good.

So, for what it's worth, I suppose I better -get you guys signed in.

-So, we signed in.

Uh, right.

Brilliant.

-Yes.

-I've done that.

-We were waiting to be collected.

-Ah, fabulous.

Tell you what, she's not your agent -for nothing, Claudia, is she?

-No.

Shall we go through, straight through the doors.

So, buckle up, guys, we've got Claudia inbound.

-Right, where is everybody?

-Who?

-She's coming at us.

-Yes.

-Where is Matt?

-Matt?

-Yes.

-Yes, no, I don't know.

[narrator] Meanwhile, upstairs, preparations for the crucial meeting are taking some kind of shape.

It's to be chaired by Head of Output, Matt Taverner, who isn't here.

-Oh, my God -Right.

OK. -What?

-Have you not heard?

-Heard what?

-No.

-He's gone.

-Who has?

-No, shut up David, please.

-Gone where?

-Oh, my God.

-I don't know.

[narrator] With the winds of change blowing through the BBC, it looks as if one of the really big trees might have been blown over completely.

OK, so guys, Matt Taverner is not going to be coming to the meeting, I'm afraid.

-Right.

-He's gone.

-Yes.

-Bummer.

-What do you mean, he's gone?

-I don't know.

-He's gone to Netflix.

-He's gone to Netflix, yes.

-No way.

-What do you mean, he's gone to Netflix?

-What, for a meeting?

-No, he's gone.

-Right, OK. -Matt Taverner's gone.

Netflix.

-Cool.

-We're announcing it later this morning.

-It's like, oh, my God!

-We love Netflix.

We've been given a statement to put out.

I mean, do you know anything about this, Anna?

-About this... when?

-Yes.

-What?

-No.

OK, where's Simon?

-I don't know.

-No, right.

You're mad.

You're actually mad.

-It wasn't his fault.

-What?

It was mine.

What is it with him?

[narrator] Elsewhere in the building, Jack Paterson and Izzy Gould have taken some time out to have an argument.

It was my fault for not bringing him up to speed with all of the... you know, all of the issues beforehand.

There's no speed slow enough for that guy to be brought up to.

[narrator] With the BBC facing a demand that it makes a 1.5 million pound charitable donation to the Worldwide Wildlife Fund, following its misuse of the film star Hugh Grant's image, Izzy has been asked to write a formal report on the incident, for urgent submission to BBC Director General Tony Hall's office.

OK.

So, I'm gonna tell them if you won't.

-No!

-I'm not gonna let you do this.

This has nothing to do with you.

It has nothing to do with you, either.

It's too important.

It's all wrong.

[narrator] But meanwhile, at the same time, unbeknown to Izzy, Jack, or anyone else, Will Humphries is out on the streets of London on a secret mission of his own.

Using virtually all of his initiative, he's come to a small recording studio in Soho, in pursuit of the kind of solution to the Hugh Grant crisis that only he could have thought of.

[doorbell rings] [woman over intercom] Yeah, hi.

Yeah, hi, yes.

Will Humphries.

Right?

So, I'm the personal assistant to Ian Fletcher.

Ian Fletcher?

Yes, he's the Head of Values at the BBC.

-OK. -[buzzing] [music playing in background] Yeah, hi, yeah.

-Hi, yeah, how can I help?

-Yeah.

Can I speak to David Attenborough?

-David Attenborough?

-Yeah.

-Right.

-Yeah, 'cause he's like, he's doing, like, I don't know, recording stuff like Fragile Planet Earth.

-OK. -Yeah, 'cause I found out.

OK. You want to take a seat?

OK, yeah.

No worries, yeah.

Cool.

[Simon] Here we go.

Here they are, -the A team.

-Right.

-So, guys, look who I found at reception.

-Yes, exactly, hi.

[narrator] Meanwhile, back at New Broadcasting House, Simon has finally met and greeted Claudia Winkleman, all the way up to the sixth floor.

Uh, no but listen, have fun, and just remember that everything's possible in the best of all possible worlds.

-Yes, exactly.

-Genius.

OK, right, uh, goodo.

This is gonna be so fun.

-Yes, Simon.

-Uh, yes?

[narrator] With the introductions overdone, it's time for the serious business to begin.

But Ian is becoming aware that the Claudia Winkleman issue may not be the only BBC story unfolding this morning.

What's happening?

-Yes, in terms of... -Matt Taverner not here.

-Ah, yes, no.

-Apparently he's gone to Netflix.

No, I mean, it's turning into one of these mornings, isn't it?

How come everybody else seems to know about this apart from me?

Yes, no, very good.

I'll tell you what.

-Why don't you just pop by when you got a minute.

-Yes.

And maybe we can just, you know, -just have a bit of a general catch up.

-Yes.

-Righty ho.

-Yes, good.

[David] 'Cause in me head, and this is just a thought I had, OK, but basically, imagine Carpool Karaoke, but serious, with no singing, and on a bike.

-Right.

-Yes.

-We love serious.

-Yes, exactly.

-Genius.

-[narrator] At last, after all the buildup, Operation Winkleman is finally underway.

No, I think in many ways, it's a shame Izzy Gould couldn't be with us this morning.

-Yes.

-Because she's the one who developed this.

Yes, no, lovely, is it.

In the unavoidable absence of Head of Output Matt Taverner to make the pitch for On Your Bike as the perfect BBC vehicle for Claudia, and no shortage of others willing to step into his cleats and run with the idea, it's important that someone takes control to steer the meeting onto solid ground.

...I've always looked on this as almost a--a classical BBC idea.

-Yes.

-Sure.

You know, going right back to informing, educating-- No, sure, that's cool.

So that's when we had like our Eureka moment.

-Yes.

-Sorry?

-No, I think-- -Claudia would totally kill in like a chat show kinda vibe.

-OK. -Like, she's basically Michael Palin in heels, right?

-Michael Palin?

-Yes.

-Stop it.

-Do you mean Michael Parkinson?

-Yes.

-No, sure whatever.

I mean, it's a no-brainer.

So, just to save time, Claudia has actually read the treatment.

-Have you really, Claudia?

-Yes, I have, yes.

-Genius.

-Should we just tell you what she likes about it, -and we can start from there?

-Yes, I think that's a really-- -Yes, exactly.

-No, sure.

I'm good with that.

[narrator] Meanwhile, across town, Will's secret operation is still active.

Hi.

Oh, yeah, yeah, hey, yeah.

Hi, hi, yeah.

I'm, uh, Tony Dixon, producer Fragile Planet Earth.

Yeah, I know Fragile Planet Earth.

Yeah, the Bonobos are just, like, mental.

-Yeah.

-Yeah, cool.

So, I gather you're wanting to speak to Sir David.

Yeah, cool, yes, Sir David, yeah, cool.

Yeah, can I ask, is this something he actually knows about?

-Sir David?

No.

-Yeah.

Right.

-No, 'cause that's why I need to see him.

-Yeah.

-It's really important.

-Yeah.

Uh, I mean, I don't want to disappoint you.

-No, me neither.

-But I gotta say, we're actually really busy today.

-Yeah, me too.

-We're really up against it.

-Yeah.

-So, I don't think I can ask him to come out of a session -for something unscheduled like this.

-OK. -I'm really sorry.

-That's OK.

I mean, you can maybe try his agent's email, -maybe you could go down that route.

-No, that's OK. -Right.

-I'll wait.

Yeah.

Uh, I should say to you, though, I have no idea what time his session will actually finish.

-OK, cool.

-But I do know, um, one thing I know for certain, is that he's not coming -out of there for a very, very long time.

-OK. And I can't give you any assurance that he'll speak to you when he does.

OK, cool.

Thanks.

Right.

OK.

So, Claudia gets the show, and we all get the fit with Claudia.

So, I'm gonna put those two in the positive column.

-Yes, exactly.

-Cool.

-Yeah.

-Tick.

'Cause I've sort of done celebrity, -I've done fluffing.

-Right, yes.

Oh, no, tell me about it.

[narrator] Back at New Broadcasting House, it appears as if things might be going better than anyone expected on a difficult morning for the BBC.

So, you probably know Claudia's being asked to look at a lot of stuff at the moment.

Well, of course, yes.

-Exactly.

-Sure.

But appearances can be deceptive.

One of the things that works about this for Claudia is that there's nothing like it out there at the moment.

-Well, yes.

-No way.

-Exactly.

-It's being sold to us as a standalone proposition.

-Sure.

-Yes, exactly, yes.

So, I think this is an opportunity for you to be upfront with us about that.

Right.

I'm sorry, I think you're gonna have to help us with that, Tasmin.

[narrator] Claudia has heard that the BBC is developing a very similar idea to On Your Bike for its daytime schedules with Amanda Holden as presenter.

-Amanda Holden?

-Yes.

-OK, no, I'm sorry.

-Lovely Amanda.

The fact is no, I'm sorry.

I mean, feel free to correct me, anyone, but I'm pretty sure I can say with some confidence -that that's not true.

-Yes, exactly.

-OK. -Yay.

Just out of interest, Claudia, where did you hear that?

-Uh, from Amanda.

-Right.

-The Amanda?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-OK. [narrator] It's starting to look as if either Claudia's apparent intelligence is fake, or someone within the BBC has been quietly developing an almost identical show to On Your Bike without telling anyone.

Amanda Holden's Cycling Shorts or something.

-Amanda Holden's Cycling Shorts?

-OK, no, I'm sorry.

-Right.

Yes.

-No way.

Yeah, I mean, I love Amanda.

We get on really well and everything but-- You know what, can I just say that's really interesting, Tasmin.

-Right.

OK. -Bummer.

-Hey.

-Oh, yeah, hi, yeah.

-How can I help?

-Yeah, 'cause I was wondering if you know how much longer Sir David Attenborough will be.

-Right.

-It's cool, I don't mind waiting.

Yeah, I think you might have missed him, I'm afraid.

-Missed him?

-Yeah, I can see the session's actually over.

No, but like, I've been here all the time.

-Yeah, I know.

-Like, I haven't even been to the toilet.

-Yeah, so there's, like, a back entrance.

-Right.

-Yeah, I'm guessing they probably went out that way.

-OK. -I'm sorry.

-OK, cool.

[phone vibrating] [narrator] Back at New Broadcasting House, it's the end of a day which has left Head of Values Ian Fletcher with some things he'd like to talk to Head of Strategic Governance Simon Harwood about.

Such as what the hell is going on?

-Ah, yes, brilliant.

-Is this a good time?

Yes, no, brilliant.

Come on in.

Luckily, Simon himself is still in his office, busy putting a positive gloss on things.

Yes, I mean, I don't know what it is, -but five minutes with your saddle at the end of the day.

-Yes.

-Just clears the pipes somehow.

-Yes.

Yes, no, jolly good.

Shall we sit soft?

-No, thanks.

-No, OK. -I'm happy standing hard.

-[phone vibrating] -Yes, no, jolly good.

Um, d'you wanna take that?

-No.

No, OK, fine.

Um, well, no listen, I mean...

I've no idea how this more of less stuff works, and you'll know how you want to feel about... [narrator] It seems that the BBC is shortly to announce a major senior management simplification which follows the pattern of encouraging more staff to apply for fewer jobs by abolishing the ones they have already got.

In this case, the existing posts of Head of Output, Director of Better, and Head of Values are to be abolished and replaced by a single new post of Director of Purpose going forward.

...Director of Purpose going forward.

Director of Purpose?

Yes, no I mean, I guess, essentially, -it's a pretty simple idea.

-Is it?

Well, I guess it would be with the simplification, -wouldn't it?

-Right.

OK. Do you know?

I'm gonna put these down.

I feel a bit of a fool standing here like this.

-How long have you known about this, Simon?

-No, I know, brilliant.

Frankly, it's pretty much a full-time job just keeping up with things these days, isn't it.

-I mean, really.

-Does Anna know?

-Uh, yes.

Now, with Anna-- -Obviously Matt knew.

Yes, now, with A--listen, I have no idea how Anna works.

No.

And what happens if I don't apply for it?

Ah, no, I can't hear that, Ian.

-What?

-I can't hear it.

Say you will.