The Media Show

The programme examined the media's role in investigating Manchester City after a Premier League inquiry found the club guilty of arranging sham contracts with commercial partners to disguise funding of more than £830m, giving it a significant advantage. Journalists spent over a decade investigating, with widespread coverage following a huge cache of leaked documents. Rui Pinto of Football Leaks, who used the pseudonym John when he launched the operation in 2015, hacked emails at Manchester City and other football organisations and said he was a whistleblower, but is a convicted criminal for hacking and extortion, with a four-year sentence previously suspended, and is in witness protection. Pinto said the Manchester City verdict vindicated him and that he has more information to share. Der Spiegel journalist Christoph Winterbach described a secure project, collaboration with the European Investigative Collaborations consortium, and legal and public-interest checks before publication. Manchester City said the leaked emails were obtained illegally and were an attempt to damage its reputation.

Journalist Nick Harris said he had written about Manchester City's finances since 2011, using normal journalistic sources, and that the leaks helped confirm authenticity and drive coverage. He said his relationship with the club became fractured and that he faced legal threats and abuse, including his home address being published, with Twitter protection and police involvement. Sports journalist Rob Harris recalled questioning Pep Guardiola in 2019 about separate Abu Dhabi payments to Roberto Mancini; Guardiola reacted badly, it has never been established that Guardiola received money through a separate contract, and the club denies the accusation. Harris later approached Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano after the verdict, but Soriano declined to answer.

The programme also discussed casting hit entertainment shows as Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Traitors returned to screens. Celebrity talent executive Steph Alexander said Strictly casting begins in January, with a wish list including the Beckhams and repeated approaches to Bill Bailey, who eventually won after a gap in his touring diary. She said the process seeks a mix of personalities for family viewing and aims to represent regionality, disability and diversity, including younger social media audiences, as with Joe Sugg in 2018. She said contestants do not know the full lineup, and that for shows like Traitors personality and a strong mix of characters are especially important.