The fate of the linear schedule, Jimmy’s offer to buy BBC3, and a Downton lunch with Julian Fellowes.

This week we’re delving into the Insiders inbox to answer some brilliant questions from listeners. In the age of streaming, what’s the point of the linear schedule? What’s become of the multi-camera audience sitcom? And is there a secret to making successful period dramas? (Answer: not really, but sort of...). And as if that wasn’t enough, we talk Peter’s mother-in-law, Jimmy letting his kids skive off school, and Julian Fellowes being pleasingly odd. Jimmy Mulville is the co-founder and Chief Executive of Hat Trick Productions. His list of hit shows includes Have I Got News For You (series 69 now airing), Father Ted, Derry Girls, Outnumbered, and Episodes. In the US Hat Trick launched Whose Line Is It Anyway in 1997 which ran on ABC for seven years and was the first British series to be recreated for American network television by a British producer.Peter Fincham ran TalkBack, where he executive produced many of their biggest shows including I’m Alan Partridge, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, and Da Ali G Show. He went on to be Controller of BBC1, then he was Director of Television at ITV, before returning to the independent sector as the co-CEO of Expectation, the company behind Clarkson's Farm and Alma's Not Normal.Our email address is [email protected], or you can get in touch via our socials at @InsidersTVPod. New episodes every Friday.Insiders: The TV Podcast is an Expectation and Hat Trick co-production.The producer is Owen Braben. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.