The perfect first answer

A big breaking story always brings out the pros. This morning provided some great commentary on the Israeli strikes on Iran. A huge story, that needs not only incredibly detailed background knowledge and a real understanding of the issues, but the ability to put it clearly and succinctly.

Lord Peter Ricketts, former National Security Advisor and diplomat, did exactly that on the Today Programme. In just over a minute he told the listeners that:

👉 Israel had been itching to do this

👉 Netanyahu judged that Iran had been seriously weakened (with Hezbollah and the Houthis destroyed) and President Trump wasn’t going to stop Israel

👉 When Iran retaliates, the US is likely to back Israel.

👉 Everything now depends on the size of Iran’s retaliation.

All said in a beautifully clear and easy-to-follow way after a good opening line. Looking straight into the camera. It’s the kind of interviewee every producer wants to have in their contacts book.

If you want to learn to sound like that 👋 DM me or visit the website Oxford Media Training.

#MediaTraining #OxfordMediaTraining #BroadcastMedia #PublicSpeaking #MediaCoaching #Confidence

“This has what Netanyahu has been itching to do for years.”

Overnight, Israel launched strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites and most senior military leaders.

Lord Peter Ricketts, former British diplomat and national security advisor, tells #R4Today that this is a ‘big gamble.’

— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) June 13, 2025