A remarkably non revealing interview - I remember Richard picking my brains in the early days of Virgin to find out how I established UK Records - it was me, not Freddie Laker, who told him that the way to get press attention was by using the entertainment news area, as I had. Laker and Airplanes were much later.

But the fascinating thing to me was - virtually no commercials in the breaks; just trailers for other ITV shows.

Grade must be in far worse trouble than is being said.

I have to say, as a big Piers Morgan fan, that these interviews are not living up to the buzz. Too contrived. I hate programmes where they say "coming up" - and show bits of the interview yet to take place (if you know what I mean). Also, the Richard Branson interview revealed nothing new.

I also spotted there was not a single advert shown during the show. Just trailers for other ITV programmes and the sponsor's indent. Is that a bit worrying for ITV or the Piers Morgan show?

Morgan basically took the juicy bits from Branson's autobiog and spoke about them on TV with him. Not a good first outing, but isn't Branson particularly bad at giving interviews anyway?

JK2006 wrote:
A remarkably non revealing interview - I remember Richard picking my brains in the early days of Virgin to find out how I established UK Records - it was me, not Freddie Laker, who told him that the way to get press attention was by using the entertainment news area, as I had. Laker and Airplanes were much later.

But the fascinating thing to me was - virtually no commercials in the breaks; just trailers for other ITV shows.

Grade must be in far worse trouble than is being said.

ITV are in serious trouble - the money is on them closing down the iconic Leeds studios of Yorkshire Television in the very near future, and scaling down most of their productions outside of London.

500 more job losses at ITV to add to the 1500 already announced. Mothballing their Leeds studios.........

Maybe even a "cash call" to bail them out.

Looks as if ITV are going under - but there again nearly every big leveraged company is at risk. Especially if they rely on advertising revenue. We will soon start to see Newspapers going down - I believe some locals are already cutting back.

Richard Branson was here in Sydney this week launching Sydney to LA flights (possibly at a bad time).

It was held on an island in the harbour-a friend who was invited wanted me to accompany them but I called in sick. I've been to one to many Branson promotions that are overflowing with business types that his PR has told him will be good for him and the atmosphere is always like a business convention and too dull (plus you get trapped on an island)..before a 5 minute Branson PR stunt.

But he is good at choosing the right people whose brains he picks.

That same friend years ago organised once a week "art" nights at Hevean in London when Branson owned it. She held one for Andy Warhol when he was visiting. But no-one believed he would turn up-including the paparazzi.

I knew he would, knowing she had been friendly with Warhol in NY-and he duly did with not only a South Bank film crew in tow but Prince & Princess von Thaxis (the gandest of German aristocracy and who taxis are named after who also founded the first post office service a few centuries ago.

They reckon you could hear the screeching of car tyres al the way from St John's Wood as Branson rushed down to the arches when he heard Warhol was there.

Naturally-Richard took full cedit later, describing Warhol as a "great friend" (he'd never met him before) although significantly, Branson wasn't invited to the only other event Warhol was attending, a dinner at the Anthony D'Ofay gallery in Mayfair (his art dealer) although my friend was.

Interviews with him would be dull because he can't really elaborate on how a business decision has unfolded. It's always someone else's idea that he has used but that's an art in itself I guess.