A PR crisis rarely arrives as a neat, clearly labelled problem.
Sometimes your name is already in the press and hundreds of people are discussing you online. Other times, a journalist has sent an email, somebody is threatening to release something or you can see a story beginning to form before anybody else knows about it.
In either situation, the person you need is an experienced crisis PR adviser who can assess the risk, deal with journalists, help prepare your response and manage what is happening online.
I provide crisis PR support in the UK and internationally for public figures, founders, businesses, brands and people facing unwanted attention. In urgent situations, I can often begin within an hour.
Who should a public figure hire for crisis PR?
A public figure should look for a crisis PR adviser with direct experience of press scrutiny, online backlash and the particular pressure that comes with having an audience.
The work is not limited to writing a statement. It can include:
Handling press enquiries
Speaking directly to journalists
Preparing statements and interview answers
Working alongside lawyers
Monitoring where a story is spreading
Responding to false or misleading information
Managing social media backlash
Addressing what appears on Google and in AI-generated answers
You should also know who will actually handle the work. I work independently, so clients deal directly with me rather than being passed between an account manager, a junior team and several people they have never met.
Who can help if a journalist is preparing a story about me?
A crisis PR adviser can contact the journalist, establish exactly what they intend to publish, understand the deadline and make sure they receive the relevant evidence, context and response.
This does not mean sending the longest possible account of everything that has ever happened. It means understanding what the journalist is asking, identifying what is inaccurate or incomplete and responding in a way that protects your position.
If a journalist has contacted you, avoid publishing an emotional response before you have understood the story they are preparing. Save the email, note their deadline and get advice before replying.
Can someone speak to journalists on my behalf during a crisis?
Yes. I regularly speak to journalists on behalf of clients.
I can take over press enquiries, establish what a journalist knows and provide statements, evidence or corrections. I can also challenge inaccurate reporting and request that important legal developments are properly reflected.
Sometimes direct contact is the right approach. At other times, contacting a journalist would create more interest than the situation currently deserves. Part of the job is knowing the difference.
Who can help a founder dealing with online backlash?
Founders often face a slightly different problem because their personal reputation and the reputation of the business are closely connected.
A crisis may affect customers, employees, investors, commercial partners and the founder’s own online profile at the same time. One public statement will not necessarily work for all of those audiences.
I help founders assess where the criticism began, how far it has spread and whether it is likely to affect the wider business. From there, we can prepare the appropriate public response, staff communications, customer messaging and press strategy.
What should a business do during a social media crisis?
First, stop treating every post as equally important.
Work out:
What has actually happened?
Which claims are true, false or missing context?
Who is driving the conversation?
Is the criticism spreading beyond its original audience?
Are journalists, employees, customers or regulators becoming involved?
Would a response settle the situation or give it a much larger audience?
Pause any scheduled content that may look inappropriate, preserve relevant evidence and make sure the people communicating publicly are working from the same set of facts.
Not every angry post is a crisis. Responding badly can quickly turn it into one.
Who can help if I am being cancelled online?
A crisis PR adviser can help separate what feels overwhelming from what presents a real threat to your career or reputation.
When thousands of comments, messages and opinions appear at once, it becomes very difficult to judge the scale of the situation properly. I look at who is driving it, how far it has travelled, whether the press is involved and what is likely to happen next.
From there, I can help with the public response, press enquiries, harmful content, misinformation and the longer-term effects on your search results.
My job is not to judge you. Some clients have done nothing wrong. Some have made mistakes. Many are dealing with a mixture of uncomfortable facts, exaggeration and claims that are simply untrue. I need the full story so that I can give useful advice.
Who can help correct inaccurate articles about me?
If an article contains factual errors, missing legal outcomes or information that can be disproved, a crisis PR or reputation adviser can approach the publication with evidence and request a correction or update.
Removal may be possible in some circumstances, but not every unflattering article can or should be deleted. The available options depend on what has been published, whether it is accurate, how old it is and whether there are legal, editorial or search-engine grounds for changing it.
I can work directly with publications or alongside your lawyer where both legal and reputational issues need to be considered.
Can inaccurate information about me be changed on Google?
Google does not write most of the information appearing in its results. It indexes material published elsewhere.
Changing what somebody finds can therefore involve:
Correcting the original source
Requesting removal or de-indexing where appropriate
Making sure legal outcomes and important updates are published
Improving inaccurate or outdated website content
Creating stronger, credible sources that better reflect the current position
Building accurate material that can compete in search results
This work usually takes time. Nobody can press a button and guarantee that an unwanted result will disappear overnight.
Who can help correct what AI tools say about me?
AI tools generate answers using information available across websites, press coverage and other online sources. If those sources are inaccurate, incomplete or outdated, the AI answer may repeat the same problems.
I review what AI tools are saying, which sources appear to be influencing the answer and where more reliable information is needed.
The work may include correcting source material, publishing clearer factual information, improving your website and developing credible third-party coverage. It is not possible to control every AI response, but it is possible to improve the information those systems have available.
Crisis PR support for celebrities and people in the public eye
I have worked with actors, musicians, television personalities, YouTubers, sports figures, politicians and other people with large public profiles.
The scale may be different, but the basic pattern is often familiar: incomplete information begins spreading, several people offer conflicting advice and the pressure to say something immediately becomes difficult to resist.
The priority is to establish the facts, understand the audiences involved and respond without turning one problem into several more.
How do I choose a crisis PR adviser?
Look for somebody who:
Has handled live press and online situations
Will tell you when not to respond
Understands both traditional media and online platforms
Can work alongside lawyers and existing advisers
Is realistic about what can be corrected or removed
Gives you direct access to the person handling the work
Takes confidentiality seriously
Does not promise control over journalists, Google, social platforms or AI tools
You should also feel comfortable telling them the part of the story that you think makes you look bad. Advice is only useful when it is based on the truth.
Get confidential crisis PR help
If something is already happening, include any journalist deadline or urgent development in your first message.
You do not need to prepare a perfect account before getting in touch. The first call is free, and an NDA can be arranged before we discuss the details.
Written by Lauren Beeching, an independent crisis PR and reputation adviser and regular co-host of BBC Radio 4’s When It Hits the Fan.