Across:
8 A number of programmes (SERIAL) to transform (= anagram indicator) Israel (Israel = SERIAL),
9 Junior doctors (HOUSEMEN) in hospital (H-) writing on the wall (omen = -O-MEN) about creative influence (muse) starting off (m) (‘muse’ without ‘m’ = -USE-) (HOUSEMEN),
10 Employed by puppet master perhaps (SOCK) on both sides of soundtrack (on both sides of ‘SOundtraCK’ = SOCK),
11 Worked (= anagram indicator) on councils (on councils = CONCLUSION) at the end of 15 across (the end of ‘draw a conclusion’ = CONCLUSION),
12 Auctioneers ignored count (‘auctioneers’ ignored ‘count’ = aieers = EASIER) – what could be simpler? (EASIER),
14 Retweet (RT = R-T) about English (-E-) chef (commis chef) dropping starter of soup (starter of ‘Soup’ = ‘s’) (‘commis’ missing ‘s’ -COMMI) (RECOMMIT) getting to choose a side again? (RECOMMIT),
15 One is expected to do this with the clues (DRAW A CONCLUSION) by opening 22 across (opening ‘draw a blank’ = DRAW) to get answer (A) or is that a wind-up? (wind-up = CONCLUSION) (DRAW A CONCLUSION),
18 Charlie (C-) from reformed (= anagram indicator) Stones (Stones = -O-NTESS) including upstart (‘Up’ start = -U-) (COUNTESS) produced by Earl’s wife (COUNTESS),
20 Fails to notice (MISSES) one (-I-) school (-S-) in frightful (= anagram indicator) mess (M-SES) (MISSES),
22 Fail to remember (DRAW A BLANK) 24 across (‘draw’ = DRAW) came second (‘cAme’ second = A) showing no emotion (BLANK) (DRAW A BLANK),
24 Part of the hospital (ward) set up (= reverse indicator) (ward = DRAW) by local Yank (yank/pull = DRAW),
25 Something for the barman (ICE) in the paper (SHEET) (ICE SHEET) is really cool but needs to be avoided when driving (ICE SHEET),
26 Fat (LARD-) engineer (-E-) by mid-afternoon (mid ‘afteRnoon’ = -R) (LARDER) is storing a supply of food (LARDER).
Down:
1 Gave a meal to (FED-) most of (d) the staff (‘rod’ without ‘d’ = ro) coming back (= reversal indicator) (ro = -OR-) from a (-A) (FEDORA) milliner’s showcase (FEDORA),
2 Well, it’s not (SICK) ghoulish (SICK),
3 English (E-) cleric (cleric) freely (= anagram indicator) (cleric = -LEC-RIC) admits Last Judgement (last ‘judgemenT’ = -T-) (ELECTRIC) is powerful in the main? (ELECTRIC),
4 Some nourishing (some ‘nouriSHINg’ = SHIN) piece of beef (SHIN of beef),
5 Power open (‘Power’ open = P-) to head of information (head of ‘Information’ = -I-) in jockey (= anagram indicator) club (club = UBL-C) (PUBLIC) is not exclusive (PUBLIC),
6 They expect the worst (PESSIMISTS) from those with no faith in anything (PESSIMISTS),
7 Corn pie (corn pie = PECORIN-) baked (= anagram indicator) with duck (-O) (PECORINO) and cheese (PECORINO cheese),
13 No one will believe (IT WON’T WASH) one (I-) took gold (WON -) in race (TT race = -T T) and was (WAS-) heckled from the start (‘Heckled’ from the start = -H) (IT WON’T WASH),
14 Bands (RINGS) in Waterford (RING-) associated with One Direction (South = -S) (RINGS),
16 Carrying lots of baggage for The Tourists (ROOF RACK) on the house (ROOF) and one of The Frames (one of the frames / racks = RACK) (ROOF RACK),
17 Fruit (LIME-) cocktail (‘cocK’ tail = -K) with the Italian (‘the’ Italian = -IL-) Negroni on top (‘Negroni’ on top = -N) (LIMEKILN) of oven (LIMEKILN),
19 The trademark image (EMBLEM) of upsetting (= reversal indicator) viral phenomenon (meme = EM-EM) about empty (empty/remove centre = ‘a’) laboratory (lab) (‘lab’ without ‘a’ = lb = -BL-) (EMBLEM),
21 In high spirits (ELATED) like the white rabbit (the White Rabbit in “Alice in in Wonderland” is -LATE-) captured by writer (ed = E-D) (ELATED),
23 A (A-) court (-CT-) summons – the first (‘Summons’ the first = -S) (ACTS) for those in the circus (ACTS),
24 Served up (= reverse indicator) covered in horseradish (covered in ‘horsERADish’ = erad = DARE) – would you take it, for example? (DARE).