British Scandal - podcast cover

British Scandal

Wonderywondery.com

In a country obsessed with gossip, the great and the good fear one thing more than any other - scandal.

British scandals change the course of history. They bring down governments, overthrow the rich and cause the mighty to fall. Some are about sex, others about money. In the end, they’re all about power. 

But often at the heart of a scandal, there are ordinary human stories. Stories of those caught up in the swirl of outrage. 

Who was really to blame for what happened? Why did they do it? And when all is said and done, did anything really change?   

From the creators of Business Wars, American Scandal and Ghost Story, comes British Scandal. Each week, hosts Alice Levine and Matt Forde delve into the murkier side of the British elite, from Phone Hacking to Profumo to the short-lived premiership of Liz Truss. Because sometimes the truth doesn’t set everyone free…

Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/british-scandal/ now.

Episodes

Wondery Presents: How to Survive Against the Odds

Inspired by Wondery’s hit podcast Against the Odds —learn how to survive whatever nature can throw at you through gut-twisting true stories of survival on the brink How to Survive Against the Odds places you at the center of fifteen real life-or-death scenarios. Each story explores the physiological responses of the human body under unbearable conditions, how to counteract them, and strategies for survival from doctors and psychologists. Through these tales, we see the grit, willpower, and know-...

Jun 02, 20256 min

Lord Haw-Haw: Germany Calling | How to Fight a Propaganda War | 4

Peter Pomerantsev knows a thing or two about propaganda. He's written three books uncovering propagandists' secrets. His latest delves into the British unit that played Lord Haw-Haw at his own game. And, having spent years living in Putin's Russia, Peter tells Matt and Alice how to spot a propagandist at twenty paces - and how to win the information wars of today. Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Em...

May 28, 202531 minSeason 56Ep. 4

Lord Haw-Haw: Germany Calling | Last Gasp | 3

A captured Lord Haw-Haw fights for his life. In court, it comes down to one question: can he have betrayed Britain, if he was never really British? Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at [email protected] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

May 21, 202549 minSeason 56Ep. 3

Lord Haw-Haw: Germany Calling | Radio Reich | 2

Under Goebbels' wing, William becomes Lord Haw-Haw. Night after night he broadcasts Hitler’s message into Britain. But one Brit is having none of it: Winston Churchill. Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at [email protected] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

May 14, 202552 minSeason 56Ep. 2

Listen Now: Oh What A Time...

It’s time to embark on a journey through history with "Oh What A Time…" a comedy history podcast hosted by renowned comedians Elis James and Tom Craine along with award winning podcaster Chris Scull. Tackling a brand new subject each week, (from ‘childhood’ to ‘a life at sea’, ‘marriage’ to ‘holidays’) your hosts will dive into the very weirdest and worst that history has to offer, in an effort to answer the question… "Was the past as awful as it sounds?" Listen to Oh What A Time... on the Wonde...

May 11, 202510 min

Lord Haw-Haw: Germany Calling | Chelsea Smile | 1

William Joyce wants to serve Britain. But when Britain's establishment rejects him, he chooses Hitler's Germany instead, becoming the plummy voice of Nazi propaganda. This is the story of one of history's most notorious traitors. A man whose voice poured from the heart of the Third Reich into the very homes he left behind. Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at [email protected] See P...

May 07, 202549 minSeason 56Ep. 1

The Dirty Duchess | The Original Tabloid Queen | 4

The Duchess of Argyll was shameless, in all the right ways. That’s what drew historian, Lyndsy Spence, to write a book about her. She joins Matt and Alice to discuss why Margaret Campbell was the precursor to the female celebrities of today who are scrutinised by the tabloids. Plus, remember the headless man in the photograph at the heart of our scandal? Lyndsy knows who he is… Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask...

Apr 30, 202532 minSeason 55Ep. 4

Listen Now: Death County, PA

Lamont Jones leaves Dauphin County Prison for the last time, a free man ready to move on with his life. But when his young cousin dies in that same jail, he learns that this is not the only mysterious death that has plagued Dauphin County Prison. The search for the truth will put him at odds with a reality TV show coroner who claims to speak for the dead and people in power who all have something to hide. Listen to Death County, PA: Wondery.fm/DCPA_FD See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/priv...

Apr 28, 20256 min

The Dirty Duchess | Argyll vs Argyll | 3

The gloves come off in Britain's nastiest divorce as Margaret and Ian's years of marital warfare reach their explosive finale. But in 1960s high society, a woman’s reputation is guilty until proven innocent. Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at [email protected] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-...

Apr 23, 202552 minSeason 55Ep. 3

The Dirty Duchess | Heirs and Affairs | 2

Margaret refuses to be burnt twice. She has already sunk her fortune into a castle she can never inherit. So, as her marriage crumbles, the Duchess goes to extreme lengths to secure what’s rightfully hers. Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at [email protected] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-in...

Apr 16, 202552 minSeason 55Ep. 2

The Dirty Duchess | Divorcée to Duchess | 1

Margaret Sweeney is rich, beautiful, and keeping London's eligible bachelors very, very busy. Cast out of high society after her divorce, she's enjoying an unapologetically active sex life. But when the Duke of Argyll offers to make her his Duchess, she glimpses a delicious revenge: ruling over the very society that rejected her. Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at [email protected]...

Apr 09, 202551 minSeason 55Ep. 1

Thatcher's Favourite Fraudster | Asil Nadir’s Escape Pilot Speaks Out | 4

When Peter Dimond, the man who orchestrated Nadir's 1993 evasion from British justice, got in touch, Matt and Alice had to hear his side of the story. From the dramatic small plane escape to spending five years in Cyprus with Britain's most wanted fraudster, Dimond reveals what drove him to help Nadir and the true cost of his loyalty. Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at britishscandal@wonde...

Apr 04, 202533 minSeason 54Ep. 4

Thatcher's Favourite Fraudster | Battle of the Big Mac | 3

Asil Nadir returns to his beloved London determined to clear his name. But he’s facing a new opponent. With the Serious Fraud Office’s reputation in tatters, its new Head needs a big win - and locking up Nadir would be just the ticket. Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at [email protected] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19...

Apr 02, 202553 minSeason 54Ep. 3

Thatcher's Favourite Fraudster | Big Bird | 2

Asil Nadir claims he can prove his innocence. He just needs to stick around for the trial. But when someone offers him a seat on a small plane to Cyprus… Well, wouldn’t you? Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at [email protected] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

Mar 26, 202552 minSeason 54Ep. 2

Thatcher's Favourite Fraudster | Ragtrade to Riches | 1

It’s the 1980s. Margaret Thatcher’s Britain is all about making it big if you work hard enough, and boy, does Asil Nadir get the memo. He transforms small textile firm, Polly Peck into a FTSE 100 giant. The City loves him; the Iron Lady thinks he’s marvellous. But when they learn the truth, his empire starts to crumble. Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at [email protected] See Priv...

Mar 19, 202552 minSeason 54Ep. 1

The IRA Heiress | What Rose Dugdale Did Next | 4

Journalist Sean O'Driscoll met the IRA Heiress herself. He would cycle to her Dublin care home to chat over tea and biscuits. Though he went easier on the digestives after he found out Rose was the architect of the biscuit-launcher: a deadly weapon used in countless attacks during the Troubles. Sean tells Matt and Alice what he learned about the next mind-blowing chapter in Rose Dugdale's story, from prison sentences, to a hidden pregnancy. Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like u...

Mar 12, 202527 minSeason 53Ep. 4

The IRA Heiress | The Heist | 3

The police are after Rose. Her face is all over the papers. If authorities are going to try and stop her, Rose is determined to use whatever time she has left wisely. It’s time to stage Ireland’s biggest ever art heist. Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at [email protected] Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-fr...

Mar 05, 202550 minSeason 53Ep. 3

The IRA Heiress | Most Wanted | 2

Rose and her IRA comrades plan The Troubles’ first aerial bombing. But she’s having a hard time getting the others to trust her. With her plummy English accent, she’s the last person you’d expect to join the IRA. But that’s what makes her the perfect weapon. Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at [email protected] Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your p...

Feb 26, 202550 minSeason 53Ep. 2

The IRA Heiress | From Debutante to Defendant | 1

Oxford graduate, aristocrat, heiress – Rose Dugdale has it all. So her path from millionaire’s daughter to IRA bomb-maker shocks British society. And Dugdale’s ideals means she doesn't just reject her privileged upbringing - she sets out to destroy it, one explosion at a time. Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at [email protected] Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wher...

Feb 19, 202549 minSeason 53Ep. 1

Julian Assange | The Weird World of WikiLeaks | 4

If you think your job sucks, spare a thought for Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist James Ball. He spent three months living and working with Julian Assange on the leaks of hundreds of thousands of documents. And he has some tales to tell about the cult-like environment he was thrust into. Like how Assange was a deliberately weird, difficult man with a "pathological need to lie". How Assange’s reaction to learning of a dangerous informer in his ranks was… surprising. And why, ultimately, he think...

Feb 12, 202539 minSeason 52Ep. 4

Julian Assange | Operation Hotel | 3

Assange seeks asylum at London’s Ecuadorian Embassy to avoid facing charges abroad. It’s supposed to be a safe haven, but it begins to feel like a prison. He started this fight for press freedom. Now, he’s fighting for his own. Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting https://wondery.com/links/british-scandal/ now. Do ...

Feb 05, 202552 minSeason 52Ep. 3

Julian Assange | Enemy of the State | 2

An alliance with international press turns Assange into a public figure. But soon, he ends up on the front pages for all the wrong reasons. Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting https://wondery.com/links/british-scandal/ now. Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you would like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a qu...

Jan 29, 202551 minSeason 52Ep. 2

Julian Assange | No Secrets | 1

Julian Assange dreams of a world where secrets are open and truth reigns. So he builds a haven for whistleblowers, Wikileaks.org. But when a US military leak sparks a global controversy, it puts his source in danger. Will Assange's ideals survive the storm? Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting https://wondery.com/l...

Jan 22, 202552 minSeason 52Ep. 1

The Case of the Missing Aristocrat | An Actual Tichborne | 4

William Motley says he’s a descendant of the family… But we’ve checked and this time it’s true. He’s even writing a book about Arthur Orton’s outlandish claims. William joins Alice and Matt to unpack the lasting impact of the scandal on his relatives, Britain’s fascination with class, and life as the descendant of nobility. Plus, William tells us about the so-called "Tichborne curse". Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free...

Jan 15, 202526 minSeason 51Ep. 4

The Case of the Missing Aristocrat | The People's Aristocrat | 3

Everything seems to have got rather out of hand. Arthur is now one of Britain’s biggest celebrities, and his fight for the Tichborne estate has become an ideological battle. Will fame assure his freedom? Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting https://wondery.com/links/british-scandal/ now. Do you have a suggestion fo...

Jan 08, 202554 minSeason 51Ep. 3

The Case of the Missing Aristocrat | Butcher or Baronet | 2

Arthur Orton is inching towards victory. But when an untimely death forces him to prove his identity in court, the game steps up. Now he must convince the world he’s Sir Roger Tichborne, or face public humiliation—and a one-way ticket to pennilessness. Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting https://wondery.com/links/...

Jan 01, 202551 minSeason 51Ep. 2

The Case of the Missing Aristocrat | Mother Knows Best | 1

It’s 1865, and butcher Arthur Orton is living in poverty in Australia. Then he hears about a reward for information on England’s ninth richest nobleman, Sir Roger Tichborne, who's been missing for several years. So Arthur comes up with an audacious plan. All he has to do is fool the man’s entire family. How hard can it be? Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts ...

Dec 27, 202452 minSeason 51Ep. 1

The Scandalous Life of Charles Dickens | Christmas Special | 1

Think Dickens was all jolly carols and festive cheer? Not so. Behind the snowy scenes and spirit of goodwill, the so-called “Father of Christmas” was hiding a scandalous love life. Matt and Alice dive into the details with co-hosts of Wondery’s Legacy podcast, writer Afua Hirsch and historian Peter Frankopan. Plus, did Britain's most famous novelist really "invent" Christmas? Afua and Peter weigh in. Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen e...

Dec 18, 202448 minSeason 50Ep. 1

The Brink's-Mat Heist | How I Defended Brian Perry | 4

Jonathan Goldberg KC has acted for alleged murderers, rapists and fraudsters during his five decades as a leading barrister. Among his high-profile clients: Brink’s Mat launderer, Brian Perry. He takes Alice and Matt inside the uncompromising world of criminal justice, and reveals the long lasting impact of Brink’s Mat Heist. Plus, what’s it like to defend someone you suspect to be guilty? Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad...

Dec 11, 202433 minSeason 49Ep. 4

The Brink's-Mat Heist | Buried Treasure | 3

DCS Boyce is hurled bang into the middle of Micky and Brian’s fierce rivalry. But can he use the in-fighting to finally trace the Brink’s Mat stash and bring the criminals to justice? Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting https://wondery.com/links/british-scandal/ now. Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you woul...

Dec 04, 202447 minSeason 49Ep. 3
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