Enter the secretive world of spies, espionage, and covert operations.
Hosted by former CIA analyst turned spy novelist, David McCloskey, and veteran security correspondent, Gordon Corera, this podcast unravels real-life spy stories, intelligence secrets, and the hidden power struggles shaping global events.
From Cold War espionage to modern-day intelligence agencies like the CIA, MI6, and Mossad, explore the world of double agents, classified missions, and the shadowy figures who operate in them. Whether you're a true crime addict, a thriller fan, or fascinated by spy stories, this is the show for you.
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Six American diplomats are about to walk through the Tehran airport with alias Canadian passports. But will they make it through? And how does the real Argo end? As the story reaches its dramatic conclusion, David and Gordon look at what can be learnt from the 1979 plot to smuggle six American diplomats out of Iran. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 Septe...
Tony Mendez has just landed in revolutionary Tehran. Now he must teach six terrified diplomats to be a Hollywood film crew… in 72 hours. Listen as David and Gordon reach the climax of their adventure into the true story behind Argo. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 September: https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/the-rest-is-classified-live/...
Are groups linked to the Islamic Republic recruiting spies on Telegram to coordinate anti-semitic attacks in Europe? How are Jordanian people feeling about the war in Iran? And why is anti-western sentiment reaching new heights in the Middle East? Listen as David McCloskey is joined by award-winning CNN International Correspondent Jomana Karadsheh, to discuss her latest reporting on how what appear to be Iran-linked groups are using social media to recruit individuals to carry out surveillance a...
Six Americans are hiding out as Canadian houseguests in Tehran. To get them out, the CIA will invent a Hollywood film studio that does not exist. In this episode, David and Gordon examine how the CIA worked with Hollywood to plan a daring escape from revolutionary Iran during the hostage crisis. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 September: https://www...
One of the most audacious rescue operations the CIA has ever run. It begins with a mob at the gates of the US Embassy in Tehran, six diplomats slipping out a side door, and a man painting a wolf in a studio above his garage in rural Maryland. Listen as David and Gordon tell the true story of Argo. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 September: https://w...
How worried are Baltic countries about the threat from Russia? Would the US protect its NATO allies from Putin? And what is happening on the Estonian border? Last weekend, Gordon headed to the annual Lennart Meri security conference in Estonia to speak with experts from across the world about the security challenges the region is currently facing. Listen as he speaks with journalists, former presidents, and former NATO intelligence analysts about what is happening across the Baltics. -----------...
Was Iraq WMD one of history’s biggest intelligence failures? Why couldn’t Saddam Hussein prove he has destroyed his weapons of mass destruction? And what is the legacy of the Iraq War in the Middle East? Listen as David and Gordon conclude their investigation into Iraq WMD and analyse what has been learnt from the decision to go to war with Iraq. ------------------- Join the Declassified Club to go deeper into the world of espionage with exclusive Q&As, interviews with top intelligence insid...
Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of MI6, offers insights into the US-Iran conflict, predicting the Iranian regime's collapse by 2026 and discussing the implications for its nuclear program. He also explores the deeply institutionalized nature of the UK-US intelligence relationship, asserting its resilience despite political tensions. Finally, Dearlove shares compelling anecdotes from his career, including his time as Head of Station in Washington post-Cold War and a significant counter-intelligence operation in Prague.
Who was “Curveball”? Why did Colin Powell rely so heavily on flawed intelligence in his presentation to the UN? And how did this set the tone for the opposition to war? As David and Gordon reach the penultimate episode in their series on Iraq WMD, they discuss how things could have gone so badly wrong. ------------------- Join the Declassified Club to go deeper into the world of espionage with exclusive Q&As, interviews with top intelligence insiders, regular livestreams, ad-free listening, ...
What was the difference between the so-called “dodgy dossier” and the real dossier prepared by Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell? Why did the US rush their vital National Intelligence Estimate? And why was the intelligence so weak? Listen as David and Gordon explore how the US and UK sold the case for war in Iraq to the public. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre...
** Join the Declassified Club at therestisclassified.com to listen to the full episode ** ------------------- How did intelligence biases shaped the final WMD assessment? What really happened with Colin Powell’s infamous UN speech? And, was Iraq the biggest intelligence failure in CIA history? Listen as David and Gordon are joined by former acting CIA Director, Michael Morrell, to discuss one of the most controversial episode in the agency’s history, with the man in the room where it happened....
How significant a role did 9/11 play in the decision to go to war in Iraq? And why did Tony Blair commit to standing by George W. Bush “no matter what”? Listen as David and Gordon continue their series on Iraq WMD, charting the moment the West’s relationship with the Middle East changed, forever. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 September: https://ww...
Why did Saddam Hussein secretly destroy his weapons of mass destruction? When did the CIA start plotting against the Iraqi dictator? And did Hussein and Osama bin Laden ever meet? In the second part of their series on Iraq WMD, David and Gordon chart how the mystery of Saddam Hussein’s weapons deepens. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 September: http...
** Join the Declassified Club at therestisclassified.com to listen to the full episode ** ------------------- What was the relationship between Downing Street and the intelligence services really like? Did the British get played by the Americans? And, what was the real reason for Iraq? Listen as David and Gordon are joined by Alastair Campbell to set the record straight on what really happened in the lead up to the Iraq invasion. ------------------- Email: therestisclassified@goalhanger.com...
How did Saddam Hussein become one of history’s most notorious dictators? How did the Iran-Iraq war begin? And what really happened to Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction? Listen as David and Gordon begin their 6-part series on one of history’s biggest intelligence failures: Iraq WMD. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 September: https://www.southbankcen...
What brought about Stakeknife’s downfall? How did the IRA react when they realised there was a spy at the very top of their organisation? And what was Operation Kenova, and how did it reveal the truth of the Stakeknife case? In the final part of their journey into the infamous mole inside the IRA, David and Gordon delve into the fractious aftermath of Stakeknife’s exposure as a “tout”. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets to see...
What happens when an agent has to commit horrific crimes whilst undercover? What did the British government know about Stakeknife’s crimes? And did the IRA suspect Scappaticci of being a double agent? Listen as David and Gordon reach the height of Stakeknife’s power and explore the morality of a British agent committing murder undercover. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Sout...
What does a Russian interference campaign look like? What did Russian spies get up to in Hungary recently? And are Chinese spies the next threat to international politics? Listen as David and Gordon are joined by novelist, screenwriter and journalist Tom Bradby, for this special bonus episode to discuss Russian interference in global politics and the murky world where politics and espionage intersect. ------------------- Stream Secret Service now on ITVX. Visit https://www.itv.com/watch/secret-s...
How did the British security forces recruit agents during The Troubles? And how did the IRA try and hunt down those who had become informers? In the second part of their series on the infamous Stakeknife, David and Gordon explore the murky underworld of informers and agents during The Troubles in Northern Ireland. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 Septemb...
Who was the real man behind the infamous codename, “Stakeknife”? Why did he join the ranks of the IRA? And how did he become a spy for the British? Listen as David and Gordon begin a four-part series delving into the true story behind the British state’s most valuable IRA mole during The Troubles. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 September: https://www...
Is there anyone telling Trump, ‘No’? Is Trump’s use of power getting more unhinged? And should Europe have done more to open the Strait of Hormuz? Listen back to David and Gordon live on YouTube with Washington Post columnist and author, David Ignatius, to discuss the latest on Trump’s war in the Middle East. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 September: h...
How do you actually destroy a nuclear programme? What would a US boots-on-the-ground raid inside Iran look like? And do David and Gordon think Trump will take Operation Epic Fury to the next level? Listen as David and Gordon imagine what it would take to destroy Iran's nuclear programme. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets HERE to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 September. ----------------...
How involved were the CIA in the operation to rescue a US pilot stranded inside Iran? What does it take to "destroy" a nuclear programme? And what could Iran learn from North Korea? Listen as David and Gordon discuss the intricacies of the recent mission to extract a downed US Weapons Officer inside Iran and delve into how this operation might help the US and Israel launch an attack on Iran's nuclear programme. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your ti...
What was the legacy of the Battle of Mogadishu? How did the fallout change the US presence in Somalia forever? And how did the experience in Somalia inspire Osama bin Laden’s acts of terror? Listen as David and Gordon conclude their four-part series on the extraordinary events of Black Hawk Down. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets HERE to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 September. ---------------...
How long will the Battle of Mogadishu last? Can the soldiers survive until daylight? And will the Rescue Team come in time to save the soldiers? Listen as David and Gordon reach the climax of the story of Black Hawk Down. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets HERE to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 September. ------------------- Sign-up for our free newsletter where producer Becki takes you behind the...
One Black Hawk is down. Americans are taking fire left, right and centre. And it feels like there’s no way out. This is the true story of Black Hawk Down. Listen as David and Gordon continue the story of the Battle of Mogadishu as it escalates beyond the plans of the generals back at the US base. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets HERE to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 September. -----------------...
What really happened at the Battle of Mogadishu? How did an operation that should have taken an hour end up taking almost twenty-four? And what brought US troops into the conflict in the first place? Listen as David and Gordon embark on telling the true story of one of the deadliest US operations since the Vietnam War. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets HERE to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 Septe...
How did the CIA mastermind one of the most audacious coups in world history? What does it take to remove a world leader? And what does the future hold for Latin America with Donald Trump now at the helm of US foreign policy? Listen as David and Gordon recount the story of the 1954 Guatemalan coup and delve into whether Cuba will be the next state on Donald Trump's hit list. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets HERE to see David and Go...
Is Cuba next on Trump's hit list? Why are the US so concerned by what's happening in their "backyard"? And what can we learn from the history of regime change in Latin America to help us understand the "Donroe Doctrine"? Listen as David and Gordon delve inside the Guatemalan coup of 1954 and examine what Donald Trump has learnt from how the CIA plotted regime change in the agency's early years. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets HERE ...
After 9/11 it looked as though a new path of diplomacy could be forged between Iran and the US, and then George Bush referred to the nation as part of the Axis of Evil. The years that followed were characterised by Iran-backed terror attacks, regional instability and an uncertain future. But how did we get here? Listen as David and Gordon are once again joined by historian and author Arash Azizi to discuss the role of Saddam Hussein and Iran’s nuclear programme in the long conflict between Iran ...
