Alice Loxton
Dive deep into secrets behind iconic spy objects and gadgets. Hosted by historian Alice Loxton and featuring stars from art, design, architecture and more.
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ATOMIC SPIES, PART 2: NUCLEAR FAMILIES
As a World War rages, humanity stands on the precipice of a new era in warfare. The atomic age is dawning and Earth's great powers are determined to secure their place in it. In these episodes of True Spies, Sophia Di Martino meets the spies who shared nuclear secrets that still influence global geopolitics today. In Part 2, Professor Paul Broda tells the story of his stepfather, Alan Nunn May, an English physicist who became a spy of conscience.
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ATOMIC SPIES, PART 1: THE KLAUS FUCHS EFFECT
As a World War rages, humanity stands on the precipice of a new era in warfare. The atomic age is dawning and Earth's great powers are determined to secure their place in it. In these episodes of True Spies, Sophia Di Martino meets the spies who shared nuclear secrets that still influence global geopolitics today. In Part 1, Professor Emeritus of Theoretical Physics at Oxford University, Frank Close, tells the story of the scientist who helped Soviet Russia build the bomb: Klaus Fuchs.
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THE QUEEN OF CUBA, PART 2: THE KNOWN UNKNOWN
Meet one of the most notorious double agents in the history of US intelligence - a spy so effective that she was able to operate with impunity for 17 years. Until her arrest in 2001, Ana Belén Montes used her position at the Defense Intelligence Agency to funnel classified documents to Cuba. Sophia Di Martino and FBI Special Agent Pete Lapp follow the trail of breadcrumbs that led to her downfall. In Part 2 Pete and his partner use old-fashioned detective work to turn up a killer piece of evidence - and Ana Montes meets her match.
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THE QUEEN OF CUBA, PART 1: FOREIGN POLICIES
Meet one of the most notorious double agents in the history of US intelligence - a spy so effective she was able to operate with impunity for 17 years. Until her arrest in 2001, Ana Belén Montes used her position at the Defense Intelligence Agency to funnel classified documents to Cuba. Sophia Di Martino and FBI Special Agent Pete Lapp follow the trail of breadcrumbs that led to her downfall. In Part One, Ana's subtle genius for espionage sees her rise through the ranks of the US government.
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COINTELPRO, PART 2: THE BURGLARY
It's March, 1971. Fifteen months have passed since the murder of Black Panthers leader Fred Hampton by the Chicago PD. But Hampton's killing is part of a concerted effort by the J. Edgar Hoover's FBI to put down protest movements in the US. Soon, the world will know the truth - all thanks to an intrepid gang of activist burglars and a trove of explosive secret files. Join Sophia Di Martino and journalist Betty Medsger for the final episode exploring a shameful chapter in FBI history - COINTELPRO.
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COINTELPRO, PART 1: THE BLACK PANTHER PLOT
It's 1969, and the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party is led by 21-year-old Fred Hampton. Hampton is beloved by his supporters, and hated beyond measure by J. Edgar Hoover, the head of the FBI. Hoover is determined to stamp out this potential 'Black Messiah' - and he'll stop at nothing to do so. Join Sophia Di Martino and Civil Rights lawyer Jeffrey Haas for the first instalment in a two-part exploration of a shameful chapter in FBI history - COINTELPRO.
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THE MIGHTY WURLITZER
The idealism of youth is a powerful thing. But when you're part of a movement, can you ever be sure of who's really pulling the strings? In the 1950s and '60s, a hidden hand is manipulating members of the National Student Association. But a change is going to come - and someone is bound to blow the whistle. Sophia Di Martino joins Professor Hugh Wilford to uncover the CIA's controversial involvement in student activism in the 20th century.
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PROJECT SCORPIUS, PART 2: AGONY AND ECSTASY
When by-the-book rookie Pamela Robinson is partnered with maverick undercover cop Kevin Barnum, neither is sure of the other. But as the duo work a hair-raising undercover operation against a Hells Angels drug network, they find that they have more in common than a love of justice. In Part 2, Kevin and Pamela become unlikely pillars of the drug-dealing community in Ontario, Canada. But the higher they rise, the further they have to fall. Sophia Di Martino narrates the gripping conclusion to a story of tradecraft, violence and romance.
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PROJECT SCORPIUS, PART 1: THE ARMPIECE
When by-the-book rookie Pamela Robinson is partnered with maverick undercover cop Kevin Barnum, neither is sure of the other. But as the duo work a hair-raising undercover operation against a Hells Angels drug network, they find that they have more in common than a love of justice. In Part 1, Sophia Di Martino follows Kevin and Pamela as they adapt to life as 'husband and wife' drug dealers in Ontario, Canada, learning to work together under the constant threat of discovery - or worse.
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AMERICAN RADICAL, PART 2: SLEEPER TRAIN
Tamer Elnoury is a patriotic American, a proud Muslim, and a highly-effective undercover agent. As part of the FBI's elite counterterrorism task force, he's made a living out of fooling some of the world's most dangerous radicals. In Part 2, the plot thickens as Tamer becomes embroiled in a deadly plot to derail a passenger train. But that's just the tip of the iceberg - Tunisian scientist and radical Islamist Chiheb Esseghaier reveals that an even greater threat is lurking on American soil. The FBI finds itself in a race against time to neutralize the threat. Sophia Di Martino narrates.
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AMERICAN RADICAL, PART 1: THE BUMP
Tamer Elnoury is a patriotic American, a proud Muslim, and a highly-effective undercover agent. As part of the FBI's elite counterterrorism taskforce, he's made a living out of fooling some of the world's most dangerous radicals. In Part 1, Tamer goes undercover to meet with a Tunisian scientist whom the FBI suspects of holding extremist views. But in his world, there's no such thing as simple meet-and-greet. When things start to go sideways, Tamer has to think fast to stay on course. Sophia Di Martino narrates.
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CELEBRITY SPIES, PART 3: THE JOSEPHINE BAKER EFFECT
Celebrities, by definition, live life out in the open. Spies, on the other hand, are happiest in the shadows. But rules are made to be broken. In this True Spies trilogy, Sophia Di Martino tells the stories of three spies whose fame and fortune was no obstacle to their espionage. Whether they used their notoriety to their advantage or operated in spite of it, these glamorous part-time spooks had a hand in the clandestine history of the 20th century. In the third and final installment of Celebrity Spies, triple-threat superstar Josephine Baker weaponizes her unstoppable charisma in the service of the French resistance during WWII. Armed only with charm and a fierce passion for freedom, Josephine goes up against Hitler's Gestapo in a crucial mission to smuggle secret intelligence out of Occupied France.
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CELEBRITY SPIES, PART 2: THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MAN IN THE MOVIES
Celebrities, by definition, live life out in the open. Spies, on the other hand, are happiest in the shadows. But rules are made to be broken. In this True Spies trilogy, Sophia Di Martino tells the stories of three spies whose fame and fortune were no obstacle to their espionage. Whether they used their notoriety to their advantage, or operated in spite of it, these glamorous part-time spooks had a hand in the clandestine history of the 20th century. In Part Two, Hollywood heart-throb Sterling Hayden takes to the high seas at the height of WWII, earning his stripes in a series of daring naval missions for the OSS. He'll contend with the full might of the German Navy - and a not-so-friendly rivalry with the British Secret Service.
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CELEBRITY SPIES, PART 1: THE DANGEROUS EDGE OF THINGS
Celebrities, by definition, live life out in the open. Spies, on the other hand, are happiest in the shadows. But rules are made to be broken. In this True Spies trilogy, Sophia Di Martino tells the stories of three spies whose fame and fortune were no obstacle to their espionage. Whether they used their notoriety to their advantage, or operated in spite of it, these glamorous part-time spooks had a hand in the clandestine history of the 20th century. In Part One, we'll follow an author, The Third Man screenwriter and MI6 spy Graham Greene, on a mysterious mission to 1950s Vietnam where an important appointment with communist leader Ho Chi Minh awaits.
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EXODUS PART 3, ADVENTURE À LA CARTE
Exodus, Part 3/3: Adventure À La Carte. In the late 1970s, the Mossad launched one of history's most audacious missions: Operation Brothers. Their goal? To rescue thousands of Ethiopian Jews facing violence, and bring them safely to Israel. In this deep, three-part retelling of the very first True Spies story, Sophia Di Martino meets Mossad operatives Daniel Limor, Rubi Viterbo and Gad Shimron, who worked undercover to lead the covert evacuations. We also hear from Takele Mekonen, one of the thousands of Jews saved during the operation. In Part Three, the Red Sea plays host to a series of daring escapes as the Mossad operatives establish a new cover for their activities - a diving resort. Under the constant threat of discovery by the Sudanese authorities, they risk life and limb to bring the Beta Israel home.
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EXODUS, PART 2: PASSPORTS & PRISON CELLS
In the late 1970s, the Mossad launched one of history's most audacious missions: Operation Brothers. Their goal? To rescue thousands of Ethiopian Jews facing violence and bring them safely to Israel. In this deep, three-part retelling of the first True Spies story, Sophia Di Martino meets Mossad operatives Daniel Limor, Rubi Viterbo, and Gad Shimron, who worked undercover to lead the covert evacuations. We also hear from Takele Mekonen, one of the thousands of Jews saved during the operation. In Part Two, Dani Limor and Ferede Aklum press on, despite growing uneasiness back in Israel. But a stroke of misfortune puts the men behind bars - and the mission at fatal risk.
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EXODUS, PART 1: THE TELEGRAM
In the late 1970s, the Mossad launched one of history's most audacious missions: Operation Brothers. Their goal? To rescue thousands of Ethiopian Jews facing violence and bring them safely to Israel. In this deep, three-part retelling of the very first True Spies story, Sophia Di Martino meets Mossad operatives Daniel Limor, Rubi Viterbo, and Gad Shimron who worked undercover to lead the covert evacuations. We also hear from Takele Mekonen, one of the thousands of Jews saved during the operation. In Part One, Dani Limor recounts the frantic early days of the mission and his partnership with Ferede Aklum, the heroic Ethiopian that helped to make it possible.
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BALKAN BETRAYALS, PART 2: ESCAPE FROM SARAJEVO
In the early 1990s, the collapse of Yugoslavia sparked a brutal series of conflicts in Eastern Europe. At first, the US pursued a policy of non-intervention - officially. Unofficially? That's where H.K. Roy comes in. Sophia Di Martino joins H.K. as he keeps tabs on the war zone for the CIA. In Part 2, things heat up for H.K. on the war-torn streets of Sarajevo, where trust is in short supply.
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BALKAN BETRAYALS, PART 1: THE CORRESPONDENT
In the early 1990s, the collapse of Yugoslavia sparked a brutal series of conflicts in Eastern Europe. At first, the US pursued a policy of non-intervention - officially. Unofficially? That's where H.K Roy comes in. Sophia Di Martino joins H.K. as he monitors the war zone for the CIA. In Part 1, H.K. makes the leap from plying his tradecraft in a quiet corner of the continent to becoming a spy-cum-war-reporter, brushing against danger at every turn. But the worst is yet to come.
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TRADECRAFT SECRETS: PART 6
The tools in a spy's arsenal are more varied than you might think. But they all come under one name: Tradecraft. In our sixth round of insights from the world of espionage, Sophia Di Martino learns how to spy in a war zone, meets undercover journalists in Putin's Russia and investigates a CIA mole in our annual digest of the series so far. Could you master the craft?
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Ten Episodes Not To Miss
Ready to unlock the secrets of the spying game? Here's a quick intro to our True Spies series.
Howard Hunt Unleashed, Part 1: The CIA & Animal Farm
In this special two-part True Spies miniseries, Daisy Ridley presents a dramatized encounter with Everette Howard Hunt Jr, based on our own historical research and Hunt's own writings. In Part 1, Hunt explains his role in one of the CIA's most unusual PsyOps - the backing of 1954's animated version of George Orwell's Animal Farm.
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HAVANA SYNDROME SPECIAL
Debilitating neurological symptoms have affected US officials worldwide. Former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos has been suffering since 2017 - he joins Russia expert and former CIA Station Chief John Sipher, and Dr. James Giordano to analyze Havana Syndrome.
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GRAY SUIT & THE GHOST
Eric O’Neill describes the hunt for the infamous FBI mole Robert Hanssen, who he was tasked with catching. Eric needs to get Hanssen into a hire car so his own car can be searched for evidence of his betrayal... but the hire car isn’t there and Hanssen is getting suspicious. What would you do in O'Neill's position?
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THE ILLEGAL
'Jack Barsky' was a New York computer programmer for a well-known insurance firm. In real life, he was Albrecht Dittrich, a highly-trained Soviet sleeper agent dropped behind enemy lines in 1970s America. When the KGB recalled him to Europe, Barsky had a difficult choice to make: Should he leave his wife and 18-month-old baby behind or betray his country?
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INSIDE NAMBLA
Bob Hamer had a colorful career as an undercover FBI agent but nothing prepared him for infiltrating Nambla, the North American Man/Boy Love Association. If he was going to put the pedophiles behind bars, Bob would have to hide his hatred and disdain - even if it ripped at the very fabric of his being. (Warning: This episode contains graphic details.)
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WHITE TRAITOR
Sue Dobson was a white woman who wanted to spy for the African National Congress - making her a minority within a minority in apartheid-era South Africa. Dobson spent seven months training in the USSR to learn her tradecraft. Now she wasn’t just a traitor, she was a turncoat with the training to kill.
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PSYCHIC SPIES
Dr. Edwin May is an unusual scientist, a physicist who researches psychic phenomena. For decades he worked with psychics who believed they could ‘foresee’ events like potential terrorist attacks, which raised an interesting question: If you can see the future, are you condemned to experience it?
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THE SOCIOPATHIC SPY
Working as a lawyer is one path to success, but Jim Lawler wanted adventure. He ditched his job in Texas and joined the CIA. On his first tour abroad, Jim had to recruit a spy working for a hostile government knowing she’d be killed if her cover was blown. That’s when Jim realized he was born with the type of sociopathic personality that would ensure success.
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ME AND THE MULLAH
Shawnee Delaney was a key part of the US team hunting Osama bin Laden in the wake of 9/11. One of her contacts was a Mullah with close ties to al-Qaeda but how could she win his trust? There was a language barrier and the Mullah refused to accept money for intelligence. This was shaping up to be Shawnee’s most challenging assignment yet.
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THE IRISHMAN
Sean Hartnett grew up in Ireland during the 'Troubles'. His family was Republican so they were shocked when Hartnett talked about joining the British Armed Forces. In fact, Hartnett went a step further. He joined the British Army’s most secretive covert counterterrorist unit in Northern Ireland, Joint Communications Unit Northern Ireland aka ‘The Det’.
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And, if you're into covert operations and intelligence gathering, check out these episodes:
EPISODE 71
RISE AND KILL FIRST
Ronen Bergman is an investigative journalist specializing in the dark arts of espionage and Mossad. In the early ‘80s, he stumbled on the scoop of a lifetime involving PLO chairman Yasser Arafat.
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TEAM ALPHA PART 1: THE TIP OF THE SPEAR
October 17, 2001. The dust of 9/11 has barely settled. America and the world are reeling. In Afghanistan, eight CIA officers - a crack team of linguists, tribal experts, and paramilitaries - are the first Americans to infiltrate Taliban territory after the attacks. Their mission is to ensure that al-Qaeda does not strike again.
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EPISODE 87
STALIN'S ROMEO SPY
As a young Soviet journalist, Emil Draitser stumbled on a story that changed his life. He was summoned by Dmitri Bystrolyotov to hear the deep secret that he was a ‘Stasi Romeo’ spying on Germany for Moscow, taking advantage of vulnerable women to steal state secrets. It was a fascinating tale, but it could also land Draitser in prison.
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ALDRICH AMES PART 1: THE ULTIMATE DOUBLE AGENT - SELLING SECRETS
The CIA is only as strong as the weakest link. And in the waning years of the Cold War, weak links were in ready supply. A number of trusted Agency officers were caught selling secrets to the Russian regime. And the most notorious traitor? Aldrich Hazen Ames.
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EPISODE 43
PUTIN'S PALACE?
Former Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny released a film in 2021 that sent shockwaves through the country. Part exposé, part-psychological portrait, his investigation claimed to reveal a culture of corruption within the Kremlin - with President Putin at its heart. The Kremlin and Putin deny everything.
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LISTEN TO ALL TRUE SPIES EPISODES Find us on Apple Podcasts
See all episodes here
Spy Sisters
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CIA Secrets
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FBI Secrets
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Russian Secrets
Manya Kullmann - Castro’s Keepsakes
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Tim Marlow - The Welbike
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Kengo Kuma - Nijo Jinya Hotel
Japan's Nijo Jinya Hotel is shrouded in mystery. Some say it was built in the 19th century. But most date it much earlier, to Japan’s Edo era, which started around 1600. Renown architect Kengo Kuma describes it as a paradise for Ninja spies.
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Tom Ayling - Secret Service Payments Book
Who pays for all the King’s secrets? In between the lines of a tired old accounts ledger, a hidden history of espionage and scandal lies in wait. Antiquarian bookseller Tom Ayling and host Alice Loxton guide us through the secret affairs of King William III - with direct access to the payments that he kept away from prying eyes.
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Trevor Paglen - Skynet
How dangerous is metadata? According to the artist and author Trevor Paglen, it can be deadly. Paglen joins host Alice Loxton to shine a light on Skynet - a network of all-seeing satellites - and the ominous AI algorithm that farms metadata and gets to decide who lives and who dies.
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Simon Menner - The Coffee Pot
Who keeps on moving the coffee pot? That innocent question plunges one East German woman into a dangerous world of deception and betrayal. Photographer and archivist Simon Menner joins Alice Loxton to unravel a Cold War domestic mystery centered around the most inconspicuous of objects.
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The Cultural Tutor - Napoleon’s Briefcase
How did Napoleon keep a sprawling empire under his thumb? Ask Sheehan Quirke. He runs the popular history feed, The Cultural Tutor, and he’ll tell you that the great historical leader depended on a vast network of spies to keep him clued up. The fruits of their toil were delivered to him each morning in a leather briefcase. Here, Quirke and host Alice Loxton open up that tired old folio and explore the secrets hidden within.
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Marc Newson - SR-71 Blackbird
How do you solve a problem like a Russian radar? That question lies at the heart of one of the most innovative and intricate planes ever to be made: the SR-71 Blackbird. Acclaimed industrial designer and artist Marc Newson and host Alice Loxton tell the story of an aircraft born out of an impossible brief.
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Jung Chang - Chairman Mao Badge
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Dan Snow - PM’s Despatch Box
What official secrets hide inside that battered red leather box? Popular historian Dan Snow and host Alice Loxton peer inside a Victorian Prime Minister’s despatch box, and speculate on the world-changing intelligence that such a storied case once contained.
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Daniel Arsham - Animal Farm Film Cels
What did George Orwell and the CIA have in common? Perhaps more than the great socialist writer would have cared to admit. The groundbreaking visual artists Daniel Arsham and host Alice Loxton bring us inside the CIA-sponsored production of Animal Farm.
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Justin Jampol - Wende Museum Artifacts
To whom do retired spies turn after the collapse of their mission? Los Angeles’ Wende Museum holds one of the most impressive Cold War collections in the world and has become something of an amnesty box for old agents seeking to preserve a piece of their former lives. The Wende’s director Justin Jampol and host Alice Loxton explore highlights from the collection and peer into the history of tradecraft.
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Elizabeth Bruton: Portland Spy Ring Ephemera
What does it take to betray your country? Less than you might think. Dr. Elizabeth Bruton and host, Alice Loxton, break down the surprisingly humble tool kit of one of the most destructive espionage networks in British history - the Portland Spy Ring.
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Jason Isaacs: B-2 Spirit
How many secrets weigh 1500 lbs, cost $100 million, and travel at 600 mph? Only one that we can think of. Acclaimed actor Jason Isaacs and host Alice Loxton take us inside the cockpit of Northrop Grumman’s legendary B-2 Spirit – the iconic stealth bomber that epitomized late Cold War ingenuity.
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James Grime: Enigma Machine
How many secrets weigh 1500 pounds, cost $100m, and travel at 600 mph? Only one that we can think of. Acclaimed actor Jason Isaacs and host Alice Loxton take us inside the cockpit of Northrop Grumman’s legendary B-2 Spirit - the iconic stealth bomber that epitomized late Cold War ingenuity.
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Anthony Horowitz: Joan Bright Astley’s Inner Circle
How long could you keep a secret? In the case of Joan Bright Astley, the answer was ‘To the grave.’ Acclaimed novelist and screenwriter Anthony Horowitz and host Alice Loxton offer up a gift from the real-life Miss Moneypenny - a formidable woman who protected the secrets of the notorious Special Operations Executive for as long as she lived.
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Lynette Nusbacher: Button Compass
How can a button save your life? It depends on who your tailor is. Military history expert Lynette Nusbacher and host Alice Loxton discuss an ingenious piece of covert pathfinding technology, designed for RAF pilots stranded behind enemy lines in World War II.
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Thomas Heatherwick: Poison-Tipped Umbrella
What was the sharp pain that George Markov felt in his ankle as he crossed London’s Waterloo Bridge one day? Spoiler: it doesn’t end well for George. Designer Thomas Heatherwick and host Alice Loxton tell the sad tale of a Bulgarian dissident’s encounter with one of the most notorious tools of spycraft.
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Daniel Arsham: Jackson Pollock, Number 8
What connects the radical 20th century painter Jackson Pollock and the CIA? More than you’d think. Artist Daniel Arsham and host Alice Loxton share the surprising secret history of Pollock’s 1949 masterpiece, Number 8.
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A History of the World in Spy Objects: Trailer
The Enigma Machine. The B-2 stealth bomber. The poisoned-tipped umbrella. Napoleon’s Briefcase of Secrets. As long as there has been conflict, there have been spies, and as long as there have been spies, there have been incredible gadgets and iconic objects. Alice Loxton presents the stories of the tools that power the world of espionage in a brand new show for the SPYSCAPE Podcast Network. Get episodes early and ad-free with SPYSCAPE+ on Apple Podcasts.
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TRAILER
Daniel Arsham: Jackson Pollock, Number 8
A History of the World in Spy Objects: Trailer
Thomas Heatherwick: Poison-Tipped Umbrella
Lynette Nusbacher: Button Compass
Anthony Horowitz: Joan Bright Astley’s Inner Circle
James Grime: Enigma Machine
Jason Isaacs: B-2 Spirit
Elizabeth Bruton: Portland Spy Ring Ephemera
Justin Jampol - Wende Museum Artifacts
Daniel Arsham - Animal Farm Film Cels
Dan Snow - PM’s Despatch Box
Marc Newson - SR-71 Blackbird
Jung Chang - Chairman Mao Badge
The Cultural Tutor - Napoleon’s Briefcase
Simon Menner - The Coffee Pot
Trevor Paglen - Skynet
Tom Ayling - Secret Service Payments Book
Tim Marlow - The Welbike
Kengo Kuma - Nijo Jinya Hotel
Manya Kullmann - Castro’s Keepsakes

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