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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Q, FOLLOWED BY U
It's World War I and German submarine technology terrorizes the British Navy. Fortunately, Captain Gordon Campbell is anything but traditional. He's at the helm of the first 'Q-boats' - heavily armed sub-busters ingeniously disguised as civilian ships. Vanessa Kirby sets sail with Captain Campbell on a secretive mission to take back the oceans. Could you stare down a torpedo?
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CATCHING NORIEGA
It's 1989, and the US has invaded Panama. The country's corrupt leader, General Manuel Noriega, goes into hiding. Martha Duncan of the Defense Intelligence Agency is tasked with tracking him down - and she'll do whatever it takes to bring him into the open. Vanessa Kirby joins the hunt for Panama's most wanted. Could you catch a dictator?
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LORD OF THE HIGHWAY
Uruzgan Province, Southern Afghanistan. An Army convoy rumbles in on the dangerous highway from Kandahar, bringing vital supplies to American troops. This is facilitated by Matiullah Khan, a local warlord with connections in the Afghan government. When two US soldiers are assassinated by an Afghan ally, Naval intelligence officer Matt Cricchio suspects that Khan might be behind the attack. Vanessa Kirby joins Matt on a mission to bring him down.
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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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THE ACE OF SPIES
Who was Britain's Ace of Spies? Nobody really knows but the name he used was Sidney Reilly - and nobody did it better in the early 20th century. Reilly reckoned with oil barons, his personal pride, and the rise of Communism during his decades on the edge.
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OPERATION BLACK BISCUIT
Undercover ATF Agent Jay Dobyns was shot during his first week of work. He went on to spend 27 years in the field. That should tell you something about a man who risked his personal health and happiness to infiltrate one of America's toughest biker gangs, the Hells Angels. Jay had to prove himself worthy of membership - and the price of admission was murder. Could YOU earn your patch?
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THE MOLE
When health issues ended Ulrich Larsen's career in the kitchen, the Danish chef embarked on an altogether more dangerous livelihood - spying on North Korea. After gaining the trust of the Korean Friendship Association in Denmark, he was sent to the isolated dictatorship as an envoy, where he gathered evidence of sanction-busting deals in arms and narcotics. Could YOU become the Mole?
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OPERATION GOLDENROD
During the 1980s, a rash of hostage situations in the Middle East threatened American lives. In response, President Ronald Reagan authorized legislation that empowered the FBI to hunt the hostage takers down - any time, any place. Former Assistant Director Oliver 'Buck' Revell led the first operation of this kind - a daring plot to capture a Lebanese hijacker off the coast of Cyprus. Vanessa Kirby joins Buck for a make-or-break mission in the Med. Could YOU make history?
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HUNTING THE WOLVERINE
In the desert of Southern Afghanistan, CIA case officer Douglas Laux is on the hunt. He's traced a number of deadly IED attacks to a shadowy figure with ties to the Taliban. Now, his mission is to bring him down before more US personnel are killed. To do so, he'll have to push himself - and his assets - to the limit. How long could you take the heat?
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THE CONSULTANTS
Jeff Miller and Nick Brockhausen are two ex-Green Berets who share a brotherhood forged in battle. Their philosophy? Where there's war, there's money to be made. And if you can do a little good at the same time, all the better. In the 1990s, Jeff and Nick decided to open a commando training school for Bosnian forces in the besieged capital of Sarajevo. But first, they needed funding. Vanessa Kirby follows them on a gonzo adventure replete with political intrigue and deadly near-misses in the heat of war. Could YOU make a difference - and a fortune too?
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UNDERCOVER WITH THE NIPSTERS
Writer and researcher Julia Ebner makes a living out of infiltrating extremist groups. In the divided political landscape of the 21st century, some of those groups are making a play for the mainstream. Enter Generation Identity - a European far-right organisation putting a millennial gloss on old and dangerous ideas. Vanessa Kirby follows Julia as she goes undercover with the Nazi Hipsters - Nipsters, for short. Could YOU blend in?
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TRADECRAFT PART 4
The tools in a spy's arsenal are more varied than you might think. But they all come under one name: Tradecraft. In our fourth round of insights from the world of espionage, Vanessa Kirby meets brave investigators, wily whistleblowers and whip-smart spycatchers in the ultimate digest of the series so far. Could YOU master the craft?
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TRADECRAFT PART 3
The tools in a spy's arsenal are more varied than you might think. But they all come under one name: Tradecraft. In our third round of insights from the world of espionage, Vanessa Kirby meets daring undercovers, sweet-talking case officers and spies who shaped history in the ultimate digest of the series so far. Could YOU master the craft?
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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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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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ASSET TERMINATED
Today, veteran CIA operative Doug Patteson is an expert in his field. But as a rookie Case Officer in South-East Asia, he still had a lot to learn. When the Agency put him in an awkward position, Doug was forced to find the middle-ground between his personal code and the life he chose. Could YOU always put the job first?
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MOONLIGHT MAZE
It's 1999, and DoD intelligence officer Bob Gourley is at the vanguard of the US Government's defense against cyber-espionage. He's joined a task force charged with uncovering the shadowy hackers who have been siphoning America's scientific secrets for three years. If he wants answers, Bob needs to navigate cutting-edge tech, inter-agency backbiting, and the machinations of an old enemy. Could you stop a hacker in their tracks?
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MONKEY BUSINESS
Spy. Counterspy. Mercenary. Informant. Ricardo 'Monkey' Morales was all these things and more. Rising from humble beginnings in Cuba, he served within various intelligence agencies before becoming notorious in the criminal underworld of 1980s Miami. But when the FBI came knocking, he mounted a daring wire-tap operation against the city's powerful drug lords - Operation Tick Talks. Which side would YOU choose?
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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 WAR DRIVER
When it comes to cyber espionage, white-hat hacker Matt Devost is someone you want on your side. When a corporate client reported extortionate emails from an unknown aggressor, Matt was determined to unmask them. To do so, he'd need to test the limits of his considerable skills and step out from behind the keyboard. Could you become a hacker for hire?
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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
See all episodes here
CIA Secrets
See all episodes here
FBI Secrets
See all episodes here
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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