Podcast
James Bond's Aston Martin DB5 is a cultural icon, but it was stolen in an audacious heist in 1997. The car driven by Sean Connery in Goldfinger was fitted with ejector seats, machine guns and other deadly gadgets. Its location is a mystery, but there's a six-figure reward and the chase is on. Join host Elizabeth Hurley on a mission to track down the most famous car in the world.
Listen Now
Subscribe
THE CHASE IS ON
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPSIODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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?
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
TRADECRAFT SECRETS: PART 5
The tools in a spy's arsenal are more varied than you might think. But they all come under one name: Tradecraft. In our fifth round of insights from the world of espionage, Sophia Di Martino encounters a dictator on the run, an undercover Hells Angel, a mole in the NSA and more in our annual digest of the series so far. Could you master the craft?
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
THE PYRAMID SCHEME, PART 2: HOW TO STEAL A MiG
In the skies over Cairo, an unlit military transport plane makes a wary descent in to the city's international airport. Under cover of darkness, it's loaded with a precious consignment - an artifact that the US has gone to great lengths to procure. Not a cursed relic, or a crystal skull - but a cutting-edge Russian fighter jet. In Part 2, CIA Officer Jim Fees' daughter, Paula, and aviation expert Steve Davies guide Sophia di Martino through the final stages of a daring desert heist - and explain the true significance of this exceptional Cold War coup.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
THE PYRAMID SCHEME, PART 1: HOW TO STEAL A MiG
In the skies over Cairo, an unlit military transport plane makes a wary descent into the city's international airport. Under cover of darkness, it's loaded with a precious consignment - an artifact that the US has gone to great lengths to procure. Not a cursed relic, or a crystal skull - but a cutting-edge Russian fighter jet. In Part 1, Sophia Di Martino flies cargo-class with the CIA's Jim Fees - the officer who stole a MiG-23 from under the nose of the Soviet Union in the late 1970s. To tell his story, we've enlisted Jim's daughter, alongside historian and aviation expert Steve Davies.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
ALDRICH AMES PART 2: THE ULTIMATE DOUBLE AGENT, OPERATION NIGHTMOVER
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. In Part 2, Sophia Di Martino joins FBI Special Agent Leslie G Wiser Jr. on the toughest assignment of his career so far. But to take down Aldrich Ames, he'll need to bend the rules...
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
THE BIN LADEN FILES PART 3: A LION IN THE WINTER
As a new era of True Spies begins, Sophia di Martino joins the experts to reveal Osama bin Laden’s origins, methods and motivation. CIA operatives Gina Bennett and Tracy Walder join CNN’s Peter Bergen, the man who first interviewed Osama, to share the unvarnished truth about bin Laden’s rise to power. In Part 3, the hunt for the world's most infamous terrorist begins in earnest - and a humble courier has an important part to play.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPIDSODE HOMEPAGE
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?
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
LISTEN NOW
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?
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
LISTEN NOW
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.)
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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?
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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’.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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
The Great James Bond Car Robbery
James Bond's Aston Martin DB5 is a cultural icon, but it was stolen in an audacious heist in 1997. The car driven by Sean Connery in Goldfinger was fitted with ejector seats, machine guns and other deadly gadgets. Its location is a mystery, but there's a six-figure reward and the chase is on. Join host Elizabeth Hurley on a mission to track down The Most Famous Car in the World.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
LISTEN NOW
EPISODE 5
Obsession And Dedication
Why did the missing DB5's owner end up in court? Elizabeth Hurley investigates. Art Recovery International is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of the Goldfinger DB5. For more information visit www.artrecovery.com/aston-martin. Disclaimer: The Great James Bond Car Robbery is not affiliated with EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. or Danjaq, LLC.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
LISTEN NOW
EPISODE 4
Automotive Death Machine
Elizabeth Hurley's hunt for James Bond's stolen DB5 takes her to Alderley Edge, home of David Beckham and a car-theft hotspot. Art Recovery International is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of the Goldfinger DB5. For more information visit www.artrecovery.com/aston-martin. Disclaimer: The Great James Bond Car Robbery is not affiliated with EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. or Danjaq, LLC.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
LISTEN NOW
EPISODE 2
Grand Theft Auto
Elizabeth Hurley considers cut wires, sleeping guards and hangar parties as she explores a second theory about the disappearance of Bond's iconic silver Aston Martin. Art Recovery International is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of the Goldfinger DB5. For more information visit www.artrecovery.com/aston-martin. Disclaimer: The Great James Bond Car Robbery is not affiliated with EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. or Danjaq, LLC.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
LISTEN NOW
EPISODE 3
Under The Hammer
Elizabeth Hurley's quest to find the legendary Goldfinger Aston Martin DB5 sheds light on a high-stakes auction and a flamboyant Floridian who becomes the legendary vehicle's new owner. Art Recovery International is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of the Goldfinger DB5. For more information visit www.artrecovery.com/aston-martin. Disclaimer: The Great James Bond Car Robbery is not affiliated with EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. or Danjaq, LLC.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
LISTEN NOW
EPISODE 1
PERFECT GETAWAY
Join host Elizabeth Hurley and start your mission to find the legendary Goldfinger Aston Martin DB5. We investigate if thieves really could have used a military cargo plane to steal 007s iconic car, and we start our journey by meeting someone who's obsession with finding the vehicle might provide some useful clues. Art Recovery International is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of the Goldfinger DB5.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
LISTEN NOW
EPISODE 1
PERFECT GETAWAY
RELEASE AUG 18
EPISODE 3
Under The Hammer
EPISODE 2
Grand Theft Auto
EPISODE 4
Automotive Death Machine
EPISODE 5
Obsession And Dedication
The Great James Bond Car Robbery

Gadgets & Gifts

Put your spy skills to work with these fabulous choices from secret notepads & invisible inks to Hacker hoodies & high-tech handbags. We also have an exceptional range of rare spy books, including many signed first editions.

Shop Now

Your Spy SKILLS

We all have valuable spy skills - your mission is to discover yours. See if you have what it takes to be a secret agent, with our authentic spy skills evaluation* developed by a former Head of Training at British Intelligence. It's FREE so share & compare with friends now!

dISCOVER Your Spy SKILLS

* Find more information about the scientific methods behind the evaluation here.