PODCAST
Hayley Atwell, Vanessa Kirby, Sophia Di Martino, Daisy Ridley and Rhiannon Neads narrate an eclectic mix of stories past and present, told by the real spies behind some of the world’s greatest operations. What secrets did they know? What were their skills? And what would YOU do if you were in their position? From SPYSCAPE Studios.
Listen Now
Subscribe
True Stories, Told By True Spies
The Disappeared, Part 2 - Mother's Day
No one takes on the cartel and comes away unscathed. Miriam Rodriguez understood that from the start. In the second and final part of this extraordinary True Spies story, The New York Times’ Azam Ahmed picks up the story of the housekeeper who sought revenge on Mexico’s notorious Zetas. Having discovered the grim truth of what happened to her kidnapped daughter, Miriam Rodriguez makes it her life’s mission to bring down the criminals responsible for her murder, becoming increasingly adept at high-wire deep cover work in the process. She will not rest until the Zetas have been made to pay but her bold quest comes with an enormous personal price tag.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
The Disappeared, Part 1 - Parlor Games
In this two-part True Spies story, The New York Times’ Azam Ahmed tells the unbelievable tale of Miriam Rodriguez, a 56 year-old housekeeper turned rogue agent and thorn in the side of one of Mexico’s most feared gangs. In Part One, we meet Miriam as her world is turned upside down by news of her daughter’s kidnapping. Soon, she embarks on a quest for answers and for vengeance. It will bring her face to face with The Zetas - a powerful and dangerous criminal organization who terrorize Miriam’s native San Fernando with impunity. But in this grieving mother of three, they may have found their match.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
Diamond Hands
During the cryptocurrency boom of the 2010s, those who held their assets made huge fortunes. Among them was James Zhong - a young man who'd amassed an unbelievable virtual treasure trove. But he'd come across his fortune illegitimately by executing an audacious one-man heist against the most notorious black market on the Dark Web. Sophia Di Martino joins IRS criminal investigation agent Tyler Hatcher, whose digital detective work recovered millions in ill-gotten Bitcoin for the US government.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
The Silk Road Bust
The Silk Road was one of the most notorious black markets on the Internet. Run by the notorious, anonymous Dread Pirate Roberts, this online bazaar allowed its users to trade cryptocurrency for illegal drugs, items and services. But, buried beneath layers of digital proxies, the Silk Road was almost impenetrable to law enforcement. Almost. Sophia Di Martino joins former FBI Special Agent Chris Tarbell to tell the story of how a combination of cyber-savvy and old-school detective work brought down the biggest name on the Dark Web.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
Sonya’s Red Heart, Part 2: The Secrets of Sonya
Ursula Kuczynski, aka Agent Sonya, is one history's most effective spies. As an intelligence-gatherer for the Soviet military, she helped to usher in the age of Mutually Assured Destruction during the bloody 1940s. In 2020, a newly declassified document muddied the waters. Who was Sonya really working for? In this two-part True Spies story, a new theory deepens the mystery of her life and work. In Part 2, Sophia Di Martino and Professor Anthony Glees explore a masterful double-cross by the Stalinist spy.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
Sonya’s Red Heart, Part 1: The Fairytale of Ursula Kuczynski
Ursula Kuczynski, aka Agent Sonya, is one history's most effective spies. As an intelligence gatherer for the Soviet military, she helped usher in the age of Mutually Assured Destruction during the bloody 1940s. In 2020, a newly declassified document muddied the waters. Who was Sonya really working for? In this two-part True Spies story, a new theory deepens the mystery of her life and work. In Part 1, Sophia Di Martino joins Professor Anthony Glees to follow Sonya's rise to prominence within the Russian GRU.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
Cribs, Codes and Cairo
Emily Anderson was the best codebreaker you've never heard of. Fiercely devoted to secrecy, she served Britain's interests in two world wars - mastering five languages along the way. In this remarkable True Spies story, Sophia Di Martino and historian Jackie Ui Chionna give Anderson a much-deserved moment in the limelight.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
Tradecraft Part 8
The tools in a spy's arsenal are more varied than you might think. But they all come under one name: Tradecraft. In our eighth round of insights from the world of espionage, Sophia Di Martino looks back on lessons drawn from masters of disguise, daring civilian spycraft, and nail-biting undercover work.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
Tradecraft Part 7 
The tools in a spy's arsenal are more varied than you might think. But they all come under one name: Tradecraft. In our seventh round of insights from the world of espionage, Sophia Di Martino revisits an audacious gambit in Iraq, evades surveillance behind the Iron Curtain, and learns how to create a convincing cover story in Canada.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
Operation Ajax
In the early 1950s, Iran elected a forward-thinking new leader. But where previous regimes had played ball with British and American oil companies in the country, Mohammed Mossadegh refused. In response, Western intelligence services mounted a deadly coup. Sophia Di Martino and historian Ervand Abrahamian unpick the shocking downfall of Iran's last democratic leader.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
Escaping ISIS
As ISIS sweeps through the Middle East, the regions' minority groups face brutal oppression. In Northern Iraq, ex-CIA officers Michele Rigby Assad and her husband, Joseph Assad, feel compelled to do what they can to help. Michele joins Sophia Di Martino to recount the steps that led to a dramatic evacuation of Iraqi Christians from Erbil in 2015.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
The Wilderness of Mirrors
In the dying days of the Cold War, the West is on the verge of victory but the Soviet Union's feared secret service, the KGB, won't give up without a fight. Sophia Di Martino and former US Army Intelligence officer Aden Magee tell the story of a mind-bending game of cat-and-mouse, played out on the streets of 1980s Munich.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
The Swinging Spies
Karel 'Karl' Koecher always knew he was destined for greatness. At the height of the Cold War, he arrived in New York City - a Communist sleeper agent, hell-bent on infiltrating the highest echelons of American society. And with the help of his beautiful young wife, the American dream was well within reach. Sophia Di Martino and author Benjamin Cunningham tell the story of two glamorous Czech spies in swinging NYC - charting their unlikely rise and inevitable fall from grace.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
Mr. Wristwatch
Truck driver, entrepreneur, womanizer - spy. Sophia Di Martino joins journalist Sean O'Driscoll to tell the story of one of the most unusual and effective moles in modern American history. When David Rupert met a woman in an Irish bar in Florida, the meeting sparked an unlikely chain of events that would lead him to infiltrate a deadly Irish Republican terrorist group on behalf of the FBI, MI5, and the Irish state - and put several key players behind bars. But the 'Big Yank' would pay a heavy price for his success.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
The Old Man and the CIA, Part 2: Dulles’ Downfall
In this two-part True Spies miniseries, journalist and author of The Devil's Chessboard, David Talbot, joins Sophia Di Martino to uncover a hidden history of the United States - a history penned by a man who made an outsized impact on the way we live today: Allen Dulles. In Part 2, the seeds of Dulles's ruin are sown on a beach in Cuba.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
The Old Man and the CIA, Part 1 - American Gestapo
Some men make headlines. Others make history. A subtle few mold the future of nations in their image - and you'd never even know it. In this two-part True Spies miniseries, journalist and author of The Devil's Chessboard, David Talbot, joins Sophia Di Martino to uncover a hidden history of the United States. A history penned by a man who made an outsized impact on the way we live today: Allen Dulles. In Part 1, Talbot documents the rise of the CIA's longest-serving director - and the first civilian to hold the post.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOME PAGE
Howard Hunt Unleashed, Part 2: Watergate - Project Gemstone
In this True Spies special, Daisy Ridley presents a dramatized encounter with Everette Howard Hunt Jr, based on our own historical research and Hunt's own writings. In Part 2 - the unbelievable story of the political scandal of the century: Watergate.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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
Beware the Men in Suits Part 2: Justice For Yvonne
In 1984, when Police Constable Yvonne Fletcher was shot outside the Libyan Embassy in London , John Murray swore he would bring her killers to justice. Decades later, he's about to come closer than ever before - but mysterious elements inside the British establishment seem determined to stop him in his tracks. Daisy Ridley joins Murray, and author Matt Johnson, to recount an epic mission for the truth. A mission that will take Murray to the ends of the Earth - and the limits of his endurance.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
Beware the Men in Suits, Part : Stray Dogs
April, 1984 - London. Police Constable Yvonne Fletcher has been shot dead by a pro-Gaddafi gunman at the Libyan Embassy. The UK looks on in sorrow and disgust. One man vows to bring her killer to justice - no matter who stands in his way. Daisy Ridley joins Fletcher's colleague, John Murray, and author Matt Johnson, to recount an epic mission for the truth. A mission that will take Murray to the ends of the Earth - and the limits of his endurance.
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
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
The Queen of Cuba, Part 1: Foreign Policies
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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.
Share with WhatsappShare with FacebookShare with Twitter
EPISODE HOMEPAGE
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
Episode 1
OPERATION BROTHERS
RELEASE APRIL 28
Episode 2
GRAY SUIT & THE GHOST
RELEASE MAY 5
Episode 3
FAIR GAME?
RELEASE MAY 12
Episode 4
THE ILLEGAL
RELEASE MAY 19
Episode 5
THE SPYCATCHER
RELEASE MAY 26
Episode 6
THE ROOKIE AND BIN LADEN
RELEASE JUNE 2
Episode 7
THE ART OF DISGUISE
RELEASE JUNE 9
Episode 8
TRUE NARCOS
RELEASE JUNE 16
Episode 9
SHADOW GAMES
RELEASE JUNE 23
Episode 10
UNDERCOVER JIHADI
RELEASE JUNE 30
Episode 11
THE PURPLE BATHROBE
RELEASE JULY 7
Episode 12
THE BILLION-DOLLAR SPY
RELEASE JULY 14
Joana Vasconcelos: War Games
Episode 13
THE SURVIVOR
RELEASE JULY 21
Episode 14
THE SPY WHO SAID NO
RELEASE JULY 28
Episode 15
THE MAN FROM THE GETTY
RELEASE AUG 3
Episode 16
N IS FOR NOVICHOK
RELEASE AUG 11
Episode 17
BLACKBIRD
RELEASE AUG 18
Episode 18
THE REAL BLACK KLANSMAN
RELEASE AUG 25
Episode 19
THE TARGETER
RELEASE SEPT 01
Episode 20
EXIT STRATEGY
RELEASE SEPT 08
Episode 21
The NUCLEAR SUPERHIGHWAY
RELEASE SEPT 15
Episode 22
BLINKING RED
RELEASE SEPT 21
Episode 23
JUSTICE FOR LEON KLINGHOFFER
RELEASE SEPT 29
Episode 24
THE LIMPING LADY
RELEASE OCT 06
Episode 25
THE ARGONAUTS
RELEASE OCT 13
Episode 26
SISTER SPIES
RELEASE OCT 20
Episode 27
CODENAME: MADELEINE
RELEASE OCT 27
Episode 28
BURGERS AND SPIES
RELEASE NOV 3
Episode 29
HACKED
RELEASE NOV 10
Episode 30
DRUG WARS
RELEASE NOV 17
Episode 31
BLOOD ON THE WATERSIDE
RELEASE NOV 24
Episode 32
THE 'DREAMS COME TRUE' BUSINESS
RELEASE DEC 1
Episode 33
OLYMPIC GAMES
RELEASE DEC 7
Episode 34
THE IRISHMAN
RELEASE DEC 15
Episode 35
TRADECRAFT PART 1
RELEASE DEC 22
Episode 36
TRADECRAFT PART 2
RELEASE DEC 29
Episode 37
HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS AND STAGE COUPS
RELEASE JAN 05
Episode 38
FREEING MEEK MILL
RELEASE JAN 12
Episode 39
THE MONEY SPY
RELEASE JAN 19
Episode 40
MANDELA'S SPY
RELEASE JAN 26
EPISODE 41
SEVEN FEMALE SPIES
RELEASE FEB 01
EPISODE 42
INSIDE NAMBLA
RELEASE FEB 09
EPISODE 43
PUTIN'S PALACE?
RELEASE FEB 16
EPISODE 44
THE NOT-SO-BEAUTIFUL GAME
RELEASE FEB 23
EPISODE 45
THE PROFILER
RELEASE MAR 02
EPISODE 46
SURVIVING NXIVM
RELEASE 09 MAR
EPISODE 47
BRING DOWN THE BIG MAN
RELEASE 16 MAR
EPISODE 48
THE SPY IN THE CORNFIELD
RELEASE 23 MAR
EPISODE 49
NEW RUSSIA, NEW RULES
RELEASE MAR 30
EPISODE 50
OPERATION ZULU CRICKET
RELEASE 06 APR
EPISODE 51
INDIAN ACTORS
RELEASE 13 APR
EPISODE 52
OPERATION GAME OVER
RELEASE 20 APR
EPISODE 53
RUSSIA'S MOST WANTED
RELEASE 27 APR
EPISODE 54
SEARCHING FOR THE SOLDIER
RELEASE 04 MAY
EPISODE 55
HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE
RELEASE MAY 11
EPISODE 56
THE BOILING FROG
RELEASE MAY 18
EPISODE 57
MAKING JACK FALCONE
RELEASE 25 MAY
EPISODE 59
TRADE SECRETS
RELEASE JUN 8
EPISODE 60
THE DESTROYED MAN
RELEASE 15 JUN
EPISODE 61
THE SOCIOPATHIC SPY
RELEASE JUN 22
EPISODE 62
THE MOUSE AT PEARL HARBOR
RELEASE 29 JUN
EPISODE 63
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
RELEASE JULY 6
EPISODE 64
CIA? MORE LIKE CON
RELEASE JULY 13
EPISODE 65
THE ATHAR PROJECT
RELEASE JULY 20
EPISODE 66
MISSION IN THE DOG MEAT VALLEY
RELEASE JUL 27
EPISODE 67
YOU ME, SAME SAME
RELEASE AUG 3
EPISODE 68
THE RITCHIE BOYS
RELEASE AUG 10
EPISODE 69
PSYCHIC SPIES
RELEASE AUG 17
EPISODE 70
OPERATION: BULLWINKLE
RELEASE AUG 24
EPISODE 71
RISE AND KILL FIRST
RELEASE AUG 31
EPISODE 72
THE ARMAGEDDON PAPERS
RELEASE SEPT 7
EPISODE 73
A SPY AMONGST SKINHEADS
RELEASE SEPT 14
EPISODE 74
THE GADGET MASTER
RELEASE SEPT 24
EPISODE 75
THE PHILADELPHIA WIRE
RELEASE SEPT 28
EPISODE 76
THE CODE CLERK
RELEASE OCT 5
EPISODE 77
THE REAL SOPRANOS
RELEASE OCT 12
EPISODE 78
THE DIGITAL SILK ROAD
REALEASE OCT 19
EPISODE 79
THE RELUCTANT NARCO
RELEASE OCT 26
EPISODE 80
ALLIED WITH AL-QAEDA
RELEASE NOV 2
EPISODE 81
THE WAR DRIVER
RELEASE NOV 9
EPISODE 82
ME AND THE MULLAH
RELEASE NOV 16
EPISODE 83
MONKEY BUSINESS
REALEASE NOV 23
EPISODE 84
MOONLIGHT MAZE
RELEASE NOV 30
EPISODE 85
ASSET TERMINATED
RELEASE DEC 7
EPISODE 86
WHITE TRAITOR
RELEASE 14 DEC
EPISODE 87
STALIN'S ROMEO SPY
RELEASE 21 DEC
EPISODE 88
TRADECRAFT PART 3
RELEASE 28 DEC
EPISODE 89
TRADECRAFT PART 4
RELEASE JAN 4
EPISODE 90
UNDERCOVER WITH THE NIPSTERS
RELEASE JAN 11
EPISODE 91
THE CONSULTANTS
RELEASE 18 JAN
EPISODE 92
HUNTING THE WOLVERINE
RELEASE 25 JAN
EPISODE 93
OPERATION GOLDENROD
RELEASE FEB 1
EPISODE 94
THE MOLE
RELEASE FEBRUARY 10
EPISODE 95
OPERATION BLACK BISCUIT
RELEASE FEB 15
EPISODE 96
THE ACE OF SPIES
RELEASE FEBRUARY 22
EPISODE 97
HAVANA SYNDROME SPECIAL
RELEASE MARCH 1
EPISODE 98
LORD OF THE HIGHWAY
Release March 8
Episode 99
CATCHING NORIEGA
Release March 15
Episode 100
Q, FOLLOWED BY U
Release March 22

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.