Podcasts about mi6

AVA GLASS Learn more about Ava Glass at https://www.avaglass.uk Ava Glass is the UK's biggest selling female spy writer with over 2million copies sold, who writes about the world of female spies from firsthand experience and has been dubbed the “female heir to James Bond” by James Patterson and “the new Queen of spy fiction” by The Guardian. Having worked in British intelligence for just shy of a decade, Ava Glass uses her novels to reveal the hidden world of female espionage in compelling and realistic spy writing that shatters the James Bond stereotype. Ava Glass's fourth novel The Hiding Season is published by Penguin Cornerstone in paperback on 13th August and explores the damage that spies do to those who accidentally cross their path, something Ava has experienced herself. In a completely fresh direction for Ava Glass, The Hiding Season is set in America's wild west state of Montana following an ordinary American woman running for her life after she witnesses the murder of one of America's most powerful senators – the perfect read for fans of hit shows The Night Manger and Yellowstone. Her many years working with MI6, MI5 and the FIB, mean that Ava Glass (not her real name) has signed the official secrets act, has been befriended, vetted and duped by spies, seen everything from the real Bond Girls – Britain's brigade of female spies; participated in terrorist simulations on British soil - where the British Government blow up more buildings than a Mission Impossible film so spies can practice for the real thing; and has some brilliant stories to share from the secret spy nod, secret spy doors, to why not to tussle with a spy in public. Prior to working with MI5 and MI6, Glass had a previous career as a crime reporter in the USA covering murders & kidnappings alongside the FBI and has written for the New York Times and Reuters. Ava also frequently appears on BBC Radio 4 and Sky News covering the latest spy stories. Current Release THE HIDING SEASON PENGUIN | 13 AUGUST 2026 Trust no one. Move fast. From the UK Queen of spy fiction, comes a brilliant new spy novel set in the heart of America. Exploring the damage that spies can do to those who become entangled with them, The Hiding Season follows an ordinary woman running for her life after she witnesses the murder of one of America's most powerful senators. Escaping from a broken marriage, Maya Landry moves to Bozeman, Montana, the gateway to the Rocky Mountains. Working at an exclusive private ski-resort in the off season, Maya's new life of quiet reflection in the mountains is going exactly as she'd hoped . . . until she stumbles across a dead body. With no phone signal, she races down the mountain to get help. But when she returns with the police, the body is gone and no-one believes her. Later that night Maya is told by FBI agent Riley Maguire that if she doesn't leave the state tonight, she'll be dead by morning. Forced to change her identity, leave everything behind and move across the country, Maya trusts Riley to keep her safe. But, when her hiding place is compromised, should she trust him? And are the feelings she's having towards him too good to be true? From a ski lodge in the Rocky Mountains to the Dirty Sixth in Austin, and from an anonymous safehouse in Texas to the headquarters of the FBI in Chicago, this is a page-turning, pulse-pounding thriller that explores the collateral damage of an FBI operation gone wrong. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hd9SK6t3udg Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/61kvnAsXpLbEUO7jjeB2wB Listen to Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ava-glass-the-femme-detectives-ep-10/id687959058?i=1000792373274

Quand on pense espion, on pense immédiatement à James Bond. Les missions et les gadgets de l'agent 007, qui appartient au très prestigieux MI6, sont connus dans le monde entier. Et la fiction n'est pas tellement éloignée de la réalité : aujourd'hui, le service de renseignement extérieur britannique est, selon un classement établi par L'Express avec des experts internationaux, le meilleur d'Europe. Cette semaine, dans "Nid d'espions”, Charlotte Baris et Alexandra Saviana, rédactrice en chef adjointe du service Secret défense de L'Express, décryptent comment le MI6 est devenu aussi réputé et performant. “Nid d'espions” est un podcast de L'Express, consacré au renseignement, et au rôle majeur des espions dans les moments clés de l'Histoire.Retrouvez tous les détails de l'épisode ici et abonnez vous à L'Express Podcasts Cet épisode a été écrit par Charlotte Baris, monté et réalisé par Jules Krot. Pour nous écrire : podcast@lexpress.fr Crédits : INA, Euronews, EON Productions (James Bond contre Dr No.) Musique et habillage : Emmanuel Herschon / Studio Torrent Visuel : Alice Lagarde Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

AVA GLASS Learn more about Ava Glass at https://www.avaglass.uk Ava Glass is the UK's biggest selling female spy writer with over 2million copies sold, who writes about the world of female spies from firsthand experience and has been dubbed the “female heir to James Bond” by James Patterson and “the new Queen of spy fiction” by The Guardian. Having worked in British intelligence for just shy of a decade, Ava Glass uses her novels to reveal the hidden world of female espionage in compelling and realistic spy writing that shatters the James Bond stereotype. Ava Glass's fourth novel The Hiding Season is published by Penguin Cornerstone in paperback on 13th August and explores the damage that spies do to those who accidentally cross their path, something Ava has experienced herself. In a completely fresh direction for Ava Glass, The Hiding Season is set in America's wild west state of Montana following an ordinary American woman running for her life after she witnesses the murder of one of America's most powerful senators – the perfect read for fans of hit shows The Night Manger and Yellowstone. Her many years working with MI6, MI5 and the FIB, mean that Ava Glass (not her real name) has signed the official secrets act, has been befriended, vetted and duped by spies, seen everything from the real Bond Girls – Britain's brigade of female spies; participated in terrorist simulations on British soil - where the British Government blow up more buildings than a Mission Impossible film so spies can practice for the real thing; and has some brilliant stories to share from the secret spy nod, secret spy doors, to why not to tussle with a spy in public. Prior to working with MI5 and MI6, Glass had a previous career as a crime reporter in the USA covering murders & kidnappings alongside the FBI and has written for the New York Times and Reuters. Ava also frequently appears on BBC Radio 4 and Sky News covering the latest spy stories. Current Release THE HIDING SEASON PENGUIN | 13 AUGUST 2026 Trust no one. Move fast. From the UK Queen of spy fiction, comes a brilliant new spy novel set in the heart of America. Exploring the damage that spies can do to those who become entangled with them, The Hiding Season follows an ordinary woman running for her life after she witnesses the murder of one of America's most powerful senators. Escaping from a broken marriage, Maya Landry moves to Bozeman, Montana, the gateway to the Rocky Mountains. Working at an exclusive private ski-resort in the off season, Maya's new life of quiet reflection in the mountains is going exactly as she'd hoped . . . until she stumbles across a dead body. With no phone signal, she races down the mountain to get help. But when she returns with the police, the body is gone and no-one believes her. Later that night Maya is told by FBI agent Riley Maguire that if she doesn't leave the state tonight, she'll be dead by morning. Forced to change her identity, leave everything behind and move across the country, Maya trusts Riley to keep her safe. But, when her hiding place is compromised, should she trust him? And are the feelings she's having towards him too good to be true? From a ski lodge in the Rocky Mountains to the Dirty Sixth in Austin, and from an anonymous safehouse in Texas to the headquarters of the FBI in Chicago, this is a page-turning, pulse-pounding thriller that explores the collateral damage of an FBI operation gone wrong. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/hd9SK6t3udg Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/61kvnAsXpLbEUO7jjeB2wB Listen to Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ava-glass-the-femme-detectives-ep-10/id687959058?i=1000792373274

What makes a great spy novel? For William Boyd, it is complexity, uncertainty and that irresistible feeling that, as a reader, you are constantly trying to work out who can be trusted. In this SPOILER FREE special Spybrary conversation, Boyd joins Ollie Webb Carter (History Book Club Podcast) to discuss his Gabriel Dax novels and the latest instalment, Cold Sunset. They explore Boyd's lifelong fascination with espionage fiction, the influence of John le Carré, the real history that feeds into his novels, and why the analogue world of Cold War spying remains such fertile ground for a novelist. Along the way, William reveals the remarkable real-life MI6 figure who helped inspire Faith Green, shares his thoughts on the JFK assassination, reflects on the old-boy network that once dominated British intelligence, and explains how a television project that never came to fruition ultimately helped give birth to Gabriel Dax. They also discuss: • Why the best spy novels force the reader to think • Betrayal, false identities and the double and triple bluff • John le Carré and the literary tradition of spy fiction • How Gabriel Dax is gradually becoming a more accomplished spy • The real intelligence officer behind Faith Green • MI6, the CIA and Cold War regime change • Why modern surveillance makes contemporary espionage harder to write • The unexpected origins of the Gabriel Dax series • What could come next for Gabriel A fascinating conversation with one of Britain's most celebrated novelists about spies, history, writing — and the enduring appeal of espionage fiction. Featuring William Boyd in conversation with Ollie Webb Carter for Spybrary.

“What if we fell out with the Brits? What if the agency and the Brits started spying on each other again?” — David McCloskeyWhat if the Americans and the British started spying on each other again? That's the premise of London Station, David McCloskey's fifth novel, out today. It isn't as far-fetched as it sounds. Before the Second World War those perfidious Brits did spy on America, breaking American ciphers and running influence campaigns in New York to drag the United States into the war.McCloskey spent eight years as a CIA analyst working on Syria, then a spell at McKinsey, before writing a series of successful spy novels and co-hosting the popular The Rest Is Classified podcast. The Dallas-based author has also, he admits, become an Anglophile — which hasn't stopped him giving MI6 what the Brits would call a “good kicking” in London Station.His returning heroine is Artemis Aphrodite Procter, so named by a father obsessed with Greek mythology and raised on a Florida alligator farm. Described by another of McCloskey's characters as a competent extremist, she is short, dark, hard-drinking and equally mirthful and menacing. Probably not the type of Yank best suited to a pseudo-diplomatic posting in the capital of the former empire. Although I'm guessing there are many British fellows, both inside and outside MI6, not averse to spying on Ms Artemis Aphrodite Procter.Further Reading:• London Station by David McCloskey (W. W. Norton, September 29, 2026) — his fifth novel, after Damascus Station, Moscow X, The Seventh Floor and The Persian.• The Rest Is Classified — the espionage podcast McCloskey co-hosts with the BBC's Gordon Corera, where he and Gordon Corera have also discussed Patrick Radden Keefe's London Falling.• London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe, a recent guest on this show — the dark-money London that runs in parallel with McCloskey's subterranean city of espionage.• Earlier this year on Keen On: Daniel Silva on Gabriel Allon — the other American spy novelist with a thing for the Brits.  Five Takeaways •       What If We Fell Out With the Brits? McCloskey never expected to set a novel in Britain, for a technical reason: the CIA–MI6 relationship is so institutionalized that it is hard to get the stakes right, and a thriller needs life or death. Then the question arrived — what if we fell out? What if the two services started spying on each other again? That is not fantasy, and the history is the reverse of what most people assume: before the Second World War the British spied on the Americans, broke their ciphers and ran influence campaigns in New York designed to pull the United States into the war. The novel imagines a new administration installing a brash CIA director skeptical of the cousins across the Atlantic, agents on both sides beginning to die, and a thriller that turns into a mole hunt. He is rude about MI6 throughout, which his British friends appear to enjoy — his theory being that Brits are self-deprecating enough to relish being picked on.•       Classified Journalism. He joined the CIA in 2006 as an undergraduate intern and left in 2014, working almost the whole time on Syria. His description of the job is the best short account of intelligence analysis you will hear: it is classified journalism. You have a question your consumer needs answered — and when your consumer is the president and the question is how long Assad can hold on, the sourcing is satellite imagery, stolen documents, intercepted calls and texts, all of it fragmentary and some of it more credible than the rest. You stitch together the what, the why and the so what, and you write it up clean and apolitical so someone can decide something. Everything he publishes now, from a novel to a résumé, still goes to the agency's publication review board — though he argues the genuinely sensitive material would make for bad fiction anyway. Afterwards came McKinsey, where the work was pricing concrete pipe and clearing a rail bottleneck through Chicago, and where he was, as far as he knows, the only McCloskey.•       Artemis Aphrodite Procter. The character began with a real colleague — short, dark curly hair, not physically imposing but with a genuine physicality, and possessed of what he calls a mix of mirth and menace: someone you can drink and gamble with who will terrify you two days later. Then, as good characters do, she started speaking for herself. Her biography is a small comic masterpiece: named by a father obsessed with Greek mythology, raised outside Kissimmee in central Florida on the family business, the nation's third largest alligator-themed amusement park, called Gatorville; university in Ohio; a first husband who didn't work out; an application to the agency made more or less on a whim. Not upper class, not really middle class, and it shows in how she dresses, eats and speaks to people — which is exactly why putting her in London was irresistible. One character calls her a competent extremist. The running question across the books, he says, is what it means to be loyal to a place that is not loyal to you.•       Can a Man Write Her? AK put the objection directly: some literary thought police would say a male former CIA officer has no business inventing a female one. Two answers. First, the same logic throws out Anna Karenina, and he would rather part company than follow it. Second, and more interestingly, he thinks the objection misunderstands what novelists do: you are not inhabiting a character's skin, you are hearing a voice and putting it on the page. His analogy is a reporter interviewing WNBA players — not sharing their background means more work, more research, more time with the subject, not a prohibition. On whether women make different spies he declines the generalization, while noting a real asymmetry: his analytical teams at the agency were at least half women, often majority, while the case officer cadre and the upper rungs of the Directorate of Operations remain heavily male. Which leaves the question he finds genuinely interesting about Procter — how much of her was always there, and how much the organization made.•       No Smiley Without Philby. On traitors, he separates the fiction from the trade. In literature they are everything, and Philby above all — not only because he turned an institution inside out but because his betrayal said something deep about the British class system that still resonates. Hence the line of the hour: you probably don't have George Smiley without Kim Philby, le Carré having essentially novelized the wound. (AK's reversal: perhaps you don't have Philby, in the public mind, without Smiley.) Inside the actual bureaucracies, though, nobody is wrestling with those ghosts day to day. And on Britain's place in all this, he refuses AK's harsher framing — a subtext to a subtext — while conceding the structural reality: the agency is much larger and much richer, and when it wants to do somet...

This week on Shat the Movies, we're going rogue with Licence to Kill (1989), the Bond movie where 007 forgets about saving the world and makes things very personal. Timothy Dalton's Bond quits MI6 and goes after drug lord Franz Sanchez, giving us revenge, exploding tankers, questionable undercover decisions, and one seriously pissed off James Bond. Gene and Big D break down Dalton's darker take on the character and whether this stripped down Bond adventure was ahead of its time. Does Licence to Kill deserve another look, or was this just too much Bond for 1989? Tune in and find out. Full movie info below: Licence to Kill (1989) is a James Bond film directed by John Glen and stars Timothy Dalton, Carey Lowell, Robert Davi, Talisa Soto, Anthony Zerbe, and a young Benicio del Toro. After drug lord Franz Sanchez brutally attacks Felix Leiter, Bond ignores orders and sets out for revenge, infiltrating Sanchez's organization from within. The film marked Dalton's second and final appearance as James Bond and took the series in a darker, more violent direction years before the franchise would revisit a similar approach with Daniel Craig. Subscribe Now Android: https://www.shatpod.com/android Apple/iTunes: https://www.shatpod.com/apple Help Support the Podcast Contact Us: https://www.shatpod.com/contact Commission Movie: https://www.shatpod.com/support Support with Paypal: https://www.shatpod.com/paypal Support With Venmo: https://www.shatpod.com/venmo Shop Merchandise: https://www.shatpod.com/shop Theme Song - Die Hard by Guyz Nite: https://www.facebook.com/guyznite

What if the CIA and MI6 began spying on each other? This is the question that David McCloskey, the former CIA analyst and co-host of the Rest is Classified, discusses on this episode with Carl Miller.  Together, they examine what would happen if the ‘special relationship' between the Agency and its British counterpart were to be purposefully disrupted. From a potential technological revolution upending intelligence tradecraft to navigating a new environment where old friends become adversaries, McCloskey and Miller discuss the scenarios that inspired the former's latest thriller, London Station.  David McCloskey is the Sunday Times-bestselling author of The Persian, The Seventh Floor, Moscow X, and Damascus Station. He is co-host of the podcast The Rest is Classified. David is a former CIA analyst and former consultant at McKinsey & Company. Carl Miller is a Senior Fellow at Demos and founder of the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media (CASM). He is the co-writer and host of the investigative podcast Kill List and is the author of The Death of the Gods: the New Global Power Grab. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Informant Paul Clark is set as the bait in an MI6 trap.Keep up with the latest Gabby Lane news on her website ⁠www.gabbylanespy.com⁠

Understanding British Secret Intelligence with Dr. M Hanif Majothi (Part 3)      Black Spy Podcast number 266 Season 27, Episode 0004   THE BLACK SPY PODCAST — SPECIAL THREE-PART SERIES Who really created Britain's secret intelligence system? In this compelling three-part series, Carlton King is joined by Dr. Mohamed Hanif Majothi to examine the origins of one of the least understood — yet most important — institutions in British national security: Metropolitan Police Special Branch. The conventional history places its creation in 1883. Dr. Majothi challenges that accepted date, arguing that 1887, when funding was provided for the organisation, is the more meaningful starting point. But the discussion goes much further than dates. Carlton and Dr. Majothi trace the extraordinary chain of development from Special Branch to MI5, MI6 and ultimately the wider intelligence architecture incorporating military intelligence and GCHQ — examining how these organisations evolved, overlapped and operated alongside one another. And there is a crucial question at the heart of the series: Why is the police role in British secret intelligence so rarely acknowledged today? Special Branch was not simply another police department. For generations, it sat at the intersection of policing, intelligence, counter-subversion, terrorism and national security, investigating and monitoring organisations and individuals considered threats to the British state. From the late 19th century, through the First World War and beyond, Carlton and Dr. Majothi explore how those early intelligence practices helped shape the organisations that followed — and how Special Branch personnel and expertise contributed to the development of Britain's emerging intelligence services. The story also reaches far beyond Britain. At the height of the British Empire, Britain possessed an extraordinary global reach, giving its intelligence and security organisations an international dimension unlike almost any other system of the period. The series considers how the British model developed — and how it differed from systems emerging in countries such as France and, later, the United States. Finally, the discussion brings the story into the 21st century, examining what happened when Metropolitan Police Special Branch disappeared in 2006 and only some of its functions were poorly absorbed into the modern Counter Terrorism Command, albeit this later history will be looked more closely in future episodes. Was something more than a name changed? Has the policing contribution to Britain's secret intelligence history effectively disappeared from public consciousness? And what does that mean for the way we understand Britain's national security machine today? So listen now to The Black Spy Podcast to be educated in a manner that the mainstream media is failing to do so. If you wish to discuss this episode or any other with Carlton, or other regular members of the Black Spy Podcast team, feel free to do so. And please don't forget to subscribe in order to never miss another episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Dr Rachel Taylor go to Substack account To contact Carlton King utilise any of the following: Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's latest biographical memoir: Seeking Jerry The Untold Story Of Scotland Yard's Secret Mission To Baghdad, During The 2003 US Led Invasion Of Iraq Go to Amazon:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/SEEKING-JERRY-Scotland-mission-invasion/dp/B0H9CJ21XC/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0#detailBullets_feature_div   ISBN-13           979-8196219863 To read Carlton's full autobiography: "Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent" Click the link below: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/BO1MTV2GDF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_WNZ5MT89T9C14CB53651  If you are interested to know about the Male Menopause or fear you or a loved one is suffering for unknown reasons please consider reading Dr Rachel's & Carlton's book on the how the Menopause effects men - search Amazon Books for:  The Male Menopause - The Hidden Crisis  (ASIN: B0G5M78PSZ)  

If I say "British spy," you picture a man: James Bond, George Smiley, Kim Philby. And the one woman most people can name from that world is fictional — Miss Moneypenny, sitting outside M's office, quietly in love with 007. But Miss Moneypenny was real, or at least the woman who inspired her was. Her name was Kathleen Pettigrew, personal assistant to three consecutive chiefs of MI6, and every secret in the wartime service passed across her desk. When someone asked whether she'd been the real Moneypenny, she replied: "I was Miss Moneypenny, but with more power." In this episode, Jonathan Thomas is joined by Dr. Claire Hubbard-Hall, historian of secret intelligence, honorary associate professor of intelligence history, and author of Secret Servants of the Crown: The Forgotten Women of British Intelligence (published in the UK as Her Secret Service). Claire explains how she found the pencil-crossed "Miss Pettaval" in Fleming's first draft of Casino Royale; how Pettigrew and one colleague received every decrypted Enigma message sent from Bletchley Park to MI6; why the word "secretary" was a perfect cover for agent running, code work and courier duty; and how she tracked down women trained to leave no trace — reading margin notes and paper chits, then turning family historian and writing some 200 letters to surviving relatives. Plus: Rita Windsor, the MI6 officer in wartime Lisbon who got July Plot survivor Otto John out of Europe; the post-war "travel agency" she ran with Ina Molesworth; an incendiary briefcase carried by train to Bletchley Park and blown up on the lawn; the long zigzag road to the first female heads of MI5, GCHQ and MI6; and why Slow Horses gets it right. Links The Book Secret Servants of the Crown — Amazon US Secret Servants of the Crown — Penguin Random House Secret Servants of the Crown — Barnes & Noble Secret Servants of the Crown — Blackwell's Her Secret Service — UK Edition — Amazon UK US edition published by Citadel (Kensington). ISBN 9780806543710. Published in the UK as Her Secret Service: The Forgotten Women of British Intelligence. Claire Hubbard-Hall Claire on Instagram — @thespyhistorian Claire on the Spybrary Podcast Places to Visit Bletchley Park The National Archives, Kew — Intelligence Records Imperial War Museum — Oral History Collections Mentioned in the Episode MI6: The History of the Secret Intelligence Service 1909–1949 by Keith Jeffery Casino Royale by Ian Fleming Slow Horses — Apple TV+ Related Anglotopia Episodes Mark Dunton & Dr. Stephen Twigge on The MI5 Archive: Official Secrets Dr. Chris Smith on the Cambridge Five and The Last Cambridge Spy Friends of Anglotopia Club Takeaways Kathleen Pettigrew served MI6 from the late 1920s to the 1950s as personal assistant to three consecutive chiefs. In Ian Fleming's first draft of Casino Royale, the character we know as Miss Moneypenny was originally called "Miss Pettaval" — crossed out in pencil and renamed. Fleming, a wartime naval intelligence officer, would have walked past Pettigrew's desk outside Stewart Menzies's office at 54 Broadway. Pettigrew's power was real. She helped set up MI6's communications team at Bletchley Park in 1939, and back at headquarters she and a colleague, Miss Jones, personally received every decrypted Enigma message passed from Bletchley to MI6 — the gatekeeper deciding where intelligence went. She also accompanied Menzies to Churchill's famous late-night meetings to take notes. She came from nothing like Moneypenny's polished upper-class background. Born in industrial East Bermondsey to a seal fur dresser, she grew up in a two-room flat above her parents' shop off the Strand. Technical college, secretarial training and elocution lessons got her into Special Branch in the First World War — and from there, "through the looking glass." Career women like Pettigrew paid a steep price. Marriage bars meant choosing the job meant giving up marriage and children. MI5 dropped its marriage bar shortly after the Second World War; the Foreign Office and MI6 kept theirs until the early 1970s. "Secretary" was the perfect cover. Behind the job title, women translated, encrypted and decrypted, ran agents, acted as agents and couriers, made secret inks, and produced photography for fake passes and disinformation. Women were there from the very beginning — MI6 employed its first female agent in 1909, the year it was founded. Popular culture — and especially the endlessly retold, heavily sexualized Mata Hari legend — typecast women in espionage as seductresses and "Bond girls," which helped erase the women doing the real work. Claire notes that the effort to write them back in has gathered real momentum over the past decade. Researching women trained to leave no trace meant thinking like a counterintelligence officer. Because women created and handled the files rather than making the decisions recorded in them, Claire looked past the content to margin notes, pencilled initials and paper chits — then worked like a family historian, using wills, genealogy, the electoral roll and around 200 handwritten letters to surviving relatives, most of whom had no idea. Rita Windsor, stationed at MI6's Lisbon station in neutral Portugal, organized agent infiltrations, exfiltrations and defections. When Britain broke off contact with German resistance contact Otto John before D-Day, and the July 1944 plot against Hitler then failed, it was Windsor who got him out through Portugal and Spain to Britain. John dedicated his memoir to her. After the war, Windsor and her colleague Ina Molesworth set up a high-end travel agency, International Services, taking small groups of well-connected travelers to Afghanistan, Moscow and — one of the first agencies allowed in — China. Claire's research makes clear it was an MI6 cover. The details are in the book. The road from Kathleen Pettigrew to the first female heads of Britain's intelligence services was anything but straight: Jane Sissmore became MI5's first female officer in 1929; Millicent Bagot became deputy director in the 1950s; Stella Rimington became the first female director general of MI5 in 1992; Anne Keast-Butler became the first female director of GCHQ in 2023; and Blaise Metreweli became the first female chief of MI6 in 2025. Soundbites "I was Miss Moneypenny, but with more power." — Kathleen Pettigrew, as quoted in Jonathan's introduction. "These women in the book have absolutely fantastic names, written for spy stories." — Claire on her cast of characters. "Let's not forget, these women were trained to evade everybody — even the historian coming later in the twenty-first century." — Claire on the challenge of researching MI6 women. "The first draft of that first Bond novel — the woman we now know as Miss Moneypenny was actually given a different name to start off with: Miss Pettaval. And you can instantly see the similarities between Pettaval and Pettigrew." — Claire on the discovery that clinched it. "All of the decrypted German Enigma messages coming out of Bletchley Park had to pass through MI6. MI6 was the gatekeeper, essentially. And the two women that received them were Miss Pettigrew and Miss Jones." — Claire on the true scale of Pettigrew's role. "Secretary was this wonderful catch-all phrase that women in the Secret Services could use as cover, as camouflage. It was perfect, because nobody would suspect that they were doing anything different." — Claire on the job title that hid everything. "I did transform into a counterintelligence officer myself, in terms of the methodologies I had to adopt to try and get at these women." — Claire on her research method. "I probably sent out two hundred letters over the course of the project to family and relatives, and most of them wrote back — because they had no idea that Great Aunt Ethel had worked in any capacity within that clandestine world." — Claire on turning family historian. "The guy walked to the very edge of the lake, popped the briefcase down — and what do you think happened to the briefcase then? It blew up. It was an incendiary device, and a very unstable one. Can you imagine that going off on the train?" — Claire on Lois Hamilton and MI6's Section D at Bletchley Park. "When you take these historical moments, they are absolutely fantastic — hooray. But what we now need to see is that change continues, and that we actually see more female heads. Not with another massive gap before another woman is appointed." — Claire on the first female chiefs of Britain's intelligence services. Chapters 00:21 Introduction — Miss Moneypenny was real, and the women written out of the spy story 01:28 Meet Dr. Claire Hubbard-Hall — Secret Servants of the Crown 01:46 KATHLEEN PETTIGREW — Why the book opens with her 02:18 The Hardest Women to Research — MI6 has never released its archive 03:25 Keith Jeffery's Official History — Scouring it for breadcrumbs 04:01 Two Mentions — And years spent excavating one woman 05:08 What Secrets Passed Her Desk? — The Second World War and the Cambridge Five 05:39 Waiting for the Next Bond — And the case for a ginger 007 05:59 THE MONEYPENNY DISCOVERY — "Miss Pettaval" in the first draft of Casino Royale 06:53 Fleming, 54 Broadway, and the Desk Outside Menzies's Office 07:46 HOW MUCH POWER DID SHE HAVE? 08:11 Bletchley Park Began as an MI6 Operation 08:52 Setting Up MI6 Communications in the Mansion 10:09 Back at Broadway — Personal assistant to Stewart Menzies 10:36 Every Enigma Decrypt — Pettigrew and Miss Jones as MI6's gatekeepers 12:22 Late Nights With Churchill — Taking notes for the chief 13:23 WHAT IT COST THEM — Career women and the marriage bar 14:04 When the Marriage Bars Finally Fell — MI5 after the war, MI6 not until the 1970s 15:05 Going Against the Social Norms 16:04 Not Lois Maxwell — The real Moneypenny's humble origins 17:10 East Bermondsey, a Seal Fur Dresser, and a Shop off the Strand 18:48 Secretarial College, Elocution, and Special Branch in the First World War 19:48 "Through the Looking Glass" — Into the secret world 19:55 THE WORD "SECRETARY" — The perfect cover 20:45 What They Actually Did — Translation, encryption, agent running, couriers, secret inks 21:45 Labour Shortages and Liberation — Opportunity in two world wars 22:44 WOMEN WERE THERE FROM THE START — MI6's first female agent in 1909 23:11 Why They Were Forgotten — Popular culture, Bond, and bikinis 24:28 The Mata Hari Problem — How one sexualized legend infected everything 25:59 Writing Them Back In — A decade of recovering forgotten women 27:04 The Perfect Cover — Jonathan's theory 27:20 HOW DO YOU RESEARCH WOMEN TRAINED TO LEAVE NO TRACE? 27:43 Becoming a Counterintelligence Officer 29:03 The Women Created the Files — Reading past the content 30:10 Margin Notes, Pencil Initials and Paper Chits 31:33 Turning Family Historian — Genealogy, wills and the electoral roll 32:19 Kathleen's Parrots — A love of birds that began in a Strand pub window 33:06 Did the Parrot Have Security Clearance? 33:25 Two Hundred Letters — And families who had no idea 35:12 THE WOMEN WHO CHANGED OUTCOMES 35:40 Rita Windsor and Ina Molesworth — MI6's duo, late 1920s to early 1970s 36:35 Rita Windsor in Lisbon — Infiltrations, exfiltrations and defectors 37:28 Otto John and the German Resistance 38:34 Britain Breaks Off Contact — And the plot goes ahead without them 39:18 The July Plot Fails — And Rita Windsor gets Otto John out 40:00 "He Owed His Life to Miss Rita Windsor" — The memoir dedication 40:56 Ina Molesworth — German specialist, and Rita's lifelong friend 42:16 THE POST-WAR TRAVEL AGENCY — Afghanistan, Moscow, China, and an MI6 cover 43:52 What Did MI6 Think of the Book? — A signed copy for the former chief 45:07 The Official Secrets Act — Why these women would never have talked 46:04 BLETCHLEY PARK BEYOND THE CODEBREAKERS 47:09 Telling the Stories Not Yet Told 47:50 MI6 Women in the Mansion — Runners, German specialists and code makers 49:04 Making Codes, Not Breaking Them 49:32 Section D — The destruction section in the stables 50:41 Lois Hamilton's Briefcase — Carried by train, blown up by the lake 52:58 Given the Shove — Section D finds another country house 53:31 FROM PETTIGREW TO STELLA RIMINGTON — Not a straight line 54:21 Jane Sissmore — MI5's first female officer, 1929 54:45 The Second World War — Section heads and agent handlers, without the rank or pay 55:32 Millicent Bagot — First female deputy director of MI5 55:55 Stella Rimington, 1992 — And the rest of the firsts 56:05 Anne Keast-Butler at GCHQ and Blaise Metreweli at MI6 57:04 Firsts Are Fantastic — Now keep it going 57:26 WHERE TO GO — Places for Anglophiles to connect with these stories 57:50 Bletchley Park's Intelligence Factory Exhibition 58:55 Read the Book 59:20 What to Watch — Slow Horses and Catherine Standish 01:00:14 Incompetence in the Intelligence Services — And how it all works out 01:00:30 Wrap-Up — Secret Servants of the Crown, Her Secret Service, and Friends of Anglotopia Video Version

Special Edition Brad Press! Talking all things Aleister Crowley with Bradley. Using Rick Spence's Crowley book Special Agent 666: Aleister Crowley, British Intelligence, and the Occult as a reference, Brad and I cover a lot of interesting material about Crowley with a special focus on his connections to the British establishment, his role as an agent provacateur for British intelligence, and a few of his interesting escapdaes. This was one of my favorite conversations with Brad, and I'm looking forward to part 2.Check out the Substack at hemishpericpress.substack.com to read more of Brad's stuff plus check out some other cool material on there. Follow Bradley Justice on Substack and subscribe to his channel as well. Thank you very much for listening!

Slow Horses Season 6 is off to its sharpest start yet, and Mario Busto and Zachary Newton are already spotting the clues that could reshape everything.From Sid Baker's shocking return to the shadowy web around Frank, MI6, and the slow horses themselves, this conversation turns two episodes into a full-blown theory session you won't want to miss.Mario and Zachary break down why this season feels faster, darker, and more confident right out of the gate, including the arrival of new showrunner Gaby Chiappe and how her influence may be changing the show's pacing. They dig into Jackson Lamb's expanded role, River Cartwright's return to form, Diana Taverner's uneasy new position at the top, and the possibility that the central conspiracy reaches far beyond what we've seen so far.In this episode:    •    Why Sid Baker's reappearance changes everything about the long-game storytelling    •    How the file stolen from the slow horses could connect to the season's real target    •    Why Frank's movements and motives are raising serious questions    •    What Diana Taverner's first desk promotion means for the balance of power at MI6    •    Why Jackson Lamb, River, and the rest of Slough House feel more dangerous than everThe episode also gets into the show's biggest strengths: the way it keeps paying off old threads, the comic edge that makes the espionage sharper, and the constant question of who is actually pulling the strings.If you've been wondering whether Season 6 is setting up a one-season mystery or something much bigger, this discussion has plenty to chew on without spoiling the ride.Perfect for Slow Horses fans, spy-thriller obsessives, and anyone who loves a show that rewards close attention. Mario and Zachary leave you with just enough to keep theorizing, then make sure you're ready for whatever comes next.

Alerte générale ! Pompon est en forme olympique en cette rentrée du rock'n'roll et nous gâte avec un podcast de presque 3 h. Des riffs bruts de décoffrage, saupoudrés des plus belles poésies sataniques. Grand écart entre le crust punk le plus radical et la pop néo-yéyé la plus malicieuse : il y en a pour toutes les oreilles ! Avec, comme plat de résistance, un focus sur les Slovenians, puissant combo punk hardcore bruxellois. Bref, chaque note est un régal. À vos distos !Dans cet épisode : Coup Dur, Slovenians, Duflan Duflan, Baya Computer, Satanic Witch, Hiatus, Black Bleeding, Fucked Up Minds, Monolithe Noir, Radiator Pirelmans, Des Yeux, Der Mord, Big Fat Lukum, Bulldozer And The Machine Guns, Hybrid Viscery, Mucus, Bleedskin, Let It Kill You, The Black Tartan Clan, Skarbone 14, Baiki, Torniole, Monseigneur, Le Prince Harry, Nau Ponix, Crack Park, Fervents, MI6, Jezus Eik, Ghinzu, Jeronimo, Front 242.Présentation & programmation : Jacques de PierpontRéalisation, prise de son, montage, mix & mastering : Maxime Wathieu Production & édition : Freaksville PublishingAvec le soutien de Playright+ et de la Fédération Wallonie Bruxelles 

What if the CIA and MI6 stopped behaving like allies—and started spying on each other? David McCloskey joins Tim Shipman to discuss London Station, his fifth spy novel, and the real intelligence relationship behind its central premise. McCloskey explains why the CIA–SIS "Special Relationship" can sometimes resemble a dysfunctional marriage, what the CIA Chief of Station in London actually does, and how conversations with former American and British intelligence officers shaped the book. He also introduces the wonderfully British intelligence concept of "deep chat"—those unofficial conversations where trusted allies may share rather more than appears in the official cables. There's plenty for Artemis Procter fans too. David discusses her move to London, why she is spectacularly ill-suited to the diplomatic side of the job, and the changes the character is going through. And then comes one of the episode's best stories: McCloskey reveals what happened when he unexpectedly came face-to-face at CIA headquarters with the former colleague he had in mind when he first created Artemis. Plus: Bobby Jerome, CIA vs MI6 tensions, how McCloskey researched Vauxhall Cross, his direct sequel to Damascus Station, the Artemis TV series, Moscow X on film, and what's coming next. A must-listen for David McCloskey readers, Artemis Procter devotees, and anyone fascinated by the real world behind modern spy fiction.

Sombres, discrets, ambivalents... les héros de John le Carré sont loin de l'image d'Epinal de l'agent secret. Des années 1960, en pleine guerre froide, jusqu'à après sa mort en 2020, l'écrivain britannique a plongé ses lecteurs dans la réalité du métier d'espion. Un réalisme qu'il tire de sa propre expérience, lui-même ayant été agent du MI5 et du MI6 à la fin des années 1950. Et ce regard sur la géopolitique et le renseignement n'a pas fasciné que ses lecteurs : il a aussi inspiré les espions du monde entier. Cette semaine, dans "Nid d'espions”, Charlotte Baris et Etienne Girard, directeur adjoint de la rédaction de L'Express et spécialiste des questions d'espionnage, décryptent la plume influente de John le Carré. “Nid d'espions” est un podcast de L'Express, consacré au renseignement, et au rôle majeur des espions dans les moments clés de l'Histoire. Retrouvez tous les détails de l'épisode ici et abonnez vous à L'Express Podcasts Cet épisode a été écrit par Charlotte Baris, monté et réalisé par Jules Krot. Pour nous écrire : podcast@lexpress.fr Crédits : INA, CSPAN, L'espion qui venait du froid (Salem Films Limited)Musique et habillage : Emmanuel Herschon / Studio Torrent Visuel : Alice Lagarde Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

“They're making sure you got every dumb detail of that first movie” - Andrew on the opening flashbackOn this week's show, we're chatting about the second entry in the massively successful sci-fi horror franchise, Resident Evil: Apocalypse! How janky is the CGI on those Licker monsters in the church? How hard is it to say ‘Raccoon City' with a straight face? Shouldn't the Raccoon City News be hosted by cute, little raccoons? How many people remembered the story from the first game? And could Nemesis have pulled it off working for MI6? PLUS: The season 17 start of the VHS Trailer Game! Resident Evil: Apocalypse stars Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory, Oded Fehr, Thomas Kretschmann, Sophie Vavasseur, Raz Adoti, Mike Epps, Sandrine Holt, Matthew G. Taylor, Zack Ward, Iain Glen, and Jared Harris as Dr. Ashford; directed by Alexander Witt.This episode is brought to you in part by HIMs weight loss. Visit hims.com slash WHM to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you. That's H-I-M-S dot com slash WHM! Hims.com slash WHM!This episode is sponsored by Rocket Money! Let Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster. Join at RocketMoney dot com slash WHM! That's RocketMoney dot com slash WHM. Be sure to visit the WHM Merch shop over on Dashery and check out all the latest show-related designs you can slap on t-shirts, hats, coffee mugs, stickers, whatever! Make your friends jealous by flaunting some WHM merch today!Original cover art by Felipe Sobreiro.

Luke and Jae head to the world of 007 to revisit Casino Royale, the twenty first James Bond film from Eon Productions and the first to star Daniel Craig as the iconic MI6 agent. We break down Martin Campbell's franchise reboot, Craig's debut as Bond, Eva Green's unforgettable Vesper Lynd, Mads Mikkelsen's Le Chiffre and one of the series' most memorable poker games.

Understanding British Secret Intelligence with Dr. M Hanif Majothi (Part 2)      Black Spy Podcast number 265 Season 27, Episode 0003   THE BLACK SPY PODCAST — SPECIAL THREE-PART SERIES Who really created Britain's secret intelligence system? In this compelling three-part series, Carlton King is joined by Dr. Mohamed Hanif Majothi to examine the origins of one of the least understood — yet most important — institutions in British national security: Metropolitan Police Special Branch. The conventional history places its creation in 1883. Dr. Majothi challenges that accepted date, arguing that 1887, when funding was provided for the organisation, is the more meaningful starting point. But the discussion goes much further than dates. Carlton and Dr. Majothi trace the extraordinary chain of development from Special Branch to MI5, MI6 and ultimately the wider intelligence architecture incorporating military intelligence and GCHQ — examining how these organisations evolved, overlapped and operated alongside one another. And there is a crucial question at the heart of the series: Why is the police role in British secret intelligence so rarely acknowledged today? Special Branch was not simply another police department. For generations, it sat at the intersection of policing, intelligence, counter-subversion, terrorism and national security, investigating and monitoring organisations and individuals considered threats to the British state. From the late 19th century, through the First World War and beyond, Carlton and Dr. Majothi explore how those early intelligence practices helped shape the organisations that followed — and how Special Branch personnel and expertise contributed to the development of Britain's emerging intelligence services. The story also reaches far beyond Britain. At the height of the British Empire, Britain possessed an extraordinary global reach, giving its intelligence and security organisations an international dimension unlike almost any other system of the period. The series considers how the British model developed — and how it differed from systems emerging in countries such as France and, later, the United States. Finally, the discussion brings the story into the 21st century, examining what happened when Metropolitan Police Special Branch disappeared in 2006 and only some of its functions were poorly absorbed into the modern Counter Terrorism Command, albeit this later history will be looked more closely in future episodes. Was something more than a name changed? Has the policing contribution to Britain's secret intelligence history effectively disappeared from public consciousness? And what does that mean for the way we understand Britain's national security machine today? So listen now to The Black Spy Podcast to be educated in a manner that the mainstream media is failing to do so. If you wish to discuss this episode or any other with Carlton, or other regular members of the Black Spy Podcast team, feel free to do so. And please don't forget to subscribe in order to never miss another episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Dr Rachel Taylor go to Substack account To contact Carlton King utilise any of the following: Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's latest biographical memoir: Seeking Jerry The Untold Story Of Scotland Yard's Secret Mission To Baghdad, During The 2003 US Led Invasion Of Iraq Go to Amazon:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/SEEKING-JERRY-Scotland-mission-invasion/dp/B0H9CJ21XC/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0#detailBullets_feature_div   ISBN-13           979-8196219863 To read Carlton's full autobiography: "Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent" Click the link below: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/BO1MTV2GDF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_WNZ5MT89T9C14CB53651  If you are interested to know about the Male Menopause or fear you or a loved one is suffering for unknown reasons please consider reading Dr Rachel's & Carlton's book on the how the Menopause effects men - search Amazon Books for:  The Male Menopause - The Hidden Crisis  (ASIN: B0G5M78PSZ)  

Beginning in 1949, officially non-aligned Sweden did something it kept secret for half a century: in close cooperation with the CIA and MI6, it built a clandestine civilian resistance network meant to outlast a Soviet occupation and fight on from within. Its members were ordinary people, farmers, salesmen, gamekeepers, organized into cells that never met. In this episode, Matt talks with Johan Wennström of the Swedish Defence University, whose book The Stay Behinds: Sweden's Cold War Guardians is the first in-depth English account of the network — the tradecraft, the human cost, and why it suddenly speaks to a Europe at war and a Sweden newly inside NATO during the alliance's most uncertain moment in a generation. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs. Order The Stay Behinds: https://www.ospreypublishing.com/us/stay-behinds-9781472877567/ Read Johan's Substack, "Our Man in Stockholm": https://johanwennstrom.substack.com/ Follow Johan on X: https://x.com/johanwennstrom Please share this episode using these links Apple Podcasts: shorturl.at/4ur9F Spotify: shorturl.at/Gocxr Amazon Music: shorturl.at/nDfVJ YouTube: shorturl.at/gnCNV Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: https://www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/secretsandspies Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com Connect with us on social media Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social X/Twitter: https://x.com/SecretsAndSpies Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social https://bsky.app/profile/mattfulton.net Secrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD: https://filmsandpodcasts.co.uk/ Music by Andrew R. Bird Photo by Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP, Johan Wennström Secrets and Spies sits at the intersection of intelligence, covert action, real-world espionage, and broader geopolitics in a way that is digestible but serious. Hosted by filmmaker Chris Carr and writer Matt Fulton, each episode examines the very topics that real intelligence officers and analysts consider on a daily basis through the lens of global events and geopolitics, featuring expert insights from former spies, authors, and journalists. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Lo que más puede gozar un adicto a las series es que lo sorprendan; que parezca que se va a ir por un lado y se vaya por otro completamente diferente. + Según Juan Luis Álvarez, eso es precisamente lo que le ocurre en Secret Service, El caballero de los siete reinos y DTF Sant Louis. DTF Sant Louis (EEUU, 2026)(Temporada 1, 5 episodios, HBO) Tres adultos de mediana edad atrapados en matrimonios rutinarios que, al descubrir una app para encuentros casuales, desencadenan un triángulo amoroso que se vuelve cada vez más caótico hasta desembocar en la muerte de uno de ellos; desde ahí, la historia avanza entre flashbacks, secretos y una investigación policial que revela cómo la búsqueda de deseo y escape puede destruir vidas aparentemente normales. Es especialmente interesante su estructura no lineal que reconstruye la historia desde la muerte inicial, y la presencia de objetos aparentemente absurdos -como una lata de Bloody Mary o una página de Playgirl arañada- que funcionan como pistas narrativas dentro de la investigación. Lo mejor: Lo bien que lleva ser una serie de autor, sin que eso le robe un segundo al entretenimiento. Lo bien que combina humor negro, misterio y su tesis sobre relaciones personales contemporáneas. Lo peor: No es apta para paladares muy conservadores. Tráiler El caballero de los siete reinos (EEUU-Gran Bretaña, 2025) (Temporada 1, 6 episodios, HBO) Sir Duncan el Alto, un caballero errante de origen humilde, y Egg, un niño que se convierte en su escudero y cuya identidad conecta directamente con la dinastía Targaryen; son los protagonistas. Juntos recorren Poniente un siglo antes de Juego de tronos, enfrentándose a torneos, disputas locales y dilemas morales que revelan cómo el poder afecta a la gente común, todo narrado con un tono más íntimo y terrenal que el de la saga principal. Lo mejor: su tono honesto y cercano, la química entre Dunk y Egg, y la manera en que muestra el impacto de la nobleza sobre la vida cotidiana. Su original humor. Lo peor: que algunos espectadores, atraídos por la potencia de la franquicia, la encuentren simple y poco espectacular. Tráiler Secret Service (Gran Bretaña, 20261) (Temporada 1, 5 episodios, Movistar) La serie sigue a la jefa de la Casa Rusia en el MI6, que descubre indicios de que un alto político británico podría ser un agente ruso; mientras intenta confirmar la traición, un asesinato sacude la investigación y la obliga a moverse entre Malta, Londres y Moscú, enfrentándose a la posibilidad de que el enemigo esté dentro de su propio equipo y a la amenaza directa sobre su familia. Lo mejor: la interpretación de Gemma Arterton, la tensión sostenida, el enfoque realista sobre la inteligencia británica y la mezcla de espionaje con drama familiar. Lo peor: Lo corta que se hace. Trailer

Vladimir Kuzichkin may have changed the course of the Cold War – and it was all down to a very personal problem. The KGB agent was stationed in Tehran in 1981, less than two years after the Iranian Revolution, when he made the decision to defect to the British. Known to MI6 as “Redwood”, Kuzichkin demanded that the secret service smuggle him out of Iran in exchange for his secrets. But what intel did he provide MI6 and the CIA that was so explosive? And why was he so desperate to escape? Pre-eminent chronicler of espionage Ben Macintyre joins Alex von Tunzelmann to reveal how the Soviet spy may have saved the world. • Buy Ben's book Redwood: The Untold Story of the Cold War's Most Extraordinary Spy from our affiliate bookshop and you'll help fund the podcast by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too.• Back us on Patreon – www.patreon.com/bunkercastWritten and presented by Alex von Tunzelmann. Producer: James Liddell. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.www.podmasters.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alan Judd talks to SpyMasters about his new spy thriller No. 1 St James Park, John le Carré, W Somerset Maugham, Mansfield Cumming, Christopher Marlowe, Jane Archer and women spies of WWI. No. 1 St James Park: At the height of the First World War, Emily Grey finds herself far away from the action, collating Swiss rubber imports in a hut in the middle of St James' Park. Summoned to MI6's Whitehall headquarters, Emily learns that her talent for languages is needed elsewhere and she is despatched to Bern to debrief Fritz the Ritz, an agent reporting on the wartime activities of German industry. However, when she discovers that Fritz the Ritz may not be all he claims to be, she is led to the door of an import-export dealership in Lausanne and the unassuming couple who run it. Could they really be at the heart of a network that threatens the lives of millions of Allied soldiers? And, if they are, can Emily, and her ever-eager partner Nigel Nisbet, stop them before they go too far? With a matchless flair for historical accuracy, psychological acuity and breathtaking adventure, Judd's latest historical thriller demonstrates once again that he is one of the finest spy novelists writing today and that this series of novels about the origin of MI6 bears comparison with John Le Carre, Patrick O'Brien and Joseph Conrad. Alan Judd is the author of the Charles Thoroughgood series, The Kaiser's Last Kiss, A Fine Madness and his latest series featuring Emily Grey. Recommended Elizabeth Howard The Cazalets, Robert Galbraith, Displacement: Zweig, Roth and Banjamin. Paul Burke is the editor of Aspects of Crime. His first book Spies on Screen will be published on 20 October. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In deze Bright Podcast gaan we het natuurlijk uitgebreid hebben over de iPhone Duo, want Erwin heeft hem als één van de weinige Nederlanders al in handen gehad. Hoe dat bevalt in de praktijk weet Tim al, want die loopt sinds augustus met de Galaxy Z Fold8 rond, met dezelfde verhoudingen. Verder in deze aflevering: SkyShowtime gaat misschien alweer weg, een brandbrief om e-stepjes en twee Europese varianten op machtigeAmerikaanse bedrijven. Sponsors: Misschien niet de eerste plek waar je kijkt als IT’er, maar wel één waar je je sneller thuis voelt dan je denkt. Ontdek waarom op rabobank.jobs/IT Maak samen met Alliander het onmogelijke mogelijk. Werk aan het duurzame energienet van de toekomst. Bekijk jouw mogelijkheden op werkenbij.alliander.com Tips uit deze aflevering: App: Mac Duo. Zodat je op je MacBook dezelfde animatie ziet als op de nieuwe iPhone Duo. Kost 4 dollar. Schoonmaak: Maak je robotstofzuiger schoon! Gadverdamme wat een smerige zooi hoopt zich daar in op. Bewapen je met een oude tandenborstel en een sopje, haal alle vervangbare onderdelen eruit en maak ze schoon. Nu werken wij ook wel aan een intensieve test, dus misschien is hij daardoor wat viezer, maar toch! Serie: Slow Horses seizoen 6 start vandaag op Apple TV. Eén van de beste series op de dienst, rond de MI6-afdeling voor gefaalde spionnen. Aan het hoofd van die dienst staat Jackson Lamb, geweldig gespeeld door Gary Oldman. Vies, onaardig, raar maar stiekem de beste spion van allemaal. De serie is grappig, snel, soms heel bruut en volgens kenners nog best waarheidsgetrouw ook.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In one of Jason Statham's more recent releases -- SHELTER (2026) -- he plays an ex-Marine with a shady past, lying low on a remote Scottish island, trying to live the quiet life. However, after saving a young girl from drowning his cover is soon blown and Bill Nighy's rogue MI6 agents are out for payback. Bloodshed and ninja moves soon follow (obviously!) in what could possibly be described as "Action Statham" meets "Grounded Statham" via LEON. "Statham September" continues on CITIZEN FRAME!  Available from the link below and all the rest.   Enjoy! RicRomanWaugh #JasonStatham #BillNighy

Debora Cahn, the writer behind The Diplomat, Homeland, The West Wing, and Grey's Anatomy, joins Kate McCann and Sir Richard Dearlove to talk about writing political drama in an era when reality keeps outpacing fiction. Debora explains how "spy camp" research trips with real diplomats, spies, and generals shape her scripts, why she resists making her stories too close to current events, and what she learned about the strange double life of foreign service officers: the loneliness of constant relocation, the jockeying for a seat in the room, and the quiet patriotism that keeps them showing up. Sir Richard, a former head of MI6, adds his own view from the other side of the table, including a story about deliberately keeping a British ambassador out of the room in Washington. In this episode: 00:00 Cold Open 02:58 Russia Story Rewritten 04:11 Borgen Inspiration 06:15 Spy Camp Research 08:22 Diplomacy In The Dirt 09:35 Ambassadors Real And Fake 18:39 CIA And Embassy Dynamics 21:24 From West Wing To Diplomat 23:14 No Evil Characters 24:29 MI6 Reality Check 29:59 Demystifying Government Work 31:12 Female President Choice 33:51 Future Of Ambassadors Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and Kate McCann (Political Editor at Times Radio).  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Agent Talgarth tells Miller than MI6 are watching him and he makes a big decision.Keep up with the latest Gabby Lane news on her website ⁠www.gabbylanespy.com⁠

Understanding British Secret Intelligence with Dr. M Hanif Majothi (Part 1)      Black Spy Podcast number 264 Season 27, Episode 0002 THE BLACK SPY PODCAST — SPECIAL THREE-PART SERIES Who really created Britain's secret intelligence system? In this compelling three-part series, Carlton King is joined by Dr. Mohamed Hanif Majothi to examine the origins of one of the least understood — yet most important — institutions in British national security: Metropolitan Police Special Branch. The conventional history places its creation in 1883. Dr. Majothi challenges that accepted date, arguing that 1887, when funding was provided for the organisation, is the more meaningful starting point. But the discussion goes much further than dates. Carlton and Dr. Majothi trace the extraordinary chain of development from Special Branch to MI5, MI6 and ultimately the wider intelligence architecture incorporating military intelligence and GCHQ — examining how these organisations evolved, overlapped and operated alongside one another. And there is a crucial question at the heart of the series: Why is the police role in British secret intelligence so rarely acknowledged today? Special Branch was not simply another police department. For generations, it sat at the intersection of policing, intelligence, counter-subversion, terrorism and national security, investigating and monitoring organisations and individuals considered threats to the British state. From the late 19th century, through the First World War and beyond, Carlton and Dr. Majothi explore how those early intelligence practices helped shape the organisations that followed — and how Special Branch personnel and expertise contributed to the development of Britain's emerging intelligence services. The story also reaches far beyond Britain. At the height of the British Empire, Britain possessed an extraordinary global reach, giving its intelligence and security organisations an international dimension unlike almost any other system of the period. The series considers how the British model developed — and how it differed from systems emerging in countries such as France and, later, the United States. Finally, the discussion brings the story into the 21st century, examining what happened when Metropolitan Police Special Branch disappeared in 2006 and only some of its functions were poorly absorbed into the modern Counter Terrorism Command, albeit this later history will be looked more closely in future episodes. Was something more than a name changed? Has the policing contribution to Britain's secret intelligence history effectively disappeared from public consciousness? And what does that mean for the way we understand Britain's national security machine today? So listen now to The Black Spy Podcast to be educated in a manner that the mainstream media is failing to do so. If you wish to discuss this episode or any other with Carlton, or other regular members of the Black Spy Podcast team, feel free to do so. And please don't forget to subscribe in order to never miss another episode. To contact Firgas Esack of the DAPS Agency go to Linked In To contact Dr Rachel Taylor go to Substack account To contact Carlton King utilise any of the following: Patreon.com/TheBlackSpyPodcast Email: carltonking2003@gmail.com Facebook: The Black Spy Podcast Facebook: Carlton King Author Twitter@Carlton_King Instagram@carltonkingauthor To read Carlton's latest biographical memoir: Seeking Jerry The Untold Story Of Scotland Yard's Secret Mission To Baghdad, During The 2003 US Led Invasion Of Iraq Go to Amazon:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/SEEKING-JERRY-Scotland-mission-invasion/dp/B0H9CJ21XC/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0#detailBullets_feature_div  ISBN-13           979-8196219863 To read Carlton's full autobiography: "Black Ops – The incredible true story of a (Black) British secret agent" Click the link below: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/BO1MTV2GDF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_WNZ5MT89T9C14CB53651  If you are interested to know about the Male Menopause or fear you or a loved one is suffering for unknown reasons please consider reading Dr Rachel's & Carlton's book on the how the Menopause effects men - search Amazon Books for:  The Male Menopause - The Hidden Crisis  (ASIN: B0G5M78PSZ)

For decades, ordinary Swedes secretly prepared for the day Soviet forces might occupy their country. Farmers, factory workers, gamekeepers and travelling salesmen were recruited into a clandestine resistance network, trained to operate radios, use dead drops, scout escape routes and, if necessary, sabotage an invading army. Historian Johan Wennström joins me to reveal the extraordinary story behind Sweden's Stay Behind organisation. He explains why officially neutral Sweden quietly collaborated with MI6, the CIA and NATO, how the organisation preserved its secrecy, and why the royal family and government might have fled to Britain. We hear of mysterious Sunday walks, ammunition delivered to railway stations, aerial “elk surveys” concealing reconnaissance missions and the cyanide capsules for use if an operative was captured. It is a gripping account of patriotism, secrecy and sacrifice—and of hundreds of volunteers who carried the burden of a war that, thankfully, never came to Sweden. Buy the book and support the podcast here https://amzn.to/4gJADz2 Curated episode extras⁠ https://coldwarconversations.com/episode473/ ⁠Swedish Fighter pilot episode https://coldwarconversations.com/episode386/ Help me preserve Cold War history via a simple monthly donation, You'll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, receive a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank-you, and bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, we also welcome one-off tips via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/store/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CONTINUE  THE COLD WAR CONVERSATION o BlueSky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ o Threads ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ o Twitter/X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ o Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ o Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ o Youtube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MI6 and the First World War – The Birth of the Secret StateIn this episode of the Explaining History Podcast, we explore the origins of MI6 – the Secret Intelligence Service – during the First World War, drawing on Keith Jeffery's official history of the organisation.Intelligence history matters, not because of the romantic glamour of espionage, but because of the place secret organisations occupy in the social and political history of the twentieth century. Britain's secret state did not emerge fully formed. It was improvised, contested, and shaped by the crises of global war – and by the personal tragedy of the man who built it.In this episode, we examine the earliest years of the Secret Intelligence Service under Commander Mansfield Cumming – the original "C" of spy fiction fame. When the First World War broke out, the Secret Service was a fledgling organisation, born in a period of anti-German hysteria and fears about spies and infiltration. It had no clear place in the hierarchy of Whitehall. Cumming spent the first months of the war navigating between the War Office, the Admiralty and the Foreign Office – briefing each in turn, seeking approval for spending, and defending his institutional autonomy against successive military attempts to absorb his service.We trace the chaotic, fluid movements of personnel in the opening months of the war, as the pressures of total war moved men around "like counters." We also examine Cumming's own tragedy – a motor accident in France that killed his only son and cost him part of a leg. The story grew, as stories do, into legend: Compton Mackenzie's embellished account of Cumming hacking off his own foot with a penknife to free himself. The reality was more prosaic – but the consequences were not. Cumming's incapacity brought the Secret Service more closely under War Office control and prompted GHQ in France to establish its own independent intelligence service.**Topics covered:**- The origins of MI6 and the Secret Intelligence Service- Mansfield Cumming, the first "C"- The interdepartmental battle for control of intelligence- The War Office, Admiralty and Foreign Office- The chaos and flux of wartime Whitehall- Cumming's motor accident and the death of his son- The growth of the secret state in wartime- The mythology of intelligence work---*Keith Jeffery's official history of MI6 is available from all good bookshops. Please consider buying from an independent retailer.**If you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us – we are migrating from Patreon to Substack. Details in the show notes.*Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For over a century, in a building most of us could not name, an organization known only by its post office box number — PO Box 500, London — has been quietly reading other people's letters, following other people's footsteps, and keeping the realm's most closely guarded secrets. MI5, the British Security Service, was founded in 1909 in the nervous run-up to the First World War under the motto Regnum Defende — Defend the Realm. James Bond and George Smiley are the fictions. This is the real thing. In this episode, Jonathan Thomas is joined by Mark Dunton, Principal Records Specialist at the National Archives and lead curator of their hit MI5: Official Secrets exhibition, and Dr. Stephen Twigge, former Head of Modern Collections at the National Archives and a historian of the Cold War and code breaking. Together they've written The MI5 Archive: Official Secrets, a remarkable visual record drawn from the 6,000 files MI5 has released since 1997. They explain what it actually feels like to hold these documents, how MI5 differs from MI6 and GCHQ, how a secret becomes an archive, and how historians work with a record that is deliberately incomplete. Then come the stories: the German spy hanged by a lemon, the last man executed at the Tower of London, the astonishing Double Cross system that invented 27 fictional agents to deceive Hitler about D-Day, the surveillance transcript that records atomic spy Klaus Fuchs stoking his own fire, the truth about MI5's limited role in the Profumo affair, and the handwritten note authorizing a tap on the King's telephone during the abdication crisis. Links The Book The MI5 Archive: Official Secrets — Thames & Hudson The MI5 Archive: Official Secrets — The National Archives Shop The MI5 Archive: Official Secrets — Thames & Hudson USA The MI5 Archive: Official Secrets — Waterstones The MI5 Archive: Official Secrets — Amazon UK The MI5 Archive: Official Secrets — Amazon USA Published by Thames & Hudson in association with The National Archives. 368 pages. Foreword by Nick Harkaway. ISBN 9780500030455. Our Guests Mark Dunton at The National Archives The National Archives, Kew Related Reading Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies by Ben Macintyre Agent Zigzag by Ben Macintyre Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carré Places Mentioned The Tower of London — Historic Royal Palaces MI5 — Official Website GCHQ — Official Website Bletchley Park Anglotopia Friends of Anglotopia Club Related episode: Dr. Chris Smith on the Cambridge Five and The Last Cambridge Spy Takeaways MI5 has transferred over 6,000 files to the National Archives since 1997, and while most government departments operate under a twenty-year rule, MI5 works to an unofficial fifty-year rule. Strictly speaking they are not obliged to transfer anything at all — they choose to. MI5, MI6 and GCHQ are, as Stephen puts it, "brothers from the same mother." All emerged from the Secret Service Bureau created in 1909, which had a domestic side and a foreign side. The two heads shared an office for about a month before going their separate ways. MI5 catches other people's spies at home; MI6 runs Britain's spies abroad; GCHQ, which began as the Government Code and Cypher School under MI6, provides signals intelligence to both. Unlike the famously fractious CIA/FBI relationship in the US, the British agencies get on reasonably well — largely because they're staffed by lifetime civil servants rather than political appointees, and because people move between them (Dick White ran MI5 and then MI6). Less turf war, less budget anxiety. The exhibition MI5: Official Secrets — which ran April to November 2025 and drew over 55,000 visitors — was the first time MI5 has ever collaborated with another institution to tell its own history. The book contains a great deal that wouldn't fit in the exhibition space. Karl Muller, a First World War German agent, was caught because his invisible ink was lemon juice. Two lemons were found — one in his dressing table drawer wrapped in cotton wool, one in his overcoat pocket. He claimed they were for dental treatment. He was executed at the Tower of London. MI5 then kept writing letters in his name, asked the Germans for more money, received a handsome sum, and bought a staff car with it — which they nicknamed "the Muller." The Treasury told them off for unauthorized expenditure. The car was later stolen from outside MI5 headquarters. Josef Jakobs, parachuted into Huntingdonshire in January 1941, broke his ankle on landing and fired his revolver into the air to summon help. He was found with a German torch containing a German battery, a road map of Great Britain, a forged ID card, and a torn-up cipher wheel. Uncooperative under interrogation at Camp 020, he could not be turned — and became the last man ever executed at the Tower of London. The Double Cross System — officially the Twenty Committee, because XX in Roman numerals is twenty — turned virtually every German agent sent to Britain. MI5 then had to invent entire fictional networks of sub-agents to feed the Germans plausible material. Agent Garbo, a Spanish former chicken farmer who hated both chickens and Nazis, worked with his handler Thomas Harris to create around 27 wholly fictional sub-agents, all reporting on a non-existent army group massing in southeast England. Agent Tate convinced the Germans there was a large minefield south of Ireland. On 1 January 1945 British intelligence intercepted a message to all U-boat commanders warning them to avoid the area. That deception kept the Atlantic convoy route safe and saved countless lives. Tate also misled the Germans about where V1 and V2 rockets were landing, causing them to adjust trajectories so the missiles fell in open countryside rather than urban areas. On the Profumo affair, the files actually deflate the conspiracy theories. Contrary to the widespread impression that Stephen Ward was working for MI5 and was then abandoned by them, the files show MI5's involvement was genuinely limited — Ward met an MI5 officer two or three times, and was warned to be wary of Ivanov, not recruited. Director General Roger Hollis wrote that MI5 didn't get involved in that sort of "call girl racket." Stephen's most striking find is a handwritten note from the Prime Minister's office to the head of the GPO during the abdication crisis, authorizing the monitoring of King Edward VIII's communications at Fort Belvedere — alongside Special Branch maps tracking Wallis Simpson's daily movements. Nobody, it turns out, is above surveillance. Soundbites "You're never sure what's going to come next when you turn the page. You get a letter, and it can be quite mundane at times — how are the kids doing from so and so. And it takes you to places you don't necessarily go to in normal life." — Stephen on reading the files. "You get a very real sense that these were records which were not meant for public consumption. It's a bit like the title of the James Bond film — For Your Eyes Only." — Mark on handling MI5 documents. "MI5 and MI6 are, I suppose, brothers from the same mother. The two heads of those organizations shared an office for about a month and then went their own ways." — Stephen on the origins of British intelligence. "It's the first time that MI5 have ever collaborated with another institution to tell its history in this way." — Mark on the exhibition and the book. "There's this riveting transcript derived from a listening device placed in the home of Klaus Fuchs. And it records him moving about, with little details like 21:07, Fuchs stoked the fire. It gives you an almost voyeuristic feeling that you're looking in on this person's life and listening in with the MI5 listeners." — Mark on the atomic spy surveillance logs. "They asked him, what's this lemon for? And he claimed it was for dental treatment for his teeth. Which didn't necessarily go down well." — Stephen on Karl Muller's defence. "MI5 kept sending letters in his name, and in one of them asked for some money. They received quite a handsome amount, and then they bought a staff car with it, which was then called the Muller. Which, even more embarrassing, was stolen outside MI5 headquarters in the 1920s." — Stephen on the most delightful footnote in MI5's history. "He'd been a chicken farmer before the war, but apparently hated chickens. And he also hated the Nazis. And he had such a fertile imagination — together with his MI5 handler they cooked up about 27 fictional sub-agents." — Mark on Agent Garbo. "You get this bizarre wilderness of mirrors, where the German intelligence authorities think they're doing wonderfully well. They've got all these agents around the country feeding them information — but little do they know it's all bogus." — Stephen on the Double Cross system. "There's a letter that authorizes the tapping of the King's phone, which you wouldn't necessarily imagine to be released. It's a handwritten note from the Prime Minister's office. It's a fascinating idea that no one is above the law — everybody is capable of being monitored." — Stephen on the file that stayed with him. Chapters 00:21 Introduction — PO Box 500, Regnum Defende, and the real thing behind the fiction 01:17 Meet the Guests — Mark Dunton and Dr. Stephen Twigge of the National Archives 01:44 What Does It Feel Like to Hold These Files? 02:56 For Your Eyes Only — Mark on a window into a hidden world 04:13 How the Book and the Exhibition Came About — Approaching MI5, and their surprising response 06:11 The Exhibition — April to November, 55,000 visitors, and why the book holds more 07:04 Where MI5 Fits — MI5, MI6, GCHQ and the Joint Intelligence Committee explained 09:51 Do They Actually Get Along? — Comparing British and American intelligence culture 11:19 PO Box 500 — The anonymous address, and how a secret becomes an archive 12:16 What MI5 Has Been Called — Secret Service Bureau, MO5, Security Service, and Military Intelligence Section 5 13:12 Opening Up in the 1990s — Regular transfers and 6,000 files 14:14 Working with a Deliberately Incomplete Archive — Redactions, gaps, PF numbers and the jigsaw 16:11 The 50-Year Rule — Why MI5 files are often less redacted than other departments' 17:49 Outside the Normal Framework — They're not obliged to transfer anything at all 18:37 Do They Only Release What They Want Us to See? — Mark on the Cambridge Spies 19:04 What Makes a Good Exhibit? — Turning a dry surveillance report into something you can feel 20:06 Klaus Fuchs Stokes the Fire — The listening device transcript that lingers 21:33 THE FATAL LEMON — Karl Muller and the First World War 22:11 An Ill-Trained Agent — Latvia, Antwerp, and a very short course in secret inks 23:37 A.E. Free — Lemon juice, a compromised post box, and a German baker in Deptford 25:12 Caught in Russell Square — Lemons, German clothing, and a story about dental treatment 25:58 Execution at the Tower — And what MI5 did next 26:26 The Muller — Asking the Germans for money, buying a staff car, and getting told off by the Treasury 27:07 Two Lemons — Black, shrivelled, and in the collection 27:33 THE SIEGE OF SIDNEY STREET, 1911 27:55 Refugees, Radicals and the East End — The context for a gunfight 28:53 The Gun Battle — Scots Guards, machine guns, and a building burnt to the ground 30:57 Why It Matters — MI5's shift from military counter-espionage to civilian subversion 32:01 Enter Winston Churchill — The Home Secretary who turned up for the cameras 32:47 JOSEF JAKOBS — THE LAST MAN EXECUTED AT THE TOWER 33:03 A Broken Ankle in Huntingdonshire — And a revolver fired into the air 33:42 Camp 020 at Ham Common — Where the parachuted spies were interrogated 34:06 Who Was He? — A dentist, and an exploitative role in Jewish emigration 34:43 Uncooperative Under Interrogation — Why he couldn't be turned 35:38 Shot by Firing Squad — The last execution at the Tower of London 35:59 The Objects — A German torch with a German battery, a road map, a forged ID and a torn-up cipher wheel 36:40 THE DOUBLE CROSS SYSTEM 36:58 How It Worked — An offer they couldn't refuse, and inventing entire fictional networks 38:38 Chicken Feed and Burning Aerodromes — Making the deception plausible 39:15 A Wilderness of Mirrors — And Operation Fortitude 39:47 Why "Twenty Committee"? — XX in Roman numerals 40:28 Operation Fortitude in Detail — Distracting the Germans from Normandy toward the Pas de Calais 41:44 AGENT GARBO — A Spanish chicken farmer who hated chickens and hated Nazis 42:15 27 Fictional Sub-Agents — And a non-existent US Army group in southeast England 42:51 Agent Treasure and Agent Tate 43:26 The Minefield South of Ireland — The U-boat warning of 1 January 1945 44:32 Saving the Convoy Route — And countless lives 44:36 The V1 and V2 Deception — Redirecting missiles into open countryside 45:04 What Happened to Them Afterwards? — Garbo's shop in South America, an MBE, and Ben Macintyre's research 46:18 THE COLD WAR — How MI5's job changed after 1945 46:38 Atomic Spies at Harwell — And higher stakes after 1949 47:20 From War Footing to Peacetime — Reduced budgets and a new focus on subversion 48:18 The Communist Party of Great Britain — An inordinate amount of attention 48:30 A Shadow War — Intelligence as back channel, and why sex scandals made the front pages 50:05 THE PROFUMO AFFAIR, 1963 50:25 The Cast — John Profumo, Christine Keeler, Stephen Ward and Eugene Ivanov 51:40 What the Files Actually Show — MI5's involvement was limited 52:36 Stephen Ward and the Man Called Woods — Warned about Ivanov, not recruited 53:15 Ward Reported Back Conscientiously — And was not working for MI5 53:52 Roger Hollis on the "Call Girl Racket" — And what the files do to the conspiracy theories 54:54 FICTION AND REALITY — Nick Harkaway's foreword, le Carré and Fleming 55:18 What le Carré Got Right — Moles, lamplighters, honey traps, and a vocabulary that entered common usage 55:53 It's Not James Bond — It's people sitting there watching people and writing down what they did 57:09 The Doris Lessing File — Why she was on MI5's radar, and how rounded these portraits are 57:46 Fleming and Naval Intelligence — Special Operations Executive and the daring-do end of the business 58:29 THE FILE THAT STAYED WITH THEM 58:42 Stephen's Choice: The Abdication Crisis — Tapping the King's phone at Fort Belvedere 59:28 Special Branch and Wallis Simpson — Maps of her daily routine 59:56 Mark's Choice: The Lemon — And a "license to peel" 01:01:04 All the Little Twists and Turns — Why the Karl Muller story is the perfect MI5 story 01:01:34 Wrap-Up — The book, publication details, and Friends of Anglotopia Video Version

Part Two of our two-part series marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11 reunites former leaders of the US and UK intelligence services, both of whom were in high office on September 11, 2001. Former deputy director of the CIA John McLaughlin joins former MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove and co-host Kate McCann to give the insider's perspective on the intelligence world's response to the attacks. McLaughlin details what the CIA knew beforehand, the immediate aftermath inside CIA headquarters, and the rapid attribution to al-Qaeda. He also discusses the power of the US-UK "special relationship," the surge in CIA resources after 9/11, the Bush administration's push toward the Iraq War, the effects of the global war on terror on American civil liberties, and why the war in Ukraine is the single most important geopolitical issue today. In this episode: (00:00) Emotion is a Luxury in Intelligence (01:53) John McLaughlin Introduction (03:03) Pre-9/11 Threats (07:17) Why Was 9/11 A Surprise? (14:13) Considering the "What Ifs" (15:52) M16 Rushes to DC (22:46) CIA on 9/11 (25:12) Post-9/11 Intelligence Overhaul (34:16) Origins of the Iraq Focus (47:17) Legacy of 9/11 in America (57:42) One Decision: Importance of the Ukraine Conflict (01:03:00) Takeaways and Wrap Up Hosted by Sir Richard Dearlove (former MI6 Chief) and co-host Kate McCann (Political Editor at Times Radio). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

War is raging in Ukraine, the Middle East and Sudan, while tensions are rising between China and Taiwan. What is driving this surge in global conflict, how should we respond and where, if anywhere, are the prospects for peace? Gideon is joined by Sir John Sawers, former head of MI6; Tom Tugendhat, the UK's new shadow foreign secretary; and Kim Ghattas, FT contributing editor and author of Black Wave. They discuss how today's conflicts are connected, the risk of further escalation and the importance of ending a war well. This episode is an edited recording of an event organised by FT Weekend Festival. Clip: CBS NewsFree links to read more on this topic:Trump envoys take Ukraine peace proposal to meeting with PutinTrump envoys hold talks with Zelenskyy in Kyiv after meeting Putin in MoscowRussia launches missile strikes against Kyiv as pause in raids endsWhy the US and Iran keep escalatingLebanon warns of ‘dangerous escalation' after Israeli strikesSubscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe.Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Clare Williamson. Sound design is by Breen TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Casino Royale Podcast: Bond Starts OverWelcome to the Casino Royale podcast episode from Movie of the Year: 2006. This week, the Taste Buds sit down at the high-stakes table with Daniel Craig's first mission as 007. Ryan, Mike, and Greg break down why a 53-year-old spy novel became the freshest action movie of 2006. Furthermore, they ask a bigger question. Can a franchise that old truly reinvent itself, or does it just change tuxedos?Casino Royale arrived at a strange moment for Bond. The Pierce Brosnan era had ended with invisible cars and digital tidal waves. Meanwhile, Jason Bourne was proving audiences wanted bruises instead of gadgets. Consequently, the producers went back to the very first Ian Fleming novel and started from zero. The result is a film that still shapes the Movie of the Year conversation about what a reboot should be.About the FilmCasino Royale is the 21st official James Bond film and the first to star Daniel Craig. Martin Campbell directed from a screenplay by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and Paul Haggis. The story adapts Ian Fleming's 1953 debut novel, the only major Fleming book the official series had never filmed.The plot follows a newly promoted Bond as he earns his double-0 status. After a chase through a Madagascar construction site and a bombing attempt in Miami, he tracks the money to Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen). Le Chiffre is a banker for terrorists who has lost his clients' funds. To recover them, he stages a poker tournament at the Casino Royale in Montenegro. MI6 sends Bond to beat him, alongside treasury agent Vesper Lynd (Eva Green). Judi Dench returns as M, and Jeffrey Wright debuts as Felix Leiter.Casino Royale opened in November 2006 and ran 144 minutes, the longest Bond film at that point. Critics embraced it almost immediately. Roger Ebert, catching up on the film in 2007, awarded it four stars and praised its return to visual clarity. Additionally, the film earned a BAFTA nomination for Craig and grossed roughly $600 million worldwide. More details are available on the film's IMDb page.This Casino Royale podcast episode covers all of that history before the debate begins. New to the season? Start with the 2006 season introduction to hear how the Taste Buds set up the year.A New Bond: Daniel Craig Takes the TuxedoThe first topic on this Casino Royale 2006 podcast is the man himself. When Eon announced Daniel Craig in October 2005, the reaction was ugly. Fans launched protest websites over his blond hair and blunt features. Notably, some tabloids reported that he could not drive a manual car. By contrast, the film opened to some of the best reviews in franchise history.The Taste Buds dig into what Craig actually changed. His Bond bleeds, sweats, and makes mistakes. Above all, he seems dangerous in a way that Brosnan's polished agent never did. The black-and-white cold open tells us everything in two minutes. Specifically, we watch Bond earn his first two kills, and one of them is a brutal bathroom fight rather than a clean shot.The episode also asks whether the film is a reboot, a prequel, or something stranger. Judi Dench carries over as M, so the continuity is deliberately loose. Ultimately, the hosts debate whether that looseness helps or hurts. The famous swimwear shot gets its due, too. Craig rising from the ocean flips the Ursula Andress beach moment from Dr. No, and the film knows it.Vesper Lynd and the Bond Girls of Casino RoyaleEva Green's Vesper Lynd is the emotional engine of the film. Consequently, this section of the Casino Royale podcast spends real time on her. Vesper is not a conquest. She is a treasury accountant who matches Bond insult for insult on the train to Montenegro. Moreover, she is the only person in the film who forces him to show weakness.The hosts compare Vesper to the women who came before her. Caterina Murino's Solange fills the more traditional Bond girl role, and the film treats her fate with unusual seriousness. In practice, that contrast is the point. Casino Royale keeps the old glamour but refuses to let it be weightless.The shower scene is the key example. Bond finds Vesper shaking on the bathroom floor after the stairwell fight, still in her evening gown. Rather than seduce her, he sits down in the water beside her. Nevertheless, the film never turns soft. The Venice finale delivers one of the coldest endings in the entire series. Eva Green won the BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2007, and the Taste Buds argue she earned it.Martin Campbell, Parkour, and PokerThe third topic on the Casino Royale podcast is the director. Martin Campbell had already saved Bond once. GoldenEye (1995) launched the Brosnan era after a six-year gap. Therefore, bringing him back in 2006 was a statement of intent. The hosts discuss what a Campbell action scene looks like. His camera holds still. His geography is clear. In addition, his stunts are real, which mattered enormously after Die Another Day.The Madagascar chase is the proof. Sébastien Foucan, one of the founders of parkour and free running, plays the bomber Mollaka. He flows over the construction site like water. Bond, however, just crashes through walls. That difference is characterization through stunt work. As a result, the sequence became the most imitated action scene of the decade.Then there is the poker. Fleming's novel used baccarat, but the film switched to Texas hold'em at the height of the poker boom. Specifically, the producers wanted a game audiences actually understood. The hosts break down how the tournament works as a three-act drama inside the larger movie. Bond loses, gets poisoned, nearly dies in the parking lot, and returns to the table. Meanwhile, the stairwell fight and the poisoning keep the stakes physical. The Aston Martin DBS crash even set a Guinness World Record for cannon rolls.State of the Franchise: Bond in 2006Every season, the Taste Buds step back and check the health of a major series. This time, the Casino Royale 2006 podcast State of the Franchise segment looks at 007 on the eve of Casino Royale. Die Another Day (2002) made money but embarrassed longtime fans. Meanwhile, The Bourne Identity (2002) and Batman Begins (2005) showed that audiences would reward a gritty restart.The hosts trace the corporate side as well. MGM finally secured the rights to the Casino Royale title in 1999 after decades of legal tangles. Furthermore, Sony's purchase of MGM in 2005 brought new studio money and a new marketing push. The segment asks a simple question. In 2006, was Bond a franchise in crisis or a franchise in transition? Notably, the answer shapes how the film should be judged. Listen to the episode to hear where each host lands.For a wider look at how 2006 blockbusters stacked up, revisit the bracket reveal episode.Casino Royale 2006 Podcast TriviaThe Trivia segment puts the hosts' Bond knowledge on the line. Some sample questions from this week:Which actor played James Bond on American television in 1954, in the very first Casino Royale adaptation?Which Czech spa town stood in for Montenegro during production?Which rock frontman recorded the theme song "You Know My Name"?Which luxury villa on Lake Como appears as the recovery clinic near the end of the film?How many Bond films had Martin Campbell directed before Casino Royale?Answers, arguments, and at least one wrong guess are all on the episode. Additionally, the hosts settle an old debate about the 1967 David Niven spoof and whether it counts.Why Casino Royale Still MattersNearly two decades later, Casino Royale remains the template for franchise reinvention. Every studio that has rebooted a hero since has borrowed from it. Specifically, the film proved that audiences will accept a stripped-down origin story if the character still feels dangerous. The Craig era ended with No Time to Die in 2021, and the series has yet to replace him. Consequently, the search for a new Bond keeps sending fans back to this film.It also matters within the 2006 bracket, which is why this Casino Royale podcast episode runs long. Few blockbusters of that year combine craft, star power, and genuine emotion so completely. However, the Taste Buds never hand out free passes. Whether Casino Royale advances or falls is a surprise reserved for the audio. For more from the season, add the 2006 Mixtape to your queue.Related Episodes from Movie of the Year: 2006Enjoyed the Casino Royale podcast? These earlier 2006 episodes set the table.Movie of the Year 2006: Intro Part 1Movies of 2006: Bracket Reveal2006 Mixtape Part I

Why were 400 civilians allowed to fly into a war zone as Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait? What really happened to them when they were held as hostages? And why has the British government fought for so long to keep it all a secret?Stephen Davis is an investigative journalist who has been following a story, within a story, within a story for more than 30 years.It starts on 2 August, 1990 when a British Airways plane landed in Kuwait for a scheduled stopover.There were nearly 400 passengers and crew on board, mostly British, who had no idea they were flying straight into Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait.Instead of refuelling and then carrying on to Madras, the people on board were taken into Iraqi custody, ferried to various hotels and strategic locations around Kuwait, and then Baghdad, deployed as human shields in an unfurling international conflict.Used like chess pieces by Saddam Hussein's men, their experiences would scar them for the rest of their lives, but eventually they would point the finger at their own government's role in their fate.Because Flight 149 should never have landed in Kuwait, and the reasons why it was allowed to fly into a war zone were covered up for more than three decades.Stephen's sources pointed him to a secret British black ops mission that embedded nine operatives on that same civilian flight.The Secret History of Flight 149 is published by Bonnier Books UK.Around 100 passengers and crew of Flight 149 are suing the UK Government and British Airways for “deliberately endangering” them, claiming they knew Iraq had invaded Kuwait before the plane landed.A preliminary hearing was held last November in the High Court in London. Both sides are still battling over procedural issues before a full trial can begin.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores the Middle East, geopolitics, President Bush, Gulf War, Osama Bin Laden, Al Qaeda, invasion, oil, world economy, Margaret Thatcher, spies, MI6, CIA, conspiracies, cover ups, investigations, lawsuits, Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Desert Sabre, Dick Cheney, Saudi Arabia, Republican Guard, modern history, modern conflicts, 9/11, terrorism, rise of terrorism.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

In a thought-provoking episode, the speaker delves into the complexities of the Iranian regime and the reasons behind the Iranian people's reluctance to rise up against it. With a dash of humor and a pinch of skepticism, the speaker shares a personal anecdote about a rotisserie chicken purse bag from Walmart, which serves as a metaphor for the regime's grip on the country.The conversation takes a serious turn as the speaker discusses the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its role in maintaining control over the country. The IRGC is portrayed as a corrupt business empire, with its own interests and motivations that make it difficult for the regime to fall. The speaker also touches on the topic of the Iranian people's anger and frustration, which is palpable but lacks organization and leadership.The speaker highlights the importance of the internet in facilitating communication and organization among the Iranian people, and how its shutdown by the regime prevents the formation of a unified opposition. The conversation also explores the role of foreign intelligence agencies, such as the CIA, Mossad, and MI6, in potentially helping the Iranian people bring down the regime.If you're interested in understanding the intricacies of the Iranian regime and the complexities of its relationship with the Iranian people, this episode is a must-listen. The speaker's unique perspective and expertise provide valuable insights into the situation, and the conversation raises important questions about the role of foreign intervention and the potential for regime change.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

En matière d'espionnage, et notamment dans l'actualité récente, on parle beaucoup de la CIA, du KGB, du Mossad, parfois de la DGSE et du MI6... Mais il y a un service de renseignements que l'on mentionne très peu, et dont on ignore même le nom : le Guoanbu, la principale agence de renseignements de la République populaire de Chine. Cette semaine, dans "Nid d'espions”, Etienne Girard, directeur adjoint de la rédaction de L'Express et spécialiste des questions d'espionnage, reçoit Olivier Mas, ancien agent de la DGSE. Ce spécialiste décrypte les méthodes des espions chinois et analyse les capacités de ce service de renseignement méconnu et certainement sous-estimé. “Nid d'espions” est un podcast de L'Express, consacré au renseignement, et au rôle majeur des espions dans les moments clés de l'Histoire. Retrouvez tous les détails de l'épisode ici et abonnez vous à L'Express Podcasts Cet épisode a été écrit et présenté par Charlotte Baris et Etienne Girard, monté et réalisé par Jules Krot. Pour nous écrire : podcast@lexpress.fr Crédits : TF1 Musique et habillage : Emmanuel Herschon / Studio Torrent Visuel : Alice Lagarde Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

Kim Philby was a high-ranking British intelligence officer who spent decades secretly working for the Soviet Union. As a member of the "Cambridge Five" spy ring, he passed classified information to Moscow while rising through the ranks of MI6, even being considered for its top job. His eventual defection to the USSR in 1963 remains one of the most damaging betrayals in the history of Western intelligence

After Soviet cipher clerk Igor Gouzenko defected in 1945, Canada was shocked by the revelation that its own citizens were engaged in espionage for the Soviet Union. "P.S. Burn after Reading": The Kellock-Taschereau Commission and Soviet Espionage in Canada (University of Toronto Press, 2026) explores how the Canadian government used the controversial Kellock-Taschereau Commission—sometimes judiciously, sometimes not—to uncover and thwart domestic spies during the early days of the Cold War. Drawing on a wealth of sources, including the Commission's extensive records, GRU documents turned over by Gouzenko, American Venona decrypts, Soviet KGB archives, and newly released British MI5 and MI6 files, authors Dr. Reinhold Kramer and Dr. Tom Mitchell provide a comprehensive account of the crisis. They reveal that, despite some civil liberties missteps, the government's suspicions were largely justified. The book weaves together the evidence against the spies, the tradecraft of Soviet espionage, complex legal challenges faced by the state, and the political fallout. With access to hundreds of newly released British intelligence files, P.S. Burn After Reading offers both specialists and general readers fresh insights into the espionage crisis of 1945–46 and the pivotal role it played in exposing Canada's postwar security and intelligence vulnerabilities. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

After Soviet cipher clerk Igor Gouzenko defected in 1945, Canada was shocked by the revelation that its own citizens were engaged in espionage for the Soviet Union. "P.S. Burn after Reading": The Kellock-Taschereau Commission and Soviet Espionage in Canada (University of Toronto Press, 2026) explores how the Canadian government used the controversial Kellock-Taschereau Commission—sometimes judiciously, sometimes not—to uncover and thwart domestic spies during the early days of the Cold War. Drawing on a wealth of sources, including the Commission's extensive records, GRU documents turned over by Gouzenko, American Venona decrypts, Soviet KGB archives, and newly released British MI5 and MI6 files, authors Dr. Reinhold Kramer and Dr. Tom Mitchell provide a comprehensive account of the crisis. They reveal that, despite some civil liberties missteps, the government's suspicions were largely justified. The book weaves together the evidence against the spies, the tradecraft of Soviet espionage, complex legal challenges faced by the state, and the political fallout. With access to hundreds of newly released British intelligence files, P.S. Burn After Reading offers both specialists and general readers fresh insights into the espionage crisis of 1945–46 and the pivotal role it played in exposing Canada's postwar security and intelligence vulnerabilities. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

After Soviet cipher clerk Igor Gouzenko defected in 1945, Canada was shocked by the revelation that its own citizens were engaged in espionage for the Soviet Union. "P.S. Burn after Reading": The Kellock-Taschereau Commission and Soviet Espionage in Canada (University of Toronto Press, 2026) explores how the Canadian government used the controversial Kellock-Taschereau Commission—sometimes judiciously, sometimes not—to uncover and thwart domestic spies during the early days of the Cold War. Drawing on a wealth of sources, including the Commission's extensive records, GRU documents turned over by Gouzenko, American Venona decrypts, Soviet KGB archives, and newly released British MI5 and MI6 files, authors Dr. Reinhold Kramer and Dr. Tom Mitchell provide a comprehensive account of the crisis. They reveal that, despite some civil liberties missteps, the government's suspicions were largely justified. The book weaves together the evidence against the spies, the tradecraft of Soviet espionage, complex legal challenges faced by the state, and the political fallout. With access to hundreds of newly released British intelligence files, P.S. Burn After Reading offers both specialists and general readers fresh insights into the espionage crisis of 1945–46 and the pivotal role it played in exposing Canada's postwar security and intelligence vulnerabilities. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/russian-studies

After Soviet cipher clerk Igor Gouzenko defected in 1945, Canada was shocked by the revelation that its own citizens were engaged in espionage for the Soviet Union. "P.S. Burn after Reading": The Kellock-Taschereau Commission and Soviet Espionage in Canada (University of Toronto Press, 2026) explores how the Canadian government used the controversial Kellock-Taschereau Commission—sometimes judiciously, sometimes not—to uncover and thwart domestic spies during the early days of the Cold War. Drawing on a wealth of sources, including the Commission's extensive records, GRU documents turned over by Gouzenko, American Venona decrypts, Soviet KGB archives, and newly released British MI5 and MI6 files, authors Dr. Reinhold Kramer and Dr. Tom Mitchell provide a comprehensive account of the crisis. They reveal that, despite some civil liberties missteps, the government's suspicions were largely justified. The book weaves together the evidence against the spies, the tradecraft of Soviet espionage, complex legal challenges faced by the state, and the political fallout. With access to hundreds of newly released British intelligence files, P.S. Burn After Reading offers both specialists and general readers fresh insights into the espionage crisis of 1945–46 and the pivotal role it played in exposing Canada's postwar security and intelligence vulnerabilities. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/national-security

After Soviet cipher clerk Igor Gouzenko defected in 1945, Canada was shocked by the revelation that its own citizens were engaged in espionage for the Soviet Union. "P.S. Burn after Reading": The Kellock-Taschereau Commission and Soviet Espionage in Canada (University of Toronto Press, 2026) explores how the Canadian government used the controversial Kellock-Taschereau Commission—sometimes judiciously, sometimes not—to uncover and thwart domestic spies during the early days of the Cold War. Drawing on a wealth of sources, including the Commission's extensive records, GRU documents turned over by Gouzenko, American Venona decrypts, Soviet KGB archives, and newly released British MI5 and MI6 files, authors Dr. Reinhold Kramer and Dr. Tom Mitchell provide a comprehensive account of the crisis. They reveal that, despite some civil liberties missteps, the government's suspicions were largely justified. The book weaves together the evidence against the spies, the tradecraft of Soviet espionage, complex legal challenges faced by the state, and the political fallout. With access to hundreds of newly released British intelligence files, P.S. Burn After Reading offers both specialists and general readers fresh insights into the espionage crisis of 1945–46 and the pivotal role it played in exposing Canada's postwar security and intelligence vulnerabilities. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/law

Mathew Crawford was raised in a family with elite occultist/intelligence services/masonic connections and forcibly enlisted, from a very young age, in the CIA's remote viewing programme. But he survived to become an educator, entrepreneur , statistician, finance specialist and founder of Rounding the Earth newsletter. In this wide-ranging chat, well worth your attention, Mathew enlarges on his theory that the world is run by a Military Occult Banking Syndicate and that Project Stargate is their primary control mechanism. Also on the menu: Gandhi was an MI6 agent; ‘remote viewing' is fake, whatever people like David Morehouse tell you; the third century BC Chinese eunuch who rode a deer and claimed it was a horse; Madame Blavatsky; the Lincoln assassination; Hitler's favourite movie; and lots, lots more. Be warned: the podcast ends very abruptly, not because of CIA interference but because the motherboard on Mathew's computer finally died. https://roundingtheearth.substack.com/ ↓ ↓ This Delingpod is very kindly sponsored by https://sinacrisps.com The crisp you can eat without the guilt. No seed oils and just 3 ingredients. Use code: JAMES with your purchase for 15% off. ↓ ↓ How environmentalists are killing the planet, destroying the economy and stealing your children's future. In Watermelons, an updated edition of his ground-breaking 2011 book, James tells the shocking true story of how a handful of political activists, green campaigners, voodoo scientists and psychopathic billionaires teamed up to invent a fake crisis called ‘global warming'. This updated edition includes two new chapters which, like a geo-engineered flood, pour cold water on some of the original's sunny optimism and provide new insights into the diabolical nature of the climate alarmists' sinister master plan. Purchase Watermelons by James Delingpole here: https://jamesdelingpole.co.uk/Shop/ ↓ ↓ ↓ Buy James a Coffee at: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/jamesdelingpole To support independent, no-holds-barred journalism and gain first and full access to all James's content, subscribe directly at https://www.jamesdelingpole.co.uk x

Recorded live at Capital Crime Book Festival, Philippa talks to C.J. Merritt about his whiplash international spy thriller Octagon — but first, a public service announcement: three brilliant books you should absolutely not read on an actual flight.3 Books You Should NOT Take on Holiday (If You're Flying)Hostage – Clare MackintoshA flight attendant receives a note threatening her daughter's life mid-flight from London to Sydney. Gripping, claustrophobic, and definitely not in-flight reading.Drowning – T.J. NewmanA plane crashes into the Pacific, trapping passengers underwater on a sinking fuselage. Written by a former flight attendant who knows exactly how to make this terrifyingly real.Airframe – Michael CrichtonA catastrophic mid-air disaster sparks a tense investigation into what really went wrong. Brilliant, realistic, and best read firmly on the ground.Philippa talks to C.J. Merritt about OctagonA former MI6 officer and an ex-SAS soldier, both out in the cold, are pulled back in when a coded warning leads to a trail of danger across Europe. Described as a page-turning action thriller in the vein of I Am Pilgrim.Chris and Philippa discuss:His dream holiday: New Zealand, or a few days alone on a writing retreat (a luxury when you have a small child)Travelling solo through Central Asia, Africa, and the Middle East in his twenties — and the cardigan with zip pockets built for smuggling books through customsHis nightmare holiday: a 25-mile jungle trek through 35°C heat in Central Africa, hired porters who got drunk on the money he paid them, and arriving to find the gorillas they'd come to see had all died of Ebola a year earlierWhy he wanted to write a spy thriller with a huge geographic canvas after several more localised booksWriting 500–1,000 words a day in a café, fuelled by multiple coffees, and losing track of time during action sequencesThe two-book deal already underway, plus a slower, more psychological spy thriller drawing on his past life as a psychologistWhy the title Octagon came early and never changedIce cream order: Salted caramel, pistachio, and chocolate cookie dough — in a dish, with a cone on the side just in case.Get in touchQuick Book Reviews Facebook Group | Instagram | Email: quickbookreviews@outlook.comQuick Book Reviews: author interviews and book reviews with no spoilers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Waar de gevolgen van klimaatverandering voor de Britten tot dusver vooral een probleem elders waren, zet deze zomer de boel op scherp. Bosbranden, hittegolven en een dreigend drinkwatertekort, de Britten hebben het over weinig anders. Tegelijkertijd wil de nieuwe Labour-regering van Andy Burnham gaan boren naar fossiele brandstoffen in de Noordzee. En dat is minder tegenstrijdig dan het klinkt, vindt hij. Ook in deze aflevering Na een - uiteraard geheime - peiling onder spionnen in Europa, van de CIA en de Mossad komt de Britse geheime dienst MI6 als beste ter wereld uit de bus. Zijn ze daar blij mee? Ze zeggen er niets over. Wat maakt de Britse spionnendienst zo goed? Over Van Bekhovens Britten In van Bekhovens Britten praten Lia van Bekhoven en Connor Clerx elke week over de grootste nieuwsonderwerpen en de belangrijkste ontwikkelingen in het Verenigd Koninkrijk. Van Brexit naar binnenlandse politiek, van de Royals tot de tabloids. Waarom fascineert het VK Nederlanders meer dan zo veel andere Europese landen? Welke rol speelt het vooralsnog Verenigd Koninkrijk in Europa, nu het woord Brexit uit het Britse leven lijkt verbannen, maar de gevolgen van de beslissing om uit de EU te stappen iedere dag duidelijker worden? De Britse monarchie, en daarmee de staat, staat voor grote veranderingen na de dood van Queen Elisabeth en de kroning van haar zoon Charles. De populariteit van het Koningshuis staat op een dieptepunt. Hoe verandert de Britse monarchie onder koning Charles, en welke gevolgen heeft dat voor de Gemenebest? In Van Bekhovens Britten analyseren Lia en Connor een Koninkrijk met tanende welvaart, invloed en macht. De Conservatieve Partij leverde veertien jaar op rij de premier, maar nu heeft Labour onder Keir Starmer de teugels in handen. Hoe ziet het VK er onder Keir Starmer uit? En hoe gaan de ‘gewone’ Britten, voor zover die bestaan, daar mee om? Al deze vragen en meer komen aan bod in Van Bekhovens Britten. Een kritische blik op het Verenigd Koninkrijk, waar het een race tussen Noord-Ierland en Schotland lijkt te worden wie zich het eerst af kan scheiden van het VK. Hoe lang blijft het Koninkrijk verenigd? Na ruim 45 jaar onder de Britten heeft Lia van Bekhoven een unieke kijk op het Verenigd Koninkrijk. Als inwoner, maar zeker geen anglofiel, heeft ze een scherpe blik op het nieuws, de politiek, de monarchie en het dagelijkse leven aan de overkant van de Noordzee. Elke woensdag krijg je een nieuwe podcast over het leven van Van Bekhovens Britten in je podcastapp. Scherpe analyses, diepgang waar op de radio geen tijd voor is en een flinke portie humor. Abonneer en mis geen aflevering. Over Lia Lia van Bekhoven is correspondent Verenigd Koninkrijk voor onder andere BNR Nieuwsradio, VRT, Knack en Elsevier en is regelmatig in talkshows te zien als duider van het nieuws uit het VK. Ze woont sinds 1976 in Londen, en is naast correspondent voor radio, televisie en geschreven media ook auteur van de boeken Mama gaat uit dansen, het erfgoed van Diana, prinses van Wales (1997), Land van de gespleten God, Noord-Ierland en de troubles (2000), In Londen, 9 wandelingen door de Britse hoofdstad (2009) en Klein-Brittannië (2022). Over Connor Connor Clerx is presentator en podcastmaker bij BNR Nieuwsradio. Hij werkt sinds 2017 voor BNR en was voorheen regelmatig te horen in De Ochtendspits, Boekestijn en de Wijk en BNR Breekt. Als podcastmaker werkte hij de afgelopen tijd aan onder andere De Taxi-oorlog, Kuipers en de Kosmos, Splijtstof, Baan door het Brein en Welkom in de AI-Fabriek.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Maytham speaks to Patrick Radden Keefe, author of London Falling, about the mysterious death of 19-year-old Zac Brettler, his secret life and the criminal underworld he became entangled in. Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news coupled with the latest in business, sport, traffic and weather. The host’s eclectic interests mean the program often surprises the audience with intriguing book reviews and inspiring interviews profiling artists. A daily highlight is Rapid Fire, just after 5:30pm. CapeTalk fans call in, to stump the presenter with their general knowledge questions. Another firm favourite is the humorous Thursday crossing with award-winning journalist Rebecca Davis, called “Plan B”. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Afternoon Drive with John Maytham Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 15:00 and 18:00 (SA Time) to Afternoon Drive with John Maytham broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/BSFy4Cn or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/n8nWt4x Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Podtimists,This week David plays both Gamecube AND Pico 8 games. Meanwhile, Chase plays the origin story of everyone's favorite Mi6 spy.Then we took a deeper look at 1995's Bug! This was suggested to us by listener Gatzby, thanks for suggesting Bug!---Timestamps:(0:00) - Intro(8:24) - What David has been playing(8:30) - Mario Kart Double Dash(17:20) - Soul Calibur 2(24:24) - Spider-Man 2(29:21) - Just One Boss(33:39) - What Chase has been playing(34:25) - 007 First Light(55:35) - Scrap Mechanic(1:05:37) - Chase's Podtimistic thing of the week(1:08:30) - David's Podtimistic thing of the week(1:09:49) - Good Games! Featuring Bug!(1:26:09) - Outro---Games mentioned:Mario Kart Double DashSoulCalibur 2Spiderman 2Just One Boss007 First LightScrap MechanicBug!

James Bond didn't just survive the 1980s—he evolved. The decade began with the familiar charm of Roger Moore, who somehow managed to save the world while delivering one-liners smoother than a shaken martini. But by the end of the '80s, the tuxedo belonged to Timothy Dalton, whose darker, more serious interpretation helped pave the way for the modern Bond audiences know today. On this week's Stuck in the '80s, hosts Steve Spears and Sean Daly welcome former St. Petersburg Times film critic Steve Persall for a mission worthy of MI6: revisiting every James Bond film released during the decade. From space lasers and exploding Lotus Esprits to ski chases, killer theme songs and unforgettable villains, the trio debates which films still hold up—and which ones are best left in Q Branch storage. Is The Spy Who Loved Me era impossible to top? Did Licence to Kill deserve more love? Which Bond girl stole the show? And just how many times can Roger Moore raise one eyebrow before it becomes a special effect? Along the way, they also discuss how the Bond franchise adapted to changing audiences, shifting action-movie trends and the arrival of a grittier leading man just as the decade came to a close. Whether you're Team Moore, Team Dalton or simply here for the Aston Martins and gadgets, there's plenty to debate. So pour yourself a martini (your choice of preparation), cue up the unmistakable Bond theme, and join us for a deep dive into one of the biggest movie franchises of the 1980s. Join Us on The 80s Cruise! Love talking '80s movies, music and pop culture? Come experience it in person aboard The 80s Cruise, where Steve and the Stuck in the '80s crew host live podcasts, trivia, interviews with legendary artists and plenty of unforgettable fan events at sea. If you're booking your cabin, don't forget to use promo code STUCK to receive up to a $250 cabin credit. We'll see you onboard! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When a brilliant intelligence officer from MI6 is discovered dead inside a padlocked duffel bag in his London flat, investigators face an impossible crime scene—no signs of forced entry, no fingerprints, and theories ranging from suicide to espionage—as the shadow of secrecy around his work at GCHQ breeds one of the most perplexing mysteries in British intelligence history. Sources for this episode include:“Spy last seen alive eight days before body was found in bag” (The Guardian) “MI6 officer Gareth Williams and the ‘missing hours' before his death” (BBC)“MI6 codebreaker Gareth Williams' death ‘perfect crime,' expert says” (CNN)“Police claim to have solved London ‘spy in the bag' mystery” (The Independent)“The Death of The Spy In the Bag is Linked to Russia By Secret Intelligence Files” (BuzzFeed News) Keep up with Killer Stories! Instagram: @killerstoriespodTikTok: @killerstoriespodX: @killerstorieshq Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices