The History Podcast
The History Podcast is a BBC Radio 4 production that explores historical events and figures. Episodes include 'Sixty Years of Hurt with David Baddiel', which examines what it means to be English through the lens of football. The podcast offers in-depth storytelling and analysis of the past.
Episodes
Shadow War: China and the West: Trailer
Gordon Corera looks at the growing tensions between China and the West.
Shadow War: China and the West: 1. The Escape
Could growing tensions lead to conflict? The rise of China is the defining challenge of our times – how far to co-operate, compete or confront? But has the West taken its eye off the ball? BBC Security Correspondent Gordon Corera looks at the points of friction in recent history, from espionage to free speech, the battle over technology and claims of political interference. This is a story about t
Shadow War: China and the West: 2. The Canary in the Coalmine
Could growing tensions lead to conflict? The rise of China is the defining challenge of our times – how far to co-operate, compete or confront? But has the West taken its eye off the ball? BBC Security Correspondent Gordon Corera looks at the points of friction in recent history, from espionage to free speech, the battle over technology and claims of political interference. This is a story about t
Shadow War: China and the West: 3. The Break-In
Could growing tensions lead to conflict? The rise of China is the defining challenge of our times – how far to co-operate, compete or confront? But has the West taken its eye off the ball? BBC Security Correspondent Gordon Corera looks at the points of friction in recent history, from espionage to free speech, the battle over technology and claims of political interference. This is a story about t
Shadow War: China and the West: 4. Who’s Listening?
Could growing tensions lead to conflict? The rise of China is the defining challenge of our times – how far to co-operate, compete or confront? But has the West taken its eye off the ball? BBC Security Correspondent Gordon Corera looks at the points of friction in recent history, from espionage to free speech, the battle over technology and claims of political interference. This is a story about t
Shadow War: China and the West: 5. All That Glitters
Could growing tensions lead to conflict? The rise of China is the defining challenge of our times – how far to co-operate, compete or confront? But has the West taken its eye off the ball? BBC Security Correspondent Gordon Corera looks at the points of friction in recent history, from espionage to free speech, the battle over technology and claims of political interference. This is a story about t
Shadow War: China and the West: 6. Under Pressure
Could growing tensions lead to conflict? The rise of China is the defining challenge of our times – how far to co-operate, compete or confront? But has the West taken its eye off the ball? BBC Security Correspondent Gordon Corera looks at the points of friction in recent history, from espionage to free speech, the battle over technology and claims of political interference. This is a story about t
Shadow War: China and the West: 7. The Abduction
Could growing tensions lead to conflict? The rise of China is the defining challenge of our times – how far to co-operate, compete or confront? But has the West taken its eye off the ball? BBC Security Correspondent Gordon Corera looks at the points of friction in recent history, from espionage to free speech, the battle over technology and claims of political interference. This is a story about t
Shadow War: China and the West: 8. Pulling the Strings
Could growing tensions lead to conflict? The rise of China is the defining challenge of our times – how far to co-operate, compete or confront? But has the West taken its eye off the ball? BBC Security Correspondent Gordon Corera looks at the points of friction in recent history, from espionage to free speech, the battle over technology and claims of political interference. This is a story about t
Shadow War: China and the West: 9. Designing the Future
Could growing tensions lead to conflict? The rise of China is the defining challenge of our times – how far to co-operate, compete or confront? But has the West taken its eye off the ball? BBC Security Correspondent Gordon Corera looks at the points of friction in recent history, from espionage to free speech, the battle over technology and claims of political interference. This is a story about t
Shadow War: China and the West: 10. Collision
Could growing tensions lead to conflict? The rise of China is the defining challenge of our times – how far to co-operate, compete or confront? But has the West taken its eye off the ball? BBC Security Correspondent Gordon Corera looks at the points of friction in recent history, from espionage to free speech, the battle over technology and claims of political interference. This is a story about t
The Magnificent O'Connors: Trailer
For 80 years, the O'Connors have battled what they believe to be a miscarriage of justice. Small time criminal Jimmy O'Connor was arrested for the murder of 'Donk' Ambridge and narrowly escaped the noose. Fast-forward 25 years and Jimmy is living a wonderful life on the Greek island of Mykonos. Now a sought after TV scriptwriter, he rubs shoulders with The Rolling Stones and Jackie Onassis and ent
The Magnificent O'Connors: 1. The Saturday Girl
In order to unspool a family saga that has lasted over 80 years, Ragnar heads back to where it all began. He starts with the story of his mum, Nemone Lethbridge. Her younger years were spent watching The Battle of Britain over the skies of Kent, and visiting the bunker where Hitler took his own life. This extraordinary childhood gave way to an extraordinary career as Nemone is one of the UK’s fir
The Magnificent O'Connors: 2. The Murder of Donk Ambridge
Jimmy O’Connor was a small-time thief, making the most of the opportunities war torn London presented to him. How did he end up in a condemned cell at Pentonville? On the Easter weekend 1941, a man is murdered in a London suburb. The police have little evidence to go on, and the usual suspects are pulled in for questioning. Among them is 23-year-old Jimmy O’Connor. He’s eventually charged and trie
The Magnificent O'Connors: 3. The Murderer and the Silk
Jimmy is saved from the hangman’s noose with just hours to spare. With his sentenced commuted to life in penal servitude, he sets out to pass the time by learning how to write dramas. After ten years of moving from prison to prison, he’s finally released. But freedom doesn’t cut it for Jimmy. He wants to clear his name. He still maintains that he didn’t kill Donk Ambridge, and he’s determined to s
The Magnificent O'Connors: 4. The Rise and Fall of Jimmy O'Connor
The fortunes of the O’Connors flip almost overnight. Nemone is no longer allowed to practice law, even after appealing to the highest authority, the Lord Chancellor. Meanwhile Jimmy’s confrontational style of writing attracts the attention of the BBC, landing him several prime-time TV plays. All the while Jimmy’s conviction is a constant shadow in their marriage. Meanwhile, in the present, the fa
The Magnificent O'Connors: 5. Shame the Devil
In 1995, a mysterious man phones the O’Connors. He wants to get something off his chest. Sensing something potentially huge, Nemone secretly records their meeting. What happened next could have change everything. The secret the mysterious man wants to share? He knows who killed Donk Ambridge. Meanwhile Ragnar is forced to confront everything he thought he knew about this case and his father. Hidd
The Magnificent O'Connors: 6. Undermine, Explain or Accept
Ragnar and the family try to understand what the confession from the basement means. Is it the truth? Or was it just another story that Jimmy spun? Determined to find something to disprove the statement, they head to the National Archive in search of answers. While the family have been grappling with the confession and what it means for them, Louise Shorter has been going through the evidence aro
The House at Number 48: Trailer
When Antony Easton’s enigmatic and distant father passes away, he begins sorting through suitcase filled with cryptic clues.Neatly stacked German money, a family tree he doesn’t recognise, and books filled with sprawling notes. He also finds his father’s birth certificate, but bearing a different name.Confronting his dad’s double identity, Antony begins a ten-year quest to uncover the truth.Piece-
The House at Number 48: 1. Made in Britain
When Antony Easton’s enigmatic father passes away, he goes through his Dad's suitcase, filled with cryptic clues: neatly stacked German money, a family tree he doesn’t recognise, and books filled with sprawling notes. He also finds his father’s birth certificate, but bearing a different name. Confronting his dad’s double identity, Antony begins a ten-year quest to uncover the truth. Piece-by-p
The House at Number 48: 2. The Secret Suitcase
After the death of his enigmatic and distant father, Antony Easton finally gets to go through his Dad's secret suitcase: "This was his life," Antony says. As he forensically trawls through its contents, Antony discovers a series of clues which are about to change his life forever. And, after decades, a woman from Antony's childhood gets in touch. For her, time is running out. She says she must
The House at Number 48: 3. The Eisners
Antony Easton begins to investigate his family's history. What he finds astonishes him: his relatives were owners of a huge steel empire worth billions today. But what has happened to this family fortune? The House at Number 48 is presented by Charlie Northcott.
The series producer is Jim Frank.
Sound design and mixing by Tom Brignell.
The Editor is Matt Willis.
The House at Number 48: 4. The Silver Arrow
As the net closes in on the Eisners, Antony's grandfather, Rudolph, has come up with an ingenious plan to save his family and their business empire. Will it work?
And who is this mysterious man who enters the lives of the Eisners? Is he a friend or foe?The House at Number 48 is presented by Charlie Northcott.
The series producer is Jim Frank.
Sound design and mixing by Tom Brignell.
The Editor i
The House at Number 48: 5. The Final Ticket
Antony Easton's relatives, the Eisners were one of the richest Jewish families in Berlin. The patriarch, Rudolph Eisner, has done everything he possibly could to steer them safely through the rise of the Nazis. But now, as the net finally closes in, what will they do? The House at Number 48 is presented by Charlie Northcott.
The series producer is Jim Frank.
Sound design and mixing by Tom Brigne
The House at Number 48: 6. Spa Town
In July 1939, industrialist Rudolph Eisner, his wife Hildegard and their two young children arrive in the small port city of Harwich in England. Life as Germans in the Uk was tough. But what of Antony's relatives who stayed on in Germany, what became of them?The House at Number 48 is presented by Charlie Northcott.
The series producer is Jim Frank.
Sound design and mixing by Tom Brignell.
The Ed
The House at Number 48: 7. Finding The Money
Antony tries to find out what became of his family's business empire and properties. To help him he hires a brilliant young researcher, Yana Slovona. Within weeks, she has made some startling discoveries. The House at Number 48 is presented by Charlie Northcott.
The series producer is Jim Frank.
Sound design and mixing by Tom Brignell.
The Editor is Matt Willis.
The House at Number 48: 8. The Gift
After 80 years since losing a huge and grand property in Germany which used to belonged to his family, Antony sets off to confront the people who now own The House at Number 48. The House at Number 48 is presented by Charlie Northcott.
The series producer is Jim Frank.
Sound design and mixing by Tom Brignell.
The Editor is Matt Willis.
The House at Number 48: 9. The Inheritance
We meet the descendants of Martin Hartig who are still living in the House at Number 48 today. How much of their family's past did they know about? And what has its legacy meant for them and the younger generation? The House at Number 48 is presented by Charlie Northcott.
The series producer is Jim Frank.
Sound design and mixing by Tom Brignell.
The Editor is Matt Willis.
The House at Number 48: 10. The Last Eisner
The Eisners prized art work, Eisenwalzwerk, depicting a huge steel factory, was stolen under the Nazis.
"Eisenwalzwerk," Antony says, "is the ultimate representation of the Eisners. And its story was the story of my family."
Can Antony get it back and bring it home? And in this final episode, he gathers his family to tell them what he's discovered about their past.
The House at Number
The Arrest: Trailer
When Augusto Pinochet visits London for minor surgery, a small team of lawyers races to seize an unlikely chance to catch the Chilean dictator and, perhaps, bring him to justice.
The Arrest: 1. The Lawyer
As Augusto Pinochet recovers from minor surgery in London in October 1998, a lawyer for his victims races to seize an unlikely opportunity to bring the Chilean dictator to justice. The general, who seized power in a military coup in 1973, is thought to be responsible for orchestrating the execution of more than 3,000 political opponents, and the torture, kidnapping and disappearance of 40,000 more
The Arrest: 2. The Disappeared
When diplomat Carmelo Soria doesn't come home from work in July 1976 his wife, Laura, fears the worst. Augusto Pinochet has been in power in Chile for almost three years and the disappearances of his political opponents have become hard to ignore.The Spaniard's body is found, floating in a Santiago canal, two days later. The police say he'd had a car accident, but his widow is convinced he'd been
The Arrest: 3. The Judge
Augusto Pinochet won't be in London for much longer, so the lawyer leading the case against the dictator needs to act fast if he is to secure the help of the UK authorities. But the Spanish judge in charge of the investigation is moving too slowly.Meanwhile, there are powerful figures in the Spanish legal establishment trying to block the case, and the former Chilean dictator himself - now aware o
The Arrest: 4. The Warrant
When the Spanish judge pursuing Augusto Pinochet learns the dictator is about to leave London - for the safety of Chile - much sooner than expected, he makes a snap decision that will have enormous international consequences.He needs Spain's legal machinery to act, but there's one big problem - it's a Friday afternoon, and almost everyone at Madrid's National Court has gone home for the weekend.
The Arrest: 5. The Arrest
Augusto Pinochet is woken by his nurse around midnight and a few minutes later finds a handful of British police officers at the foot of his bed, with an international warrant for his arrest.The dictator is furious, as are his supporters, but among his victims and their families there is joy and relief.His arrest is unprecedented and is hailed by human rights campaigners as a landmark moment - a "
Two Nottingham Lads: Trailer
Aiden Aslin from Nottingham had been fighting for Ukraine since 2018. Graham Phillips, from the same British city, was a self-styled ‘independent journalist’ filming the war up close since 2014, from a viewpoint that appears to be sympathetic to Russia. But just months after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the pair had a chilling encounter in a prison in the occupied city of Donetsk. Aiden wa
Two Nottingham Lads: 1. From One Nottingham Man to Another
Donetsk, April 2022. Two men find themselves face to face in a prison building. One is a prisoner of war, captured fighting for Ukraine. The other is a self-styled independent journalist, filming an interview for his online audience. But these two men are not Ukrainian. They’re British – and they were both born in Nottingham.Graham Philips had been documenting the growing war in the East of Ukrai
Two Nottingham Lads: 2. Damascus to Donetsk
Aiden Aslin and Graham Philips take very different routes to get to that prison in Donetsk in 2022 – but their journeys cemented their destinies in Ukraine.For Aiden, his evolution from young truant to soldier takes place in the crucible of war in Syria – volunteering for the free Kurdish forces fighting against ISIS. But after trouble with the British state on his return, another conflict called:
Two Nottingham Lads: 3. Six Weeks in Mariupol
The full-scale invasion of Ukraine begins in February 2022, and Aiden Aslin finds himself fighting on the frontline. After a desperate retreat towards the port city of Mariupol, Aiden spends six harrowing weeks defending the massive steelworks, the final sanctuary for Ukrainian forces. As food and ammunition ran out, Aiden is forced to make an agonizing choice.Graham Philips was in the UK when the
Two Nottingham Lads: 4. Last Days in the Donbas
After a show trial in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Aiden Aslin has been sentenced to death. He endures months on death row, where his days are filled with further propaganda videos and psychological torment. But in September 2022, his life takes an abrupt and unexpected turn: he is hooded, and led onto a truck, awaiting what his captors term a ‘Russian Surprise’.After making his video with Aiden
Sixty Years of Hurt: Trailer
'Sixty Years of Hurt with David Baddiel' explores the meaning of England and Englishness through the history of the England Men’s Football team. This is a social and cultural history as much as a sporting one, examining the story England tells about itself and how it's changed, via the medium of the international game.The series delves deep into how national myths are both forged and reflected in
Sixty Years of Hurt: 1. England v The World
'Sixty Years of Hurt with David Baddiel' explores the meaning of England and Englishness through the history of the England Men’s Football team. This is a social and cultural history as much as a sporting one, examining the story England tells about itself and how it's changed, via the medium of the international game.“Football is singularly the most important cultural institution in the country f
Sixty Years of Hurt: 2. England v Mavericks
'Sixty Years of Hurt with David Baddiel' explores the meaning of England and Englishness through the history of the England Men’s Football team. This is a social and cultural history as much as a sporting one, examining the story England tells about itself and how it's changed, via the medium of the international game.In episode two, England v Mavericks, David shares a theory that he once unsucces
Sixty Years of Hurt: 3. England v Hooligans
Sixty Years of Hurt with David Baddiel' explores the meaning of England and Englishness through the history of the England Men’s Football team. This is a social and cultural history as much as a sporting one, examining the story England tells about itself and how it's changed, via the medium of the international game. In episode three, David tackles the ‘English disease’ of hooliganism and looks a
Sixty Years of Hurt: 4. England v The Culture
Sixty Years of Hurt with David Baddiel explores the meaning of England and Englishness through the history of the England Men’s Football team. This is a social and cultural history as much as a sporting one, examining the story England tells about itself and how it's changed, via the medium of the international game. In Episode Four, David looks at the 1990s and 2000s. He sees how Italia 90 was a
D-Day: The Last Voices: 1. The Big Secret
D-Day: The Last Voices brings together a rich collection of historical audio testimonies recorded with those who fought in the invasion of Normandy, alongside extraordinary new interviews with the last surviving veterans, to tell their story of D-Day as it unfolded.
Presented by Paddy O’Connell, each programme charts a distinct chapter of the complex, visceral and moving story of the invasion, f
Escape from the Maze: 1. H is for Hatred
Eight prison blocks of hatred shaped like the letter 'H'...It's supposed to be escape proof - the most secure prison in western Europe. The IRA is going to turn that on its head.Across ten twisting and turning episodes, Carlo Gebler navigates a path through the disturbing inside story of the 1983 escape from Northern Ireland's Maze Prison - the biggest jailbreak ever to take place on British or Ir
Escape from the Maze: 2. Thinking Big
The British government wants a line to be drawn but the IRA has sensed an opportunity... Across 10 twisting and turning episodes, Carlo Gebler navigates a path through the disturbing inside story of the 1983 escape from Northern Ireland's Maze Prison - the biggest jailbreak ever to take place on British or Irish soil. As former IRA inmates reveal how they pulled off a mass breakout that creates s
Escape from the Maze: 3. Toast
IRA inmates gather a key piece of intelligence and a charm offensive begins on the wings...Across 10 twisting and turning episodes, Carlo Gebler navigates a path through the disturbing inside story of the 1983 escape from Northern Ireland's Maze Prison - the biggest jailbreak ever to take place on British or Irish soil. As former IRA inmates reveal how they pulled off a mass breakout that creates
Escape from the Maze: 4. The Incident
A forensically planned sequence of events is about to be triggered...Across 10 twisting and turning episodes, Carlo Gebler navigates a path through the disturbing inside story of the 1983 escape from Northern Ireland's Maze Prison - the biggest jailbreak ever to take place on British or Irish soil. As former IRA inmates reveal how they pulled off a mass breakout that creates shockwaves at the hea
Escape from the Maze: 5. Freedom's Gate
The prisoner's are flying blind as they encounter the biggest obstacle to the escape... Across 10 twisting and turning episodes, Carlo Gebler navigates a path through the disturbing inside story of the 1983 escape from Northern Ireland's Maze Prison - the biggest jailbreak ever to take place on British or Irish soil. As former IRA inmates reveal how they pulled off a mass breakout that creates sh
Escape from the Maze: 6. A Sea of Screws
Knowing they have strength in numbers, the Prison Officers seize their chance...Across 10 twisting and turning episodes, Carlo Gebler navigates a path through the disturbing inside story of the 1983 escape from Northern Ireland's Maze Prison - the biggest jailbreak ever to take place on British or Irish soil. As former IRA inmates reveal how they pulled off a mass breakout that creates shockwaves
Escape from the Maze: 7. A Question of Faith
The IRA tells a mother they must take away her 12-year-old son...Across 10 twisting and turning episodes, Carlo Gebler navigates a path through the disturbing inside story of the 1983 escape from Northern Ireland's Maze Prison - the biggest jailbreak ever to take place on British or Irish soil. As former IRA inmates reveal how they pulled off a mass breakout that creates shockwaves at the heart o
Escape from the Maze: 8. Break for the Border
As more escapees are recaptured, no amount of effort can hide the state's humiliation... Across 10 twisting and turning episodes, Carlo Gebler navigates a path through the disturbing inside story of the 1983 escape from Northern Ireland's Maze Prison - the biggest jailbreak ever to take place on British or Irish soil. As former IRA inmates reveal how they pulled off a mass breakout that creates s
Escape from the Maze: 9. Ripples in the Water
The government inquiry into the escape is about to have deadly consequences...Across 10 twisting and turning episodes, Carlo Gebler navigates a path through the disturbing inside story of the 1983 escape from Northern Ireland's Maze Prison - the biggest jailbreak ever to take place on British or Irish soil. As former IRA inmates reveal how they pulled off a mass breakout that creates shockwaves a
Escape from the Maze: 10. Mothballed
Can Northern Ireland ever Escape from the Maze...?Across 10 twisting and turning episodes, Carlo Gebler navigates a path through the disturbing inside story of the 1983 escape from Northern Ireland's Maze Prison - the biggest jailbreak ever to take place on British or Irish soil. As former IRA inmates reveal how they pulled off a mass breakout that creates shockwaves at the heart of government - k
The Brighton Bomb: Trailer
Glenn Patterson investigates the IRA bomb that attempted to kill Margaret Thatcher.
The Brighton Bomb: 1. A Matter of Timing
When you get right down to it, everything in life is a matter of timing.The clock that propels this story went unheard for three weeks, three days, six hours and thirty-six minutes…until the bomb it was attached to went off at 2.54am on Friday 12 October, 1984. The day of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s speech to the Conservative Party Conference in Brighton.
Which means the Prime Minister an
The Brighton Bomb: 2. The Man Who Wasn't Walsh
The clock – the long-delay timer – nobody is meant to hear is counting down to 2.54am on the 12th October, 1984.It's attached to a bomb, behind the panel of the bath of Room 629 in Brighton’s Grand Hotel, left there by a man who signed in as Roy Walsh. Except he's not Roy Walsh.Who is the man using his name? And how did he go from a childhood in the east of England to attempting to assassinate the
The Brighton Bomb: 3. England Teams
The bomb is set for 12 October 1984 - but the IRA have been building to this for decadesIt's the night of 17 September 1984. The guest in room 629 of Brighton’s Grand Hotel has ordered a bottle of vodka and three cokes. It seems he is having a small party.
A few minutes before, the guest – who signed in two days ago as Roy Walsh – put the panel back on the side of the bath in 629’s en suite.
B
The Brighton Bomb: 4. It's Going to Happen
When you get right down to it, everything in life is a matter of timing.
It's the night of 17 September 1984. The guest in room 629 of Brighton’s Grand Hotel has ordered a bottle of vodka and three cokes.
A few minutes before, the guest – who signed in two days ago as Roy Walsh – put the panel back on the side of the bath in 629’s en suite.
Behind that panel he has left a bomb, timed to go o
The Brighton Bomb: 5. 2:54am
The IRA’s Patrick Magee has left a bomb, under a bath, in room 629 of the Brighton’s Grand Hotel. It’s timed to go off in three weeks, three days, six hours and thirty-six minutes, at 2.54am on Friday 12 October. The day of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s speech to the Conservative Party Conference in Brighton.
While Party colleagues socialise, or prepare for bed on the last night of confere
The Brighton Bomb: 6. Out of the Rubble
It's the day after one of the most shocking terror attacks in British history - a timebomb hidden in the Brighton hotel where the Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, and her cabinet are staying during the 1984 Conservative Party conference. The casualties have all now been recovered. Four are dead, several of the injured are fighting for life. Now all that remains is the rubble. Somewhere in here w
The Brighton Bomb: 7. Fight Them on the Beaches
Patrick Magee plays mouse to the cat of the Southern Irish police, acting on a tip-off from their colleagues in the North. He escapes back to Great Britain from Dublin and joins a new IRA unit planning a summer-long campaign targeting seaside resorts: more bombs in hotels and a new tactic - burying bombs on beaches. It will be the most concentrated wave of IRA attacks since the 1930s.Written and p
The Brighton Bomb: 8. A Hotel Too Far
Spring 1985, six months on from the bomb at Brighton’s Grand Hotel that killed five men and women in town for the Conservative Party conference and came within feet of killing Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Police are now satisfied that they have identified the man responsible for planting the bomb - Patrick Magee, aka the Chancer.They just don’t know where he is. Magee is back in Britain, plan
The Brighton Bomb: 9. Performance
When you get right down to it, everything in life is a matter of timing.Any other evening, a knock at the door would put Patrick Magee on alert. As chance would have it, though, it being a Saturday, rent day, Magee, and the four other people in the flat with him on Glasgow’s Langside Road, are expecting the landlord. Instead Magee opens the door to dozens of police and Special Branch officers who
The Brighton Bomb: 10. No Penny for the Pat
Remember remember the 5th of November. The Gunpowder Plot has been seared into centuries of British popular history. Why have the events of October 1984 and the attempt to wipe out a Prime Minister and her cabinet not been committed to our public consciousness in the same way? For the principal contributors in our series, the events of 40 years ago had a seismic impact on their lives. What, if any
The Lucan Obsession: Trailer
One winter's night, 50 years ago, a crime took place that obsessed the nation.Lord Lucan is said to have killed the family nanny, attacked his wife and vanished. Why did this case capture the British imagination, and spark one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of the 20th Century?Alex von Tunzelmann unpacks the story of our obsession, taking us into a dizzying world of high stakes gambling and ex
The Lucan Obsession: 1. The Double Mystery
One winter's night, 50 years ago, a crime took place that obsessed the nation. Lord Lucan is said to have killed the family nanny, attacked his wife and vanished. Newspapers ran wild with lurid detail and it became a story hardwired into British culture. Why did this case capture the British imagination, and spark one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of the 20th Century?Historian Alex von Tunzel
The Lucan Obsession: 2. Death In Belgravia
What really happened on the night of 7th November 1974 when Sandra Rivett was murdered? Young reporter Bob Strange sneaked into the hallway at the Lucan’s house in Belgravia. The police burst in trampling through the crime scene.The evidence of the Lucan case is murky. There are many versions that contradict themselves. Lord Lucan says something entirely different happened. Who should we believe?
The Lucan Obsession: 3. Lucky Lucan
Lord Lucan raced powerboats through the English Channel, drove an Aston Martin around the Grand Canyon and completed the Cresta Run at Saint-Moritz. Throwing himself into gambling, he was nicknamed Lucky. With slicked back hair, charm, style and humour, he was remarkably striking. But underneath this image there was a very different man. Alex hears from friends, biographers and someone who lived i
The Lucan Obsession: 4. Searching for Lady Lucan
The press portrayed Lady Lucan as a perfect victim: a tiny, fragile woman, attacked by a cruel and vengeful man. Lord Lucan’s friends said she was a volatile, difficult snob. She is certainly enigmatic and intriguing. With access to never before broadcast tapes, Alex von Tunzlemann looks for the truth behind the stories of the Countess and explores how her image emerged.
Producer: Sarah Bowen
The Lucan Obsession: 5. The Tinderbox House
Many relationships have tricky patches, with couples struggling for money or over the children. But there’s a spark in this story that takes us from the Lucan’s glamorous society wedding to Sandra Rivett being murdered, Lady Lucan attacked and the children swept away. And it grips us.Alex von Tunzleman hunts for what triggers this story, delving through a box of Lucan’s possessions not seen for de
The Lucan Obsession: 6. The Golden Hour
With Sandra Rivett lying dead in the basement, Lucan must decide whether to face the police or run. And so begins the second mystery that has made this case so compelling. Where did Lucan go that night?Was he being sheltered by his friends who the police nicknamed The Eaton Square Mafia?Alex von Tunzelmann pieces together what we know of the hours after the murder, asking whose version should we b
The Lucan Obsession: 7. The Investigation
Police traipsed through 46 Lower Belgrave St on the night of Sandra Rivett’s murder, but did they contaminate the evidence?The police files are still closed. Where there have been unanswered questions, enticing myths and conspiracies have filled the void. Alex von Tunzelmann pieces together what we can know of the investigation, trying to separate fact from fiction.She hears from two policemen wh
The Lucan Obsession: 8. Speculation and Suspicion
The nation was spellbound by the inquest into Sandra Rivett’s death.For the press the story was a dream. A tale of the aristocracy, gambling, debt and murder was a welcome relief in an era of shortages and strikes. They salivated over the grim details.Alex von Tunzelmann hears how inquest became a trial, supercharging our obsession with this case.And she wonders if we can take his guilt as fact wh
The Lucan Obsession: 9. A Race Across the World
Our interest in Lord Lucan could have petered out after the inquest. But people start to spot him all over the world. Could he really have escaped the UK? Alex von Tunzelmann explores what role this idea plays in our fixation with the Lucan case.She hears how the media kept the story going, inventing sightings for copy and jollies abroad. People admit to elaborate hoaxes and blatantly fabricating
The Lucan Obsession: 10. The Final Act?
Alex trawls through Lord Lucan’s belongings from his speedily abandoned flat. She finds incriminating books where he’s torn out pages on how to kill your wife, and is taken aback by photos that make her reconsider the story. She draws together what makes this a compelling crime, and asks what would give it the perfect ending. And in a remarkable interview with a former Met Police Detective, she
Invisible Hands: Trailer
David Dimbleby traces the history of a hidden force that changed Britain - the free market revolution - and the invisible hands that shaped it.It started on a chicken farm in Sussex, gained traction in the shadows of post-war London and rose to heights of excess in the new champagne bars of the City. It's 2025 and this once radical idea now defines every aspect of life in Britain. An idea that tra
Invisible Hands: 1. The Chicken Farmer
A fighter pilot watches his brother plunge to his death in the Second World War. Grief-stricken, he vows to fight until his dying day for the cause of freedom.
This man would return from war transformed and set out on a journey that would change Britain forever. He would dedicate his life to an idea. An idea that at the time was almost laughed at. That no one in positions of power dared talk abo
