Sport's Strangest Crimes
When sport collides with true crime. This BBC Radio 5 Live podcast explores bizarre and criminal incidents in the world of sports, from match-fixing scandals to mysterious deaths.
Episodes
The Real Story of Shergar the Super Horse: 1. And They're Off!
A horse is kidnapped in the middle of the night. His name was Shergar.He’s not just any horse, he's a prize-winning racehorse owned by an enigmatic spiritual leader, made famous for winning the 1981 Epsom Derby by 10 lengths.A celebrity, a symbol of hope for Ireland, but mostly a real money earner. He was retired and ready to produce more prize-winning offspring, when suddenly he was taken.Vanilla
The Real Story of Shergar the Super Horse: 2. Thieves in the Night
A cold and stormy night in Ireland is made even more terrifying by the presence of armed and masked men.“We’ve come to take Shergar, we want £2,000,000”Kidnappings were not unusual in Ireland at this time, except most of the time it was humans that were taken... some never came back.Who would want a horse? A stallion that no longer raced?
The Real Story of Shergar the Super Horse: 3. A Kidnap is Announced
The international press had a field day, filling the front pages and the lead item on the news. The world was now watching the case develop. A horse kidnap dominated our screens.Gossip, rumours, lies, confusion. The papers get tip offs, false calls and leads that sound legitimate.Then suddenly the kidnappers have one weird request: they're ready to negotiate, but want to speak to three English jou
The Real Story of Shergar the Super Horse: 4. Send in the Cavalry
The Europa 3, unsuspecting sports journalists get flown to Belfast, over 100 miles from the crime scene to a farm belonging to horse trainers the Maxwells.Phone calls ensue, back and forth, details change, voices get more menacing. The police are on hand to try and trace the calls, but for some reason, they can’t find them.Suddenly negotiations stop, there is a pause, then one final phone call.
The Real Story of Shergar the Super Horse: 5. The Decoy
Questions emerge about the validity of the calls outside Belfast and attention is drawn elsewhere where parallel secret negotiations seem to be happening with the mysterious leader and main owner of Shergar, the Aga Khan.But nothing can stop the rumour mill from churning and there are reports Shergar is in Libya with Gadaffi and also that he has been taken by the New Orleans mafia.It becomes impos
The Real Story of Shergar the Super Horse: 6. Proof of Life
Whilst the horse wasn’t just owned by the Aga Khan, but in fact a syndicate of many shareholders, this episode focuses on one shareholder that had a lot to lose. Stan Cosgrove. The Vet.He was keen to get his insurance payout, but the only way to do so was to prove that Shergar was in fact dead. Coordinating with the kidnappers he organised to get a polaroid to prove the horse was still alive.
The Real Story of Shergar the Super Horse: 7. The Final Furlong
The police used many methods to locate Shergar and most interestingly they sought help from psychics, diviners and the mysterious Mobius group. They claimed to be able to locate Shergar and used parts of his saddle to sniff him out.A supergrass emerges claiming he knows the identity of the masked men. Is this the end?Not for Shergar’s legacy, his sporting achievements are still adored and his name
Bloodgate: 1. Dandies to Dark Arts
Ross Kemp visits the Clapham joke shop at the origin of the Bloodgate cheating scandal that brought rugby union to its knees.We learn how the advent of professionalism in the 1990s brought a new win-at-all-costs mentality to the sport.And Harlequins players Tom Williams, Ugo Monye and Nick Easter explain how new coach Dean Richards transformed the club from entertaining also-rans into ruthless win
Bloodgate: 2. It’s Not Real Blood
The story of one rugby's most notorious matches, told by those who were there.A European Cup quarter-final between Harlequins and Leinster was always going to be big - but nobody knew how big.Players from both sides including Ugo Monye and Brian O’Driscoll, commentators, coaches and referee Nigel Owens recall how events unfolded before, during and after the moment that Tom Williams staggered from
Bloodgate: 3. The Cover-ups
Gripping testimony from the Harlequins dressing-room as Tom Williams persuades club doctor Wendy Chapman to help cover up his act of cheating.But when new footage emerges of Tom appearing to chew on a fake blood capsule, European Rugby prosecutors decide to press charges against the player, his coach and the club.Quins agree a cover story - but will it hold water when matters come to a head at a B
Bloodgate: 4. Downfall
After receiving his 12-month ban, Tom Williams faces pressure from the club and his team-mates as he considers blowing the whistle on the Bloodgate plot. We hear about secret meetings between Tom and the club’s board and horse-trading over what level of financial incentive might persuade him not to reveal the truth.It leads to a showdown at a board member’s house in Cobham, a decisive intervention
Bloodgate: 5. The Biggest Beast in The Jungle
Bloodgate is big news - and it’s about to get even bigger…Dean Richards’ resignation has thrust Bloodgate onto the front and back pages - but details of the cover-ups remain outside the public domain.That’s until Paul Kelso, sports news correspondent for the Daily Telegraph, arrives on the scene. While Kelso, now a Sky news correspondent, starts to release details of the murky aftermath to the che
Bloodgate: 6. Rugby’s Reckoning
With the full Bloodgate scandal now exposed, rugby enters a period of soul-searching.Fallen Harlequins coach Dean Richards makes allegations that blood cheating goes to the very top of the game, while Ugo Monye adds his weight to the argument that other teams are culpable.And when Tom Williams returns to the rugby pitch, he’s given a less than warm welcome by opponent Chris Ashton.Narrator: Ross K
Bloodgate: 7. Redemption and Beyond
New coach Conor O’Shea sets about transforming Harlequins’ fortunes and restoring their reputation.Tom Williams rediscovers his form and helps the club to the Premiership final - the ultimate opportunity for redemption.Dean Richards returns to rugby with Newcastle and reflects on the Bloodgate episode, while some of the key figures in the series offer opinions on the legacy of the scandal.Narrator
Hansie Cronje: Fall From Grace: 1. Bigger than Becks
In the mid-90s, Hansie Cronje was South Africa’s golden boy, the God-fearing captain backed by Nelson Mandela and worshipped by a nation. More than just a cricketer, he was a symbol of hope. But were the cracks there all along? In the first episode of Sport’s Strangest Crimes - Hansie Cronje: Fall From Grace, former England cricketer, Mark Butcher revisits the rise of a man who seemed too good to
Hansie Cronje: Fall From Grace: 2. England and the Infamous Forfeits
It’s the final Test of a five-match series, and everyone’s already packed their bags. Three days of rain, no result, nothing to play for. Then out of nowhere, Hansie Cronje makes an offer, and the game is back on. In Episode 2, Mark Butcher takes us inside one of the weirdest days he’s ever seen on a cricket field. At the time, it looked like a stroke of sportsmanship. But in hindsight? Let’s just
Hansie Cronje: Fall From Grace: 3. Brown Envelopes
The Centurion Test is over. Hansie’s praised for “saving” the match. But rewind 24 hours and the real story starts to unfold. In Episode 3, we go behind the scenes of a game that never should’ve happened - cryptic calls, hotel whispers, and a captain running his own playbook. Then, by pure chance, someone’s listening. And suddenly, Hansie’s house of cards starts to wobble.
Hansie Cronje: Fall From Grace: 4. Not Your Normal Library
Hansie’s admitted guilt but the real drama is only just getting started. Episode 4 takes us to the King Commission, a library turned media circus, where cricket’s clean image takes hit after hit. More names come out. More matches are mentioned. And as the pressure builds, the emotion gets raw. And one big question hovers over it all: was this about getting to the truth or just controlling the dama
Hansie Cronje: Fall From Grace: 5. The Only Passenger On Board
June 2002. Hansie Cronje dies in a plane crash. The reaction is immediate - shock, disbelief, grief. But not everyone buys the official story. In Episode 5, Mark Butcher traces Hansie’s final hours - a missed flight, a last-minute ride on a cargo plane, and a descent through mountain cloud with broken instruments and almost no visibility. Was it pilot error, as the report claimed? Or something mor
Hansie Cronje: Fall From Grace: 6. Friend or Foe?
Was Hansie Cronje a villain? A victim? Or something in between? In this final episode, we unpack the legacy Hansie left behind — the loyalties, the doubts, and the stories that still divide opinion. Some say he was trapped by powerful people and trying to find a way out. Others say he knew exactly what he was doing. From emotional moments with close friends to sharp takes from those who saw a dark
Confessions of a Super Bowl Streaker: 1. Captain C**k
Comedian Rich Hall presents the story of Mark Roberts - who isn't your average bloke. By day, he's a painter from Liverpool. By night? He's Captain Cock - the world's most prolific streaker, a man who's dropped his kit at over 500 major sporting events across 23 countries.By 2002, Mark's conquered almost everything. Wimbledon. The Champions League Final. The Olympics. But there's one event left. T
Confessions of a Super Bowl Streaker: 2. The Calling
Every superhero has an origin story. For Captain Cock, it begins in Hong Kong, 1993.Comedian Rich Hall takes us back to when Mark is a young bartender in the city’s chaotic nightlife district -far from Velcro trousers, tutus, or a global streaking career. Then comes a drunken dare at the Rugby Sevens, the kind most people laugh off and forget by morning.What happens next will set the course of his
Confessions of a Super Bowl Streaker: 3. On the Map
Before Mark could streak the Super Bowl, both streaking and the Super Bowl had to become what they are.Streaking has a history. The Super Bowl has a history. And host Rich Hall? Well he has a history too, which might explain a few things.Rich Hall pulls apart the rise and fall of streaking in 1970s America - a cultural flash in the pan that somehow never quite died. Then, the evolution of the Supe
Confessions of a Super Bowl Streaker: 4. The Man With the Plan
After failing in San Diego, Mark swore he’d never try the Super Bowl again. Then one unexpected email changes everything.Comedian Rich Hall presents the story of an eight-month mission to infiltrate Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston - rehearsals, disguises, sponsor tattoos, and a growing belief that this time, he really might pull it off.At the same time, the NFL’s Jim Steeg and MTV’s Salli Frattini a
Confessions of a Super Bowl Streaker: 5. Houston, We Have So Many Problems
Houston, 2004. Super Bowl XXXVIII. The biggest television event of the year — and everyone involved is chasing perfection.Inside the NFL machine, Jim Steeg is orchestrating a military-grade operation where every second is worth millions. In the production truck, Salli Frattini is holding together a halftime show so complex it feels like a controlled explosion: Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, pyr
Confessions of a Super Bowl Streaker: 6. The Fallout
The streak is over but the chaos is just beginning.Mark Roberts has danced naked at the centre of the Super Bowl, been tackled by an NFL linebacker, and carried off the field. What he doesn’t realise is that minutes earlier, a “wardrobe malfunction” at halftime has triggered a media storm that might well dwarf his moment. While Mark sits in a crowded Houston holding cell — still in his Velcro refe
Shadows on the Pitch: 1. No Terrorists in America
Can an ex-referee with a cryptic message help James unravel an explosive conspiracy about the build-up to World Cup USA 1994? James travels to Bucharest to find out more … Presented by James Montague
Written by Ben Wyatt and Emma Weatherill
Production co-ordinator: Juliette Harvey
Production manager: Debbie Waddell
Development Executive: Emma Shaw
Executive Producers: Ben Wyatt, Emma Weatherill
Shadows on the Pitch: 2. Son of Anarchy
A political powder-keg World Cup qualifying tournament held in Doha. American security on the line. James tries to make sense of what went down in the desert shadows.Thirty years on he reviews the matches, looking for clues about why the conspiracy persists, and hears what it was like to play for Iraq in the 1990s under the whip of Uday Hussein - Saddam’s son.Presented by James Montgaue
Written by
Shadows on the Pitch: 3. Spy Games
The world of spies and sports collide as James speaks to security specialists and those who lived to tell the tale about rumours of America’s shadowy past. From claims of secret mass surveillance of the Olympic Games, both home and abroad, to the curious World Cup interests of Henry Kissinger.
But what does it all mean for the conspiracy theory he’s trying to make sense of, the claim that Ameri
Shadows on the Pitch: 4. The Agony of Doha
World Cup qualifiers return to Doha in 2025, and so does football conspiracy, but can James see through the controversy to get to the bottom of what happened on similar pitches over thirty years ago?Presented by James Montague
Written by Ben Wyatt and Emma Weatherill
Production co-ordinator: Juliette Harvey
Production manager: Debbie Waddell
Development Executive: Emma Shaw
Executive Producers:
Shadows on the Pitch: 5. All the Presidents Men
As the FIFA draw takes place in Washington DC and the great and the good of the footballing world convene in the US capital, spies come out of the woodwork to speak to James. Former CIA operatives and military intelligence aficionados spill their beans, but could the ex-CEO of USA ‘94 have the most intriguing lead?Presented by James Montague
Written by Ben Wyatt and Emma Weatherill
Production co-o
Shadows on the Pitch: 6. A Dirty Game?
Patronage and power: lessons from an Italian footballing scandal. From the pitch of the San Siro to a pre-dawn FBI raid of a luxury hotel in Geneva, James gathers a new understanding of the mechanics of football-match manipulation, in a way that makes him question a footballing scar from the past that has remained close to his own heart.Presented by James Montague
Written by Ben Wyatt and Emma Wea
Allen Stanford: The Man Who Bought Cricket: 1. Lord's
Lord's 2008. The most sacred ground in cricket had never witnessed anything like it. Across the London skyline a helicopter appeared and slowly descended onto the hallowed turf. From within emerged a tall, brash Texan who was greeted by the great and the good of cricket. With him was a box of money, and not just a few quid....$20 million. The man was Allen Stanford and he had an audacious plan to
Allen Stanford: The Man Who Bought Cricket: 2. The Wild West
England's mens cricketers are preparing for a match that could change their lives forever. A one-off game that could net them $1 million each with one run, wicket or catch. It's a unique and extraordinary sporting prospect bankrolled by Allen Stanford. But how? Wasn't he just a washed up business failure from Texas?After the collapse of his gym business Allen is declared bankrupt. However a chance
Allen Stanford: The Man Who Bought Cricket: 3. Antigua
After leaving the island of Montserrat, Allen moves his growing banking empire to the newly independent island of Antigua. Here he quickly realises that cricket is THE sport in the Caribbean, the game that everyone loves and follows and hatches a plan to invest in a new T20 tournament in the West Indies. He invests millions of dollars, signs up the greats of Windies cricket and sets the ball rolli
Allen Stanford: The Man Who Bought Cricket: 4. The Match
Antigua, 1st November, 2008. Months after landing his helicopter on the Nursery Ground at Lord's, complete with a box of cash in tow, Allen Stanford's dream is now a reality. The waiting and talking is over. One cricket match for $20 million. The winning players will walk away with a cool $1 million each, the losers will get absolutely nothing. One catch, one wicket or one run could be the differe
Allen Stanford: The Man Who Bought Cricket: 5. Whistleblowers
After the groundbreaking $20 million cricket match, Allen Stanford was headline news across the cricketing world and beyond. He had delivered on his proposal to create a unique piece of sporting theatre, a cricket match the like of which had never been seen before. So as England's mens cricketers headed home following their defeat in the million dollar match, their counterparts in the West Indies
Allen Stanford: The Man Who Bought Cricket: 6. Hurricane Season
Just a few months after the $20 million cricket match in Antigua, a perfect storm is brewing around Allen Stanford and his sprawling business empire.There are 'red flags' everywhere and with the financial world imploding the authorities in America are under pressure to act quickly before it's too late. But taking on a billionaire is not for the faint-hearted, there can be consequences. Both the FB
Allen Stanford: The Man Who Bought Cricket: 7. Hell
After attempted undercover operations, revelations from whistleblowers and numerous investigations going back years, the authorities in the USA decide to move against Sir Allen Stanford. In doing so the shocking truth behind his business empire is at last revealed to the world. However, big questions remain: Will he face justice? Where is the money? What will happen to thousands of investors? How
The Trillion Dollar Conman: 1. The Promised Land
From the world’s oldest football league club to the communist dictatorship of North Korea, this incredible story has it all. It’s a tale of greed and intrigue that takes us on a journey from the streets of Nottingham to the Gulf kingdom of Bahrain. At the heart of it, a conman who fooled football bosses, a London bank and foreign regimes. Russell King’s audacious multi-million pound scam brought t
The Trillion Dollar Conman: 2. Toy Story
A consortium called Munto Finance has taken over Notts County – the oldest professional football club in the world. Supposedly backed by millions of pounds from the Middle East, the club are promised riches beyond their wildest dreams. Sven Goran Eriksson is hired as director of football and England and Arsenal legend Sol Campbell joins the club on in a multi-million pound deal. David Beckham is r
The Trillion Dollar Conman: 3. Treasure Island
Alice Levine heads to Jersey to delve deeper into fraudster Russell King’s criminal past. She discovers how King enjoyed an extravagant lifestyle on the island, living in a lavish multi-million pound home with a swimming pool and set in acres of beautiful grounds. How he owned a collection of fast cars, hired private jets and enjoyed flights in a company helicopter. He was behind a business called
The Trillion Dollar Conman: 4. Fool’s Gold
Revelations about Russell King’s criminal past have done nothing to dampen the spirits at Notts County football club. The team and the fans are on roll, dreaming again, their sights set on promotion. Meanwhile, in one of the most bizarre episodes yet, the club’s director of football, Sven Goran Eriksson finds himself in North Korea – a guest of one of the most notorious regimes in the world.He’s w
The Trillion Dollar Conman: 5. Pay the Milkman
Notts County were sold a dream of untold millions and Premier League football but it’s all come crashing down. Over the course of just a few months the club has racked up millions of pounds of debts and now they can’t even pay the milk bill. Sven Goran Eriksson has returned from his crazy trip to North Korea and conman Russell King has vanished. As the creditors come knocking, Sven and chairman Pe
The Trillion Dollar Conman: 6. To Catch a King
There’s nowhere to hide for serial fraudster Russell King. Holed-up in Bahrain, time has finally run out for the trillion dollar conman. On his tail, a detective who has spent 10 years trying to bring him to justice for his crimes on the island of Jersey. But Russell King has one last throw of the dice. Meanwhile Notts County, the football club he used and abused to satisfy his own greedy endeavou
Spygate: 1. Rivals Awaken
Excitement is in the air as the 2007 Formula 1 season gets underway. There’s a feeling that the World Championship is anyone’s for the taking. Michael Schumacher might have just retired, but Italian icon Ferrari is looking fierce and British powerhouse McLaren isn’t looking too shabby either. Under the guidance of legendary team boss Ron Dennis, the team looks like a strong contender once more wit
Spygate: 2. A Strange White Powder
Ferrari receives an alarming email - subject line: “Industrial Espionage”. In a sport of continuous engineering innovation, the last thing you want is rivals peeping at your secrets. But the spying alert comes at an especially bad time for the famous Italian team. On track, they’re in the middle of a team makeover, and behind the scenes, they’re investigating what looks like an internal sabotage s
Spygate: 3. It All Goes Wrong for Ron
The British Grand Prix is always a highlight in the Formula 1 calendar, but in 2007, you can cut the tension with a knife. Whilst Lewis Hamilton prepares for his first home race, behind the scenes McLaren is rocked by allegations of spying from Italy. It’s a bolt from the blue for F1 insiders: Nobody saw this coming, and especially not from ‘squeaky clean’ McLaren. And to make matters worse, Ferra
Spygate: 4. The Iron Fist in the Velvet Glove
The 2007 Formula 1 season is hotting up, but it’s the action off the track that is really starting to burn. While Hamilton, Raikonnen and Alonso battle it out in Germany, It’s time for McLaren to face the guard dogs of Formula 1 - or, as they’re better known, the FIA. The team is off to Paris to defend themselves against charges of misconduct. But this isn’t any old trial. It’s one not only of rig
Spygate: 5. Drivers Behaving Badly
Violent g-force, cockpit temperatures over 40C, and the constant threat of a crash: Formula 1 drivers are under intense physical pressure on the track. But what happens when emotional pressures boil over? At the Hungarian Grand Prix in August, McLaren is about to find out…and how. An extraordinary incident in the pitstop seems to suggest Fernando Alonso is playing tricks on Lewis Hamilton - but as
Spygate: 6. Piranha Club Rules
Long: It’s all quiet on track and in the garages during Formula 1’s summer shutdown, but F1’s halls of power are very much open for business. And if you want a seat at the table then you need to know the rules of the game or you won’t survive. McLaren’s prodigal son has returned with his tails between his legs, but the damage has already been done. Concerned that his personal honour is on the line
Spygate: 7. Seeing Red
If the 2007 F1 season is a game of chess, then we’re just one move away from checkmate. But whose piece will fall? Following Alonso’s revelations in Hungary, McLaren is dancing on the ledge - and the FIA know it. With new evidence and new allegations, they summon the team back to Paris for a second hearing, and this time, the risks are even bigger than before – and their rivals Ferrari are ready t
Spygate: 8. The Winner Takes It All
The 2007 season reaches a nail-biting climax. McLaren and Ferrari are neck-and-neck down the final straight – but Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are at each other’s throats. The World Championship is decided by a single point in a thriller that will go down in F1 history. But even as the season officially ends, the Spygate scandal leaves a lasting legacy: reputations are wrecked, relationships
Spygate: Bonus: Listener Questions
The 2007 Formula 1 season remains a source of high drama and heated debate. With Lewis Hamilton’s stunning debut, his bitter rivalry with Fernando Alonso, and a driver’s championship that went right down to the wire – it’s one of the most controversial in Formula 1 history, with more twists and turns than a racetrack.In this bonus episode of Sport’s Strangest Crimes: Spygate, F1 journalist Sarah H
Spygate: Bonus: F1's Technological Evolution
A whopping 17 seasons have passed since the ‘Spygate’ controversy and Lewis Hamilton’s debut rocked F1. That’s a long time in a highly technical sport, so what does F1 look, feel and sound like now? And with Hamilton and Alonso still racing, how has their fierce rivalry fared over the past 15 years?As the 2023 season approaches, Sport’s Strangest Crimes: Spygate returns for a bonus episode to char
Marco Pantani: Death of a Pirate: 1. The Cursed Champion
In February 2004, 20,000 mourners lined the streets to pay their respects at the funeral of superstar cyclist, Marco Pantani.In November 2021, a new inquiry into Pantani’s death was announced - this time investigating the theory that the Italian mafia might have been involved in his murder.But in episode one, it’s 1990, and promising amateur Marco Pantani is just beginning to make his mark… With t
Marco Pantani: Death of a Pirate: 2. Ain't No Mountain High Enough
With doping, drug funds, and dawn raids, the 1998 Tour de France is one of the most infamous races in cycling history. In the aftermath of the Festina Affair, it looks like the Tour will be damaged for good. But one man emerges victorious - Marco Pantani, the plucky underdog, and new-found saviour of the sport.But not everyone is thrilled with his seemingly super-human victory... and the voice of
Marco Pantani: Death of a Pirate: 3. Bad Blood
When cyclists begin dying in alarming numbers, all eyes are on a mysterious new drug. But what is EPO? How does it work? And could it be used to manipulate a race result?.With the help of Professor David Cowan OBE, we hear how it might have been possible to take performance enhancing drugs, and successfully evade detection. But we also hear how playing with your body’s chemistry has a darker side
Marco Pantani: Death of a Pirate: 4. Icarus Falls
It’s 1999, and Marco Pantani is riding high after his Tour de France victory - both the bad boy of cycling, and the saviour of the sport. The 1999 Giro D’Italia seems to be made for him, and he leads the race by over 20 minutes - until a late-stage disqualification stops the pirate in his bike tracks.With the other riders overjoyed, rumours about criminal betting, conspiracies - and even the mafia
Marco Pantani: Death of a Pirate: 5. All The World's A Stage
Convinced of a setup, Pantani is paranoid and following the money adds fuel to the fire. Why was there so much money in 90s cycling? And who was trying to get their hands on it?With the help of leading cycling historian Professor John Foot, Italian historian Dr Francesca Billiani, and Phil Liggett MBE, we learn how, over the course of the 90s, cycling went from a niche continental sport, to a bill
Marco Pantani: Death of a Pirate: 6. An Episode You Can't Refuse
As corruption allegations run rampant, all roads seem to lead back to the mafia. But what connections did organised crime have to sport? And is there even any such thing as ‘The Mafia’?Today, we’re giving you an episode you can’t refuse as we delve deep into the heart of organised crime in Italy, with the help of mafia expert Professor John Dickie, and Italian journalist Lorenzo Bodrero. New episo
Marco Pantani: Death of a Pirate: 7. A Sad Day For The Sport
After his disqualification from the 1999 Giro, Marco Pantani is devastated and withdrawn. His cocaine abuse worsens, and he becomes obsessed with clearing his name. Friends and family watch on, helpless, as his career begins to slip away - and then, on Valentine’s Day 2004, some devastating news shocks Italy: the Pirate has is dead.Narrated by Hugh Dennis, with the voices of Iain Ferrier and Helen
Marco Pantani: Death of a Pirate: 8. The People's Pirate
Italy, and the world, are struck by grief at the death of the pirate. But as mourners throng the streets of Cesenatico, those closest to Marco are possessed by an undercurrent of suspicion.We speak to the woman who knew Marco best - his mother, Tonina Pantani - about the Marco she knew - and about her gut instinct that something about the ‘crime’ scene seems wrong..Narrated by Hugh Dennis, with th
Marco Pantani: Death of a Pirate: 9. Prima Facie
Mystery bruises, missing cash… driven by Tonina Pantani, 2 inquiries into Marco’s death follow. Family members present new evidence, alleging that Pantani was beaten, forced to drink cocaine, and murdered - but it all comes to nothing. The second inquiry is dismissed - and it seems like the pirate has been put to rest for good.That is, until 2020…Narrated by Hugh Dennis, with the voices of Iain Fe
Marco Pantani: Death of a Pirate: 10. The Pirate and The Mob
Two decades on, fresh intel from a mafia source threatens to blow the case wide open. Italian journalist Lorenzo Bodrero takes us through the present day-inquiry, and the shocking new evidence that has come to light. New witnesses, new theories, and new evidence all surface - nearly 20 years on, are we any closer to finding out what really happened to Marco Pantani?Narrated by Hugh Dennis, with th
Friday Night Heists: 1. Friday Night Lights Out
Anthony Curcio is the most unexpected person you will ever meet. At first glance, he appears as simply a suburban dad who wears khaki pants, Cactus Jacks, coaches his daughters in basketball, and drives a modest truck. You soon learn that he was once a high school football star, with the dream, and, more importantly, the speed, to play professionally. But that's not the interesting part. Anthony C
Friday Night Heists: 2. Just Say No
Just Say No: Anthony Curcio had used his second chance at football. Used it well. He built his body and refocused his mind on the sport. But football is football, a sport loved for its precise brutality. And Anthony tears a ligament in his knee. His dreams of playing are over. And yet, for once in his life, he doesn't care. It's all due to a little pill prescribed to him from a doctor. This little
Friday Night Heists: 3. Good Form
Good Form: Anthony Curcio loved the life of crime. The double life. He fancied himself a blue collar Thomas Crown, pursuing pills over Pissarros. His various heists enabled him to live the American Dream, own a house, marry his high school sweetheart and start a family. He was also close to walking away from crime, until he bought that house and learned that an even bigger hustle was happening acr
Friday Night Heists: 4. The Playbook
The Playbook: Anthony Curcio was in desperate need of cash. The housing hustle left him deep in debt. But he couldn't get any cash. No one could. No one, except large banks, bailed out by the US government. They had all the cash he needed. So he decided to steal it. But creating a method to rob a bank would take the type of planning and preparation generals use for war, or rather, football coaches
Friday Night Heists: 5. Back From the Brinks
Back From the Brinks: It's game day in Anthony Curcio's hometown. Only this time, he's robbing an armored car instead of catching touchdown passes. He had everything prepped and mapped out, down to the tiniest of detail. But nothing, not one single thing, could have prepared him for the rush of actually setting the plan in motion. From BBC Sounds and Radio 5 Live, Sports Strangest Crimes presents,
Friday Night Heists: 6. The Hunt For DB Tuber
News of the robbery spreads around the state. Everyone is talking about the way the armoured car robber got away.
Friday Night Heists: 7. Double Solitary
Double Solitary: Anthony Curcio never imagined himself in prison. He was too smart. Too clever. Too unassuming to ever get caught. But he never expected a homeless man to act as his foil, ruining the perfect crime by witnessing and then acting on the one detail Anthony forgot. The error caused Anthony and his family to see the double life he'd been living. And he embarked on a journey more perilou
Friday Night Heists: 8. Coach Anthony
Coach Anthony: Like we said at the start, Anthony Curcio is the most unexpected person you will ever meet. A suburban dad and former football star turned felon. He pulled off one of the most creative bank heists in US history, robbing an armoured car and escaping down the river in an inner tube. But his final act might be the most astonishing thing of all. From BBC Sounds and Radio 5 Live, Sports
The Ballad of Bruiser Brody: 1. Life In Paradise
In the first episode, Puerto Rico wakes up to the news of a brutal killing, and a young boy in Michigan starts taking his first steps towards superstardom in the ring.Bruiser Brody was a wrestling star in the 1970s and 1980s; a classic villain of the ring, and a foil for wrestling heroes like Bruno Sammartino and Ric Flair. When he was killed in the dressing room before a fight in Puerto Rico, it
The Ballad of Bruiser Brody: 2. Birth of Bruiser
Warning: This episode contains strong language.In episode two, Frank Goodish fights for the first time - and makes quite an impression on the world famous wrestling impresario Fritz von Erich.Bruiser Brody was a wrestling star in the 1970s and 1980s; a classic villain of the ring, and a foil for wrestling heroes like Bruno Sammartino and Ric Flair. When he was killed in the dressing room before a
The Ballad of Bruiser Brody: 3. Beauty and the Feast
In the third episode, Bruiser makes a powerful enemy - but also falls in love.Bruiser Brody was a wrestling star in the 1970s and 1980s; a classic villain of the ring, and a foil for wrestling heroes like Bruno Sammartino and Ric Flair. When he was killed in the dressing room before a fight in Puerto Rico, it shocked the world of wrestling, and pulled back the curtain on a world full of rumour, fa
The Ballad of Bruiser Brody: 4. Bruised Dick
Warning: This episode contains strong language.In the fourth episode, the increasingly confident Bruiser Brody starts clashing with managers and promoters, earning a wild card reputation that puts him in danger.Bruiser Brody was a wrestling star in the 1970s and 1980s; a classic villain of the ring, and a foil for wrestling heroes like Bruno Sammartino and Ric Flair. When he was killed in the dres
The Ballad of Bruiser Brody: 5. Island of Enchantment
In the fifth episode, as the WWE takes over the American market, Bruiser turns to the even more high octane and raw world of wrestling in Puerto Rico - where he once again encounters Invader One, a local hero who he’s feuded with before.Bruiser Brody was a wrestling star in the 1970s and 1980s; a classic villain of the ring, and a foil for wrestling heroes like Bruno Sammartino and Ric Flair. When
The Ballad of Bruiser Brody: 6. Invader
In the sixth episode, Adam explores the extraordinary story of Invader One - Jose Huertas Gonzalez - as he prepares for a showdown with Bruiser Brody.Bruiser Brody was a wrestling star in the 1970s and 1980s; a classic villain of the ring, and a foil for wrestling heroes like Bruno Sammartino and Ric Flair. When he was killed in the dressing room before a fight in Puerto Rico, it shocked the world
The Ballad of Bruiser Brody: 7. The People vs Invader One
In the seventh episode, Puerto Rico reels from news of the killing; but as Jose pleads self-defence, the police and courts struggle to get to the bottom of what really happened to Bruiser Brody.Bruiser Brody was a wrestling star in the 1970s and 1980s; a classic villain of the ring, and a foil for wrestling heroes like Bruno Sammartino and Ric Flair. When he was killed in the dressing room before
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