Sep 13

193. The KGB in Iran: Defecting to MI6 with Ben Macintyre (Ep 1)

A KGB officer is recruited by MI6 in Iran at a time of revolutionary upheaval. His intelligence helped shape the Cold War. But how far is agent Redwood motivated by some rather personal difficulties? Listen as David and Gordon are joined by renowned author and journalist, Ben Mac ... Show More

45m 49s

Sep 9

192. 9/11: The War on Terror (Ep 6)

What was the nature of the intelligence failures leading up to 9/11? Could the attacks have been prevented? And what is the enduring impact, 25 years on, of that grim day in September 2001? Listen as David and Gordon reach the dramatic conclusion of their exploration of the 9/11 ... Show More

57m 17s

Sep 6

191. 9/11: The Twin Towers Fall (Ep 5)

What happened on 9/11? This is the day itself, as seen through the eyes of those who lived and died… Listen as David and Gordon take us through the day that changed America, forever. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ... Show More

48m 55s

Aug 2024

The Spy Who Defused the Missile Crisis | Unpacking the mind of a spy legend | 5

Few spies have motives as hard to decipher as those of Oleg Penkovsky. Was he a hero, an egotist or a madman? The Spy Who's Tristan Donovan sits down with Jack Basu-Mellish, host of the LSE Cold War Podcast, to discuss Penkovsky’s actions, plus the lessons to learn from the event ... Show More

38m 37s

Dec 2024

The Spy Who Killed a Prime Minister | Cold Jungle | 3

While Patrice Lumumba battles to control his country, MI6 officer Daphne Park and CIA officer Larry Devlin are secretly battling to stop him turning to the Soviets for help.Listen to The Spy Who ad-free on Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free tr ... Show More

48m 7s

Sep 2023

Sabotage & Secret Weapons: The WW2 Dirty Tricks Department

<p>What is a bat bomb? Why would you cover a fox in radioactive paint? And who are the masterminds behind the Office of Strategic Services, the precursor to the CIA?</p><br><p>In this episode, Don is joined by John Lisle to discuss the creations of the Research and Development br ... Show More

36m 1s

Jul 2024

The Spy Who Defused the Missile Crisis | The Stranger In Red Square | 1

It’s 1960. The world hangs on the brink of nuclear war. But in Moscow, a man’s about to emerge from the shadows with an offer for the CIA. His name is Oleg Penkovsky and he wants to supply the US with the Soviet Union’s greatest nuclear secrets. But is he for real or part of an e ... Show More

42m 11s

Mar 2020

6 - The Fallout

Did Britain spy on Trump? The president has suggested so. To find out, in this final episode we track down the man who made the claim first, an FBI official on the Russia probe and a UK minister caught in the middle. The answer reveals something about the true nature of Trump Wor ... Show More

27m 24s

Jul 2024

The Spy Who Defused the Missile Crisis | Hero or Madman? | 2

After months of missed opportunities, the CIA and MI6 are about to meet Penkovsky. But with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev squaring up to the US President John F. Kennedy over West Berlin, his information could have thermonuclear consequences.Listen to The Spy Who ad-free on Wo ... Show More

39m 33s

Jul 2024

The Spy Who Defused the Missile Crisis | Code Nuclear | 4

It’s 1962 and Oleg Penkovsky has gone to ground after spotting a KGB surveillance team tracking his MI6 contact Janet Chisholm. But when the British Embassy in Moscow invites him to a cocktail party, he sees a chance to reconnect with Western intelligence.Listen to The Spy Who ad ... Show More

41m 2s

Oct 2021

The Billion Dollar Spy

`Hayley Atwell tells the story of Adolph Tolkachev, one of the CIA's most prolific Russian assets, with his handler David Rolph. David's task was to keep this priceless information flowing, but first he had to make sure the KGB weren't onto him. What would YOU do? From SPYSCAPE, ... Show More

49m 1s

Aug 2025

Episode Title Redacted: From the Files of the CIA

Who was America's most successful spy? What happens to a spy that's captured? How can you tell if your child is lying? We interrogate a former member of the CIA to get some info about American intelligence. GUEST: Brittany Butler, former targeting officer within CIA's Directorate ... Show More

25m 30s

Apr 2024

The Spy Who Saved MI5 | The Dominoes Fall | 4

Operation Foot is now happening. And British government knows that its attempt to neutralise the KGB in London will be met with hostility from Moscow. But it’s not just the UK that must prepare for the retaliation, for Oleg Lyalin is also about to discover what it will cost to es ... Show More

38m 46s

194. The KGB in Iran: Appeasing the Ayat...