
Bed of Lies
A taxi driver is shot dead in front of his children. A high-security room goes up in flames. Then terrorists are unmasked as spies. And behind it all, a shadowy unit of the British Army.Award-winning journalist Cara McGoogan investigates the biggest cover-up of the Northern Ireland Troubles and asks: is the British state getting away with murder?The first and second series of Bed of Lies are also available to listen to on this feed:Series 2: It was meant to be a miracle treatment, but it became a deadly poison. Cara McGoogan investigates the story they didn't want you to know - and one of the biggest medical disasters in history.Series 1: They have the perfect relationship, until one day he vanishes. Her hunt leads to other women just like her - and a web of state-spun lies. This is the untold story of one of Britain's biggest secrets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Latest episodes

Apr 11, 2025 • 1h 9min
Legacy | 9
In this gripping discussion, Paul Wilson shares his heartbreaking journey for justice as he seeks an inquiry into his father’s murder by the IRA. Phil James reveals the chilling truths uncovered during his investigating career, highlighting the state's dark capability for violence. Hugh Ord reflects on his time leading the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the importance of addressing unsolved cases from the Troubles. Together, they delve into the enduring trauma, the search for truth, and the complexities surrounding accountability in a fractured society.

Mar 29, 2025 • 1h 5min
Devastation | 8
A family forced to flee abroad. A young soldier killed by a car bomb. Two teenagers gunned down in a mobile shop. As Cara exposes the cold-bloodedness of both sides in the Troubles, she finds out the extent of the state's lethal spy network. Bereaved families hunt for justice, and the truth is shrouded in secrecy as killers walk the streets. Archive in this episode: RTE, Getty. Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 21, 2025 • 57min
Cover-up | 7
IRA spycatcher Freddie Scappaticci has been outed as FRU agent Stakeknife – but he’s not going to disappear without a fight. The British state takes unprecedented measures to make sure their spy gets away with murder. Cara teams up with veteran reporter John Ware to reveal just how high up the cover-up goes. Their reporting leads to a key organisation that has so far remained in the shadows: MI5. Archive in this episode: Getty, Parliament TV. Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 7, 2025 • 52min
License to Kill | 6
Brian Nelson is finally in the dock for his campaign of murderous violence, but will he face justice? The question sends shivers through the British government, and the answer causes even more of a stir. But Brian is just the tip of the iceberg – there’s a new battle, shocking revelations, and a landmark apology to come. Archive in this episode: Getty, ITN, UK ParliamentGet in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 20, 2025 • 51min
Handlers | 5
Cara tracks down soldiers from the covert unit of the British army at the heart of her investigation. As these people who handled spies in the IRA and loyalist paramilitaries spill their secrets, it becomes clear that Agent 6137 and Scap are just the tip of the iceberg. Betrayal, sex, murder. Was it really all for the greater good? Binge Bed of Lies now on Apple Podcasts with a Telegraph subscription: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/contact-us/telegraph-subscription-bonus-content-apple-podcasts/Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 13, 2025 • 51min
Touts | 4
The IRA creates a new unit to root out informers – or touts – and kill them. A man known as Scap quickly rises to the top of this ‘Nutting Squad’ and builds up a fearsome reputation for cruelty. But he is hiding a dark secret – and the implications of the truth being exposed are enormous.Archive in this episode: Carlton TV, ITV, BBC, Getty, ITN, RTÉBinge Bed of Lies now on Apple Podcasts with a Telegraph subscription: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/contact-us/telegraph-subscription-bonus-content-apple-podcasts/Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 6, 2025 • 58min
Agent 6137 | 3
Facing life in prison for murder, a key loyalist makes a surprising confession: he is Agent 6137. When he targeted people for the UDA to assassinate, he was also working for the British. The daughter of one of his victims hunts for the truth about his life as a spy – but as she and Cara dig deeper, they find documents are missing and proof is hard to pin down. Archive in this episode: Getty, ITN, BBCBinge Bed of Lies now on Apple Podcasts with a Telegraph subscription: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/contact-us/telegraph-subscription-bonus-content-apple-podcasts/Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 30, 2025 • 50min
Collusion | 2
Top detectives race to untangle a web of lies behind the murders. But just as they’re about to arrest a key loyalist suspect, their secure office containing top-secret evidence goes up in flames. They hear whispers that a clandestine unit of the British army could be behind the sabotage. All to protect one man – a man Cara reveals is a vicious fighter with a shadowy past. Binge Bed of Lies now on Apple Podcasts with a Telegraph subscription: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/contact-us/telegraph-subscription-bonus-content-apple-podcasts/Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 30, 2025 • 46min
Trouble | 1
Three innocent Catholic men are shot dead in front of their families by a brutal Protestant paramilitary group hunting the IRA. Even in the dark days of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, the murders shock the nation. Then it emerges the gunmen aren’t working alone. Cara McGoogan is determined to find out who else is involved and how deep the collusion goes.Archive in this episode: Getty, ITN, ITV, RTÉ, Fremantle, Thames TV, NpatouBinge Bed of Lies now on Apple Podcasts with a Telegraph subscription: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/contact-us/telegraph-subscription-bonus-content-apple-podcasts/Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 22, 2025 • 2min
Introducing Bed of Lies: Conflict
A taxi driver is shot dead in front of his children. A high-security room goes up in flames. Then terrorists are unmasked as spies. And behind it all, a shadowy unit of the British Army.Award-winning journalist Cara McGoogan investigates the biggest cover-up of the Northern Ireland Troubles and asks: is the British state getting away with murder? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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