True Spies: Espionage | Investigation | Crime | Murder | Detective | Politics
SPYSCAPE
True Spies takes you inside the world's greatest espionage and detective operations. Our hosts Hayley Atwell, Vanessa Kirby, Sophia Di Martino, Daisy Ridley and Rhiannon Neads talk to the real spies behind the missions. What do they know? What are their skills? And what would you do in their position? We explore and investigate real life thrillers, mysteries and crimes - stories that prove truth is stranger than fiction! These stories cover lies, murder, theft, sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll. You’ll meet experts from the top intelligence agencies including FBI, CIA, MI5, MI6 (SIS), KGB, GRU, Mossad and many others. You’ll discover characters who spied because of money, ideology, coercion or just plain old ego. And, if you’d like to dig deeper into the world of secrets, and test your own secret intelligence skills, head over to spyscape.com for articles, games, experiences, puzzles and videos.For episodes first and ad-free, subscribe to Spyscape+ at: plus.Spyscape.comA Cup & Nuzzle production. Series producers: Gemma Newby, Joe Foley. Music: Nick Ryan.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 17, 2021 • 41min
Psychic Spies | DoD
As head of the STARGATE programme, sponsored by the US Department of Defense, his job was to prove the existence of psychic phenomena - and then use them against America's enemies. Vanessa Kirby enters a world of remote viewing, daring rescues and Cold War intrigue. Could YOU explain the inexplicable? From SPYSCAPE, the home of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producers: Gemma Newby, Joe Foley. Produced by Morgan Childs. Music by Nick Ryan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 10, 2021 • 49min
The Ritchie Boys | WW2
It's 1944 - 3 days after D-Day. 22-year old Guy Stern lands in Normandy. Unlike many of his comrades in the US Army, it's not his first time in Europe. Forced to leave Germany in 1937, he returns as part of an elite Military Intelligence unit charged with interrogating German POWs in their native tongue.Now 99 years old, Guy tells Vanessa Kirby a story of wit and courage in the face of unimaginable pressure. Could YOUR words win a war? From SPYSCAPE, the home of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producers: Gemma Newby, Joe Foley. Produced by Joe Foley. Music by Nick Ryan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 3, 2021 • 39min
You Me, Same Same | CIA
Ryan Hillsberg can be whoever you want him to be. As a CIA case officer, he recruited assets for the Agency by transforming himself into their ideal companion - a confidante par excellence. But maintaining a degree of professional detachment isn't always easy. Vanessa Kirby follows Ryan on one of his most memorable recruitments. Could YOU make friends and influence people? From SPYSCAPE, the home of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Gemma Newby. Produced by Morgan Childs. Music by Nick Ryan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 27, 2021 • 37min
Mission in the Dog Meat Valley | Investigation
CW: Animal cruelty.In South Korea, dog meat is a controversial delicacy. The farming of dogs for meat is largely unregulated, and animals are kept in horrendous conditions. Activists Nami Kim and Nina Jackel are on a personal mission to stop the slaughter. But to expose their enemies, they'll need to gather the right intelligence - and put their own safety on the line. Vanessa Kirby tells a story of courage in the face of cruelty. Could YOU defend the defenceless? From SPYSCAPE, the home of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Gemma Newby. Produced by Mariana Des Forges. Music by Nick Ryan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 20, 2021 • 44min
The ATHAR Project | Investigation
Across the ravaged towns and cities of Syria, looters are trafficking the country's rich reserves of priceless antiquities. Amr Al-Azm and Katie A. Paul, two US-based academics, became unlikely spymasters on a mission to hold the looters to account. Standing in their way are ISIS militants, a hostile regime and the world's largest social network. Vanessa Kirby tells a powerful story of preservation in the face of destruction. What's YOUR cause? From SPYSCAPE, the home of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Gemma Newby. Produced by Joe Foley. Music by Nick Ryan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 13, 2021 • 39min
CIA? More Like CON | Investigation
Wayne Simmons was the toast of cable news. A former CIA officer with a storied operational history, he was called upon to comment on matters concerning the Agency. The only problem? He'd never served at all. Vanessa Kirby meets Kent Clizbe, the genuine ex-CIA operations officer who revealed Simmons' fraud to the world at large. Could YOU sniff out a liar? From SPYSCAPE, the home of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Gemma Newby. Produced by Claire Crofton. Music by Nick Ryan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 6, 2021 • 40min
Catch Me If You Can | BRIXMIS
In the divided Germany of the 1980s, spying was a way of life. Dave Butler knows - he was there. As part of BRIXMIS, a British military liaison unit with an unofficial sideline in espionage, he ran missions deep inside Communist territory. But they didn't always go to plan. Vanessa Kirby tells a story of danger and disaster behind enemy lines. Could YOU go up against the Stasi? From SPYSCAPE, the home of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producers: Gemma Newby, Joe Foley. Produced by Mariana Des Forges. Music by Nick Ryan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 29, 2021 • 46min
The Mouse at Pearl Harbor | WW2
A single spy can change the course of history - for better, or for worse. Takeo Yoshikawa was one such spy. Stationed in Honolulu, Yoshikawa's intelligence was used by the Japanese to launch a devastating attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The massacre brought the USA in to WW2, and ultimately led to Japan's crushing defeat. He shares his unsettling story with Vanessa Kirby. From SPYSCAPE, the home of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Takeo Yoshikawa is voiced by Eiji Mihara. Series producer: Gemma Newby. Produced by Morgan Childs. Music by Nick Ryan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 22, 2021 • 41min
The Sociopathic Spy | CIA
Jim Lawler, a former CIA operations officer with 25 years of experience, shares gripping tales from his covert career. He reveals the art of manipulating emotions and building trust to recruit spies, including a diplomat-turned-asset. Jim reflects on the ethical dilemmas in espionage, such as navigating personal vulnerabilities and the darker motivations behind betrayals. His insights into the moral complexities and emotional toll of covert operations offer a compelling glimpse into the world of intelligence gathering.
Jun 15, 2021 • 43min
The Destroyed Man | Investigation
Betrayal. It's an important theme in spy fiction. But Steve Chao, investigative journalist, has seen it up close - and the price of betrayal is all too real. Vanessa Kirby joins Steve as he meets a reluctant spy who could be the key to breaking a story of truly global significance. Would YOU break your silence? From SPYSCAPE, the home of secrets. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Gemma Newby. Produced by Frank Palmer. Music by Nick Ryan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
