Rephonic
Artwork for The Rest Is Classified

The Rest Is Classified

Goalhanger
CIA
Bashar Al-Assad
Iran
Syria
Taliban
Al-Qaeda
1953 Iranian Coup
MI6
Qala-I-Jangi
Espionage
Lebanon
The Shah Of Iran
Mohammad Mosaddegh
Afghanistan
Rafiq Hariri
North Korea
Central Bank Of Bangladesh
Cybercrime
Oil Nationalization
Cold War

Enter the secretive world of spies, espionage, and covert operations. Hosted by former CIA analyst turned spy novelist, David McCloskey, and veteran security correspondent, Gordon Corera, this podcast unravels real-life spy stories, intelligence secrets, and the hidden power struggles shaping global events. From Cold War espionage to modern-day intelligence agencies like the CIA, MI6, and Mossad, ... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes160Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategory
History

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Rest Is Classified

Latest Episodes

What is actually happening between the US and Venezuela? Trump has captured President Maduro of Venezuela and extradited him to the US, but how was he able to pull off such a complex, and legally contentious, plot?

Listen as David and Gordon take a ... more

Does China want to hack into your washing machine? What really is the dark web? And can you ever avoid being spied on in the 21st century?

Listen as David and Gordon are once again joined by the CIA's first Chief of Tradecraft and Operational Techno... more

The world of surveillance has changed beyond recognition over the past 25 years with the advent of technology. From CCTV cameras to cookie tracking, it's not so easy to escape the long arm of the intelligence services in 2025.

David and Gordon are j... more

YouTube

Bill Donovan has set himself up across an entire floor of the swanky London hotel, Claridge’s. From here he is now running international intelligence operations and laying plans for the future of espionage in the United States.

But, his arch nemesis... more

Key Facts

Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Glenn Chafetz
Former CIA officer and first chief of tradecraft and operational technology
2430 Group
Episode: 112. How To Protect Your Secrets: Inside China’s Technical Surveillance Playbook (Ep 1)
Jobi Warwick
Author of the book "The Triple Agent"
Episode: 106. Hunting Al-Qaeda: Anatomy Of A Terrorist (Ep 1)
Mark Galeotti
Leading expert on Russian organized crime and the Russian security services
Independent Analyst
Episode: The Rise Of Putin: Joining The KGB
Anthony Scaramucci
Former White House Communications Director, co-host of The Rest Is Politics US
The Rest Is Politics US
Episode: Did The Mafia Kill JFK?
Kent Walker
President of Global Affairs at Alphabet
Alphabet
Episode: EXCLUSIVE: Google's President of Global Affairs on AI, Cyber Attacks and Silicon Valley
Raymond Asquith
MI6 head of station in Moscow during the Gordievsky exfiltration
MI6
Episode: EXCLUSIVE: The Spy Who Smuggled Gordievsky Out of Russia
Joachim Rønneberg
A Norwegian resistance hero who led the sabotage of a heavy water plant during World War II.
Norwegian Independent Company
Episode: 72. Destroying the Nazi Nuclear Program: Bombing Norway (Ep 1)
Eliza Manningham-Buller
Former head of MI5
Episode: Former Head of MI5: 7/7, Putin, and Al-Qaeda (Eliza Manningham-Buller)
Edward Snowden
Former NSA contractor who leaked classified information on government surveillance
Episode: 45. The Leak That Changed The World: America Exposed (Ep 3)

Hosts

David McCloskey
Former CIA analyst turned spy novelist, he brings expertise in intelligence operations and storytelling to the show.
Gordon Corera
Veteran security correspondent with deep insights into intelligence matters, he enhances the discussion with journalistic rigor.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 3.7k ratings
  • Annoyingly presentation style

    Verbal ticks like saying ‘right’ after every assertion, and vying with one another for speed of speaking, whilst often speaking over one another and laughing at each others’ inane asides, makes the whole thing annoyingly difficult to extract the undoubtably interesting subject matter from. Slow down and have as much respect for the listener as you clearly have for each other Gordon and David.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Moany TonyG
    Poland2 months ago
  • Good, the verbal tics are distracting

    The British host: “kind of, kind of, kind of…”

    The American host: “kinda, kinda, kinda…”

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    FatTête
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Mid

    The british guy makes me not like the podcast. He thinks everything is funny and needs a joke. If Scott did the podcast solo it’d be a solid 5 stars.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Jayboy 1115
    United States2 months ago
  • Perfect balance

    Lovely podcast , lively and fun yet very documented

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Margot49170
    France2 months ago
  • Love this pod-to a point

    I like this podcast a lot. The hosts have credentials and the episodes seem well-researched and presented. But my problem is the paywall. I understand the need for ads but then there’s an interesting interview with the Mooch about the Mob and JFK. There’s a 10 minute tease and then you have to pay $7 a month. I like a lot of podcasts but I can’t afford to be in the golden tier in any of them. I suppose that’s capitalism. I’ll keep listening and talking to people about what I hear and I vs defini... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RobMajor
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the in-depth research and well-explained narratives that bring historical espionage to life.
Hosts provide an engaging blend of humor and serious analysis, making complex topics accessible and entertaining.
Some criticism arises regarding occasional biases in the hosts' perspectives, particularly relating to U.S. intelligence operations.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

112. How To Protect Your Secrets: Inside China’s Technical Surveillance Playbook (Ep 1)
Q: What does ubiquitous technical surveillance mean?
Ubiquitous technical surveillance refers to the integration of modern technology into everyday life to a degree that is often unrecognized, which poses challenges for clandestine operations.
112. How To Protect Your Secrets: Inside China’s Technical Surveillance Playbook (Ep 1)
Q: So what is the point of intelligence? What's the goal of that enterprise?
The goal of intelligence is to acquire information of value, which confers power to the possessor and to protect that information from being obtained by adversaries.
112. How To Protect Your Secrets: Inside China’s Technical Surveillance Playbook (Ep 1)
Q: Glenn, could you tell us a little bit about how you ended up in the CIA?
Glenn shares his journey from an academic background into being an arms control negotiator and eventually joining the CIA. He emphasizes the influence of a mentor who encouraged him to gain practical experience before teaching.
Did The Mafia Kill JFK?
Q: Why was Bobby Kennedy so vociferously anti-mob despite the Mafia's support during his campaign?
Robert Kennedy took his role seriously and aimed to root out corruption, even against the interests of the Mafia that had previously supported the Kennedy family, leading to a complex relationship.
EXCLUSIVE: Google's President of Global Affairs on AI, Cyber Attacks and Silicon Valley
Q: The decision to go public, was that a kind of difficult decision?
Yes, at the time, very few companies publicly acknowledged being hacked, but we felt it was essential to inform others who were affected.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Rest Is Classified

What is The Rest Is Classified about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The content predominantly navigates the complex realms of espionage, intelligence agencies, and covert operations, blending rich historical contexts with contemporary narratives. Episodes feature in-depth analyses of infamous figures, such as Yevgeny Prigozhin, exploring themes ranging from the nuances of Russian military engagements to the intricate machinations of U.S. foreign policy during critical events like the Bay of Pigs and the Kennedy assassination. The engaging hosts bring a unique perspective, revealing the intertwining of personal stories with broader political undercurrents, appealing especially to those intrigued by spy craft, political intrigue, and historical events that have shaped modern society. The combination of humor ... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Rest Is Classified?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Rest Is Classified. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Rest Is Classified and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Rest Is Classified get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Rest Is Classified, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Rest Is Classified?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Rest Is Classified, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Rest Is Classified have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Rest Is Classified has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Rest Is Classified?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Rest Is Classified:

1. The Rest Is Politics
2. The Rest Is Politics: US
3. The Rest Is Politics: Leading
4. The Rest Is History
5. Empire

How many episodes of The Rest Is Classified are there?

The Rest Is Classified launched a year ago and published 160 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Rest Is Classified?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Rest Is Classified?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Rest Is Classified from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Rest Is Classified?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Rest Is Classified. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Rest Is Classified?

Recent guests on The Rest Is Classified include:

1. Glenn Chafetz
2. Jobi Warwick
3. Mark Galeotti
4. Anthony Scaramucci
5. Kent Walker
6. Raymond Asquith
7. Joachim Rønneberg
8. Eliza Manningham-Buller

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days