Rephonic
Artwork for The Spy Who

The Spy Who

Audible
MI5
MI6
Al-Qaeda
Sergei Skripal
Ukraine
Espionage
Terrorism
Bellingcat
Elliot Higgins
Sergei Cristo
Vladimir Putin
Carlton Club
Brexit
Russian Intelligence
Conservative Party
Information Warfare
Cambridge University
Life At Sea
Scams
American Scandal

These are stories you were never meant to hear. The invisible but vital work of the world’s intelligence services: secret operatives playing to very different rules. The Spy Who, hosted by Indira Varma and Raza Jaffrey, takes you deep inside that shadow world to meet spies who risked everything in the national interest – or, sometimes, their own.

Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of T... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes124Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
History

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Spy Who

Latest Episodes

It’s 1775 and after years of rising tensions, rebellion is about to break out in British North America. The 13 rebel colonies want to shake off rule from London and form a new nation: The United States of America. But with their Patriot army no match... more

Ed is the grandson of footballing legend Gordon Banks. He was a national icon, the only goalkeeper ever to win the soccer World Cup for England. But Ed’s heard a rumour: that in 1970, while defending the title, his granddad, his hero, was poisoned… b... more

What do you think of when someone mentions the word: spy? Thanks to James Bond, they're often thought of as sleek, sexy and thrill-seeking. But what really goes on in the mind of a secret agent like Václav Jelínek? Charlie Higson is joined author, le... more

It’s the mid-1980s and the Czechoslovak spy living posing as Erwin van Haarlem has spent years convincing the mother of the real Erwin that he is her long-lost son. Now his deception faces a new threat: Britain’s Security Service MI5 are on his tail.... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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

Kayla Parcells
Co-founder and COO of Creators Inc.
Creators Inc.
Episode: Listen Now: OnlyFantasy
Cara McGoogan
Author and journalist who investigates British scandals.
Episode: The Spy Who Jailed the Omagh Bomb Plotter | Inside Britain's Vast Espionage Network | 4
Natalie Cochran
Pharmacist involved in a Ponzi scheme and deceived many including her husband
Episode: Listen now: Scamfluencers | The Pharmacist Femme Fatale
Justin Hawkins
Musician and former frontman of the band The Darkness
The Darkness
Episode: Listen Now: How Do You Cope?
Elliot Higgins
Founder of Bellingcat, investigative journalist specializing in open-source intelligence.
Bellingcat
Episode: The Spy Who Putin Poisoned | Uncovering The Truth With Bellingcat | 5
Frank Close
Author of 'Trinity, The Treachery and Pursuit of the Most Dangerous Spy in History'
Episode: The Spy Who Started the Cold War | The Most Dangerous In History? | 5
Aimen Dean
Former MI6 spy inside Al-Qaeda and author of 'Nine Lives'
Episode: The Spy Who Betrayed Bin Laden | Aimen Dean talks about his time as MI6's Top Spy Inside Al-Qaeda | 5
Rick Stroud
Author of Lonely Courage, The True Story of the SOE Heroines Who Fought to Free Nazi Occupied France
Episode: The Spy Who Wouldn't Lie | The Unsung Heroines Of WW2 | 5
Andrew Lownie
Author of 'Stalin's Englishman'.
Episode: The Spy Who Saved MI5 | How the Cambridge Five Changed MI5 | 5

Hosts

Indira Varma
Host of The Spy Who with deep narrative guidance and a focus on character-driven storytelling.
Raza Jaffrey
Host of The Spy Who; brings investigative perspective and historical-context framing.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 2.2k ratings
  • Best Show I’ve heard

    Almost all seasons are full of intrigue and it is told very well. Hands down one of the best wondery shows if not the best show overall.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LuiReviews
    Japan21 days ago
  • Decent

    Captivating enough, absolutely no idea what the Charlie Higson final episodes adds - easily avoided though. Advert cuts mid-sentence somewhat frustrating. Some of the background sound grates, e.g. oriental music to let you know you're in China, car doors slamming or engines starting etc.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Billy Beeftoe
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • Best Of All

    Amazing storytelling! Intriguing and entertaining! Unparalleled in the world of podcasts. This is the first podcast I ever listened to..I’ve listened to every episode since and just wait with anticipation for the next. I’ve listened to many others since this but this is the standard setter!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Loretta Mary Clare
    United Statesa month ago
  • New Season Idea

    I love this show! It would be great to have an episode on Robert Hanson, one of the few spies who fooled the FBI

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Qwertybuserty
    United Statesa month ago
  • The spy who

    It’s very good, and I can be locked in for hours, but the transcript isn’t as accurate as I would like, especially with foreign names, which may be interpreted as racist. Still, love it overall!

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Imeanwhatisay:/
    United Kingdom2 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Some frustration exists when episodes rely on a single narrator, making it harder to track who is speaking.
Listeners praise the show's engaging storytelling and strong production quality.
Many enjoy the combination of history and espionage with moral nuance.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#43
United States/History
Spotify
#29
United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts
#20
United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts
#37
Canada/History
Spotify
#44
Australia/History
Apple Podcasts
#33
Australia/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Spy Who Jailed the Omagh Bomb Plotter | Inside Britain's Vast Espionage Network | 4
Q: So how do you deal with the consequences of all that?
It's hard to say for sure how he dealt with it, especially considering the violent actions he was involved in.
The Spy Who Jailed the Omagh Bomb Plotter | Inside Britain's Vast Espionage Network | 4
Q: Can you tell us about Operation Konova? What were the findings?
Stakeknife was found to have been involved in 14 murders and 15 abductions, and MI5 was aware of Stakeknife's actions but considered it acceptable.
The Spy Who Putin Poisoned | Uncovering The Truth With Bellingcat | 5
Q: Was there ever a moment where you were worried for your team?
We certainly have the attention of the Russian state in their public statements.
The Spy Who Putin Poisoned | Uncovering The Truth With Bellingcat | 5
Q: Do you think the Skripal poisoning can be seen as an act of war?
There are multiple incidents where Russian spies haven't just spied, they've blown stuff up and, you know, they've killed people.
The Spy Who Started the Cold War | The Most Dangerous In History? | 5
Q: Why do you think so many great minds were happy to join this project, considering that its key focus was an enormously destructive atomic weapon?
Many scientists saw their work as a necessary response to the enormity of the threat posed by Nazi Germany during the war, balancing ethical considerations with the urgency of their mission.

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 Spy Who

What is The Spy Who about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Listeners can expect cinematic, historically grounded espionage storytelling that blends deep archival work with provocative moral questions. Episodes frequently center on real-world intelligence operations, notable spies, and the broader political consequences of covert actions, often featuring conversations with investigators, authors, and experts. A standout aspect is the duo-host dynamic, with one host guiding the narrative while the other challenges assumptions, creating a distinctive rhythm that blends drama with rigorous research. The show tends to explore less-covered angles of famous episodes, taking listeners from Cold War intrigue to mid-20th century operations, all delivered with strong production and clear storytelling that app... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Spy Who?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Spy Who. 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 Spy Who and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Spy Who get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Spy Who, 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 Spy Who?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Spy Who, 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 Spy Who have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Spy Who 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 Spy Who?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Spy Who:

1. British Scandal
2. True Spies: Espionage | Investigation | Crime | Murder | Detective | Politics
3. American Scandal
4. Legacy
5. American History Tellers

How many episodes of The Spy Who are there?

The Spy Who launched 2 years ago and published 124 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 Spy Who?

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 Spy Who?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Spy Who 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 Spy Who?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Spy Who. 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 Spy Who?

Recent guests on The Spy Who include:

1. Kayla Parcells
2. Cara McGoogan
3. Natalie Cochran
4. Justin Hawkins
5. Elliot Higgins
6. Frank Close
7. Aimen Dean
8. Rick Stroud

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