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True Spies: Espionage | Investigation | Crime | Murder | Detective | Politics

SPYSCAPE
CIA
World War II
Espionage
Cold War
KGB
FBI
Al-Qaeda
Soviet Union
MI6
Nazi Germany
Russia
War On Terror
MI5
Counterintelligence
Ukraine
Kim Philby
Spanish Civil War
D-Day
Osama Bin Laden
Terrorism

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 i... more

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True CrimeDocumentarySociety & Culture

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Artwork for True Spies: Espionage

Latest Episodes

Alumni of the British Secret intelligence Service are notoriously tight-lipped. John Bryan Wood was no exception.

Fortunately, his son, Alistair, has spent years piecing together the details of his secret life. The result is a fascinating portrait o... more

Author Suzanne Cope is the author of Women of War: The Italian Assassins, Spies, and Couriers Who Fought the Nazis.

In this conversation with True Spies producer Eleanor Sly, Suzanne discusses her research into the brave female resistance fighter... more

In the dying days of the Cold War, the West is on the verge of victory. But the Soviet Union's feared secret service, the KGB, won't give up without a fight.

In this classic episode of True Spies, Sophia Di Martino and former US Army Intelligence of... more

Journalist Charlie English is the author of The CIA Book Club - the story of how a courageous group of underground printers and publishers broke the iron grip of censorship on Cold War Poland.

In this episode of True Spies, Charlie is your guide to ... more

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Recent Guests

Suzanne Cope
Writer, journalist, author, and writing and archive research professor at New York University
New York University
Episode: True Spies Debrief: Suzanne Cope on Italy's Female Resistance Fighters
Aden Magee
Former US Army Intelligence officer who commanded a specialized strategic intelligence element.
US Army Intelligence and Security Command
Episode: True Spies Classic: The Wilderness of Mirrors | US Army CI
Charlie English
Journalist, author of The CIA Book Club and former head of international news at The Guardian
The Guardian
Episode: The CIA Book Club | CIA
Damian Lewis
Acclaimed author who provides expert context and leads the investigative narrative
Episode: True Spies Classic: The Josephine Baker Effect | Deuxieme Bureau
Ayman Oghanna
Freelance journalist and photographer who has reported from war zones
Episode: True Spies Debrief: Ayman Oghanna on Mental Health, China, And The Spy Next Door
Guy Walters
Author, historian, journalist
Author of Stealing Hitler's Rocket
Episode: Stealing Hitler's Rocket | WW2
Julia Ebner
Researcher focusing on far-right extremism, radicalization, and terrorism
Independent researcher, author of Going Dark
Episode: True Spies Classic: Undercover With The Nipsters | Investigation
Stuart A. Reid
Historian and author of The Lumumba Plot
Council on Foreign Relations
Episode: Killing Lumumba | CIA
Frank Close
Professor Emeritus of Theoretical Physics, University of Oxford; author involved in researching Fuchs' story
University of Oxford
Episode: True Spies Classic: The Klaus Fuchs Effect | WW2

Host

Rhiannon Neads
Host of True Spies

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 5.7k ratings
  • Assassins episode

    London has plenty of sunshine in September and the moon would not have been shrouded with chimney smoke in 1979.

    Clean Air Act passed 1956.

    Makes London sound unfairly Dickensian.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    LivMolUk
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • Repeats

    Going downhill. I’ve been a keen listener since the beginning and I loved the early episodes, but the podcast just seems to be repeats or old episodes rehashed as new ones nowadays.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    cesera42
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • Doug

    Excellent podcast, Doug is a very good storyteller and an honest character. His relaying of tales in Afghanistan was so interesting, im looking forward to reading his book. Cheers, Lulu

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    rowan blackadder
    New Zealand4 months ago
  • Typical

    Is it any surprise that these British presenters gloss over the many failings of MI5/6 or the British government? There are plenty of stories of shady dealings, yet they never seem to focus on any of those and instead they are always portrayed as the ethically superior superhero characters on the side in every story they make an appearance in (laughable).

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Original_Owl
    United States5 months ago
  • Fictional conversations

    Of imagined meetigs and rumored motivations conveyrd by voice actors.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Bandboxxer
    United States8 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Audience appreciates expert guests and historical depth
Fans praise high-quality storytelling and production values
Some listeners feel episodes recycle older content and rely on ads

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#208
United States/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#87
United Kingdom/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#169
Canada/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#173
France/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#177
Australia/True Crime
Apple Podcasts
#66
India/True Crime

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

True Spies Debrief: Suzanne Cope on Italy's Female Resistance Fighters
Q: What lessons do you think we can take from the women in your book?
Cope argues that people can start with small acts and that support roles are vital to movements. She notes that seven to ten or more support people may be needed for every person on the front line.
True Spies Debrief: Suzanne Cope on Italy's Female Resistance Fighters
Q: How did Mussolini's rule and subsequently, the Nazi occupation change the lives of women and their rights?
Mussolini's regime promoted women's roles as wives and mothers, restricted education and occupations, and regulated how they dressed. During the resistance, some women found greater agency and freedom, while Nazi occupation intensified repression and the danger to Jewish people.
True Spies Classic: The Wilderness of Mirrors | US Army CI
Q: But who are these people?
The team concluded the hostile operation was likely carried out by the KGB, with Klaus Curran's disclosures helping the KGB learn about the surveillance and misdirect US counterintelligence.
True Spies Classic: The Wilderness of Mirrors | US Army CI
Q: But why are Zulu 1 and Zulu 2 driving towards Austria?
The team suspected they might be traveling for a face-to-face meeting, a common KGB practice, but their trips produced no evidence of an exchange.
True Spies Debrief: Ayman Oghanna on Mental Health, China, And The Spy Next Door
Q: How did mental health intersect with your reporting in conflict zones?
I became open about bipolar disorder, learned psychoeducation with the help of a psychiatrist, and found that understanding the disorder helped me navigate the highs and lows of field reporting, ultimately shaping how I approach stories rather than letting the illness define me.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About True Spies: Espionage

What is True Spies: Espionage about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program consistently explores real-world espionage, covert operations, and investigative storytelling through expert interviews and historical deep-dives. Across episodes, listeners encounter high-stakes missions, Cold War intrigue, wartime intelligence, and modern security challenges, often grounded in meticulous archival research and vivid first-hand accounts. The show balances technical analysis with human storytelling, spotlighting ethical questions, decision-making under pressure, and the evolving role of intelligence in public life. A standout characteristic is bringing diverse, high-profile guests—ranging from former operatives and journalists to historians and authors—into thoughtful conversations that illuminate how secrets sh... more

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Which podcasts are similar to True Spies: Espionage?

These podcasts share a similar audience with True Spies: Espionage:

1. SpyCast
2. Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues | Current Affairs
3. The Spy Who
4. SPYCRAFT 101
5. Cold War Conversations

How many episodes of True Spies: Espionage are there?

True Spies: Espionage launched 7 years ago and published 431 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on True Spies: Espionage?

Recent guests on True Spies: Espionage include:

1. Suzanne Cope
2. Aden Magee
3. Charlie English
4. Damian Lewis
5. Ayman Oghanna
6. Guy Walters
7. Julia Ebner
8. Stuart A. Reid

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