British Scandal

William Motley says he’s a descendant of the family… But we’ve checked and this time it’s true. He’s even writing a book about Arthur Orton’s outlandish claims. William joins Alice and Matt to unpack the lasting impact of the scandal on his relatives, Britain’s fascination with class, and life as the descendant of nobility. Plus, William tells us about the so-called "Tichborne curse". Listen to Br...

Everything seems to have got rather out of hand. Arthur is now one of Britain’s biggest celebrities, and his fight for the Tichborne estate has become an ideological battle. Will fame assure his freedom? Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start you...

Arthur Orton is inching towards victory. But when an untimely death forces him to prove his identity in court, the game steps up. Now he must convince the world he’s Sir Roger Tichborne, or face public humiliation—and a one-way ticket to pennilessness. Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the...

It’s 1865, and butcher Arthur Orton is living in poverty in Australia. Then he hears about a reward for information on England’s ninth richest nobleman, Sir Roger Tichborne, who's been missing for several years. So Arthur comes up with an audacious plan. All he has to do is fool the man’s entire family. How hard can it be? Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podca...

Think Dickens was all jolly carols and festive cheer? Not so. Behind the snowy scenes and spirit of goodwill, the so-called “Father of Christmas” was hiding a scandalous love life. Matt and Alice dive into the details with co-hosts of Wondery’s Legacy podcast, writer Afua Hirsch and historian Peter Frankopan. Plus, did Britain's most famous novelist really "invent" Christmas? Afua and Peter weigh...

Jonathan Goldberg KC has acted for alleged murderers, rapists and fraudsters during his five decades as a leading barrister. Among his high-profile clients: Brink’s Mat launderer, Brian Perry. He takes Alice and Matt inside the uncompromising world of criminal justice, and reveals the long lasting impact of Brink’s Mat Heist. Plus, what’s it like to defend someone you suspect to be guilty? Listen...

DCS Boyce is hurled bang into the middle of Micky and Brian’s fierce rivalry. But can he use the in-fighting to finally trace the Brink’s Mat stash and bring the criminals to justice? Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visi...

Brian Perry’s living the high life with new girlfriend, Jackie, spending millions on property. The trouble is, everything he has, he’s stolen from best mate Micky. And Micky won’t stay in the dark forever. Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start y...

South London criminal Mad Micky McAvoy leads his gang into a gutsy warehouse raid. Three hours later, he’s pulled off the biggest robbery in British history. But it’s not easy to shift £26 million worth of gold bullion. In this four-part series, Matt Forde and Alice Levine unravel the story of the notorious Brink’s-Mat Heist, and the jealousy, greed and bitter rivalry that tore through its perpetr...

The Tower of London is the place where the stories of so many British criminals have come to an end, including Guy Fawkes. Matt and Alice pack their lunchboxes and take a tour  with the tower's curator, Dr Alden Gregory . On the agenda: the actual room where the Gunpowder Plotters were interrogated, the prisoners’ accommodation and a run-in with a rowdy raven. Listen to British Scandal on the...

The Gunpowder Plot lies in ruin. Fawkes is the first conspirator to face the wrath of the King, and unthinkable torture. With his life hanging in the balance, Fawkes must decide: martyr himself for a lost cause, or betray everything he believes in? Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wond...

As London bristles with paranoia, the conspirators race against time. Guy Fawkes is ready to light the fuse, but whispers of treason echo through the shadows. Will the Gunpowder Plot go up in smoke? Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your fre...

In Elizabethan England, Catholics face brutal persecution. A young Guy Fawkes vows to fight back. When, years later, he returns home from abroad to find his homeland even more rotten, he knows the time has come. But can Fawkes spark a revolution without getting caught in the crossfire? Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free...

Women are in demand in the drug trafficking industry. Often considered less likely to be stopped at customs, they make up almost a third of drug runners. Sociologist and criminologist Dr. Jennifer Fleetwood joins Matt and Alice to unpack the case of the 'Peru Two' and reveal how female mules get drawn in. Plus, why male ex-cons earn more in their life post-crime. Listen to British Scandal on the W...

Michaella and Melissa have told lie after lie. To their families, to journalists and to the police. Now they're getting ready to face the judge. And it’s time to make a decision: tell the truth or risk fifteen years in Peruvian prison. Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Appl...

The task Michaella agreed to has become wildly more complicated. When she said yes to the mission, she thought Lima was in Spain. So why is she on a plane hurtling towards South America? Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by v...

Michaella and Melissa are just two young women on holiday in Peru. Or that’s what they want you to think. In reality, they’ve been recruited to smuggle £1.5 million worth of cocaine into Europe. And they’re woefully unprepared. In this four-part series, Matt Forde and Alice Levine learn how a chance meeting with a bronzed stranger in Ibiza brought the girls together for a haphazard mission that wo...

As a Page 3 model for over a decade, Linda Lusardi is no stranger to tabloid attention. And she saw first-hand the impact it had on her former neighbour, Paul Gascoigne, as his star rose. Linda takes Matt and Alice inside the highs of their raucous nights out, and the lows of Gazza's battles with addiction. Plus, she tells us why his life wouldn’t be all that different had he never become a footba...

Glenn Hoddle has a decision to make. As the England team's new manager, it’s time to select his 1998 World Cup squad. Include Gazza, and he’ll have to take drastic action to stop him going off the rails. But exclude the star player and the country could well turn against him. Gazza played a blinder in the qualifying matches, but will it be enough to get him to France? Listen to British Scandal on...

When Paul Gascoigne steps out with his new girlfriend, Sheryl, interest in his personal life soars, and the Press takes advantage. Gazza’s alcohol-fuelled benders and turbulent relationship make him easy prey for tabloid journalists seeking headlines. Sheryl befriends one with the hope of turning the narrative around. If you or someone you know is struggling with issues like those touched on in th...

All Paul 'Gazza' Gascoigne has ever wanted to do is play football. So when he’s taken on by Newcastle United, he’s determined to impress. His talent is undeniable and he quickly becomes the most talked-about player in England. But as his fame grows, so too do his inner demons - and the doubts. Now he's playing for his country on the greatest stage of all: the 1990 World Cup. Fans are holding their...

Walk into Dr Helen Pankhurst’s home and you’d know straightaway which famous family she’s a part of. From suffragette sashes to her purple, white and green colour scheme. Perhaps it’s no wonder she’s now a celebrated activist herself, winning a CBE for services to gender equality. Matt and Alice sat down with Helen to discuss the effect her family has had on Britain, her take on the climate change...

The Suffragettes need to strike the establishment at its core. They’ve tried using words. They’ve even tried violence. Finally, one mild day in June 1913, the group does make headlines. But the circumstances are tragic. Listen to British Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Sp...

The Pankhursts’ movement has a new name. The Suffragettes. They're reinvigorated, but fresh-faced Prime Minister Asquith is determined to ignore them. So the Suffragettes resort to a shocking new tactic. One that could prove deadly. Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you'd like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at britishscandal@wondery.com S...

In 1918, women were allowed to run for Parliament in the UK. But most couldn't even vote. Ten years later, that finally changed. At the heart of that monumental shift was a family who wouldn't take no for an answer. Do you have a suggestion for a scandal you'd like us to cover? Or perhaps you have a question you would like to ask our hosts? Email us at britishscandal@wondery.com Listen to British...