REAL LIVES

Claire Hornby and Rachel Watkyn grew up in a household where they were told their we Baronesses. Rachel's father Graham Gaisburgh-Watkyn, told everyone that his real name was Count de Lengham and that they were members of aristocracy. But when Graham died, the sisters found his 'box of secrets' and soon learned that everything they thought they knew about their lives, was a lie. This i...

In this episode I am joined by former Detective David Swindle, to talk though some of the cases he worked on during his time in the Scottish Police, including being catching serial killer Peter Tobin. https://scottishdetective.com/ https://www.davidswindle.com/ To see my other shows please see here: https://linktr.ee/realtruecrimepodcast To Support the show on Patreon, please see here: https://lin...

Diane Rourke has spent her career helping to solve serious crimes across England. From working as a crime scene investigator to working in counter-terrorism, she then led a team to stop Firework Abuse in the North West of England. She is now retired but is now working to try to prevent the harm and devastation she witnessed when working on crime scenes through her work with the Black Onyx Academy....

Andrew Holgate spent over 25 years working in the police force, with a majority of them on the front line in Kent Police's dog unit. He is here today to tell us about his time on the force and how he found dangerous criminals, killers and missing people with his four-legged colleague Zack. This is REAL LIVES. If you'd like to support the show, you can join my Patreon community here: www.pa...

In this episode we are joined by Dr Josh McConkey, an emergency doctor who has worked on the front line, both in hospitals and in war zones. From suicides and murder victims, delivering babies and removing objects from places they shouldn't be, this conversation is fascinating, but for Dr Josh, this is everyday life. This is REAL LIVES. If you'd like to support the show you can find my Patreon her...

In this very special episode of 'REAL LIVES', we hear from Michael J Porter, a man who has been fighting for justice for his mother, Jean Hanlon, who was murdered in Crete in 2009. You'll hear from Michael over a year long period, right up until the trial and the outcome. This is REAL LIVES. If you'd like to support the show, you can join me over on Patreon, thank you: https://patreon.com/REALtrue...

Emma had a loving and close relationship with her mother growing up. Her father had died when Emma was a child and when her mother re-married, she had no idea that he would control her life and keep her from her children, even when she became terminally ill.  This is REAL LIVES. If you'd like to support the show, you can join me over on Patreon here, thank you: https://patreon.com/REALtruecri...

In this episode, we are joined by a former FBI detective, Shawn Johnson and former bank robber Steven Meyers. Steven was part of a team of bank robbers, led by Scott Scurlock, who stole millions of dollars from banks across Seattle, Washington. But since his release from prison, Steven and one of the detectives who put him in prison, have become firm friends. Both are here today to tell us of thei...

Duncan McNab was a detective for New South Wales Police - but when he witnessed corruption, he decided to change sides. He worked as a private investigator and journalist to expose wrong-doing and today he's here to share his story. This is REAL LIVES. If you'd like to join me over on Patreon, please see here, thank you so much: https://patreon.com/REALtruecrimepodcast To follow Duncan on social m...

When Anna started to feel unwell eight years ago, she knew deep down that something wasn't right. She would constantly seek help from doctors, begging them to help her find out what was wrong. Anna believes that medical misogyny was partly to blame for cries for help, because the problems she was experiencing were gynaecological. Finally, after eight years, she was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. A...

In this episode, we are joined by Jo Alkir; her only child, 17-year-old Olivia went out with her friends to celebrate the end of her exams, but she never made it home. Olivia was killed after getting into a car with a boy who had passed his driving test the day before, and made the reckless decision to race his friend. That decision would claim Olivia's life. Jo is here to tell us about that fatef...

When TJ Higgs was a single mother in her twenties, she went along to a psychic fair and it changed her life. She realised she had a gift and she wanted to use it for good. So she started working as a spiritual medium and after a few years of practicing, she was invited to try to help families who were looking for answers in their loved ones unsolved murder cases. This is REAL LIVES. If you'd like...

When Sonnet Daymont attended a job interview to be a live-in assistant and nanny to a little boy, she had no idea how much her life would change. Her new employer was Gigi Jordan, who went on to kill her son Jude, who suffered with a range of learning disabilities. Sonnet had tried to get help after she suspected the little boy was being abused, but flaws in the social care system meant that poten...

When Orla met a man in a bar in France, she had no idea how much that meeting would change her life. They started dating and she travelled around the world with him, so he could pursue his career. But he soon started to control Orla, he was emotionally abusive and was doing everything he could to cut her off from her friends and family... including trying to convince her that had been abused as a...

Between 2022 - 2025, at least 70 police officers in England and Wales took their own lives. When Ben Dimmock joined the police, he knew he wanted to help others and serve his community. But after years in the force, seeing traumatic incidents and running towards danger, his mental health started to decline, and he started having suicidal thoughts. But he bravely confided in his superiors and after...

TRIGGER WARNING: Child Sexual Abuse When Jeanette was a child, she survived sexually assaults by two different predators, neither of them have ever been held to account and walk free. But Jeanette reached out because she wanted to share an important message, one that centres around healing and finding a way to let go of the trauma and control her abusers had over her life. This is REAL LIVES. If y...

When Steve Phillip's phone rang on the 4th of December 2019, he didn't know that phone call would change his life forever. His son's partner told him that Jordan, his second born child, had died by suicide. He was 34 years old. Steve now runs The Jordan Legacy, a suicide prevention charity, and he is here today to share his story and what he hopes to achieve in Jordan's honour. This is REAL LIVES....

When Sanjay met his ex-partner, red flags started to emerge shortly after they became a couple. She was rude to his family, tried to cut him off from his family and would verbally and physically abuse him. His family would get the police to conduct welfare checks on him, fearing he was in real danger of being seriously harmed. Sanjay started to recognise that he was being abused and told her that...

When Steph was working in a mental health facility, she was also dealing with the break down of her marriage. So when a patient who was preparing for release started showing her attention, she entered into a relationship with him. One that would leave her expecting his child and facing a prison sentence.... This is REAL LIVES. If you'd like to support the show and join me over on Patreon, please s...

Today I want to share an episode of a podcast that I am the co-creator and producer of - 'The Affair... with Anna Williamson'. In the first episode Anna talks to Becky, a woman who has lived through the unthinkable. In this story of the ultimate double betrayal, Becky takes us through her journey of finding out that her husband and best friend were expecting a baby together and how she began to he...

In this very special podcast, hosts Naomi Channell (from the ‘REAL’ and ‘REAL LIVES’ podcast) and Lala (aka @Lalalaletmeexplain from the ‘Block, Delete, Move On’ podcast) are joined by Zoe Watts, a survivor of systematic drug facilitated abuse at the hands of her former husband and one of the founders of the #endeyecheck campaign.  Zoe tells her story and the message and change she hopes to a...

From the outside looking in, Elaine was raised in your average household - Mum, Dad and 2 children. But as Elaine grew older, she started to realise that her mother was being emotionally abusive towards her. She's here today to share her story and to explain why she chose to cut-off from her family for good. This is REAL LIVES. If you'd like to support the show, you can join Patreon here, thank yo...

Holly Budge is a modern day wonder woman. She started out as an adventurer, she was the first woman to skydive Mount Everest and she has jumped out of a place thousands of times. But when she came across the plight of wild animals, especially elephants, in Africa, and the thousands of poachers who illegally kill them every year for their ivory and other materials, she knew she wanted to be part of...

On the 11th of September 2001, Michael Dorian, dressed in scrubs, raced towards the pile of debris that was now all that was left of the twin towers. He knew people would assume he was a doctor, but he wasn't, he was a veterinary technician. Whilst he was there, he helped many firefighters and volunteers. In the years that followed, Michael became unwell. He had skin cancer, caused by wading throu...

Trinity grew up in a household that was void of love and care, her mother hadn't wanted children and she looked forward to the day she could start her own family and pour her love into them. But now she has found herself estranged from 2 of her children and she want's to speak out, to help make sense of her plight and to help others who might be going through something similar. This is REAL LIVES....