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Real spies from the CIA share the incredible stories of their greatest missions with Vanessa Kirby and Hayley Atwell.
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Real Spies, Real Stories
THE TARGETER
Nada Bakos takes Vanessa Kirby on the controversial hunt for one of the Iraq War's deadliest terrorists. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was a two-bit criminal until the US government named him as one the world's most dangerous insurgents. His presence in Iraq was part of the justification for the invasion - but did the facts stack up? As one of the CIA's senior targeting officers, it was Nada's job to find out. Could YOU find out the truth?
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THE REAL BLACK KLANSMAN
Vanessa Kirby meets Ron Stallworth, the black Colorado cop who fooled the USA's most notorious racists. In 1979, Ron and a white colleague infiltrated a local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan. Posing as two sides of the same alter-ego, they led a double-pronged attack on the group, even gaining the trust of the Klan's leader, David Duke. Could YOU take that risk?
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BLACKBIRD
Colonel Buz Carpenter puts Vanessa Kirby in the cockpit of his legendary SR-71 Blackbird spy plane. In 1979, two Gulf nations were on the brink of war. To negotiate peace, the US needed detailed military intelligence on both sides. Buz shares the amazing (and awkward!) details of his dangerous secret mission to the border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Could YOU match his nerve?
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N IS FOR NOVICHOK
Vanessa Kirby gets Christo Grozev, a modern Sherlock Holmes, to share the secrets of how he solved one of the most notorious assassination attempts of the 21st century - the poisoning of retired Russian double-agent Sergei Skripal, hospitalized by a mysterious nerve agent on British soil. Would YOU have the skills to do the same?
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THE MAN FROM THE GETTY
Vanessa Kirby and Charles Hill share the inside story of an iconic art theft. Hill went undercover to retrieve ‘The Scream' by Edvard Munch after it was stolen from Norway’s National Gallery. Posing as an agent for the Getty Museum, Charles drew the dangerous thieves out of the shadows. What would YOU do in Charles's position?
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THE SPY WHO SAID NO
Hayley Atwell meets ex-spy Katherine Gun and journalist Martin Bright, who tried to derail the course of history. On the brink of the Iraq War, Katherine leaked a top-secret memo which exposed a US plot to secure support for the invasion through blackmail. Would you have done the same?
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THE SURVIVOR
Hayley Atwell meets Marthe Cohn, the brave 100-year-old French spy who, posing as a German nurse, fed German secrets to the Allies during WWII. Operating behind enemy lines, under the nose of the Nazis, her courage and cunning saved countless lives. Could you be so brave?
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Joana Vasconcelos: War Games
For the Portuguese artist and sculptor, Joana Vasconcelos, a troubling inheritance of deceit lay lurking in wait in her late grandparents’ apartment. Here, she and host Alice Loxton discuss the dark journey that her discovery sent her on – and the powerful work of art it inspired.
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EPISODE HOMEPAGE
THE BILLION-DOLLAR SPY
Hayley Atwell tells the story of how Soviet engineer Adolph Tolkachev became one of the Cold War's most prolific turncoats. For nearly a decade, CIA Operations Officer David Rolph was tasked with keeping the information flowing, right under the nose of the KGB. What would YOU do in David's position?
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THE PURPLE BATHROBE
Hayley Atwell tells the story of the capture of Mexican drug lord El Chapo, with former FBI undercover agent Michael McGowan. To trap this murderous gangster, Michael had to convince him that he was in the same business. What would you do in Michael's position?
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UNDERCOVER JIHADI
Hayley Atwell relates the story of Mubin Shaikh, a Muslim extremist who became a spy for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. Undercover as a member of the terrorist group that would be known as the Toronto 18, Mubin was told that his cover was blown.
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SHADOW GAMES
Hayley Atwell shares the secrets of an elite clandestine unit, Special Forces Berlin, with the help of former operative James Stejskal. Stationed in West Berlin but deployed wherever their skills were needed, they found themselves at the centre of the Tehran Hostage Crisis, but no-one could know they were there. What would you do in their position?
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TRUE NARCOS
DEA agents Javier Peña and Steve Murphy helped locate and capture Pablo Escobar, the most infamous ‘narco’ in history. Escobar's cartel terrorized Colombia and shipped cocaine worth tens of billions of dollars to the USA. As easily identifiable 'gringos', Peña and Murphy were in constant danger in Colombia. What would you do in their position?
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THE ART OF DISGUISE
Jonna Mendez was chief of disguise at the CIA’s Office of Technical Service. During decades of undercover service, Mendez fabricated highly deceptive disguises for agents and colleagues in some of the world’s most hostile locations. What would you do in Jonna’s position?
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THE ROOKIE AND BIN LADEN
Tracy Walder was a CIA officer in the Counterterrorism Center, assuming aliases and pursuing terrorists in the aftermath of 9/11. After her role at the CIA, Tracy became a Special Agent at the FBI, specializing in Chinese counterintelligence operations. What would you do in Tracy’s position?
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THE SPYCATCHER
As former Deputy Director of the Office of Counterintelligence, Robert Booth was tasked with investigating individuals within the department who were recruited as spies for foreign governments. What would YOU do in Robert’s position?
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THE ILLEGAL
'Jack Barsky' was a New York computer programmer for a well-known insurance firm. In real life, he was Albrecht Dittrich, a highly-trained Soviet sleeper agent dropped behind enemy lines in 1970s America. When the KGB recalled him to Europe, Barsky had a difficult choice to make: Should he leave his wife and 18-month-old baby behind or betray his country?
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FAIR GAME?
The identity of undercover CIA officer Valerie Plame was leaked during President George W. Bush’s administration. Overnight, the operations she had worked on, searching out intelligence on weapons of mass destruction, were put at risk. What would YOU do in Valerie’s position?
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GRAY SUIT & THE GHOST
Eric O’Neill describes the hunt for the infamous FBI mole Robert Hanssen, who he was tasked with catching. Eric needs to get Hanssen into a hire car so his own car can be searched for evidence of his betrayal... but the hire car isn’t there and Hanssen is getting suspicious. What would you do in O'Neill's position?
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OPERATION BROTHERS
Former Mossad operative Gad Shimron ran a fake diving resort on the Red Sea to rescue Ethiopian refugees. The operation involved arrest and interrogation, running roadblocks, and a gunfight at sea, all to save the lives of others. What would YOU do in Gad’s position?
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Ten Episodes Not To Miss
Ready to unlock the secrets of the spying game? Here's a quick intro to our True Spies series.
Howard Hunt Unleashed, Part 1: The CIA & Animal Farm
In this special two-part True Spies miniseries, Daisy Ridley presents a dramatized encounter with Everette Howard Hunt Jr, based on our own historical research and Hunt's own writings. In Part 1, Hunt explains his role in one of the CIA's most unusual PsyOps - the backing of 1954's animated version of George Orwell's Animal Farm.
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EPISODE HOMEPAGE
HAVANA SYNDROME SPECIAL
Debilitating neurological symptoms have affected US officials worldwide. Former CIA officer Marc Polymeropoulos has been suffering since 2017 - he joins Russia expert and former CIA Station Chief John Sipher, and Dr. James Giordano to analyze Havana Syndrome.
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EPIDSODE HOMEPAGE
GRAY SUIT & THE GHOST
Eric O’Neill describes the hunt for the infamous FBI mole Robert Hanssen, who he was tasked with catching. Eric needs to get Hanssen into a hire car so his own car can be searched for evidence of his betrayal... but the hire car isn’t there and Hanssen is getting suspicious. What would you do in O'Neill's position?
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THE ILLEGAL
'Jack Barsky' was a New York computer programmer for a well-known insurance firm. In real life, he was Albrecht Dittrich, a highly-trained Soviet sleeper agent dropped behind enemy lines in 1970s America. When the KGB recalled him to Europe, Barsky had a difficult choice to make: Should he leave his wife and 18-month-old baby behind or betray his country?
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INSIDE NAMBLA
Bob Hamer had a colorful career as an undercover FBI agent but nothing prepared him for infiltrating Nambla, the North American Man/Boy Love Association. If he was going to put the pedophiles behind bars, Bob would have to hide his hatred and disdain - even if it ripped at the very fabric of his being. (Warning: This episode contains graphic details.)
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EPISODE HOMEPAGE
WHITE TRAITOR
Sue Dobson was a white woman who wanted to spy for the African National Congress - making her a minority within a minority in apartheid-era South Africa. Dobson spent seven months training in the USSR to learn her tradecraft. Now she wasn’t just a traitor, she was a turncoat with the training to kill.
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EPISODE HOMEPAGE
PSYCHIC SPIES
Dr. Edwin May is an unusual scientist, a physicist who researches psychic phenomena. For decades he worked with psychics who believed they could ‘foresee’ events like potential terrorist attacks, which raised an interesting question: If you can see the future, are you condemned to experience it?
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EPISODE HOMEPAGE
THE SOCIOPATHIC SPY
Working as a lawyer is one path to success, but Jim Lawler wanted adventure. He ditched his job in Texas and joined the CIA. On his first tour abroad, Jim had to recruit a spy working for a hostile government knowing she’d be killed if her cover was blown. That’s when Jim realized he was born with the type of sociopathic personality that would ensure success.
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EPISODE HOMEPAGE
ME AND THE MULLAH
Shawnee Delaney was a key part of the US team hunting Osama bin Laden in the wake of 9/11. One of her contacts was a Mullah with close ties to al-Qaeda but how could she win his trust? There was a language barrier and the Mullah refused to accept money for intelligence. This was shaping up to be Shawnee’s most challenging assignment yet.
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EPISODE HOMEPAGE
THE IRISHMAN
Sean Hartnett grew up in Ireland during the 'Troubles'. His family was Republican so they were shocked when Hartnett talked about joining the British Armed Forces. In fact, Hartnett went a step further. He joined the British Army’s most secretive covert counterterrorist unit in Northern Ireland, Joint Communications Unit Northern Ireland aka ‘The Det’.
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EPISODE HOMEPAGE
And, if you're into covert operations and intelligence gathering, check out these episodes:
EPISODE 71
RISE AND KILL FIRST
Ronen Bergman is an investigative journalist specializing in the dark arts of espionage and Mossad. In the early ‘80s, he stumbled on the scoop of a lifetime involving PLO chairman Yasser Arafat.
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EPISODE HOMEPAGE
TEAM ALPHA PART 1: THE TIP OF THE SPEAR
October 17, 2001. The dust of 9/11 has barely settled. America and the world are reeling. In Afghanistan, eight CIA officers - a crack team of linguists, tribal experts, and paramilitaries - are the first Americans to infiltrate Taliban territory after the attacks. Their mission is to ensure that al-Qaeda does not strike again.
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EPISODE HOMEPAGE
EPISODE 87
STALIN'S ROMEO SPY
As a young Soviet journalist, Emil Draitser stumbled on a story that changed his life. He was summoned by Dmitri Bystrolyotov to hear the deep secret that he was a ‘Stasi Romeo’ spying on Germany for Moscow, taking advantage of vulnerable women to steal state secrets. It was a fascinating tale, but it could also land Draitser in prison.
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EPISODE HOMEPAGE
ALDRICH AMES PART 1: THE ULTIMATE DOUBLE AGENT - SELLING SECRETS
The CIA is only as strong as the weakest link. And in the waning years of the Cold War, weak links were in ready supply. A number of trusted Agency officers were caught selling secrets to the Russian regime. And the most notorious traitor? Aldrich Hazen Ames.
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EPISODE HOMEPAGE
EPISODE 43
PUTIN'S PALACE?
Former Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny released a film in 2021 that sent shockwaves through the country. Part exposé, part-psychological portrait, his investigation claimed to reveal a culture of corruption within the Kremlin - with President Putin at its heart. The Kremlin and Putin deny everything.
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EPISODE HOMEPAGE
LISTEN TO ALL TRUE SPIES EPISODES Find us on Apple Podcasts
See all episodes here
Spy Sisters
See all episodes here
CIA Secrets
See all episodes here
FBI Secrets
See all episodes here
Russian Secrets
True CIA Spy Missions: Teaser
Hayley Atwell and Vanessa Kirby narrate true stories from the incredible operatives behind the Central Intelligence Agency's greatest espionage operations. What do they know? What are their skills? And what would YOU do in their position? From SPYSCAPE, the headquarters of all things spy.
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EPISODE 15
ALLIED WITH AL-QAEDA
CIA operations officer Doug London has one shot to recruit one of al-Qaeda's key facilitators. Doug has to find common ground with a man with a vastly different background and belief system. Lives hang in the balance. He has to succeed. Vanessa Kirby tells the story of how Doug did it. How would YOU do it?
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EPISODE 14
YOU ME, SAME SAME
The CIA teaches its officers to turn people they’ve just met into close personal friends in order to recruit foreign assets. It’s a very fine line between persuasion and manipulation, however. Listening to Ryan Hillsberg’s story, you might come to wonder: who are your friends, really? And how do you know who to trust?
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EPISODE 13
THE SOCIOPATHIC SPY
Location - unknown. Time period - unverified. Hero? Not quite. Jim Lawler is one of the CIA's most successful recruiters of foreign spies. But even he had to start somewhere. Vanessa Kirby joins Jim on his first foreign posting. His mission? To enlist a crucial intelligence asset for the USA. To do it, he'll stop at nothing to manipulate, subvert, and seduce his target.
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EPISODE 12
THE BOILING FROG
At the peak of his career, Jack Devine was one of the world's top spymasters. But everybody starts somewhere. Vanessa Kirby follows Jack to Chile on his first overseas assignment. It's 1971, and the CIA is determined to undermine the country's socialist government. But as a military coup plot begins to gather steam, he's about to learn an important lesson - be careful what you wish for.
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EPISODE 11
NEW RUSSIA, NEW RULES
It's 1993, and Russia is tearing itself apart. A violent coup is threatening to derail Boris Yeltsin's fragile post-Soviet government. Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, deputy chief of station for the CIA in Moscow, is caught in the crossfire. To get out alive, he'll need to lean on an unlikely new ally - Russian Intelligence. Vanessa Kirby tells his story.
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Episode 10
HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS AND STAGE COUPS
Damascus, 1949. Jazz musician and raconteur Miles Copeland Jr. is plotting to bring down the Syrian government. His son, musician Stewart Copeland (Sting’s drummer in The Police), shares the story - a tale of double agents, dangerous friendships and gunplay that shaped the unstable future of the Middle East - with Vanessa Kirby. Tune in to True Spies to hear this unlikely tale.
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Episode 9
THE 'DREAMS COME TRUE' BUSINESS
Vanessa Kirby meets Barry Broman, a CIA case officer who recruited foreign spies for the USA. Working alongside a suave MI6 officer, Barry was tasked with bringing a high-ranking Communist over to the West. To succeed, they had to make him an offer he couldn't refuse. Could you get inside his head?
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Episode 8
JUSTICE FOR LEON KLINGHOFFER
Vanessa Kirby follows CIA veteran Bob Dougherty as he seeks justice for the kidnap and killing of an American war veteran aboard a cruise ship in the Mediterranean. Bob had to wait nearly 20 years for his chance to capture Palestinian Liberation Front leader Abu Abbas. Could YOU play the waiting game?
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EPISODE 7
Blinking Red
CIA analyst Gina Bennett shows Vanessa Kirby the origins of America's most infamous enemy. Throughout the 1990s, Osama bin Laden launched a series of attacks on American interests at home and abroad. Operating in the man's world of counter-terrorism, Gina had to fight to have the threat he posed taken seriously. Would YOU trust your gut? From SPYSCAPE, the home of secrets and skills. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Gemma Newby. Produced by Tim Mansel. Music by Nick Ryan.
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Episode 6
The NUCLEAR SUPERHIGHWAY
Undercover CIA agent James Olson takes Vanessa Kirby on a nail-biting mission behind the Iron Curtain. In the late 1970s, James was tasked with tapping an underground communications line between Moscow and a top-secret nuclear weapons facility. Under constant surveillance from the KGB, he would need to use a combination of traditional spycraft and hi-tech gadgetry to intercept this priceless intel without risking a diplomatic catastrophe. Could YOU evade detection?
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EPISODE 5
Exit Strategy
CIA analyst Sarah Carlson drops Vanessa Kirby into the pressure-cooker of post-revolutionary Libya. In 2011, the Arab Spring swept Colonel Gaddafi from office, leaving a deadly power vacuum. Three years later, civil war engulfed the nation. Under a hail of rocket fire, Sarah had to figure out a way to extract 150 American personnel from the carnage. Could YOU get them to safety? From SPYSCAPE, the home of secrets and skills. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Gemma Newby. Produced by Claire Crofton. Music by Nick Ryan.
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EPISODE 4
The Targeter
Former CIA targeting officer Nada Bakos takes Vanessa Kirby on the controversial hunt for one of the Iraq War's deadliest terrorists. Abu Musab Al-Zaqarwi was a two-bit criminal until the US government named him as one the world's most dangerous insurgents. His presence in Iraq was part of the justification for the invasion - but did the facts stack up? It was Nada's job to find out. Could YOU find out the truth? From SPYSCAPE, the home of secrets and skills. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Gemma Newby. Produced by Joe Foley. Music by Nick Ryan.
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Episode 3
THE BILLION-DOLLAR SPY
Hayley Atwell tells the story of how Soviet engineer Adolph Tolkachev became one of the Cold War's most prolific turncoats. For nearly a decade, CIA Operations Officer David Rolph was tasked with keeping the information flowing, right under the nose of the KGB. What would YOU do in David's position?
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EPISODE 2
The Art Of Disguise
Hayley Atwell explains how an effective disguise can save your life, with former CIA Head Of Disguise Jonna Mendez. On a mission to bring in a notorious terrorist on foreign soil, Jonna found herself face to face with him, and he seemed to be onto her. What would YOU do? From SPYSCAPE, the headquarters of all things spy. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Series producer: Gemma Newby. Produced by David Waters. Music by Nick Ryan.
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EPISODE 1
The Rookie And Bin Laden
Hayley Atwell shares what went on during 9/11 inside The Vault, the CIA's top secret bunker, with Tracy Walder, a rookie operative who was there. 9/11 was only the second day of Tracy's first real CIA assignment, and she was tasked with hunting the world's most wanted terrorist, Osama Bin Laden, with President George W Bush looking on. What would YOU do? From SPYSCAPE, the headquarters of all things spy. A Cup And Nuzzle production. Producer: David Waters. Series producer: Gemma Newby. Music by Nick Ryan.
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EPISODE 1
The Rookie And Bin Laden
EPISODE 2
The Art Of Disguise
Episode 3
THE BILLION-DOLLAR SPY
EPISODE 4
The Targeter
EPISODE 5
Exit Strategy
Episode 6
The NUCLEAR SUPERHIGHWAY
EPISODE 7
Blinking Red
Episode 8
JUSTICE FOR LEON KLINGHOFFER
Episode 9
THE 'DREAMS COME TRUE' BUSINESS
Episode 10
HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS AND STAGE COUPS
EPISODE 11
NEW RUSSIA, NEW RULES
EPISODE 12
THE BOILING FROG
EPISODE 13
THE SOCIOPATHIC SPY
EPISODE 14
YOU ME, SAME SAME
EPISODE 15
ALLIED WITH AL-QAEDA
True CIA Spy Missions: Teaser

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