Alle afleveringen van Shadow World

Sarah Payne: Unforgotten: Trailer

4 november 2026 · 3 min

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On 1 July 2000, eight year-old Sarah Payne ran ahead of her brothers and sister in a field near her grandparents' home in West Sussex and was never seen alive again. Seventeen days later, her body was found. Her disappearance prompted one of the largest and most heavily publicised searches in British history — and at its heart was Sarah's mother, Sara Payne, a woman who set out to turn unimaginable loss into a force for change. Lees meer

Across six episodes, documentary-maker Edmund Coulthard draws on archive and new testimony from Sarah's family, detectives, journalists and politicians to tell the story of the murder investigation, the divisive News of the World campaign to name and shame sex offenders, and the long battle for Sarah's Law.

It's the story of a crime that changed the national conversation about child sex offenders living in ordinary communities, and of an extraordinary woman determined that her daughter's name would never be forgotten.

Shadow World: Gripping stories from the shadows — BBC investigations from across the UK.

Presenter and Series Producer: Edmund Coulthard
Producer: Joanna Humphreys
Sound Design: Iain Chambers
Head of Production: Stephanie Edwards
Production Coordinator: Neena Abdullah
Executive Producer: Innes Bowen
BBC Local Commissioning Editor: Alistair Miskin

A Forest production for BBC Radio 4.

Breakin' the Cycle: 6. The Final Act

2 september 2026 · 30 min

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Tragedy sends D into shock, confusion, and grief. In the maelstrom of emotion, he decides to fulfill a lucrative drug deal, but is immediately arrested. Lees meer

In prison, he struggles with guilt, despair, the consequences of his criminal past, and the legacy of the unfinished film. But over time, the story becomes a rare source of purpose.

Eventually, D is released and tries to rebuild his life away from crime, but the weight of Colin's memory, and the unfinished film, continues to define him. Has D finally come to terms with his past and its consequences?

Gripping stories from the Shadows - BBC investigations from across the UK.

Presenter and Producer: Lewis Albrow
Series Producer: Emma Barnaby
Producer: Louis Hollis
Assistant Editor: Georgina Savage
Sound Designer, Composer, and Mix Engineer: Axel Kacoutie
Script Editor: Jason Lewis
Fact Checker: Jessica Hatcher-Moore
Production Manager: Anna-Marie Batho
Production Executive: Letisha Kidza
Head of Production: Nicky Murphy
Production Support: Emma Wood and Olivia Bouton
Executive Producers for Raw: Deborah Dudgeon, David Waters, and Tim Wardle.
Business Affairs: Amy Ofori-Attah, Clotilde Leroux, Damian Kent, and Emma Ong.
Commissioning Executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning Editor: Dan Clarke

A Raw production for BBC Radio 4

In memory of Malik Ford, who first brought this remarkable story to light.

Breakin' the Cycle: 5. One Shot

26 augustus 2026 · 28 min

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As filming wraps, Lewis struggles to finish the first edit of Breakin’ the Cycle as he questions the morality of its violent protagonist. Lees meer

Colin and D head towards a make-or-break meeting that reveals the final steps needed to complete their goal. But before they can finish them, they are unexpectedly drawn into a high-level drug opportunity. As pressure mounts, the tragic consequences of their past lives begin to catch up with them.

Gripping stories from the Shadows - BBC investigations from across the UK.

Presenter and Producer: Lewis Albrow
Series Producer: Emma Barnaby
Producer: Louis Hollis
Assistant Editor: Georgina Savage
Sound Designer, Composer, and Mix Engineer: Axel Kacoutie
Script Editor: Jason Lewis
Fact Checker: Jessica Hatcher-Moore
Production Manager: Anna-Marie Batho
Production Executive: Letisha Kidza
Head of Production: Nicky Murphy
Production Support: Emma Wood and Olivia Bouton
Executive Producers for Raw: Deborah Dudgeon, David Waters, and Tim Wardle.
Business Affairs: Amy Ofori-Attah, Clotilde Leroux, Damian Kent, and Emma Ong.
Commissioning Executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning Editor: Dan Clarke

A Raw production for BBC Radio 4

Breakin' the Cycle: 4. A New Direction

19 augustus 2026 · 28 min

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With Colin now firmly in the director’s chair, Breakin’ the Cycle is transformed. Drawing directly from their lived experience, Colin unlocks startlingly authentic performances from the cast, turning what once looked like a cliched gangster film into something intimate, powerful, and deeply real. Lees meer

As early edits reveal the film’s extraordinary potential, hope begins to take hold. This could be the project that finally changes Colin and D’s lives. But stepping into film-making doesn’t mean escaping the world they came from. When tensions flare on East London estates and old reputations are tested, the past begins to close in.

Gripping stories from the Shadows - BBC investigations from across the UK.

Presenter and Producer: Lewis Albrow
Series Producer: Emma Barnaby
Producer: Louis Hollis
Assistant Editor: Georgina Savage
Sound Designer, Composer, and Mix Engineer: Axel Kacoutie
Script Editor: Jason Lewis
Fact Checker: Jessica Hatcher-Moore
Production Manager: Anna-Marie Batho
Production Executive: Letisha Kidza
Head of Production: Nicky Murphy
Production Support: Emma Wood and Olivia Bouton
Executive Producers for Raw: Deborah Dudgeon, David Waters, and Tim Wardle.
Business Affairs: Amy Ofori-Attah, Clotilde Leroux, Damian Kent, and Emma Ong.
Commissioning Executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning Editor: Dan Clarke

A Raw production for BBC Radio 4

Breakin' the Cycle: 3. The Right Kind of Violence

12 augustus 2026 · 29 min

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Production on Breakin’ the Cycle is falling apart - actors are injured, the crew is out of its depth, and Colin and D realise their director can’t capture the reality they lived. Lees meer

As D faces court and confronts the police corruption that shaped his life, he and Colin make a life-changing decision — to finally commit to breaking the cycle, shutting down their criminal operation, and betting everything on film.

Gripping stories from the Shadows - BBC investigations from across the UK.

Presenter and Producer: Lewis Albrow
Series Producer: Emma Barnaby
Producer: Louis Hollis
Assistant Editor: Georgina Savage
Sound Designer, Composer, and Mix Engineer: Axel Kacoutie
Script Editor: Jason Lewis
Fact Checker: Jessica Hatcher-Moore
Production Manager: Anna-Marie Batho
Production Executive: Letisha Kidza
Head of Production: Nicky Murphy
Production Support: Emma Wood and Olivia Bouton
Executive Producers for Raw: Deborah Dudgeon, David Waters, and Tim Wardle.
Business Affairs: Amy Ofori-Attah, Clotilde Leroux, Damian Kent, and Emma Ong.
Commissioning Executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning Editor: Dan Clarke

A Raw production for BBC Radio 4

Breakin' the Cycle: 2. A Hood Story

5 augustus 2026 · 29 min

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As Colin and D begin turning their prison-written script into a real production, they recruit former pop stars and emerging actors, building a cast captivated by the promise of an authentic Black British crime story. Their film starts to feel like a genuine cultural moment. But most of the cast and crew are unaware of the true story behind the pair or their journey to becoming film-makers. Lees meer

Beneath the excitement of the production, the money, power, and instincts that built “Love of Money” are still very much in play. When D’s commitment to turning away from crime is tested, he is drawn back to familiar instincts.

Gripping stories from the Shadows - BBC investigations from across the UK.

Presenter and Producer: Lewis Albrow
Series Producer: Emma Barnaby
Producer: Louis Hollis
Assistant Editor: Georgina Savage
Sound Designer, Composer, and Mix Engineer: Axel Kacoutie
Script Editor: Jason Lewis
Fact Checker: Jessica Hatcher-Moore
Production Manager: Anna-Marie Batho
Production Executive: Letisha Kidza
Head of Production: Nicky Murphy
Production Support: Emma Wood and Olivia Bouton
Executive Producers for Raw: Deborah Dudgeon, David Waters, and Tim Wardle.
Business Affairs: Amy Ofori-Attah, Clotilde Leroux, Damian Kent, and Emma Ong.
Commissioning Executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning Editor: Dan Clarke

A Raw Production for BBC Radio 4

Breakin' the Cycle: 1. The Script

29 juli 2026 · 29 min

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When aspiring movie editor Lewis Albrow lands an unusual interview with Colin Browne and his right-hand man D, he believes he’s finally found his break into the film industry - but instead he’s pulled into a very different world. Lees meer

In prison, Colin Browne has written a script based on his life and his long-running criminal partnership with D, leading the gang Love of Money. But in Colin’s story, unlike in his life, the main protagonist manages to break free from his cycle of criminality.

When the pair reconnect after Colin’s release, they realise the script could be a way out of crime. They meet a smooth-talking fixer who promises to help them turn it into a movie, and begin a new chapter in their lives. But how serious are they about the film’s central theme - breaking the cycle of a life of crime?

Gripping stories from the Shadows - BBC investigations from across the UK.

Presenter and Producer: Lewis Albrow
Series Producer: Emma Barnaby
Producer: Louis Hollis
Assistant Editor: Georgina Savage
Sound Designer, Composer, and Mix Engineer: Axel Kacoutie
Script Editor: Jason Lewis
Fact Checker: Jessica Hatcher-Moore
Production Manager: Anna-Marie Batho
Production Executive: Letisha Kidza
Head of Production: Nicky Murphy
Production Support: Emma Wood and Olivia Bouton
Executive Producers for Raw: Deborah Dudgeon, David Waters, and Tim Wardle.
Business Affairs: Amy Ofori-Attah, Clotilde Leroux, Damian Kent, and Emma Ong.
Commissioning Executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning Editor: Dan Clarke

A Raw production for BBC Radio 4

Breakin' the Cycle: Trailer

22 juli 2026 · 3 min

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Breakin’ the Cycle is the story of two feared London gangsters, Colin and D, who, in the early 2000’s decide to try and escape the cycle of crime by making a movie based on their own lives as gang leaders and drug dealers. But the lines between fact and fiction quickly begin to blur, when they take a star-studded cast and a largely white, middle-class film crew into their world, in an attempt to make the UK’s first authentic hood film. Accidental stabbings, drug dealing on set, and even a real-life shootout. Amongst the chaos, they're faced with the realities of leaving gang life behind, and the constant temptations of their old life threatening to drag them back in. Breakin’ the Cycle is a series about friendship, guns, drugs, money and the sacrifices required when leaving one life behind in pursuit of another. Lees meer

Stolen Years: 4. Closing Arguments

19 mei 2026 · 29 min

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Will justice finally prevail? For Shadow World: Stolen Years, the trial of Paul Quinn reaches its verdict. After more than two decades will the victim of the brutal rape finally see the right man convicted? Lees meer

And at the conclusion of the trial will Andy feel a sense of closure? With two separate investigations still examining the failures in his case, the verdict is not the end of the story.

Shadow World: Gripping stories from the shadows - BBC investigations from across the UK.

Presenter and Producer: Jemma Gander
Series Producer and Editor: Fran Robertson
Assistant Editor: Christopher Whyte
Composer: Sholto
Sound design and mix: Chris Maclean
Executive Producer for Goldhawk: Kate Holland
Commissioning executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning editor: Dan Clarke

A Two Step Films production in association with Goldhawk for Radio 4

Stolen Years: 3. Lucky Man

19 mei 2026 · 28 min

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Why did it take so long to free an innocent man? In Shadow World: Stolen Years, the case against the new suspect in the 2003 rape case gathers pace, while Andrew Malkinson finally receives good news of his own. Lees meer

But as the series turns to the role of the Criminal Cases Review Commission and the appeal system, a deeper question emerges - how was he left in prison for so long?

Shadow World: Gripping stories from the shadows - BBC investigations from across the UK.

Presenter and Producer: Jemma Gander
Series Producer and Editor: Fran Robertson
Assistant Editor: Christopher Whyte
Composer: Sholto
Sound design and mix: Chris Maclean
Executive Producer for Goldhawk: Kate Holland
Commissioning executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning editor: Dan Clarke

A Two Step Films production in association with Goldhawk for Radio 4

Stolen Years: 2. Without a Trace

19 mei 2026 · 29 min

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Who is Mr B? In Shadow World: Stolen Years, a DNA match reopens a 20 year old rape case that should have been solved years earlier. Lees meer

As police investigate the new suspect, Andrew Malkinson begins to reckon with the damage of a wrongful conviction and whether recovery after so many years in prison, is possible.

Shadow World: Gripping stories from the shadows - BBC investigations from across the UK.

Presenter and Producer: Jemma Gander
Series Producer and Editor: Fran Robertson
Assistant Editor: Christopher Whyte
Composer: Sholto
Sound design and mix: Chris Maclean
Executive Producer for Goldhawk: Kate Holland
Commissioning executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning editor: Dan Clarke

A Two Step Films production in association with Goldhawk for Radio 4

Stolen Years: 1. Contaminated Memories

19 mei 2026 · 29 min

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How can a victim of a traumatic crime appear to be so sure, yet so wrong? In the first episode of Shadow World: Stolen Years we confront the eyewitness evidence that helped convict Andrew Malkinson in 2004. Lees meer

As a new suspect faces trial over the 2003 rape, Andy meets another woman who made the same devastating mistake, offering him an answer to the question that has haunted him for years.

Shadow World: Gripping stories from the shadows - BBC investigations from across the UK.

Presenter and Producer: Jemma Gander
Series Producer and Editor: Fran Robertson
Assistant Editor: Christopher Whyte
Composer: Sholto
Sound design and mix: Chris Maclean
Executive Producer for Goldhawk: Kate Holland
Commissioning executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning editor: Dan Clarke

A Two Step Films production in association with Goldhawk for Radio 4

Stolen Years: Trailer

12 mei 2026 · 4 min

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Andrew Malkinson’s wrongful conviction of a brutal rape in 2003 has been recognised as one of the worst miscarriages of justice in UK history. He’s angry and says the criminal justice and appeal systems let him down. Now that the right man has been convicted, he wants answers, and reform. Lees meer

So why did he spend all those years in prison while the perpetrator remained free? And what does his case tell us about the justice system that failed him? In Shadow World: Stolen Years, filmmaker and journalist Jemma Gander (co-director of The Wrong Man: 17 Years Behind Bars) follows the next chapter of this extraordinary case.

As Andrew tries to rebuild his life, fresh questions emerge about the role of the police, the courts, and the institutions that failed him. “You don’t know what you’re capable of withstanding until you are forced to. But it’s just horrific”.

Twenty three years later, a man is found guilty of the crime Andrew Malkinson was falsely accused of.

Impulsive: 10. Reflections

13 februari 2026 · 14 min

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Impulse control disorders are a common side effect of dopamine agonist drugs - it’s generally accepted that they will affect around 1 in 6 people taking these drugs for Parkinson’s. Lees meer

So why are these side effects so hard to talk about? How can people get past their guilt and shame to access the support they need?

And if subtle changes in the activity of chemicals in our brain can cause us to behave so differently - what is personality?

Details of organisations offering help and support with some of the issues raised are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

If you have any concerns about medication you’re taking, speak to your doctor.

Presenter: Noel Titheradge
Producer: Lucy Burns
Editor: Matt Willis
A BBC News Long Form Audio production

Impulsive: 9. Blame Game

13 februari 2026 · 14 min

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Respected local solicitor Andrew is sent to prison - but the devastating impact of the side effects of his Parkinson’s medication continues. Lees meer

BBC Investigations Correspondent Noel Titheradge has been contacted by more than 200 people about their experience of behavioural side effects of dopamine agonist drugs.

So who’s taking responsibility? We hear from pharmaceutical companies, regulators and doctors. There have been significant developments in the way these drugs are used - but what effect have they had?

Details of organisations offering help and support with some of the issues raised are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

If you have any concerns about medication you’re taking, speak to your doctor.

Presenter: Noel Titheradge
Producer: Lucy Burns
Editor: Matt Willis
A BBC News Long Form Audio production

Impulsive: 8. Collateral

13 februari 2026 · 15 min

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Andrew’s a respected local solicitor when one day he’s arrested. He has defrauded his elderly clients of more than £600,000, which he’s spent on sex workers and antiques. Lees meer

His wife Frances and daughter Alice are shocked - this seems completely out of character. Then they learn there could be a connection to Andrew’s Parkinson’s medication.

But will the judge accept this as mitigation for his crimes?

Details of organisations offering help and support with some of the issues raised are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

If you have any concerns about medication you’re taking, speak to your doctor.

Presenter: Noel Titheradge
Producer: Lucy Burns
Editor: Matt Willis
A BBC News Long Form Audio production

Impulsive: 7. Missed connections

13 februari 2026 · 14 min

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Lucy’s stumbled on a connection between her gambling problem and her medication. But her mental health team says they don’t know what she’s talking about. Lees meer

Freddie’s reached breaking point. And, one day, he notices his dad’s medication leaflet on the kitchen table, sparking a full-blown crisis.

It’s been known for more than two decades that drugs affecting dopamine levels in the brain have potential side effects including impulse control disorders like hypersexuality, or compulsive shopping or gambling.

Warnings have been added to patient information leaflets - but many of the people who’ve contacted BBC investigations correspondent Noel Titheradge about their experiences say the risks weren’t made clear.

Why weren’t they warned about the potential side effects of these medications before it was too late?

Details of organisations offering help and support with some of the issues raised are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

If you have any concerns about medication you’re taking, speak to your doctor.

Presenter: Noel Titheradge
Producer: Lucy Burns
Editor: Matt Willis
A BBC News Long Form Audio production

Impulsive: 6. Chasing Losses

13 februari 2026 · 15 min

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Lucy’s on her lunchbreak when she tries her first scratchcard - soon, she’s hooked. She’s never been interested in gambling before, but after a few months the glove compartment of her car is full of scratchcards. And then she starts gambling online… Lees meer

Lucy’s taking a medication called Aripiprazole for her mental health condition. It’s a partial dopamine agonist - a different mechanism to the dopamine agonist drugs used for Parkinson’s and Restless Legs Syndrome that we’ve heard about in previous episodes.

But it’s got similar side effects. For Lucy, this means compulsive eating, hypersexuality - and a gambling problem that’s spiralling out of control.

Details of organisations offering help and support with some of the issues raised are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

If you have any concerns about medication you’re taking, speak to your doctor.

Presenter: Noel Titheradge
Producer: Lucy Burns
Editor: Matt Willis
A BBC News Long Form Audio production

Impulsive: 5. Restless

13 februari 2026 · 14 min

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Lisa has Restless Legs Syndrome - it feels like her legs are on fire and they keep moving around. It’s affecting her sleep, so she’s pleased to hear that there’s a treatment: a commonly used Parkinson’s medication called Pramipexole. The prescriber doesn’t mention any side effects. Lees meer

But Lisa’s dosage of Pramipexole keeps increasing as her symptoms keep returning, and she starts behaving in ways that feel out of character. After an argument with her husband, she starts an affair with a man she meets online. Soon she’s meeting strangers for sex.

And even while her personality’s changing, her condition keeps getting worse…

Details of organisations offering help and support with some of the issues raised are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

If you have any concerns about medication you’re taking, speak to your doctor.

Presenter: Noel Titheradge
Producer: Lucy Burns
Editor: Matt Willis
A BBC News Long Form Audio production

Impulsive: 4. Big Pharma, Big Secret

13 februari 2026 · 15 min

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When BBC Investigations correspondent Noel Titheradge first started looking into this story, he set about finding insiders who knew what had gone on inside the pharmaceutical companies that made them. He contacted former staff and officials, cold called potential whistleblowers - and then he got lucky. Lees meer

Someone shared an internal report from the drug company GlaxoSmithKline which revealed that they’d been aware of fifteen cases of “increased libido” in patients taking their dopamine agonist Ropinirole, including cases of paedophilia and indecent behaviour.

The report had been published in 2003, three years before warnings appeared on patient leaflets - and thirteen years before Steve started taking the drug.

Details of organisations offering help and support with some of the issues raised are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

If you have any concerns about medication you’re taking, speak to your doctor.

Presenter: Noel Titheradge
Producer: Lucy Burns
Editor: Matt Willis
A BBC News Long Form Audio production

Impulsive: 3. Dopamine Hits

13 februari 2026 · 14 min

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Freddie finds out his dad’s been scammed - to his horror, he hears that his father Bill has been speaking to multiple women in Ghana who he’d met on Skype, and sent them £300,000. Lees meer

And Steve’s wife finds out about his camgirl habit when he makes a payment to one of the sites on their joint credit card.

Neither Bill nor Steve has any idea why they’ve been behaving erratically.

Noel meets retired neurologist Paul Morrish, who remembers that doctors were starting to notice their patients experiencing unusual side effects from dopamine agonist drugs as far back as the early 2000s.

So why weren’t some patients being properly warned fifteen years later?

And neuropsychiatry professor Valerie Voon from the University of Cambridge explains how dopamine affects our perception of reward vs risk - which means people taking dopamine agonists can be prone to taking more risks.

Details of organisations offering help and support with some of the issues raised are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

If you have any concerns about medication you’re taking, speak to your doctor.

Presenter: Noel Titheradge
Producer: Lucy Burns
Editor: Matt Willis
A BBC News Long Form Audio production

Impulsive: 2. Wonder drugs

13 februari 2026 · 15 min

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Not long after his diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease, Steve starts chatting to camgirls online. But soon he’s going on the sites every night, even logging on while his wife’s asleep next to him in bed. How long can he keep it a secret? Lees meer

Steve’s one of more than 200 people who contacted BBC Investigations correspondent Noel Titheradge about their experiences of side effects caused by dopamine agonist drugs.

When medications turn out to have life-changing side effects, how do we balance the benefits with the risks?

Details of organisations offering help and support with some of the issues raised are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

If you have any concerns about medication you’re taking, speak to your doctor.

Presenter: Noel Titheradge
Producer: Lucy Burns
Editor: Matt Willis
A BBC News Long Form Audio production

Impulsive: 1. Warning Signs

13 februari 2026 · 14 min

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When Freddie’s dad Bill is diagnosed with Parkinson’s, his medication gives him a new lease of life. He starts ticking things off his retiree bucket list - travelling, skydiving, golf. Lees meer

But then Freddie notices that his previously sensible father has started behaving unusually.

BBC Investigations correspondent Noel Titheradge has spent more than a year speaking to people whose behaviour changed radically after taking a category of prescription drugs called dopamine agonists.

These drugs boost dopamine activity in the brain - they were prescribed more than 1.5 million times in the UK last year to treat Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders.

But they have well established side effects - around 1 in 6 people who take them develop impulse control disorders, which can include hypersexuality, binge eating, compulsive gambling and shopping.

If these side effects have been known about for decades, why weren’t some patients and their families properly warned or monitored?

Details of organisations offering help and support with some of the issues raised are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

If you have any concerns about medication you’re taking, speak to your doctor.

Presenter: Noel Titheradge
Producer: Lucy Burns
Editor: Matt Willis
A BBC News Long Form Audio production

Impulsive: Trailer

10 februari 2026 · 3 min

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Early in 2025, BBC Investigations Correspondent Noel Titheradge published his first story about a category of prescription drug with unusual side effects. Lees meer

People who take dopamine agonist drugs for conditions like Parkinson’s disease or Restless Legs Syndrome often report impulse control disorders - problems with gambling, compulsive eating or shopping, or hypersexuality.

He wasn’t expecting the response. After that first article was published more than 200 people got in touch - that’s me, they said, that’s my partner, that’s my dad.

So Noel started digging.

Details of organisations offering help and support with some of the issues raised are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

If you have any concerns about medication you’re taking, speak to your doctor.

Anatomy of a Cancellation: 6. Post Mortem

7 november 2025 · 29 min

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Katie Razzall considers the fallout from the controversy surrounding Kate Clanchy’s award-winning memoir Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me. Lees meer

She explores the deep divisions the case exposed: in publishing, on social media, and among writers.

Has the industry changed? What is the cost of this controversy, and who gets to tell their story?

In Shadow World: Anatomy of a Cancellation, the BBC’s Culture Editor Katie Razzall revisits a story that rocked the UK’s publishing industry in 2021. It led to what some saw as the unjustified cancellation of a prize-winning writer and teacher - but to others, was a long overdue reckoning for the world of publishing. It grew into a culture war about race, class, and who has the right to say what.

Anatomy of a Cancellation explores a range of different perspectives to consider how people now view one of the most controversial literary rows in recent memory.

Presenter: Katie Razzall
Producer: Charlotte McDonald
Additional production: Octavia Woodward
Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Katie Morrison
Sound design and mix: James Beard
Story editing: Meara Sharma
Series producer: Matt Willis
Senior news editor: Clare Fordham
Commissioning executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning editor: Dan Clarke

Anatomy of a Cancellation: 5. The Rewrite

7 november 2025 · 29 min

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A sensitivity reader Helen Gould speaks publicly for the first time, revealing the emotional and professional complexities of revising a book already in print. Lees meer

Katie Razzall interrogates the role of sensitivity readers, and asks: who gets to decide what’s acceptable in literature—and what happens when those boundaries shift?

In Shadow World: Anatomy of a Cancellation, the BBC’s Culture Editor Katie Razzall revisits a story that rocked the UK’s publishing industry in 2021. It led to what some saw as the unjustified cancellation of a prize-winning writer and teacher - but to others, was a long overdue reckoning for the world of publishing. It grew into a culture war about race, class, and who has the right to say what.

Anatomy of a Cancellation explores a range of different perspectives to consider how people now view one of the most controversial literary rows in recent memory.

Presenter: Katie Razzall
Producer: Charlotte McDonald
Additional production: Octavia Woodward
Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Katie Morrison
Sound design and mix: James Beard
Story editing: Meara Sharma
Series producer: Matt Willis
Senior news editor: Clare Fordham
Commissioning executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning editor: Dan Clarke

It was a BBC Long Form Audio production for Radio 4.

Anatomy of a Cancellation: 4. The Defence of Kate Clanchy

7 november 2025 · 29 min

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Although Kate Clanchy faces a torrent of criticism in the summer of 2021, many people supported her — fellow writers, journalists, and some of her own students. They say she has been misunderstood. Lees meer

Katie Razzall speaks to those who stood by her—including a former student who credits Kate Clanchy with empowering him and others through poetry and mentorship.

In Shadow World: Anatomy of a Cancellation, the BBC’s Culture Editor Katie Razzall revisits a story that rocked the UK’s publishing industry in 2021. It led to what some saw as the unjustified cancellation of a prize-winning writer and teacher - but to others, was a long overdue reckoning for the world of publishing. It grew into a culture war about race, class, and who has the right to say what.

Anatomy of a Cancellation explores a range of different perspectives to consider how people now view one of the most controversial literary rows in recent memory.

Presenter: Katie Razzall
Producer: Charlotte McDonald
Additional production: Octavia Woodward
Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Katie Morrison
Sound design and mix: James Beard
Story editing: Meara Sharma
Series producer: Matt Willis
Senior news editor: Clare Fordham
Commissioning executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning editor: Dan Clarke

It was a BBC Long Form Audio production for Radio 4.

Anatomy of a Cancellation: 3. The Paper Trail

7 november 2025 · 28 min

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Katie Razzall considers the internal reaction at publishing house Pan Macmillan during the storm surrounding Kate Clanchy’s memoir Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me. Lees meer

As online criticism of the book intensifies, Kate Clanchy’s publisher faces mounting pressure from readers, authors, and its own staff. Drawing on a trove of redacted internal emails, the episode offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at how a major publisher grapples with a moment of reputational crisis.

In Shadow World: Anatomy of a Cancellation, the BBC’s Culture Editor Katie Razzall revisits a story that rocked the UK’s publishing industry in 2021. It led to what some saw as the unjustified cancellation of a prize-winning writer and teacher - but to others, was a long overdue reckoning for the world of publishing. It grew into a culture war about race, class, and who has the right to say what.

Anatomy of a Cancellation explores a range of different perspectives to consider how people now view one of the most controversial literary rows in recent memory.

Presenter: Katie Razzall
Producer: Charlotte McDonald
Additional production: Octavia Woodward
Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Katie Morrison
Sound design and mix: James Beard
Story editing: Meara Sharma
Series producer: Matt Willis
Senior news editor: Clare Fordham
Commissioning executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning editor: Dan Clarke

It was a BBC Long Form Audio production for Radio 4.

Anatomy of a Cancellation: 2. The Words

7 november 2025 · 29 min

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Katie Razzall hears from critics who called out Kate Clanchy’s memoir ‘Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me’. The book, initially celebrated for its warmth and insight into multicultural classrooms, then comes under fire for what some call racialised and dehumanising language. Lees meer

In Shadow World: Anatomy of a Cancellation, the BBC’s Culture Editor Katie Razzall revisits a story that rocked the UK’s publishing industry in 2021. It led to what some saw as the unjustified cancellation of a prize-winning writer and teacher - but to others, was a long overdue reckoning for the world of publishing. It grew into a culture war about race, class, and who has the right to say what.

Anatomy of a Cancellation explores a range of different perspectives to consider how people now view one of the most controversial literary rows in recent memory.

Presenter: Katie Razzall
Producer: Charlotte McDonald
Additional production: Octavia Woodward
Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Katie Morrison
Sound design and mix: James Beard
Story editing: Meara Sharma
Series producer: Matt Willis
Senior news editor: Clare Fordham
Commissioning executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning editor: Dan Clarke

It was a BBC Long Form Audio production for Radio 4.

Anatomy of a Cancellation: 1. Kate’s Story

7 november 2025 · 28 min

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When prize-winning author Kate Clanchy is accused of racism she asks her online followers for help. She’s shocked by the reaction. We hear the story from Kate’s perspective. Lees meer

In Shadow World: Anatomy of a Cancellation, the BBC’s Culture Editor Katie Razzall revisits a story that rocked the UK’s publishing industry in 2021. It led to what some saw as the unjustified cancellation of a prize-winning writer and teacher - but to others, was a long overdue reckoning for the world of publishing. It grew into a culture war about race, class, and who has the right to say what.

Anatomy of a Cancellation explores a range of different perspectives to consider how people now view one of the most controversial literary rows in recent memory.

We have used clips from the following sources:

The Simpsons, Gracie Films and 20th Television

“The myth of the climate ‘apocalypse,’” The Spiked podcast, 13 Aug 2021

“What Happened? Kate Clanchy's Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me” - Josie Alford Youtube channel, 14 Aug 2021,

'When I came from Nepal', by Mukahang Limbu

Presenter: Katie Razzall
Producer: Charlotte McDonald
Additional production: Octavia Woodward
Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Katie Morrison
Sound design and mix: James Beard
Story editing: Meara Sharma
Series producer: Matt Willis
Senior news editor: Clare Fordham
Commissioning executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning editor: Dan Clarke

It was a BBC Long Form Audio production for Radio 4.

Anatomy of a Cancellation: Trailer

3 november 2025 · 3 min

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Katie Razzall reveals what happened when a prize-winning author was accused of racism, sparking what many saw as a culture war about race, class, and who has the right to say what.

The People vs McDonald's: 6. Judge for Yourself

13 augustus 2025 · 29 min

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At the end of the longest trial in English history, the verdict is finally delivered - and Helen uncovers who her former partner John really was. Lees meer

In 1986, members of environmental group, London Greenpeace, published a leaflet called ‘What’s wrong with McDonald’s?’ It claimed McDonald’s was exploiting workers, destroying rainforests, torturing animals, and promoting food that could make people sick, even cause cancer...

McDonald’s said the claims in the leaflet were untrue and defamatory and the company demanded an apology.

Helen Steel, a gardener, and a former postman named Dave Morris, refused.

Mark Steel takes us into the murky world of McDonald’s Corporation vs Steel & Morris – aka 'McLibel' - the longest-running trial in English history which would turn the spotlight on the way big business operates. As well as bringing issues like rainforest destruction and advertising to children into the mainstream, it would also be the moment our current Prime Minister first comes to prominence. If that isn’t enough, this story would ultimately have connections with a dark and shameful secret at the heart of the British state - something which Mark discovers he himself had been a victim of.

Shadow World: Gripping stories from the Shadows – BBC investigations from across the UK.

Presenter: Mark Steel
Producer: Conor Garrett
Executive Producer: Georgia Catt
Development Producer: Christian Dametto
Story Consultant: Annie Brown
Commissioning Editor: Dan Clarke
Commissioning Executive: Tracy Williams
Production Coordinator: Dan Marchini
Archive Research: Emma Betteridge
Sound Mix: Tim Heffer
Music Score: Phil Kieran

*Archive excerpts from director Franny Armstrong’s ‘McLibel,’ reproduced with the permission of Spanner Films

The People vs McDonald's: 5. Clowning Around

13 augustus 2025 · 28 min

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When Helen digs out some old letters from her former partner John, she finds some potential clues. Lees meer

In 1986, members of environmental group, London Greenpeace, published a leaflet called ‘What’s wrong with McDonald’s?’ It claimed McDonald’s was exploiting workers, destroying rainforests, torturing animals, and promoting food that could make people sick, even cause cancer...

McDonald’s said the claims in the leaflet were untrue and defamatory and the company demanded an apology.

Helen Steel, a gardener, and a former postman named Dave Morris, refused.

Mark Steel takes us into the murky world of McDonald’s Corporation vs Steel & Morris – aka 'McLibel' - the longest-running trial in English history which would turn the spotlight on the way big business operates. As well as bringing issues like rainforest destruction and advertising to children into the mainstream, it would also be the moment our current Prime Minister first comes to prominence. If that isn’t enough, this story would ultimately have connections with a dark and shameful secret at the heart of the British state - something which Mark discovers he himself had been a victim of.

Shadow World: Gripping stories from the Shadows – BBC investigations from across the UK.

Presenter: Mark Steel
Producer: Conor Garrett
Executive Producer: Georgia Catt
Commissioning Editor: Dan Clarke
Commissioning Executive: Tracy Williams
Production Coordinator: Dan Marchini
Sound Mix: Tim Heffer
Music Score: Phil Kieran

*Archive excerpts from director Franny Armstrong’s ‘McLibel,’ reproduced with the permission of Spanner Films

The People vs McDonald's: 4. A Proper Grilling

13 augustus 2025 · 28 min

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A few months into the trial, Helen and Dave get an unexpected communication from the McDonald's Board of Directors. Lees meer

In 1986, members of environmental group, London Greenpeace, published a leaflet called ‘What’s wrong with McDonald’s?’ It claimed McDonald’s was exploiting workers, destroying rainforests, torturing animals, and promoting food that could make people sick, even cause cancer...

McDonald’s said the claims in the leaflet were untrue and defamatory and the company demanded an apology.

Helen Steel, a gardener, and a former postman named Dave Morris, refused.

Mark Steel takes us into the murky world of McDonald’s Corporation vs Steel & Morris – aka 'McLibel' - the longest-running trial in English history which would turn the spotlight on the way big business operates. As well as bringing issues like rainforest destruction and advertising to children into the mainstream, it would also be the moment our current Prime Minister first comes to prominence. If that isn’t enough, this story would ultimately have connections with a dark and shameful secret at the heart of the British state - something which Mark discovers he himself had been a victim of.

Shadow World: Gripping stories from the Shadows – BBC investigations from across the UK.

Presenter: Mark Steel
Producer: Conor Garrett
Executive Producer: Georgia Catt
Commissioning Editor: Dan Clarke
Commissioning Executive: Tracy Williams
Production Coordinator: Dan Marchini
Sound Mix: Tim Heffer
Music Score: Phil Kieran

*Archive excerpts from director Franny Armstrong’s ‘McLibel,’ reproduced with the permission of Spanner Films

The People vs McDonald's: 3. Flipping Burgers!

13 augustus 2025 · 28 min

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When McDonald's discloses internal company documents to the court, they reveal somebody has been watching... Lees meer

In 1986, members of environmental group, London Greenpeace, published a leaflet called ‘What’s wrong with McDonald’s?’ It claimed McDonald’s was exploiting workers, destroying rainforests, torturing animals, and promoting food that could make people sick, even cause cancer...

McDonald’s said the claims in the leaflet were untrue and defamatory and the company demanded an apology.

Helen Steel, a gardener, and a former postman named Dave Morris, refused.

Mark Steel takes us into the murky world of McDonald’s Corporation vs Steel & Morris – aka 'McLibel' - the longest-running trial in English history which would turn the spotlight on the way big business operates. As well as bringing issues like rainforest destruction and advertising to children into the mainstream, it would also be the moment our current Prime Minister first comes to prominence. If that isn’t enough, this story would ultimately have connections with a dark and shameful secret at the heart of the British state - something which Mark discovers he himself had been a victim of.

Shadow World: Gripping stories from the Shadows – BBC investigations from across the UK.

Presenter: Mark Steel
Producer: Conor Garrett
Executive Producer: Georgia Catt
Commissioning Editor: Dan Clarke
Commissioning Executive: Tracy Williams
Production Coordinator: Dan Marchini
Sound Mix: Tim Heffer
Music Score: Phil Kieran

*Archive excerpts from director Franny Armstrong’s ‘McLibel,’ reproduced with the permission of Spanner Films

The People vs McDonald's: 2. Burger, Nugget, Ketchup, Spy

13 augustus 2025 · 29 min

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The London Greenpeace numbers have been dwindling until new faces start turning up at meetings...but something isn't right. Lees meer

In 1986, members of environmental group, London Greenpeace, published a leaflet called ‘What’s wrong with McDonald’s?’ It claimed McDonald’s was exploiting workers, destroying rainforests, torturing animals, and promoting food that could make people sick, even cause cancer...

McDonald’s said the claims in the leaflet were untrue and defamatory and the company demanded an apology.

Helen Steel, a gardener, and a former postman named Dave Morris, refused.

Mark Steel takes us into the murky world of McDonald’s Corporation vs Steel & Morris – aka 'McLibel' - the longest-running trial in English history which would turn the spotlight on the way big business operates. As well as bringing issues like rainforest destruction and advertising to children into the mainstream, it would also be the moment our current Prime Minister first comes to prominence. If that isn’t enough, this story would ultimately have connections with a dark and shameful secret at the heart of the British state - something which Mark discovers he himself had been a victim of.

Shadow World: Gripping stories from the Shadows – BBC investigations from across the UK.

Presenter: Mark Steel
Producer: Conor Garrett
Executive Producer: Georgia Catt
Commissioning Editor: Dan Clarke
Commissioning Executive: Tracy Williams
Production Coordinator: Dan Marchini
Sound Mix: Tim Heffer
Music Score: Phil Kieran

*Archive excerpts from director Franny Armstrong’s ‘McLibel,’ reproduced with the permission of Spanner Films

The People vs McDonald's: 1. The Leaflet

13 augustus 2025 · 28 min

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In 1986, members of environmental group, London Greenpeace, published a leaflet called ‘What’s wrong with McDonald’s?’ It claimed McDonald’s was exploiting workers, destroying rainforests, torturing animals, and promoting food that could make people sick, even cause cancer... Lees meer

McDonald’s said the claims in the leaflet were untrue and defamatory and the company demanded an apology.

Helen Steel, a gardener, and a former postman named Dave Morris, refused.

Mark Steel takes us into the murky world of McDonald’s Corporation vs Steel & Morris – aka 'McLibel' - the longest-running trial in English history which would turn the spotlight on the way big business operates. As well as bringing issues like rainforest destruction and advertising to children into the mainstream, it would also be the moment our current Prime Minister first comes to prominence. If that isn’t enough, this story would ultimately have connections with a dark and shameful secret at the heart of the British state - something which Mark discovers he himself had been a victim of.

Shadow World: Gripping stories from the Shadows – BBC investigations from across the UK.

Presenter: Mark Steel
Producer: Conor Garrett
Executive Producer: Georgia Catt
Commissioning Editor: Dan Clarke
Commissioning Executive: Tracy Williams
Production Coordinator: Dan Marchini
Sound Mix: Tim Heffer
Music Score: Phil Kieran

BBC Studios for BBC Radio 4

*Archive excerpts from director Franny Armstrong’s ‘McLibel,’ reproduced with the permission of Spanner Films

The People vs McDonald's: Trailer

11 augustus 2025 · 3 min

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Mark Steel introduces an extraordinary battle between two activists - a gardener and a former postman - and one of the world's biggest fast food companies. A battle over a leaflet which led to the longest trial in English history. It would bring issues like rainforest destruction and advertising to children into the mainstream. It would also be the moment our Prime Minister first comes to prominence. Ultimately, it's a story which would have connections with a dark and shameful secret at the heart of the British state - something Mark discovers he himself had been the victim of. Honestly, there are conspiracy theories less bonkers than this. Welcome to the People vs McDonald's... Lees meer

Shadow World: Gripping stories from the shadows - BBC investigations from across the UK.

The Grave Robbers: 5. Ripe for the Taking

6 augustus 2025 · 35 min

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Where did the gang get the idea to use fake wills to steal the homes of the dead? Sue travels to Budapest to find out. As her investigation concludes, she exposes the scale of a crime that had gone unreported until now, and she hears how the authorities are finally starting to act. Lees meer

Presenter: Sue Mitchell
Producers: Sue Mitchell, Joe Moors and Winifred Robinson
Sound design and mix: Tom Brignell
Production coordinator: Juliette Harvey
Executive producer: Joe Kent
Commissioning executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning editor: Dan Clarke

The Grave Robbers is a BBC Studios production for Radio 4.

The Grave Robbers: 4. The Will to Steal

30 juli 2025 · 32 min

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It should be impossible to steal a home, but this new narrative podcast from multi award winning investigative reporter Sue Mitchell (Intrigue: To Catch a Scorpion, Million Dollar Lover) reveals a gang operating in the UK to steal houses from people who die without a recent will. Lees meer

The series hears from victims of the gang - and confronts its leaders, highlighting the shortfalls of a creaking system that leaves many others at risk. It also reveals the scale and depth of an ongoing scam which is denying rightful heirs significant windfalls - and depriving the UK Government of inheritance tax revenue.

This is an original investigation. A story never told before, leading across borders and into the dark underbelly of the UK. Over five episodes, Sue reveals a network of companies that connect the gang members and finds evidence that as well as scamming people out of property, they are involved in illegal drugs, money laundering and the sale of UK work visas.

The Grave Robbers: 3. The Good Spy

23 juli 2025 · 33 min

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Michael Judd's neighbours watch on in horror as thieves take possession of his home - selling everything of value and destroying his much loved collection of musical instruments Lees meer

It should be impossible to steal a home, but this new narrative podcast from multi award winning investigative reporter Sue Mitchell (Intrigue: To Catch a Scorpion, Million Dollar Lover) reveals a gang operating in the UK to steal houses from people who die without a recent will.

The series hears from victims of the gang - and confronts its leaders, highlighting the shortfalls of a creaking system that leaves many others at risk. It also reveals the scale and depth of an ongoing scam which is denying rightful heirs significant windfalls - and depriving the UK Government of inheritance tax revenue.

This is an original investigation. A story never told before, leading across borders and into the dark underbelly of the UK. Over five episodes, Sue Mitchell reveals a network of companies that connect the gang members and finds evidence that as well as scamming people out of property, they are involved in illegal drugs, money laundering and the sale of UK work visas.

The Grave Robbers: 2. Strangers in the Street

16 juli 2025 · 32 min

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Fake wills, stolen identities and cannabis farms - Sue Mitchell’s investigation gathers pace as she exposes how criminals are stripping the estates of the dead , denying rightful heirs their inheritance.

The Grave Robbers: 1. My Dear Friend

5 juli 2025 · 35 min

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Two sisters, set to receive a surprise life-changing inheritance, have it snatched away by a stranger. As Sue Mitchell investigates, she reveals how fake wills are being used to strip the estates of the dead and deny rightful heirs what is rightfully theirs. Lees meer

This new narrative podcast from multi award winning investigative reporter Sue Mitchell (Intrigue: To Catch a Scorpion, Million Dollar Lover) reveals a crime that’s gone unreported until now and a system that is struggling to stop it.

The Grave Robbers: Trailer

3 juli 2025 · 2 min

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It should be impossible to steal a home, but Sue Mitchell reveals it's all too easy. The multi-award winning investigative journalist (Intrigue: To Catch a Scorpion, Million Dollar Lover) is on the trail of an East European crime group using forged wills to 'take' the homes of the dead , stealing millions from rightful heirs and denying the Government valuable tax revenue. Sue Mitchell starts her original investigation when two sisters are denied their rightful inheritance following the death of their estranged aunt, but soon finds herself tracking a gang that are not only conning people out of property but also linked to cannabis farms, money laundering and the sale of UK work visas. Over five episodes, she goes in search of the gang members behind this elaborate scam and web of false companies, exposing the shortfalls of a creaking system which places countless others at risk. Shadow World: Gripping stories from the shadows - BBC investigations from across the UK. Lees meer

The Smuggler: 10. A Hidden Network

24 mei 2025 · 15 min

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Journalist Annabel Deas speaks to experts who fear Nick’s routes and methods are a back door for other people smugglers

The Smuggler: 9. The Arrest

24 mei 2025 · 14 min

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Nick arrives in Kent with four Vietnamese migrants on his boat. But he’s met by police who arrest him for people smuggling.

The Smuggler: 8. The Boat Theory

24 mei 2025 · 15 min

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After a near escape, Nick vows to never smuggle again. Meanwhile, police build a theory that Nick is smuggling Vietnamese migrants to work on cannabis farms.

The Smuggler: 7. A Dangerous Journey

24 mei 2025 · 15 min

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Nick evades the police in France. But his boat is broken and taking on water. Meanwhile, journalist Annabel Deas hears about the dangerous journeys taken by Vietnamese migrants. Lees meer

Presenter - Annabel Deas
Producer - Hayley Mortimer
Sound design - Neil Churchill
Researcher - Isabel Kimbrey
Editor - Matt Willis
Commissioning Executive - Tracy Williams
Commissioning Editor - Dan Clarke
Series music - Ambit Sound

The Smuggler: 6. The Vietnamese Connection

24 mei 2025 · 15 min

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Nick is paid thousands of pounds to bring Vietnamese migrants into the UK. But at what cost?

The Smuggler: 5. The Crossing

24 mei 2025 · 14 min

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Nick buys a boat and searches for a new smuggling route across the English Channel.