Wondery, a leading global podcast publisher known for its immersive approach to audio storytelling, announces its first ever UK-produced podcast with the launch of British Scandal. This new audio series explores the gripping stories, fascinating characters and critical questions arising on a journey through some of the biggest UK scandals.
Narrated by co-host of My Dad Wrote a Porno and ex-Radio 1 presenter Alice Levine, alongside comedian, host of The Political Party Podcast and former political advisor Matt Forde, each season tells the jaw-dropping story of a major modern-day scandal that not only rocked the UK but sent shockwaves around the globe. Each season features an expert contributor offering insight, updates and commentary.
British Scandal launches with a story of espionage, intrigue and speculation as Wondery explores the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko, the Russian dissident who dared to take on the Kremlin and subsequently fled to the UK, to be granted asylum in 2000. In November 2006, Litvinenko became extremely ill and was hospitalised in London; just over three weeks later, he became the first person in the world to be killed by lethal drug polonium-210, sparking a diplomatic crisis which dragged UK and Russia relations to their lowest point since the end of the Cold War.
The second season explores the tragic story of David Kelly, the renowned British scientist and weapons expert who was found dead in an Oxfordshire wood in 2003. Kelly’s death – and subsequent fallout from the infamous “sexed up” dossier which claimed that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction which could be deployed in under an hour – was a major story.
The third season in the series looks at the 2018 Cambridge Analytica crisis. The scandal posed huge questions around privacy, and how global organisations manage our ever-increasing wealth of personal data.
Declan Moore, Head of International for Wondery commented: “Our mission is to provide entertainment and knowledge through our innovative, immersive and emotive podcasts and we’re excited to launch our UK Originals and create our first ever international series. British Scandal is a riveting journey through seismic crises, political outrage and public uproar, with questions, theories and themes from the scandals still resonating across the world today. Through the beautifully crafted and engaging narration of hosts Alice and Matt, we’re confident that British Scandal will appeal to podcast fans and potential new listeners alike.”
Co-host Alice Levine said: “I’ve loved so many Wondery shows as a listener, so I’m thrilled that I get to join the team. British Scandal is an amazing chance to take a deep dive into some events that we all remember from the news, which really are stranger than fiction. Revisiting them with some distance, knowing what we know now, throws up some incredible surprises!”
Co-host Matt Forde added: "My mum used to say, 'scandals are like sandals: some are big, some are small, but they always trip somebody up'. OK, maybe she never said that, but I thought it sounded clever, so I went with it. I love a good scandal and I love talking to Alice Levine about scandals, so this show is perfect for me. The biggest British scandal of all is that this podcast didn't exist already."
