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Real Dictators
30 episodes
Tito Part 5: The Sun King
Ep 152 · Jul 14, 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
Tito becomes an international celebrity, with a jet-set lifestyle to match his status. His hybrid ‘coca-cola socialism’ sees Yugoslavia booming. But the good times have been built on shaky foundations. And as Tito ails it seems his Balkan miracle will prove short-lived… A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Neil Barnett, Branko Brkic, Christopher Catherwood, Richard Mills, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Geoffrey Swain, Susan L Woodward. This is Part 5 of 5. Written by Jeff Daw…
Tito Part 4: The Marshal Versus Stalin
Ep 151 · Jul 7, 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
In the war’s aftermath Tito exacts his bloody revenge. Manoeuvring the king out of the picture, Yugoslavia is swiftly consolidated under communist rule. A clash with the US risks further conflict, even a nuclear strike. Though the biggest showdown is to come… with Joseph Stalin… A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Neil Barnett, Branko Brkic, Christopher Catherwood, Richard Mills, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Geoffrey Swain, Susan L Woodward. This is Part 4 of 5. Written by…
Tito Part 3: The Partisan in the Mountains
Ep 150 · Jun 30, 2026 · 1 hr 7 min
When the Nazis invade Yugoslavia Tito takes to the mountains. Winston Churchill dispatches a crack team of paratroopers, led by a man rumoured to inspire the character of James Bond. Sneaking their way through the countryside, they will seek to rendezvous with the mysterious Partisan leader and take the fight to the German war machine… A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Neil Barnett, Branko Brkic, Christopher Catherwood, Richard Mills, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Geoffre…
Tito Part 2: The Man of Disguises
Ep 149 · Jun 23, 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
An assassination in Marseilles plunges the Balkans into turmoil. The Europe-wide battles of Black versus Red make their way onto the streets of Yugoslavia. Pegged as a trouble-maker and pursued by the authorities, the shape-shifting Josip Broz flees to Russia. There he will be re-tooled as a Soviet agent. Dispatched by Moscow, he’ll return with a new mission and a new name… A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Neil Barnett, Christopher Catherwood, Richard Mills, Nichol…
Tito Part 1: The Young Gun
Ep 148 · Jun 16, 2026 · 58 min
Josip Broz was the wartime resistance leader who became Tito, the strongman ruler of Yugoslavia. He defeated both Hitler and Mussolini. He stared down Stalin. He consolidated much of the Balkans as a single state, helping it to punch above its weight. But beyond his undoubted political skill and avuncular demeanour there was also a darkness… and an iron fist. So who really was the man behind the name? How did he chart a third way through the Cold War? And how is he remembered today? A Noiser pod…
Introducing: Founding Fathers: An American Dream - Episode 1
Jun 11, 2026 · 1 hr
This is a preview of a brand-new show from the Noiser Podcast Network. Hosted by Clarke Peters (The Wire, The Boroughs), 'Founding Fathers: An American Dream' tells the epic story of the birth of the United States of America, 250 years ago. Follow George Washington into bloody battles, sit alongside Thomas Jefferson as he crafts the Declaration of Independence, hear Alexander Hamilton debate the future of the new nation. And discover things you may never have known about this world-changing figh…
Introducing: Real Vikings - Episode 1
Mar 20, 2026 · 55 min
This is a preview of a brand-new show from the Noiser podcast network. Hosted by Iain Glen (Game of Thrones, Silo), Real Vikings takes you on a deep dive into the Viking age. You’ll board longboats bound for new lands, follow mighty warlords, meet master navigators, and uncover the real figures behind the legends of the sagas. But we begin on a quiet beach in the south of England, where a cold-blooded murder on the shingle sends shockwaves reverberating throughout Europe… For more episodes, sear…
Jean-Bédel Bokassa Part 3: A Coronation for the Ages
Ep 147 · Dec 31, 2025 · 1 hr 3 min
The new emperor of the Central African Republic is introduced to the world in a totally surreal manner - with white horses from Belgium, finery from France and songs from a Broadway musical. The CAR’s finances continue to tumble. A controversial policy about school uniforms leads to one of the most tragic episodes in the country’s history. And as the emperor loses control, old friends become foes, old foes return from the dead, and Bokassa’s day of judgement is at hand… A Noiser podcast producti…
Jean-Bédel Bokassa Part 2: The Power Grab, the Châteaux and the Missing Daughter
Ep 146 · Dec 24, 2025 · 58 min
A new year brings new beginnings in the Central African Republic. President Bokassa attempts to modernise. But at the same time, the mass incarcerations and torture ramp up and corruption takes hold. And then things get really strange… An imposter infiltrates Bokassa’s homelife. A bizarre public competition is launched to marry off the president’s daughters. And the leader takes a significant trip to Colonel Gaddafi’s Libya… A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Louisa…
Jean-Bédel Bokassa Part 1: The Butcher of Bangui
Ep 145 · Dec 17, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
The former soldier in the French army who seized power in his African homeland. The leader of the Central African Republic who proclaimed himself emperor. The emperor who ruled as an avaricious dictator. Jean-Bédel Bokassa’s time in power in the CAR began with promises of equality and justice. Hailed as a beacon of strength, he would go on to preside over a regime of eccentricity, excess and sadistic cruelty. But decades before the surreal coronation, the 17 wives and the vast collection of luxu…
Introducing: Charles Dickens Ghost Stories - A Christmas Carol
Dec 8, 2025 · 49 min
This is a preview of a brand-new audiobook from the Noiser Podcast Network. Join Sir David Suchet as he reads a selection of Charles Dickens’s most chilling short works, brought to life with sound design and original music. We’ll encounter dark premonitions of disaster experienced by a lonely railway signalman… A Victorian murder trial cast into chaos when the dead man’s ghost interrupts proceedings… And a sinister haunted hotel, where twelve identical spirits stalk the corridors… But first, a v…
Fidel Castro Part 10: Emergency on an Airplane
Ep 144 · Jul 1, 2025 · 58 min
The end arrives. Embarrassed at a baseball game, the Maximum Leader responds with arrests and intimidation. We hear first-hand testimony from a Cuban on the receiving end of the violence. A nasty public fall and a painful ordeal in the air show that age and illness are catching up with the dictator. But even as a change of leadership finally takes place, can Cuba ever truly be free from Fidel? A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Michael Bustamante, Anthony DePalma, Li…
Fidel Castro Part 9: Down With Fidel!
Ep 143 · Jun 24, 2025 · 57 min
After a tragedy in the Florida Straits, a dramatic tug of war takes place between Castro and America - all centred on a five-year-old boy. A new leader in the Soviet Union comes to power with fresh ideas which terrify Fidel. The Berlin Wall crumbles, putting Cuba on the brink. As riots break out in Havana, rebellion is in the air... A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Alvaro Alba, Michael Bustamante, Anthony DePalma, Lillian Guerra, Irene Lopez Kuchilan, Orlando Luis…
Fidel Castro Part 8: Miami Vice
Ep 142 · Jun 17, 2025 · 55 min
When a bomb goes off on a south Florida street, it bears all the hallmarks of a Cuban expert. Castroland is going international. As exiles flock to Miami, Fidel sets off on a globe-trotting mission - meeting Colonel Gaddafi in Libya and dispatching troops to Angola. But back at home, not everything is rosy. And when a bus driver rams his vehicle through the gates of an embassy, Castro will encounter a problem unlike any he’s ever faced before… A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann…
Fidel Castro Part 7: Che Guevara in the Jungle
Ep 141 · Jun 10, 2025 · 57 min
Castro sets out to create a breed of “new people” - turning Cuba into an island of mini-Fidels. A particular dairy cow becomes a national treasure and hot dog vendors are declared counter-revolutionary, as things get surreal. Fidel’s own sister flees, declaring Cuba a “floating prison”. And as one of the dictator’s right-hand men is killed, the revolution will be rocked to its foundations… A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Michael Bustamante, Carlos Eire, Lillian Gu…
Fidel Castro Part 6: The Cuban Missile Crisis
Ep 140 · Jun 3, 2025 · 56 min
The first man in space arrives in Cuba for a special visit. A passenger liner from the Soviet Union docks in Havana. But it’s not carrying tourists. Out in the countryside a massive yet mysterious construction project begins. Stranger-than-fiction plans are put in motion as the CIA tries everything to assassinate Fidel. And as Khrushchev and Castro take the most daring of gambles, the whole world holds its breath… A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Alvaro Alba, Mervy…
Fidel Castro Part 5: The Bay of Pigs
Ep 139 · May 28, 2025 · 57 min
A man who was right there tells us the tale of one of history’s most notorious military failures. Castro’s former lover is given a handful of poison capsules and dispatched to Fidel’s hotel. A Havana schoolboy crosses his fingers as the American bombing begins. And a young activist prepares to do whatever it takes to repel the impending invasion... A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Carlos Eire, Peter Kornbluh, Monica Mercedes Perez Jimenez, Alex von Tunzelmann, Ilea…
Fidel Castro Part 4: Havana’s TV Star
Ep 138 · May 20, 2025 · 58 min
Castro goes on a victory parade, eventually arriving in Havana on top of a tank. Vengeance is wrought on the old dictator’s supporters, as the new leader moves into the Hilton hotel. Fidel takes a trip to Washington - for a sit-down with Richard Nixon. And a regime insider tells us how he turned his back on Castro, only to pay the price... A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Carlos Eire, Lillian Guerra, Jonathan Hansen, Jennifer Lambe, Alex von Tunzelmann, Ileana Yarz…
Fidel Castro Part 3: The Mountain Guerrillas
Ep 137 · May 13, 2025 · 55 min
While Batista tries to convince the world that Castro is dead, Fidel regroups in the mountains. The world’s press descends on Cuba, hoping to meet this elusive rebel, and Fidel is only too happy to grant everyone interviews. Meanwhile, in Havana, Batista’s sick son helps to save him from assassination. But his grip on the island is slipping… A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Anthony DePalma, Carlos Eire, Lillian Guerra, Jonathan Hansen, Jennifer Lambe, Alex von Tunz…
Fidel Castro Part 2: Shipwrecked in the Swamps
Ep 136 · May 6, 2025 · 59 min
Castro wrestles with Marxism and begins another affair. Attempting to reignite the revolution, he swims naked across the US border. At a get-together in Mexico City, he strikes up a rapport with a scruffy Argentine known as “Che”. Together, in a battered old boat, they will set sail for Cuba - to bring the fight to Batista… A Noiser podcast production.Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Michael J. Bustamante, Carlos Eire, Lillian Guerra, Jonathan Hansen, Irene Lopez, Alex von Tunzelmann, Eduardo…
Fidel Castro Part 1: Rise of ‘The Crazy One’
Ep 135 · Apr 29, 2025 · 1 hr 6 min
Fidel Castro - a revolutionary turned strongman dictator, beloved by his supporters and loathed by his enemies. The bête noire of the United States who pushed the world to the brink of annihilation. The ultimate political survivor who evaded hundreds of barely believable assassination attempts. We scroll back to the early years of the one they would call El Loco. It all begins on a farm in the east of Cuba - an island paradise with dark undercurrents swirling beneath the surface… A Noiser p…
Introducing: Titanic: Ship of Dreams - Episode 1
Apr 8, 2025 · 52 min
This is a taster episode of a brand-new podcast from the Noiser podcast network. Join host Paul McGann as he explores life and death on the most famous ship in history. You’ll be right there on board - setting sail from Southampton, chugging across the Atlantic, striking the iceberg and sinking into the icy depths. We’ll hear the harrowing tales of the victims and the testimonies of the lucky survivors. And Paul explores his own family story, following his great uncle Jimmy McGann - a trimmer do…
Benito Mussolini Part 7: Break for the Border…
Ep 134 · Jan 29, 2025 · 1 hr 5 min
As Italy switches sides, Hitler hatches a plan to rescue his pal. But with the Axis collapsing on all fronts, Mussolini makes for Switzerland - stowed away and in disguise. For Il Duce’s enemies, the race is on to get to him first. His downfall will come at the hands of his own people… A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson. Many thanks to Giulia Albanese, Joshua Arthurs, John Foot, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Lisa Pine, Helen Roche. This is Part 7 of 7. Real Dictators will be back soon with, a…
Benito Mussolini Part 6: The Road to Perdition
Ep 133 · Jan 22, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
It all starts to go horribly wrong… After the disastrous invasion of Greece, Mussolini sends troops to Russia. Benito’s Blitz prompts bemusement in Britain. An Italian assassin somehow survives the firing squad. A famous American mobster helps the Allies in Sicily. And Il Duce’s son telephones his father with devastating news… A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson. Many thanks to Giulia Albanese, Joshua Arthurs, John Foot, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Lisa Pine, Helen Roche. This is Part 6 of 7…
Benito Mussolini Part 5: The Pact of Steel
Ep 132 · Jan 15, 2025 · 57 min
At the Munich Conference, Mussolini postures as a peacemaker. With Hitler in the ascendancy, the Rome-Berlin Axis is upgraded to a military alliance. High on fascist adrenaline, Il Duce invades Albania. Soon, in the backdraft of the German Blitzkrieg, he will declare war on Britain and France… A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson. Many thanks to Giulia Albanese, Joshua Arthurs, John Foot, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Lisa Pine, Helen Roche, Thomas Weber. This is Part 5 of 7. Get every episode…
Benito Mussolini Part 4: A Fine Bromance
Ep 131 · Jan 8, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
Il Duce uses propaganda to become a folk hero - part saint, part Father Christmas. He bans journalists from mentioning his birthday or the fact he’s a grandfather - to promote an image of eternal youth. Ernest Hemingway arrives in Switzerland to interview the Italian strongman, and sees right through him. Italy launches a genocidal campaign in Libya and gets away with it. And as the World Cup comes to the Fatherland, Benito Mussolini prepares to finally meet one Adolf Hitler… A Noiser production…
Benito Mussolini Part 3: Murder in Broad Daylight
Ep 130 · Jan 1, 2025 · 1 hr 2 min
World leaders line up to hail the new Italian strongman. But the fascists are already silencing dissenting voices. An epochal discovery in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings unleashes a curse, or so Mussolini believes. Il Duce gets his top off in the wheat fields - making sure to be caught on camera. He comes to an arrangement with the Pope and meets the woman who will ultimately die by his side. Meanwhile, an Anglo-Irish aristocrat prepares to make an astonishing attempt on Mussolini’s life… A Noiser…
Benito Mussolini Part 2: The March on Rome
Ep 129 · Dec 18, 2024 · 1 hr 5 min
Wounded at the Front, Mussolini’s war ends early. A playboy aristocrat forms his own private army, offering inspiration to Il Duce. As Italian workers go on strike, Mussolini’s goons crack skulls on the streets. And in a smoke-filled hall in Milan, he declares the birth of a new movement. His fascists will soon begin an audacious march on the capital… A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson. Many thanks to Giulia Albanese, Joshua Arthurs, John Foot, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Lisa Pine, Helen R…
Introducing: Sherlock Holmes Short Stories
Dec 16, 2024 · 30 min
A brand-new release from the Noiser Network. Join Hugh Bonneville on a thrilling journey through Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most celebrated Holmes mysteries - read in their original, masterful form. If you enjoy this taster episode, search ’Sherlock Holmes Short Stories’ in your podcast app and hit follow for more episodes. Or follow this link: https://podfollow.com/sherlock-holmes-short-stories-1 Part 2 of The Adventure of the Speckled Band is live now and waiting for you. Learn more about your a…
Benito Mussolini Part 1: Italy’s Fascist Godfather
Ep 128 · Dec 11, 2024 · 1 hr 2 min
We begin at the end… in 1945, with a pile of bodies dumped in Milan then strung up for all to see. Among them, the most powerful man in Italy. One of the most significant figures in modern history. How did it come to this? In this episode, we scroll back to follow the start of Benito Mussolini’s extraordinary rise. From humble origins as the son of a blacksmith and a schoolteacher, Il Duce will emerge as an incendiary journalist and activist. And before long, the onetime vagrant and draft-dodger…
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