Real Dictators

Augustus Part 1: Rome’s First Emperor

On the Ides of March 44BC, Julius Caesar is murdered in the Senate. With Rome’s long-time dictator deposed, the would-be inheritors of his estate and offices begin jostli

Tito Part 5: The Sun King

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 b

Tito Part 4: The Marshal Versus Stalin

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

Tito Part 3: The Partisan in the Mountains

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

Tito Part 2: The Man of Disguises

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 tr

Tito Part 1: The Young Gun

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 consolid

Introducing: Founding Fathers: An American Dream - Episode 1

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 e

Introducing: Real Vikings - Episode 1

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

Jean-Bédel Bokassa Part 3: A Coronation for the Ages

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

Jean-Bédel Bokassa Part 2: The Power Grab, the Châteaux and the Missing Daughter

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

Jean-Bédel Bokassa Part 1: The Butcher of Bangui

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

Introducing: Charles Dickens Ghost Stories - A Christmas Carol

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,

Fidel Castro Part 10: Emergency on an Airplane

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

Fidel Castro Part 9: Down With Fidel!

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 Unio

Fidel Castro Part 8: Miami Vice

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

Fidel Castro Part 7: Che Guevara in the Jungle

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

Fidel Castro Part 6: The Cuban Missile Crisis

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 countrysid

Fidel Castro Part 5: The Bay of Pigs

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 dispatch

Fidel Castro Part 4: Havana’s TV Star

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 H

Fidel Castro Part 3: The Mountain Guerrillas

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