Real Dictators

With his enemies vanquished Octavian returns to a hero’s welcome. Consolidating personal rule over Rome’s vast dominions, he begins dismantling the old republic. The Senate declares him the most “August” of Caesars, an Emperor. But the lack of an heir, once again, will plunge Rome into crisis… A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Lauren Ginsberg, David Gwynn, Neville Morley, Joyce Tyldesley. This is Part 3 of 3. Written by Jeff Dawson | Assistant Producer: Luke Lonergan | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound supervisors: Tom Pink, Matt Peaty | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan | Recording engineer: Joseph McGann. Real Dictators will be back soon with the story of Rafael Trujillo. In the meantime, head to noiser.com to discover your next immersive history podcast. Limited time: download Supremacy: World War 3 for free via our link and get an…

Alongside Mark Antony, Octavian hunts down Great-Uncle Julius’s assassins. But Antony will soon go rogue, beguiled - just like Caesar - by Queen Cleopatra of Egypt. Octavian will strike without mercy. With General Agrippa to the fore, he will soon command absolute power over the entire Roman world… A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Lauren Ginsberg, David Gwynn, Neville Morley, Joyce Tyldesley. This is Part 2 of 3. Written by Jeff Dawson | Assistant Producer: Luke Lonergan | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound supervisors: Tom Pink, Matt Peaty | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan | Recording engineer: Joseph McGann. You can listen to the final episode of the Augustus story straight after this - without waiting and without ads - by joining Noiser+. Just click the subscription banner at the top of the feed or go to noiser.com/subscriptions…

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 jostling for position. But as it turns out, Caesar has had other ideas. Remarkably, his somewhat obscure great-nephew, Octavian, is named as his heir. In time, Octavian will come to wield absolute power over the greatest dominion of classical civilisation. He’ll be the first and perhaps greatest Roman emperor. We know him today by the honorary name bestowed upon him: Imperator Caesar Augustus… A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Lauren Ginsberg, David Gwynn, Neville Morley, Joyce Tyldesley. This is Part 1 of 3. Written by Jeff Dawson | Assistant Producer: Luke Lonergan | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound supervisors: Tom Pink, Matt Peaty | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan |…

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 Dawson | Assistant Producer: Luke Lonergan | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay, Tony Onuchukwu, Rob Plummer | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan | Recording engineer: Joseph McGann. Real Dictators will be back soon with the stories of Emperor Augustus and Rafael Trujillo. In the meantime, check out Founding Fathers: An American Dream - the new show from the…

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 Jeff Dawson | Assistant Producer: Luke Lonergan | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay, Rob Plummer | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan | Recording engineer: Joseph McGann. You can listen to the final episode of the Tito story straight away, without waiting and without ads, by joining Noiser+. Just click the subscription banner at the top of the feed or go…

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, Geoffrey Swain, Susan L Woodward. This is Part 3 of 5. Written by Jeff Dawson | Assistant Producer: Luke Lonergan | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay, Rob Plummer, Jacob Booth | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan | Recording engineer: Joseph McGann. You can listen to the final two episodes of the Tito story straight away, without waiting and without ads, by…

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, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Geoffrey Swain, Susan L Woodward. This is Part 2 of 5. Written by Jeff Dawson | Assistant Producer: Luke Lonergan | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay, Rob Plummer | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan | Recording engineer: Joseph McGann. You can listen to the next two episodes of the Tito story straight away, without waiting and without…

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 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 1 of 5. Written by Jeff Dawson | Assistant Producer: Luke Lonergan | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay, Rob Plummer, Josh Latham | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan |…

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 fight for liberty. But it all begins in Boston...a young, unruly city where the first stirrings of rebellion emerge...and where, in 1706, a baby boy named Benjamin Franklin is about to be born... For more episodes, search 'Founding Fathers: An American Dream' in your podcast app and hit follow. You can listen to Episode 2 straight after this. Real Dictators will be back on Wednesday with the story of Tito. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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, search ‘Real Vikings’ in your podcast app and hit follow. You can listen to Episode 2 straight after this. Real Dictators will be back soon with the story of Marshal Tito. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 production. Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Louisa Lombard, Richard Moncrieff, Gino Vlavonou. This is Part 3 of 3. Written by John Bartlett | Produced by Ed Baranski and Edward White | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Fact check by Heléna Lewis | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay, Rob Plummer, Anisha Deva | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan | Recording engineer: Joseph McGann. Real Dictators…

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 Lombard, Richard Moncrieff, Gino Vlavonou. This is Part 2 of 3. Written by John Bartlett | Produced by Ed Baranski and Edward White | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Fact check by Heléna Lewis | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design & audio editing by Jacob Booth | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay, Rob Plummer | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan | Recording engineer: Joseph McGann. You can listen to the final episode of the Bokassa story straight away,…

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 luxurious possessions, our story begins in a much humbler setting. In a forested village near the CAR’s southern border, rebellion is in the air… A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Louisa Lombard, Richard Moncrieff, Gino Vlavonou. This is Part 1 of 3. Written by John Bartlett | Produced by Ed Baranski and Edward White | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Fact check by Heléna Lewis | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay,…

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 very special festive gift: Dickens’s most beloved ghost story of all, A Christmas Carol. You can listen to Part 2 of A Christmas Carol straight after this. Just search for Charles Dickens Ghost Stories in your podcast app or listen at www.noiser.com. Real Dictators will return on December 17th with the story of Jean-Bédel Bokassa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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, Lillian Guerra, Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, Ileana Yarza. This is Part 10 of 10. Written by Edward White | Produced by Ed Baranski and Edward White | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay, Anisha Deva | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan | Recording engineer: Joseph McGann. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free…

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 Pardo Lazo, Rogelio Martinez. This is Part 9 of 10. Written by Edward White | Produced by Ed Baranski and Edward White | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay, Anisha Deva | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan | Recording engineer: Joseph McGann. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and…

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. Featuring Michael Bustamante, Nicholas Griffin, Peter Kornbluh, Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, Rogelio Martinez, Rick Morales. This is Part 8 of 10. Written by Edward White | Produced by Ed Baranski and Edward White | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay, Anisha Deva | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan | Recording engineer: Joseph McGann. Get every episode of…

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 Guerra, Peter Kornbluh, Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, Alex von Tunzelmann, Ileana Yarza. This is Part 7 of 10. Written by Edward White | Produced by Ed Baranski and Edward White | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay, Anisha Deva | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan | Recording engineer: Joseph McGann. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+.…

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, Mervyn Bain, Carlos Eire, Peter Kornbluh, Alex von Tunzelmann, Ileana Yarza. This is Part 6 of 10. Written by Edward White | Produced by Ed Baranski and Edward White | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp, Matthew Peaty | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay, Anisha Deva | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan | Recording engineer: Joseph McGann. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with…

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, Ileana Yarza, Eduardo Zayas-Bazan. This is Part 5 of 10. Written by Edward White | Produced by Ed Baranski and Edward White | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay, Anisha Deva | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan | Recording engineer: Joseph McGann. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material…

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 Yarza, Eduardo Zayas-Bazan. Special thanks to University of Miami Libraries for the use of the Huber Matos archive. This is Part 4 of 10. Written by Edward White | Produced by Ed Baranski and Edward White | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay, Anisha Deva, Rob Plummer | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan | Recording engineer: Joseph McGann. Get every episode of…

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 Tunzelmann, Ileana Yarza.Special thanks to University of Miami Libraries for the use of the Huber Matos archive. This is Part 3 of 10. Written by Edward White | Produced by Ed Baranski and Edward White | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay, Anisha Deva, Rob Plummer | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan | Recording engineer: Joseph McGann. Get every episode of…

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 Zayas-Bazan. This is Part 2 of 10. Written by Edward White | Produced by Ed Baranski and Edward White | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design & audio editing by George Tapp | Assembly editing by Dorry Macaulay and Anisha Deva | Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink | Mix & mastering: Cian Ryan-Morgan | Recording engineer: Joseph McGann. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access…

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 podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann. Featuring Michael J. Bustamante, Carlos Eire, Lillian Guerra, Jonathan Hansen, Peter Kornbluh, Jennifer Lambe, Rogelio Martinez, Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, Alex von Tunzelmann, Ileana Yarza, Eduardo Zayas-Bazan. Special thanks to University of Miami Libraries for the use of the Huber Matos archive. This is Part 1 of 10. Written by Edward White | Produced by Ed Baranski and Edward White | Exec produced by Joel Duddell | Sound supervisor: Tom Pink | Sound design & audio editing by…

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 down in Titanic’s engine room. Search ‘Titanic: Ship of Dreams’ in your podcast app and hit follow to get new episodes each Tuesday. Or listen at noiser.com Episode 2 is live now on Titanic: Ship of Dreams. Real Dictators will be back on April 30th with the story of Fidel Castro. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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, among others, the stories of Fidel Castro and Jean-Bédel Bokassa as well as some bonus content. Stay tuned... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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, written by Jeff Dawson. Many thanks to Giulia Albanese, Joshua Arthurs, John Foot, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Lisa Pine, Helen Roche. This is Part 4 of 7. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 production, written by Jeff Dawson. Many thanks to Giulia Albanese, Joshua Arthurs, John Foot, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Lisa Pine, Helen Roche. This is Part 3 of 7. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Roche. This is Part 2 of 7. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 will be on his way to the front line of World War One… 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 1 of 7. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about…

The Falklands War casts a long shadow over Argentina as the junta teeters on the verge of collapse. The country slowly returns to democracy. But that isn’t the end of Videla’s time in the spotlight. As a heroic legal case is brought against him, justice for his victims finally seems within reach. We’ll meet a man who sat mere feet away from Videla in the courtroom - a young prosecutor with the hopes of a nation resting on his shoulders… A Noiser production, written by John Bartlett. Many thanks to Edward Brudney, Robert Cox, Marguerite Feitlowitz, Francesca Lessa, Sara Méndez, Luís Moreno Ocampo, Ernesto Semán. This is Part 4 of 4. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The 1978 FIFA World Cup rolls into Argentina. A surreal fortnight ensues. Fans flock to revamped stadia, while just metres away prisoners cower - hidden in secret torture facilities. As foreign journalists begin to join the dots, Videla goes into statesman mode. With the tournament in the balance, the dictator and a famous friend pay Argentina’s opponents a friendly visit. It will result in one of the most contentious games in history… A Noiser production, written by John Bartlett. Many thanks to Edward Brudney, Robert Cox, Marcela Mora y Araujo, Rhys Richards, Ernesto Semán. This is Part 3 of 4. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Videla’s dirty war begins. ‘Subversives’ are rooted out, with torture centres established across the land - including one known as the ‘Argentine Auschwitz’. Education, music, children’s books and haircuts are subjected to new regulations. And as the Junta garners international attention, Videla will employ elaborate means to gloss over the atrocities… A Noiser production, written by John Bartlett. Many thanks to Edward Brudney, Robert Cox, Marguerite Feitlowitz, Francesca Lessa, Sara Méndez, Ernesto Semán. This is Part 2 of 4. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Argentina. The story of a gaunt, hawkish man who earned the nickname “the Hitler of the Pampa”. A man whose awkward bearing belied his capacity for cruelty. A dictator who literally stole the children of his prisoners. In 1925, Jorge Rafael Videla is born into a country at a crossroads. But no one can imagine just how deeply he will impact Argentina over the next 87 years… A Noiser production, written by John Bartlett. Many thanks to Edward Brudney, Robert Cox, Marguerite Feitlowitz, Francesca Lessa, Ernesto Semán. This is Part 1 of 4. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Almost every dictator, at one time or another, has put pen to paper. Some have wrestled with ideas, with philosophy. Many have merely vented - spewing their diatribes onto the page. Others have made forays into fiction, poetry and drama… with varying degrees of success. Noiser writer Duncan Barrett spoke to a man who’s made it his mission to wade through all kinds of dictators’ writings. Daniel Kalder is author of The Infernal Library, also published as Dictator Literature: A History of Bad Books by Terrible People.  Scroll down the Real Dictators feed for episodes on the dictators mentioned in this conversation. The stories of Jorge Rafael Videla and Benito Mussolini will be coming later this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pinochet consolidates control, creating a terrifying new secret police force. The dictator’s war on communism extends abroad, as Chile joins Operation Condor. But how long can Pinochet’s global allies allow him to go unchecked? And will the families of the murdered and the disappeared ever find justice? A Noiser production, written by Sean Coleman. Many thanks to John Bartlett, Mark Ensalaco, Peter Kornbluh. This is Part 3 of 3. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions To get an exclusive NordVPN deal, head to https://nordvpn.com/realdictators to get an extra 4 months on the 2-year plan. There’s no risk with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

September 11th, 1973. The touchpaper is lit. President Allende realises he’s been double-crossed. Pinochet keeps his cards close to his chest. A loyal naval admiral finds his cars sabotaged and his phone lines cut. And as Allende and his bodyguards prepare to defend the palace, the first soldiers take to the streets of Santiago… A Noiser production, written by Sean Coleman. Many thanks to John Bartlett, Mark Ensalaco, Peter Kornbluh. This is Part 2 of 3. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We travel to South America. In September 1973, Augusto Pinochet seizes power in Chile following a coup d’état. The aim is to topple the country’s socialist president. And it succeeds. But how does Pinochet - a seemingly unremarkable army man - come to lead the notorious uprising? And after that, how do he and his wife consolidate power, remaining in post for 17 long and bloody years? A Noiser production, written by Sean Coleman. Many thanks to John Bartlett, Mark Ensalaco, Peter Kornbluh. This is Part 1 of 3. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is a taster episode of a brand-new podcast from the Noiser network. Host Paul McGann follows the real people involved in the D-Day landings. It’s 1944 and Europe is in the grip of the Nazi war machine. But on the shores of Great Britain, thousands of men and women are planning the great fightback. What will it take to turn the tide of World War 2? Search ‘D-Day: The Tide Turns’ in your podcast app and hit follow to get new episodes each Thursday. Or listen at noiser.com Episode 2 is live now on D-Day: The Tide Turns. Real Dictators will be back soon with the story of Augusto Pinochet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the final part of the Cromwell story, outrage at the King’s execution leads Ironsides to wage war on Scotland and, notoriously, Ireland. Insurgencies over, he’ll become Lord Protector - king in all but name. But as discontent continues to spread, the unthinkable will once again become possible. The Stuart monarchy couldn’t be restored… could it?… A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson. Many thanks to Peter Gaunt, Clare Jackson, Anna Keay, John Morrill, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Micheál Ó Siochrú. This is Part 4 of 4. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the King in captivity, both sides seek a settlement. But when Charles escapes, all trust is broken. For Cromwell there is only one course of action - a solution that will plunge the British Isles into unknown territory. His Majesty must be put on trial… A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson. Many thanks to Peter Gaunt, Clare Jackson, Anna Keay, John Morrill, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Micheál Ó Siochrú. This is Part 3 of 4. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

England is plunged into conflict. Oliver Cromwell, an obscure politician, soon proves himself an outstanding military commander. King Charles, meanwhile, unveils his own star signing - a dashing young cavalry officer named Prince Rupert. A daring mission featuring the Queen threatens to tip the balance the Royalists’ way. But Cromwell’s New Model Army will prove itself unstoppable… A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson. Many thanks to Peter Gaunt, Clare Jackson, Anna Keay, John Morrill, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Micheál Ó Siochrú. This is Part 2 of 4. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Say “Oliver Cromwell” today and certain things come to mind. He won the English Civil War and prompted the execution of Charles I. He purged the realm with such zeal that he even cancelled Christmas. In Ireland, where Cromwell’s troops besieged its towns with a notorious barbarity, his name is still used as a curse. “The greatest prince that ever ruled England”, as one historian called him? Or, as Winston Churchill would counter, a tyrant and a despot? A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson. Many thanks to Peter Gaunt, Clare Jackson, Anna Keay, John Morrill, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Micheál Ó Siochrú. This is Part 1 of 4. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A brand-new podcast from the Noiser network. Join domestic historian Ruth Goodman as she explores the remarkable, often epic, tales behind everyday objects. This taster episode is all about the bath. A murderous emperor builds the grandest bath complex ever seen in Ancient Rome. The arrival of a new disease spells trouble for the bathhouses of Tudor London. An excitable Victorian clergyman extolls the virtues of skinny dipping. And World War Two plays a surprising role in kickstarting the hot tub craze… If you enjoy this taster episode, search ‘The Curious History of Your Home’ in your podcast app and hit follow to get new episodes every Tuesday. Or follow this link: https://podfollow.com/the-curious-history-of-your-home Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As a new premier takes charge in Moscow, Hoxha makes a new friend in China. The Albanian dictator tasks an entire media industry with maintaining his image. But as his country sinks into an economic mire and his own health deteriorates, Hoxha and Albania’s isolation will be complete. How will the country even begin to escape his clutches? A Noiser production, written by Sean Coleman. Many thanks to Bernd Fischer, Artan Hoxha and Shannon Woodcock. This is Part 2 of 2. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From 1944 to 1985, Enver Hoxha ran Albania as an extraordinarily repressive Stalinist dictatorship. But how did a middle class teacher from the provinces become the most powerful man in the country and a key player in the communist world? What did he do to turn Albania into one of the most isolated countries in the world? And how did ‘Uncle Enver’ keep his citizens in the dark for so much of the 20th century? A Noiser production, written by Sean Coleman. Many thanks to Bernd Fischer, Artan Hoxha and Shannon Woodcock. This is Part 1 of 2. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Herod leaves Rome to wrest Judea from the Parthians. He will marry a princess, commission extraordinary building works, and even murder his in-laws as he tries to win over his people. But how will that desperate quest shape his subjects’ lives, and his own legacy? And what of Herod’s most notorious act - the Slaughter of the Innocents? A Noiser production, written by Kate Harrison. This is Part 2 of 2. Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices