Codename Badger podcast | Listen online for free

10 episodes

Coming soon...more Codename Badger
20/07/2026 | 1 mins.
Eugene and Andy have identified more victims as they dig deeper into the mysteries surrounding John Cottell. Find out what they've uncovered in a new episode on July 28th or listen a week early from July 21st only on the Always True Crime Patreon.

To see photos of John Cottell, Josephine and access exclusive archive visit Patreon.
Presenter: Eugene Henderson
Producer: Eugene Henderson, Andy Clark
Executive Producer: Ailsa Rochester
Sound Design: Craig Edmondson

An Always True Crime Production for Audio Always
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Introducing... Project Mind Control
12/04/2026 | 27 mins.
A shocking investigation into decades of controversial psychological experiments that attempted to erase and reprogram the human mind. Project Mind Control begins with the harrowing story of Lana Ponting, one of the last-known survivors of one of Canada’s most notorious psychiatric institutions, The Allan Institute. Her memories are fractured but what she remembers is enough to expose something far bigger than one hospital.

From the makers of Codename Badger, criminal psychologist Dr Julia Shaw follows Lana’s story into a shadow world of covert CIA involvement, missing Indigenous children, and allegations that orphaned and vulnerable kids were supplied for experimentation. This is episode one, for the rest of this series search for Project Mind Control wherever you get your podcasts or go to https://alwaystruecrime.komi.io/
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Bonus: The Making Of Codename Badger
03/03/2026 | 33 mins.
In this bonus episode of Codename Badger, presenter Eugene Henderson and producer Andy Clark go behind the scenes of the podcast’s creation. Hear additional details from the investigation that didn’t make it into the main series.

They discuss how they first uncovered the story of John Cottell, the challenges of researching a case that spanned more than 70 years, and how they shaped decades of mystery, deception, and evidence into a six part series.

Plus, psychologist Dr Drew Curtis, an expert in lying and deception, explores how the falsehoods at the heart of the story were able to endure for so long, and why so many people believed them.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In Too Deep
24/02/2026 | 37 mins.
Josephine is bankrolling John’s increasingly expensive legal battles, but her own health is failing her. Her family move in to care for her…and confront John.

This is the first time anyone’s questioned him to his face, and the consequences are disastrous.

Nikki cares for her mother as she slips deeper into dementia, still waiting for her spy to give her the answers she has waited a lifetime for.

To see photos of John Cottell, Josephine and access exclusive archive visit PATREON LINK. If you’d like to binge the whole series now you can subscribe on Patreon.

Presenter: Eugene Henderson
Producer: Eugene Henderson, Andy Clark
Executive Producer: Ailsa Rochester
Sound Design: Craig Edmondson

An Always True Crime Production for Audio Always

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
John’s Prayer
17/02/2026 | 24 mins.
Josephine has moved to the tiny, mountainous country of Andorra. There she waits for John, who’s embarked on a new career path.

But Josephine’s family are becoming increasingly anxious, their mother is alone in a foreign country, and she’s withdrawing large amounts of money for mysterious reasons.

Her bank manager contacts Nikki, concerned.

To see photos of John Cottell, Josephine and access exclusive archive visit PATREON LINK. If you’d like to binge the whole series now you can subscribe on Patreon.

Presenter: Eugene Henderson
Producer: Eugene Henderson, Andy Clark
Executive Producer: Ailsa Rochester
Sound Design: Craig Edmondson

An Always True Crime Production for Audio Always

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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About Codename Badger

In 1955 young army major Robbie Mills dies, disembarking a submarine docked at Torbay Harbour in Devon.His superiors say he was drinking and slipped from the gangplank in inclement weather. His widow, Josephine, has no reason to disbelieve them. But within weeks a man knocks on her door. He introduces himself as Captain John Cottell, and he tells Josephine that Robbie’s death was no accident, and Robbie was a spy. It’s a meeting that will change Josephine’s life forever.Now journalists Eugene Henderson and Andy Clark help Josephine’s daughter Nicky solve a mystery that has spanned five decades. Who was John Cottell? And what really happened to her father?Episode's out weekly from Tuesday 20th January.For more true crime that you'll be obsessed with head to AlwaysTrueCrime.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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