Shadow World Podcast
In Shadow World: Impulsive, Noel Titheradge uncovers the devastating side effects of a class of prescription drugs which can cause hypersexuality and compulsive gambling.
Gripping stories from the Shadows - BBC investigations from across the UK.
Episodes to download
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10. Reflections—Impulsive
Friday
10/11Impulse control side effects are common, so why are they so hard to talk about?
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9. Blame Game—Impulsive
Tomorrow
9/11Who should take responsibility for the impact of side effects from dopamine agonists?
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8. Collateral—Impulsive
Today
8/11Andrew is arrested for fraud. Will a judge accept that medication affected his behaviour?
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7. Missed connections—Impulsive
Yesterday
7/11Lucy and Freddie finally make the connection between the behaviour and the medication.
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6. Chasing Losses—Impulsive
Monday
6/11Lucy’s never tried a scratchcard before - but soon her gambling is out of control.
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5. Restless—Impulsive
Friday
5/11Lisa has new medication for her restless legs syndrome - then she meets a man online.
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4. Big Pharma, Big Secret—Impulsive
Last Thursday
4/11Noel discovers a shocking report from inside the UK company that makes one of the drugs.
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3. Dopamine Hits—Impulsive
Last Wednesday
3/11Freddie finds out his dad has recklessly invested his life savings in property overseas.
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2. Wonder drugs—Impulsive
Last Tuesday
2/11Steve starts chatting to camgirls online - how long can he keep it a secret?
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1. Warning Signs—Impulsive
Mon 16 Feb 2026
1/11Bill’s new medication helps his Parkinson’s - but then he begins to behave impulsively.
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Trailer—Impulsive
Tue 10 Feb 2026
Noel Titheradge uncovers devastating side effects caused by a class of prescription drugs
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6. Post Mortem—Anatomy of a Cancellation
Wed 17 Dec 2025
6/6Today, what lessons can be drawn from what happened to Kate Clanchy and her critics?
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5. The Rewrite—Anatomy of a Cancellation
Wed 10 Dec 2025
5/6Will a sensitivity read be enough to move on from the row?
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4. The Defence of Kate Clanchy—Anatomy of a Cancellation
Wed 3 Dec 2025
4/6We hear from some of Kate’s supporters.
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3. The Paper Trail—Anatomy of a Cancellation
Wed 26 Nov 2025
3/6How did Kate Clanchy’s publisher respond to the online debate?
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2. The Words—Anatomy of a Cancellation
Wed 19 Nov 2025
2/6This time we hear from Kate Clanchy’s critics.
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1. Kate’s Story—Anatomy of a Cancellation
Wed 12 Nov 2025
1/6When a prize-winning author was accused of racism, she asked her online followers to help.
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Trailer—Anatomy of a Cancellation
Mon 3 Nov 2025
1/6Katie Razzall reveals what happened when a prize-winning author was accused of racism
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6. Judge for Yourself—The People vs McDonald's
Wed 13 Aug 2025
6/6The verdict is finally delivered, and Helen uncovers who her ex-partner John really was.
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5. Clowning Around—The People vs McDonald's
Wed 13 Aug 2025
5/6When Helen digs out some old letters from John, she finds some potential clues.
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4. A Proper Grilling—The People vs McDonald's
Wed 13 Aug 2025
4/6Helen and Dave get an unexpected communication from the McDonald's Board of Directors.
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3. Flipping Burgers!—The People vs McDonald's
Wed 13 Aug 2025
3/6Disclosed court documents reveal somebody has been watching...
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2. Burger, Nugget, Ketchup, Spy—The People vs McDonald's
Wed 13 Aug 2025
2/6New faces start turning up at the London Greenpeace meetings...but something isn't right.
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1. The Leaflet—The People vs McDonald's
Wed 13 Aug 2025
1/6Mark Steel discovers what happened when two activists took on a corporate giant.
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Trailer—The People vs McDonald's
Mon 11 Aug 2025
1/6Mark Steel introduces a battle between two activists and a fast food giant...
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5. Ripe for the Taking—The Grave Robbers
Wed 6 Aug 2025
Where did the gang get the idea to use fake wills to steal the homes of the dead?
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4. The Will to Steal—The Grave Robbers
Wed 30 Jul 2025
Sue Mitchell investigates a gang using fake wills to steal people’s homes and inheritance.
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3. The Good Spy—The Grave Robbers
Wed 23 Jul 2025
In life, neighbours protected Michael Judd, but when he died thieves stole everything.
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2. Strangers in the Street—The Grave Robbers
Wed 16 Jul 2025
Fake wills, stolen identities and cannabis farms
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1. My Dear Friend—The Grave Robbers
Sat 5 Jul 2025
Sue Mitchell investigates a gang using fake wills to steal people’s homes and inheritance.
