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Bad People

Murderers. Fraudsters. Internet trolls. This is a podcast about people who do terrible things, and the science of humanity’s dark side.

Radio 5 Live,176 episodes

Episodes

ListGrid

Introducing... Gangster Presents... Sex, Drugs & Cell Block Parties
The story of the UK's biggest prison smuggling plot and the love story at the heart of it.
01 Dec 2025,4 mins
125. The Secret History of the Clubcard
The Tesco blackmailer paid off with a Clubcard that eventually led to his arrest.
26 Dec 2024,39 mins
124. Flashers: The case of Wayne Couzens
Is 'flashing' a red flag for more serious sexual offending?
19 Dec 2024,43 mins,
123. My ex tried to have me killed
How Rob Parkes survived after his ex-wife tried to hire a hitman to have him killed.
12 Dec 2024,35 mins,
122. Trust Me I'm a Doctor
The top breast surgeon sentenced to 20 years in prison.
05 Dec 2024,38 mins,
121. Understanding Violence: Bad People x The Reith Lectures
How violent offenders are helping other violent offenders to reduce violence.
28 Nov 2024,34 mins
120. We need to talk about Ethan
Should the parents of a high school shooter be held criminally responsible?
21 Nov 2024,43 mins,
119. The Ultimate Foul
The story of an England women's team footballer with a sideline in organised crime.
14 Nov 2024,38 mins
118. Killed by Text
Conrad Roy is found dead in a parking lot, his phone at his side. Was he killed by text?
07 Nov 2024,42 mins,
117. The Bookkeeper and the Boss
Fraud, gambling and an office drama that ends in an eight year sentence.
31 Oct 2024,43 mins
116. Bad Momfluencer
Parenting vlogger Ruby Franke was a top "momfluencer." Now she's in jail for child abuse.
24 Oct 2024,45 mins,
115. Lost at Sea
What might have happened to Rebecca Coriam, a 24-year-old who went missing on a cruise?
17 Oct 2024,44 mins
114. Showtrial and the politics of protest
Screenwriter Ben Richards on the bad things his characters do in series two of Showtrial.
10 Oct 2024,34 mins
113. It's in our DNA
The shocking story of Magdalena Cruz's search for her father.
03 Oct 2024,44 mins,
112. Four Boys
Three mysterious deaths of schoolboys in Sunderland in the 1990s.
26 Sep 2024,46 mins,
111. Pretendians
The case of cultural appropriation punished with a three year prison sentence.
19 Sep 2024,40 mins
110. Delimar Vera
Baby girl Delimar Vera is declared dead. Her mother comes to believe she’s still alive.
11 Sep 2024,45 mins,
109. Out of Character Criminal
A law abiding businessman turns criminal after medical treatment. Are hormones to blame?
05 Sep 2024,43 mins,
108. I was Tinder Swindled
After a first date on a private jet, the ‘Tinder Swindler’ fleeced her out of $200,000.
29 Aug 2024,57 mins
107. Gatwick Blackmailer
An anonymous blackmailer fixated on female cabin crew. Can a psychologist catch him?
22 Aug 2024,54 mins,
106. The Pyjama Killer
Murder in lockdown. The story of the so-called M&S pyjama killer.
15 Aug 2024,52 mins,
Bad People is back!
Bad People is relaunching! True crime stories and insights into why people do bad things.
08 Aug 2024,3 mins
Ask Bad People: Q&A number 500,000!
Dr Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen tackle your questions in this bonus edition of Bad People.
29 Jun 2023,9 mins
105. Dark Arts 2: Can we prevent campaigns of vilification?
It’s the Bad People finale. What makes crime coverage bad, or good?
29 Jun 2023,42 mins,
104. Dark Arts 1: How biasing is pre-trial publicity?
Joanna Yeates is found dead and the media decide they know who did it.
22 Jun 2023,37 mins,
103. Bad People x People Who Knew Me
Who fakes their own death? Daniella Isaacs talks about her new BBC Sounds audio drama.
15 Jun 2023,33 mins,
Ask Bad People: Should we enjoy fictional murder stories?
Ask Bad People: Should we enjoy fictional murder stories?
15 Jun 2023,5 mins
102. Paedophile Hunters: Do vigilantes help or harm justice?
A man is confronted about his sexual texts to a child. But is the “sting” effective?
25 May 2023,39 mins,
Ask Bad People: Is it bad to call people ‘good’?
Dr Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen tackle your questions in this bonus edition of Bad People.
18 May 2023,13 mins
101. Thalaikoothal: What is extreme elder abuse?
A 64-year-old man dies while in his son’s care. Was it senicide?
18 May 2023,44 mins,