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Real Dictators

Real Dictators explores the hidden lives of history's tyrants. Narrated by Paul McGann.

Sounds,134 episodes

Episodes

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Dictators' Wives: Jiang Qing
Jiang Qing was married to the Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong for nearly 40 years.
07 Jan 2026,38 mins,
Jean-Bédel Bokassa Part 3: A Coronation for the Ages
The emperor loses control. Old friends become foes. Bokassa’s day of judgement is at hand
31 Dec 2025,58 mins,
Jean-Bédel Bokassa Part 2: The Power Grab, the Châteaux and the Missing Daughter
Among other strange happenings, President Bokassa takes a trip to Colonel Gaddafi’s Libya
24 Dec 2025,53 mins,
Jean-Bédel Bokassa Part 1: The Butcher of Bangui
In a village near the Central African Republic’s southern border, rebellion is in the air
17 Dec 2025,56 mins,
Robert Mugabe Part 4: A Game of Thrones
The question of who succeeds Mugabe crisis threatens to tear Zimbabwe apart.
10 Dec 2025,55 mins,
Robert Mugabe Part 3: Zimbabwe's Tsunami
Mugabe drags his country into the greatest economic crisis since the Wall Street Crash.
03 Dec 2025,49 mins,
Robert Mugabe Part 2: The Leopard's True Spots...
The arrival of a new prime minister in Britain will herald Mugabe’s first great crisis.
26 Nov 2025,50 mins,
Robert Mugabe Part 1: The Young Scholar
As a young man, Mugabe led a revolution that returned Zimbabwe to African hands.
19 Nov 2025,51 mins,
Colonel Gaddafi Part 8: The Arab Spring
Colonel Gaddafi meets one of the grisliest ends of any dictator in history.
12 Nov 2025,41 mins,
Colonel Gaddafi Part 7: 9/11 and a New Ally
On September 11th, 2001, life in the West is transformed in an instant.
05 Nov 2025,42 mins,
Colonel Gaddafi Part 6: The Lockerbie Bombing
The Pentagon team up with Hollywood execs to shore up public opinion against the tyrant.
29 Oct 2025,40 mins,
Colonel Gaddafi Part 5: Reagan vs Gaddafi
Gaddafi takes his terror onto the streets of London and Berlin.
22 Oct 2025,45 mins,
Colonel Gaddafi Part 4: The Munich Olympic Massacre
In 1972, at the Munich Olympic Games, a festival of sport becomes a terrifying nightmare.
15 Oct 2025,38 mins,
Colonel Gaddafi Part 3: Vengeance Day
Still in his twenties, Muammar Gaddafi finds himself leader of an oil-rich country.
08 Oct 2025,33 mins
Colonel Gaddafi Part 2: Gaddafi in London
After roaming London, Gaddafi readies himself for an audacious grab for power.
01 Oct 2025,33 mins
Colonel Gaddafi Part 1: Son of the Desert
From humble origins, Gaddafi will go on to dominate global events for half a century.
24 Sep 2025,35 mins,
Franco Part 5: Life After a Dictator
After 20 years in power, Franco embraces capitalism and declares himself a moderniser.
17 Sep 2025,34 mins,
Franco Part 4: The Cold War & the President
After WW2, Franco seeks to re-brand and sets about seducing a new ally: the United States
10 Sep 2025,31 mins,
Franco Part 3: The Spanish Civil War
Franco begins the process of conquering his homeland, butchering his enemies as he goes.
03 Sep 2025,38 mins,
Franco Part 2: Murder in Africa
Climbing the military ranks, Franco becomes something of a celebrity.
27 Aug 2025,41 mins,
Franco Part 1: Spain's Buried Past
The story begins in the 1890s, when Francisco Franco is born on Spain’s Atlantic coast.
20 Aug 2025,34 mins,
Idi Amin Part 6: The Entebbe Raid
An audacious commando mission begins. It will spark the beginning of the end for Idi Amin.
13 Aug 2025,51 mins,
Idi Amin Part 5: Husband, Father, Movie Star
Amin participates in a barely believable film about his own life.
06 Aug 2025,42 mins,
Idi Amin Part 4: Expulsion of the Asians
An army of exiles prepares to launch the first serious attempt on Big Daddy’s rule.
30 Jul 2025,37 mins,
Idi Amin Part 3: 'Big Daddy' Seizes Power
Amin wages war against Buganda's king and goes on an army recruitment drive.
23 Jul 2025,51 mins,
Idi Amin Part 2: Warlord In-Waiting...
Committing atrocities against civilians, Amin sets himself up as a rogue arms dealer.
16 Jul 2025,40 mins,
Idi Amin Part 1: The Butcher of Uganda
From 1971 to 1979, Idi Amin Dada devastated Uganda using the persona of the playful joker
09 Jul 2025,51 mins,
Fidel Castro Part 10: Emergency on an Airplane
As a change of leadership finally takes place, can Cuba ever truly be free from Fidel?
02 Jul 2025,52 mins
Fidel Castro Part 9: Down With Fidel!
A new leader in the Soviet Union comes to power with fresh ideas which terrify Fidel.
25 Jun 2025,52 mins,
Fidel Castro Part 8: Miami Vice
Fidel sets off on a globe-trotting mission, meeting Colonel Gaddafi in Libya.
18 Jun 2025,49 mins