Cover Podcast
The man tasked with finding and killing alleged IRA informers was an informer all along. Reporter Mark Horgan traces the story of the secret British Army Agent known as Stakeknife
A new investigative series from the production team behind ‘Where Is George Gibney?’
This new series will focus on another figure who lived a double life and was eventually forced to live under cover. And it’s a story, like the George Gibney one, that many would prefer was never told.
So, from this point on, this feed will be renamed ‘Cover.’ Series 1 one of which was ‘Where Is George Gibney?’ and series 2 is Stakeknife.
In Northern Ireland from 1978 to 1994, the IRA killed over 40 alleged informers; people accused of passing information to the police and the British Army. But the man who often found, tortured, and sometimes killed these men and women was himself an informer, a secret British Army Agent with the codename Stakeknife.
Using secret recordings, reporter Mark Horgan traces the astonishing double life of Freddie Scappaticci. Why was he protected? How did he walk the tightrope between the IRA and British Army intelligence for so long and when murders, often of entirely innocent people, were sometimes allowed to take place despite state security force surveillance, who gets to play God?
This series is about far more than just one man; it’s about the state structures that protected him. From the production team behind the international award-winning ‘Where Is George Gibney?’, Stakeknife tells the story of one of the most-contested and darkest episodes of the Troubles. When neither side wants the story of Stakeknife to come out, how does society try to reconcile the truth about what happened?
You can continue to contact our production team about either series via our new email cover@bbc.co.uk and rest assured, any significant future movements in the story of George Gibney will also be covered right here. Talk to you again next week.
Episodes to download
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1. The Man Who Never Was—Stakeknife
Friday
A man denies he’s Stakeknife to the press but a forgotten tape comes back to haunt him.
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Introducing... Stakeknife—Stakeknife
Tue 12 Nov 2024
A man tasked with finding and killing alleged IRA informers was a British Agent all along
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Mark explains why this feed is now called Cover.—Where Is George Gibney?
Fri 8 Nov 2024
A message from Mark Horgan on a new investigative series launching next week.
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11. Case Update—Where Is George Gibney?
Fri 24 Nov 2023
3 years since our last episode, there’s a significant update on the George Gibney case.
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10. Sea Swimming—Where Is George Gibney?
Thu 10 Dec 2020
A significant voice in the story of George Gibney comes forward for the first time.
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9. Her Voice is Coming—Where Is George Gibney?
Thu 3 Dec 2020
Survivors continue to come forward for the first time and we hear Loraine's story.
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A message to listeners - new bonus Q&A episode out now on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sounds—Where Is George Gibney?
Mon 9 Nov 2020
Download the free ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sounds app to hear a new bonus Q&A episode with Mark and Cass.
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8. Talk—Where Is George Gibney?
Thu 15 Oct 2020
It’s time to talk to George Gibney. He hasn’t left his house in days & we don’t know why.
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7. Christ Renews—Where Is George Gibney?
Thu 8 Oct 2020
We discover new information on Gibney’s life today.
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6. Sunshine State—Where Is George Gibney?
Thu 1 Oct 2020
We learn of another abuse allegation involving Gibney, this time in Florida.
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5. Land of Opportunity—Where Is George Gibney?
Thu 24 Sep 2020
As more abusers face justice, we knock on doors across the US to understand Gibney’s path
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4. He Upped and Vanished—Where Is George Gibney?
Thu 17 Sep 2020
As Gibney’s new life in the UK begins, a groundbreaking news article starts to take shape
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3. Bail—Where Is George Gibney?
Thu 10 Sep 2020
Two coaches who work closely with Gibney believe very different things about their boss.
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2. 'We've Been Expecting You'—Where Is George Gibney?
Thu 3 Sep 2020
It seems like time is up for George Gibney as more swimmers come forward.
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1. It Happened in the Summer—Where Is George Gibney?
Thu 27 Aug 2020
It’s dark. We’re outside a house where we believe the former celebrity coach now lives.
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Introducing... Where is George Gibney?—Where Is George Gibney?
Thu 13 Aug 2020
An Olympic coach charged with child sexual abuse never stood trial. Instead, he vanished.