Madeleine McCann: Disappeared - Part 1

On the night of May 3, 2007, three-year-old Madeleine McCann vanished from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, while her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, dined nearby with friends. Despite their routine checks on the children, Kate’s devastating discovery that Madeleine was missing ignited a global search and an investigation that would span continents and years.

Welcome to Madeleine McCann: Disappeared—a compelling three-part mini-series exploring one of the most notorious missing persons cases in modern history. Through this series, we’ll unpack the key events, the media frenzy, the investigative missteps, and the many unanswered questions surrounding Madeleine’s disappearance.

In this opening episode, Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt and journalist Helen Fospero revisit the heart-wrenching night of Madeleine’s disappearance. Martin, who arrived in Praia da Luz just four days after the case broke, brings nearly 17 years of reporting experience on this story. His firsthand account provides a rare glimpse into the initial chaotic days of the investigation—detailing his interactions with Portuguese police, the evolving media landscape, and the pivotal moments that shaped the direction of the case.

Part 2: Insights with Jim Gamble

Exclusive commentary from Jim Gamble, the founding head of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) and a prominent voice in child protection. In 2010, Gamble conducted a detailed review of the Madeleine McCann case, laying crucial groundwork for Operation Grange. He’ll provide expert analysis and discuss the potential future of the case, including the developments surrounding Christian Brueckner, the current suspect.

Part 3: The Aftermath—Trolls and Tribulations

In this concluding episode, we examine the darker legacy of the case: the wave of online trolling, misinformation, and conspiracy theories that have haunted both the McCann family and investigators. What drives this toxic behavior, and what impact has it had on those most closely connected to this tragedy?

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Share your thoughts and questions by emailing contact@audiobleachglobal.com.

Connect with us:

Instagram @true.criminals

Connect with Martin Brunt:

Twitter: @skymartinbrunt

Discover more about Martin’s career and the cases he’s covered by reading his book:

No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter

Available Here

Connect with Helen Fospero:

Instagram: @helenfospero

Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation:

Listen Here

Hear Helen’s interview with Martin:

Listen here

Credits:

True Criminals is produced by Audio Bleach Global.

Visit www.audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals for more information.

Executive Producer: Lee Mann

Producer: Russell Barnes

Audio Production: Andrew Chappell

Music Composition: Chap Mannequin

Artwork: Bleached