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

The Soham Murders

This week on True Criminals, join @SkyNews Crime Correspondent @Martin_Brunt and journalist @HelenFospero as they explore the harrowing case that gripped the nation and reshaped child protection measures in the UK.

In August 2002, the tranquil town of Soham, Cambridgeshire, was shattered when 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman disappeared after attending a family barbecue. The desperate search for the missing friends led to a devastating discovery, exposing the sinister truth about someone entrusted within their community.

Don’t miss this in-depth look at a case that left an indelible mark on Britain.

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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

This week on True Criminals, Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt and journalist Helen Fospero investigate a tragic case of mistaken identity. In this episode, they delve into the story of Muriel Mackay—a harrowing account of kidnapping, murder, and a family’s relentless, 50+ year search for her remains.

Martin and Helen speak with Muriel’s grandson, Mark Dyer, who describes in detail how his family has even worked with Muriel’s killer in an effort to locate her burial site. Mark recounts how he and Martin recently returned to the farm for a second dig, hoping to finally recover his grandmother’s remains.

Together, they discuss the lasting impact of this tragedy on the family and the profound trauma that endures.