Show overview
The Rest Is Classified has been publishing since 2024, and across the 2 years since has built a catalogue of 173 episodes, alongside 13 trailers or bonus episodes. That works out to roughly 130 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a several-times-a-week cadence.
Episodes typically run thirty-five to sixty minutes — most land between 39 min and 53 min — and the run-time is fairly consistent across the catalogue. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-language History show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed yesterday, with 48 episodes already out so far this year. The busiest year was 2025, with 117 episodes published. Published by Goalhanger.
From the publisher
Enter the secretive world of spies, espionage, and covert operations. Hosted by former CIA analyst turned spy novelist, David McCloskey, and veteran security correspondent, Gordon Corera, this podcast unravels real-life spy stories, intelligence secrets, and the hidden power struggles shaping global events. From Cold War espionage to modern-day intelligence agencies like the CIA, MI6, and Mossad, explore the world of double agents, classified missions, and the shadowy figures who operate in them. Whether you're a true crime addict, a thriller fan, or fascinated by spy stories, this is the show for you.
Latest Episodes
View all 173 episodes156. The Road to Iraq: Tony Blair's Campaign for War (Ep 4)
The CIA's Biggest Intelligence Failure with Michael Morrell
155. The Road to Iraq: How 9/11 Changed Everything (Ep 3)
154. The Road to Iraq: Saddam Hussein's Fatal Error (Ep 2)
Alastair Campbell on the Iraq War
153. The Road to Iraq: Weapons of Mass Destruction (Ep 1)
152. Britain’s Man Inside the IRA: Unmasking the Traitor (Ep 4)
151. Britain’s Man Inside the IRA: From Spy to Executioner (Ep 3)
Why Do Russian Spies Interfere in Global Politics?
150. Britain’s Man Inside the IRA: How To Run a Killer (Ep 2)
149. Britain’s Man Inside the IRA: The Truth Behind Stakeknife (Ep 1)
148. Can Europe Salvage its Relationship with Trump?
147. Will Trump Destroy Iran’s Nuclear Programme? (Ep 2)
S1 Ep 146146. How the CIA Rescued a Pilot Inside Iran (Ep 1)
How involved were the CIA in the operation to rescue a US pilot stranded inside Iran? What does it take to "destroy" a nuclear programme? And what could Iran learn from North Korea? Listen as David and Gordon discuss the intricacies of the recent mission to extract a downed US Weapons Officer inside Iran and delve into how this operation might help the US and Israel launch an attack on Iran's nuclear programme. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets HERE to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 September. ------------------- Sign-up for our free newsletter where producer Becki takes you behind the scenes of the show: https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up ------------------- Join the Declassified Club to go deeper into the world of espionage with exclusive Q&As, interviews with top intelligence insiders, regular livestreams, ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, and weekly deep dives into original spy stories. Members also get curated reading lists, special book discounts, prize draws, and access to our private chat community. Just go to therestisclassified.com or join on Apple Podcasts. ------------------- Get a 10% discount on business PCs, printers and accessories using the code TRIC10. Visit https://HP.com/CLASSIFIED for more information. T&C's apply. ------------------- Email: [email protected] Instagram: @restisclassified Social Producer: Emma Jackson Producer: Becki Hills Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S1 Ep 145145. Black Hawk Down: What Osama bin Laden Learnt from Somalia (Ep 4)
What was the legacy of the Battle of Mogadishu? How did the fallout change the US presence in Somalia forever? And how did the experience in Somalia inspire Osama bin Laden’s acts of terror? Listen as David and Gordon conclude their four-part series on the extraordinary events of Black Hawk Down. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets HERE to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 September. ------------------- Sign-up for our free newsletter where producer Becki takes you behind the scenes of the show: https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up ------------------- Join the Declassified Club to go deeper into the world of espionage with exclusive Q&As, interviews with top intelligence insiders, regular livestreams, ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, and weekly deep dives into original spy stories. Members also get curated reading lists, special book discounts, prize draws, and access to our private chat community. Just go to therestisclassified.com or join on Apple Podcasts. ------------------- Get a 10% discount on business PCs, printers and accessories using the code TRIC10. Visit https://HP.com/CLASSIFIED for more information. T&C's apply. ------------------- EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/restisclassified Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee ------------------- Email: [email protected] Instagram: @restisclassified Video Editor: Joe Pettit Social Producer: Emma Jackson Assistant Producer: Alfie Rowe Producer: Becki Hills Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S1 Ep 144144. Black Hawk Down: The Bloodiest US Battle Since Vietnam (Ep 3)
How long will the Battle of Mogadishu last? Can the soldiers survive until daylight? And will the Rescue Team come in time to save the soldiers? Listen as David and Gordon reach the climax of the story of Black Hawk Down. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets HERE to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 September. ------------------- Sign-up for our free newsletter where producer Becki takes you behind the scenes of the show: https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up ------------------- Join the Declassified Club to go deeper into the world of espionage with exclusive Q&As, interviews with top intelligence insiders, regular livestreams, ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, and weekly deep dives into original spy stories. Members also get curated reading lists, special book discounts, prize draws, and access to our private chat community. Just go to therestisclassified.com or join on Apple Podcasts. ------------------- Get a 10% discount on business PCs, printers and accessories using the code TRIC10. Visit https://HP.com/CLASSIFIED for more information. T&C's apply. ------------------- EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/restisclassified Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee ------------------- Email: [email protected] Instagram: @restisclassified Video Editor: Joe Pettit Social Producer: Emma Jackson Assistant Producer: Alfie Rowe Producer: Becki Hills Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S1 Ep 143143. Black Hawk Down: Chaos in Mogadishu (Ep 2)
One Black Hawk is down. Americans are taking fire left, right and centre. And it feels like there’s no way out. This is the true story of Black Hawk Down. Listen as David and Gordon continue the story of the Battle of Mogadishu as it escalates beyond the plans of the generals back at the US base. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets HERE to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 September. ------------------- Sign-up for our free newsletter where producer Becki takes you behind the scenes of the show: https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up ------------------- Join the Declassified Club to go deeper into the world of espionage with exclusive Q&As, interviews with top intelligence insiders, regular livestreams, ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, and weekly deep dives into original spy stories. Members also get curated reading lists, special book discounts, prize draws, and access to our private chat community. Just go to therestisclassified.com or join on Apple Podcasts. ------------------- Get a 10% discount on business PCs, printers and accessories using the code TRIC10. Visit https://HP.com/CLASSIFIED for more information. T&C's apply. ------------------- EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/restisclassified Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee ------------------- Email: [email protected] Instagram: @restisclassified Video Editor: Joe Pettit Social Producer: Emma Jackson Assistant Producer: Alfie Rowe Producer: Becki Hills Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S1 Ep 142142. Black Hawk Down: The True Story (Ep 1)
What really happened at the Battle of Mogadishu? How did an operation that should have taken an hour end up taking almost twenty-four? And what brought US troops into the conflict in the first place? Listen as David and Gordon embark on telling the true story of one of the deadliest US operations since the Vietnam War. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets HERE to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 September. ------------------- Sign-up for our free newsletter where producer Becki takes you behind the scenes of the show: https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up ------------------- Join the Declassified Club to go deeper into the world of espionage with exclusive Q&As, interviews with top intelligence insiders, regular livestreams, ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, and weekly deep dives into original spy stories. Members also get curated reading lists, special book discounts, prize draws, and access to our private chat community. Just go to therestisclassified.com or join on Apple Podcasts. ------------------- Get a 10% discount on business PCs, printers and accessories using the code TRIC10. Visit https://HP.com/CLASSIFIED for more information. T&C's apply. ------------------- EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/restisclassified Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee ------------------- Email: [email protected] Instagram: @restisclassified Video Editor: Joe Pettit Social Producer: Emma Jackson Assistant Producer: Alfie Rowe Producer: Becki Hills Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S1 Ep 141141. Trump’s Latin America Playbook: How the CIA Toppled a Regime (Ep 2)
How did the CIA mastermind one of the most audacious coups in world history? What does it take to remove a world leader? And what does the future hold for Latin America with Donald Trump now at the helm of US foreign policy? Listen as David and Gordon recount the story of the 1954 Guatemalan coup and delve into whether Cuba will be the next state on Donald Trump's hit list. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets HERE to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 September. ------------------- Sign-up for our free newsletter where producer Becki takes you behind the scenes of the show: https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up ------------------- Join the Declassified Club to go deeper into the world of espionage with exclusive Q&As, interviews with top intelligence insiders, regular livestreams, ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, and weekly deep dives into original spy stories. Members also get curated reading lists, special book discounts, prize draws, and access to our private chat community. Just go to therestisclassified.com or join on Apple Podcasts. ------------------- Get a 10% discount on business PCs, printers and accessories using the code TRIC10. Visit https://HP.com/CLASSIFIED for more information. T&C's apply. ------------------- EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/restisclassified Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee ------------------- Email: [email protected] Instagram: @restisclassified Video Editor: Joe Pettit Social Producer: Emma Jackson Assistant Producer: Alfie Rowe Producer: Becki Hills Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
S1 Ep 140140. Trump’s Latin America Playbook: Before Venezuela, There Was Guatemala (Ep 1)
Is Cuba next on Trump's hit list? Why are the US so concerned by what's happening in their "backyard"? And what can we learn from the history of regime change in Latin America to help us understand the "Donroe Doctrine"? Listen as David and Gordon delve inside the Guatemalan coup of 1954 and examine what Donald Trump has learnt from how the CIA plotted regime change in the agency's early years. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets HERE to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 September. ------------------- Sign-up for our free newsletter where producer Becki takes you behind the scenes of the show: https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up ------------------- Join the Declassified Club to go deeper into the world of espionage with exclusive Q&As, interviews with top intelligence insiders, regular livestreams, ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, and weekly deep dives into original spy stories. Members also get curated reading lists, special book discounts, prize draws, and access to our private chat community. Just go to therestisclassified.com or join on Apple Podcasts. ------------------- Get a 10% discount on business PCs, printers and accessories using the code TRIC10. Visit https://HP.com/CLASSIFIED for more information. T&C's apply. ------------------- EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/restisclassified Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee ------------------- Email: [email protected] Instagram: @restisclassified Video Editor: Joe Pettit Social Producer: Emma Jackson Assistant Producer: Alfie Rowe Producer: Becki Hills Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices