Listen to the Explosive Lies trailer here.
Global, the Media & Entertainment group, has today announced the launch of Explosive Lies, a new six-part narrative podcast series hosted by the award-winning broadcaster Alice Levine. The series launches as part of Unmissables, Global’s new podcast strand dedicated to standout, must-listen narrative podcasts.
Explosive Lies is a darkly comic, jaw-dropping story of a scam so brazen it fooled governments and security services around the world, turned con-artists into multi-millionaires – and likely cost countless lives. At its centre is Jim, a smooth-talking wheeler-dealer who convinced powerful people that a cheap plastic golf ball finder was cutting-edge bomb detection technology, deployed in real conflict zones where lives depended on it. As deaths mounted and warnings were ignored, bribery and corruption helped Jim build an obscene fortune. Hosted by Alice Levine, the series unpicks the deception, the human cost, and the moment the truth finally catches up.
Drawing on in-depth reporting, archive material, and never heard before testimony, Explosive Lies exposes how a glorified stocking filler passed as a fake security device, how red flags were ignored by governments and militaries, and the devastating human cost of a lie marketed as lifesaving technology.
“The scale of the deception at the heart of this story is shocking, but what really matters are the consequences. People trusted this technology to keep them safe, and the failure of that trust had real-world implications.
Explosive Lies is about examining how this happened, who was responsible, and the human cost of lies presented as lifesaving solutions.”
Alice Levine, host of Explosive Lies
The launch of Explosive Lies marks the debut of Unmissables, a new Global strand designed to help listeners easily find exceptional series by curating stories with urgency, relevance, and impact. The Unmissables feed will also feature the chart-topping Global podcast series Coining It hosted by Lewis Goodall, and the gripping narrative podcast Filthy Ritual narrated by Hannah Maguire and Suruthi Bala. Global also recently launched Global Studios, a one-stop-shop for podcast creators, with best-in-class video and audio facilities, seamless distribution across all major platforms, and the marketing power of Global’s radio, digital and outdoor network.
“Unmissables is about championing podcasts that stop you in your tracks, stories that matter and that stay with you. Explosive Lies is a perfect launch title: rigorously reported, brilliantly told, and profoundly important. With Alice at the helm, it sets the standard for what this strand represents.”
Vicky Etchells, Director of Podcasts at Global
All six episodes of Explosive Lies will be available on Global Player and all major podcast platforms from Tuesday 13 January 2026.
Explosive Lies is a Global Original podcast, produced by Forest Sounds in partnership with Dentsu Entertainment.
