Global, the Media & Entertainment group, has today announced it has commissioned a gripping narrative podcast series about the infected blood sandal, hosted by Emily Maitlis, acclaimed journalist and presenter of the award-winning daily news podcast The News Agents.
The series will expose one of the deadliest man-made health disasters in post-war Britain – the contaminated blood scandal – that has claimed thousands of lives and devastated tens of thousands more.
The show will reveal shocking truths, including how patients, from children to haemophiliacs, were unknowingly exposed to deadly diseases via imported blood products that were inadequately tested. In some cases, doctors deliberately infected patients to observe disease progression. The scandal, largely hidden for years, continues to claim lives at a rate of one every four days.
“The infected blood scandal remains one of the greatest injustices of our time. I hope this podcast will give the victims the recognition and platform they have long been denied.”
EMILY MAITLIS“Echoing the Post Office scandal in scale and injustice, the contaminated blood disaster is one of the gravest institutional failures in modern British history.
We are proud to bring this series to listeners as a Global Original podcast. Emily Maitlis’ fearless journalism will shine a light on a tragedy that has been overlooked for far too long.”
Vicky Etchells, Director of Podcasts at Global
The podcast will air in Spring 2026 on Global Player and wherever you get your podcasts. It will be produced by Global Studios.
Global Studios, which includes the Fellas Studios, is the new ultimate 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.
Global Player is Global’s entertainment hub, which allows listeners to enjoy all of Global’s radio brands, award-winning podcasts, video content, and expertly-curated playlists, in one place in app, on web and on smart speakers.
