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The Trojan Horse Affair

The Trojan Horse Affair

Serial Productions & The New York Times

A strange letter appears on a city councillor’s desk in Birmingham, England, laying out an elaborate plot by Islamic extremists to infiltrate the city’s schools. The plot has a code name: Operation Trojan Horse. The story soon explodes in the news and kicks off a national panic. By the time it all dies down, the government has launched multiple investigations, beefed up the country’s counterterrorism policy, revamped schools and banned people from education for the rest of their lives. To Hamza Syed, who is watching the scandal unfold in his city, the whole thing seemed ... off. Because through all the official inquiries and heated speeches in Parliament, no one has ever bothered to answer a basic question: Who wrote the letter? And why? The night before Hamza is to start journalism school, he has a chance meeting in Birmingham with the reporter Brian Reed, the host of the hit podcast S-Town. Together they team up to investigate: Who wrote the Trojan Horse letter? They quickly discover that it’s a question people in power do not want them asking. From Serial Productions and The New York Times comes The Trojan Horse Affair: a mystery in eight parts. To get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts. To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter. Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at [email protected]
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42 Listeners

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3 Comments

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Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Trojan Horse Affair episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Trojan Horse Affair for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Trojan Horse Affair episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

The Trojan Horse Affair - Part 1: The Letter in the Brown Paper Envelope
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02/03/22 • 59 min

A strange letter appears outlining a plot by Islamic extremists to infiltrate Birmingham schools. Hamza and Brian visit the supposed mastermind of the plot, and he tells them he did take over a bunch of schools – just not for the reasons in the letter.To get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts. To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter. Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at [email protected]
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28 Listeners

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1 Comment

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The Trojan Horse Affair - Part 2: The Case of the Four Resignations
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02/03/22 • 54 min

Hamza and Brian think the source of the Trojan Horse letter might be hiding in plain sight. After learning about the petty personnel dispute that probably gave rise to the letter, they’re even more bewildered about how it ever could have been taken seriously. To get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts. To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter. Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at [email protected]
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17 Listeners

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2 Comments

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The Trojan Horse Affair - Part 3: Sir Albert and the Missing “H”
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02/03/22 • 38 min

In a state of surprise, Hamza and Brian leave a meeting with the man the Trojan Horse letter was first sent to. And they learn about an internal investigation report that local officials have kept hidden, but which they think could contain a bombshell. Soon, you’ll need a subscription to keep full access to this show, and to other New York Times podcasts, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Don’t miss out on exploring all of our shows, featuring everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts.
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15 Listeners

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The Trojan Horse Affair - Part 5: A Study in Scarlett

Part 5: A Study in Scarlett

The Trojan Horse Affair

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02/03/22 • 60 min

Hamza and Brian learn that the Trojan Horse letter wasn’t the only unsigned letter alleging an extremist operation was afoot in Birmingham. An interview with a couple who lodged complaints against their school starts out cordially, but six hours later, the atmosphere is so tense that not even an offer of tea can smooth things over. And Hamza stops pretending he’s not angry about what he’s hearing. Soon, you’ll need a subscription to keep full access to this show, and to other New York Times podcasts, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Don’t miss out on exploring all of our shows, featuring everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts.
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15 Listeners

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The Trojan Horse Affair - Part 4: The Meeting and the Mole

Part 4: The Meeting and the Mole

The Trojan Horse Affair

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02/03/22 • 45 min

A series of frustrating interviews with Birmingham politicians leaves Brian and Hamza wondering if crucial information about the Trojan Horse letter was kept from officials in London. Then one rainy Friday afternoon, Brian hears back from a government source who wants to meet right away. Soon, you’ll need a subscription to keep full access to this show, and to other New York Times podcasts, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Don’t miss out on exploring all of our shows, featuring everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts.
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14 Listeners

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The Trojan Horse Affair - Part 6: Cucumbers and Cooker Bombs

Part 6: Cucumbers and Cooker Bombs

The Trojan Horse Affair

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02/03/22 • 64 min

Hamza takes a long, hard look at what the government found when it investigated more than 20 majority-Muslim schools in Birmingham. And our two reporters have a confrontation – with each other. Soon, you’ll need a subscription to keep full access to this show, and to other New York Times podcasts, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Don’t miss out on exploring all of our shows, featuring everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts.
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12 Listeners

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The Trojan Horse Affair - Part 7: The Detail of the Deputies

Part 7: The Detail of the Deputies

The Trojan Horse Affair

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02/03/22 • 50 min

Birmingham authorities struggle to explain why they disavowed their own findings about the Trojan Horse plot. But when Brian and Hamza make a discovery deep inside some court documents, everything suddenly makes sense.Soon, you’ll need a subscription to keep full access to this show, and to other New York Times podcasts, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Don’t miss out on exploring all of our shows, featuring everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts.
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11 Listeners

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The Trojan Horse Affair - Part 8: An Appointment in Perth

Part 8: An Appointment in Perth

The Trojan Horse Affair

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02/03/22 • 47 min

A man banned from working in education in the aftermath of the Trojan Horse letter inspires Brian and Hamza to track down one last witness with him – in Australia. And all three travelers find their faith tested. Soon, you’ll need a subscription to keep full access to this show, and to other New York Times podcasts, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Don’t miss out on exploring all of our shows, featuring everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts.
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9 Listeners

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2 Comments

2

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The Trojan Horse Affair - Trailer

Trailer

The Trojan Horse Affair

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01/27/22 • 3 min

A mysterious letter detailing a supposed Islamist plot to take over schools shocked Britain in 2014. But who wrote it? From Serial Productions and The New York Times, “The Trojan Horse Affair,” an investigation that became bigger than we ever imagined. All eight parts are coming next Thursday, February 3rd. To get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts. To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter. Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at [email protected]
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6 Listeners

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The Trojan Horse Affair - Trailer - Question Everything

Trailer - Question Everything

The Trojan Horse Affair

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09/16/24 • 2 min

A new podcast from Brian Reed. Subscribe here: https://www.kcrw.com/culture/shows/question-everythingTo get full access to this show, and to other Serial Productions and New York Times podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, subscribe at nytimes.com/podcasts. To find out about new shows from Serial Productions, and get a look behind the scenes, sign up for our newsletter at nytimes.com/serialnewsletter. Have a story pitch, a tip, or feedback on our shows? Email us at [email protected]
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FAQ

How many episodes does The Trojan Horse Affair have?

The Trojan Horse Affair currently has 11 episodes available.

What topics does The Trojan Horse Affair cover?

The podcast is about News, Society & Culture and Podcasts.

What is the most popular episode on The Trojan Horse Affair?

The episode title 'Part 1: The Letter in the Brown Paper Envelope' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on The Trojan Horse Affair?

The average episode length on The Trojan Horse Affair is 39 minutes.

When was the first episode of The Trojan Horse Affair?

The first episode of The Trojan Horse Affair was released on Jan 27, 2022.

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Sherifs

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Feb 25

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