The Killing of Jill Dando: Part 1 – A Nation in Shock

01/28/25 • 48 min

The murder of Jill Dando shocked the UK—this true crime podcast revisits the unsolved case that continues to baffle investigators.

In Part 1 of our gripping two-part series, we explore the 1999 killing of BBC Crimewatch presenter and national treasure, Jill Dando, who was shot outside her home in a crime that stunned the nation. Despite one of the largest homicide investigations in British history, the case remains unsolved.

Host and Sky News Crime Correspondant, Martin Brunt, the first journalist on the scene, recounts the moment he broke the tragic news to the public. He’s joined by Helen Fospero and Detective Chief Inspector Hamish Campbell of the original “Dando Squad,” to examine the earliest days of the investigation.

Why did police focus on Barry George as the prime suspect? What clues were missed? And why, decades later, does this case still leave so many questions unanswered?

This episode lays the foundation for a story of twists, controversy, and a justice system under the microscope. Stay tuned for Part 2, where we dig deeper into the theories, the fallout, and the search for the truth.

👉 Subscribe now to follow the full story.

If you liked this episode, try:

Death of a Star: The Jill Dando Murder Mystery
The Teacher’s Pet
Who Killed Daphne?
Beyond Reasonable Doubt
The Doorstep Murder

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Share Your Thoughts and Questions: Connect with us via email at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals

Support Us: If you love the podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon for exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/c/TrueCriminals

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. Read Here: https://amzn.eu/d/g1WisSY

Connect with Helen Fospero: Instagram: @helenfospero Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation: Listen Here. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575

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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The murder of Jill Dando shocked the UK—this true crime podcast revisits the unsolved case that continues to baffle investigators.

Why did police focus on Barry George as the prime suspect? What clues were missed? And why, decades later, does this case still leave so many questions unanswered?

👉 Subscribe now to follow the full story.

If you liked this episode, try:

Death of a Star: The Jill Dando Murder Mystery
The Teacher’s Pet
Who Killed Daphne?
Beyond Reasonable Doubt
The Doorstep Murder

............................

Share Your Thoughts and Questions: Connect with us via email at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals

Support Us: If you love the podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon for exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/c/TrueCriminals

Connect with Helen Fospero: Instagram: @helenfospero Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation: Listen Here. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575

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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Sleeping With a Psychopath: Part 2 - How Acklom Was Caught

The final chapter in the Mark Acklom saga—global fraud, romance scams, and justice. Carolyn Woods and Martin Brunt reveal how a master manipulator was caught.

In the gripping conclusion to our two-part true crime mini-series, Sleeping With a Psychopath, journalist Helen Fosperoand Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt uncover the global trail of deceit left by one of the UK’s most notorious conmen—Mark Acklom.

From defrauding Carolyn Woods out of £850,000 to orchestrating sophisticated scams across Spain, Italy, and Switzerland, Acklom’s criminal career is a chilling example of calculated deception and psychological manipulation on an international scale.

Martin Brunt recounts his tense and revealing prison meeting with Acklom, shedding light on the fraudster’s unsettling persona. The episode also unravels how Acklom operated under a web of false identities and aliases, and how a complex, multi-country investigation finally led to his extradition and prosecution in the UK.

We hear again from Carolyn Woods, who reflects on her harrowing experience and how she teamed up with Brunt—and a mysterious internet sleuth known only as “Charlie’s Angel”—to help bring Acklom to justice.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone fascinated by romance scams, identity fraud, and international true crime investigations.

If you’re a fan of The Tinder Swindler, Dirty John, Love Fraud, The Puppet Master, or Inventing Anna, don’t miss this shocking final chapter in a story of love, betrayal, and relentless pursuit of justice.

Want to read Carolyn’s full story?

Grab a copy of her Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller, Sleeping with a Psychopath: A real-life psychological crime thriller, available now on Amazon:

👉 Sleeping with a Psychopath

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Share Your Thoughts and Questions: Connect with us via email at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals

Support Us: If you love the podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon for exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/c/TrueCriminals

Connect with Helen Fospero: Instagram: @helenfospero Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation: Listen Here. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575

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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

The Killing of Jill Dando: Part 2 – The Suspect, Theories, and Unanswered Questions

Who really killed Jill Dando?

In this gripping conclusion to our two-part true crime series, Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt, journalist Helen Fospero, and Detective Chief Inspector Hamish Campbell revisit the most controversial and puzzling elements of the case.

This episode takes a deep dive into Barry George—the man once convicted of Jill Dando’s murder, only to be acquitted years later. We re-examine the flawed evidence, the intense media scrutiny, and the legal battle that led to his release. But did the justice system get it right? Or did the real killer slip through the cracks?

Beyond George, we explore alternate theories that continue to capture public imagination:

Was Jill Dando the target of a professional hit?
Could this have been a case of mistaken identity?
Or was it a personal grudge with deadly consequences?

With fresh insight from those closest to the investigation, we unravel the contradictions, cover the lasting impact, and ask the hard questions that still remain unanswered over two decades later.

This is not just a cold case—it's a national obsession. Subscribe now and be part of the conversation.

If you liked this episode, try:

The Lazarus Heist
Who Killed Jill Dando? (Netflix)
Hunting Warhead
The Trials of Frank Carson
West Cork

............................

Share Your Thoughts and Questions: Connect with us via email at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals

Support Us: If you love the podcast, consider supporting us on Patreon for exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/c/TrueCriminals

Connect with Helen Fospero: Instagram: @helenfospero Check out Helen’s podcast, The Convex Conversation: Listen Here. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575

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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.