In 1955 young army major Robbie Mills dies, disembarking a submarine docked at Torbay Harbour in Devon.
His superiors say he was drinking and slipped from the gangplank in inclement weather. His widow, Josephine, has no reason to disbelieve them. But within weeks a man knocks on her door. He introduces himself as Captain John Cottell, and he tells Josephine that Robbie’s death was no accident, and Robbie was a spy.
It’s a meeting that will change Josephine’s life forever.
Now journalists Eugene Henderson and Andy Clark help Josephine’s daughter Nicky solve a mystery that has spanned five decades. Who was John Cottell? And what really happened to her father?
Episode's out weekly from Tuesday 20th January.
For more true crime that you'll be obsessed with head to AlwaysTrueCrime.com (http://alwaystruecrime.com/). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (http://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Josie Long recounts the astonishing true story of David Knight, a window cleaner accused of a daring 1965 diamond heist, exploring themes of crime and potential innocence.
28 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT
The Fish and the Leopard
Eugene Henderson and Andy Clark investigate John Cottell's mysterious past, uncovering deceit and the British aristocracy in this interview episode.
20 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT
Coming soon...more Codename Badger
Eugene Henderson and Andy Clark uncover new victims and mysteries surrounding John Cottell in this interview episode.
12 Apr 2026TRANSCRIPT
Introducing... Project Mind Control
Criminal psychologist Dr. Julia Shaw investigates Lana Ponting's harrowing experience with Project Mind Control, exposing decades of controversial psychological experiments and covert CIA involvement.
3 Mar 2026TRANSCRIPT
Bonus: The Making Of Codename Badger
Eugene Henderson and Andy Clark reveal the investigative journey behind "Codename Badger," while Dr. Drew Curtis explains the psychology of enduring deception.
24 Feb 2026TRANSCRIPT
In Too Deep
Eugene Henderson presents a true crime story where Josephine Cottell's family confronts John Cottell about his legal battles as Josephine's health declines, leading to disastrous consequences in this interview.
17 Feb 2026TRANSCRIPT
John’s Prayer
Josephine relocates to Andorra and awaits John Cottell, prompting family concern due to her withdrawals and isolation, leading a bank manager to contact Nikki.
10 Feb 2026TRANSCRIPT
Elephant Hotel
Who is John Cottell? Eugene and Andy find answers about John’s wartime experiences and military career.
We find his service record and finally get to the bottom of the death of Major Robbie Collins in 1955,
Meanwhile, Josephine comes to America.
To see photos of John Cottell, Josephine and access exclusive archive visit PATREON LINK. If you’d like to binge the whole series now you can subscribe on Patreon.
Presenter: Eugene Henderson
Producer: Eugene Henderson, Andy Clark
Executive Producer: Ailsa Rochester
Sound Design: Craig Edmondson
An Always True Crime Production for Audio Always
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
3 Feb 2026TRANSCRIPT
Out in the Cold
John is a rising star in the US with his tales of espionage and survival, he even has a book deal on the horizon.
But it’s all about to come crashing down.
So why are journalists on both sides of the Atlantic out to get John? And what will he do next?
To see photos of John Cottell, Josephine and access exclusive archive visit PATREON LINK. If you’d like to binge the whole series now you can subscribe on Patreon.
Presenter: Eugene Henderson
Producer: Eugene Henderson, Andy Clark
Executive Producer: Ailsa Rochester
Sound Design: Craig Edmondson
An Always True Crime Production for Audio Always
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
27 Jan 2026TRANSCRIPT
Poison Tooth
John Cottell has retired from his job with MI6 and started a new life in America. Now he’s free to talk about his harrowing wartime experiences, and his dangerous missions as a spy.
John was receiving orders straight from Prime Minister Winston Churchill, narrowly escaped death on multiple occasions and found love with a fellow spy.
Meanwhile Josephine remains in Devon, but his part in her life isn’t over yet.
To see photos of John Cottell, Josephine and access exclusive archive visit PATREON LINK. If you’d like to binge the whole series now you can subscribe on Patreon.
Presenter: Eugene Henderson
Producer: Eugene Henderson, Andy Clark
Executive Producer: Ailsa Rochester
Sound Design: Craig Edmondson
An Always True Crime Production for Audio Always
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
20 Jan 2026TRANSCRIPT
The Stranger
In 1955 Josephine Mills’ husband Robbie dies suddenly, leaving her the single parent to four young children. But just weeks after his death a stranger arrives at her door, to tell her that Robbie was murdered, and that he had been working for the intelligence services.
It’s a conversation that will change the course of Josephine, and her children’s, whole life forever.
John was held prisoner by the Nazis in wartime and he’s still carrying the scars - both physical and mental, and Josephine is happy to care for him. But he brings chaos into her life.
If you’d like to binge the whole series now you can subscribe on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/cw/AlwaysTrueCrime).
Presenter: Eugene Henderson
Producer: Eugene Henderson, Andy Clark
Executive Producer: Ailsa Rochester
Sound Design: Craig Edmondson
An Always True Crime Production for Audio Always
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
10 Dec 2025
Introducing Codename Badger
In 1955 young army major Robbie Mills dies, disembarking a submarine docked at Torbay Harbour in Devon.
His superiors say he was drinking and slipped from the gangplank in inclement weather. His widow, Josephine, has no reason to disbelieve them. But within weeks a man knocks on her door. He introduces himself as Captain John Cottell, and he tells Josephine that Robbie’s death was no accident, and Robbie was a spy.
It’s a meeting that will change Josephine’s life forever.
Now journalists Eugene Henderson and Andy Clark help Josephine’s daughter Nicky solve a mystery that has spanned five decades. Who was John Cottell? And what really happened to her father?
Episode's out weekly from Tuesday 20th January, or binge the whole series on Patreon from 13th January.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Inside a recent episode
Introducing... Rough Diamond
Published 29 Sept 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] Just a year before, £25,000 worth of diamonds on loan from a wealthy collector had been stolen. Now, they'd been robbed again. On the 29th of April, 1965, shortly after one o'clock in the morning, a burglar alarm rang at the Natural History Museum Cromwell Road. And when the assistant superintendent went to the mineral gallery, he found that a pane of glass was missing from a window and that a diamond, known as the Calenzo diamond, had been stoned. Precious stone valued at between 7,000 and 10,000. That's from the Granada World in Action programme in 1972 for ITV. The gem the report is talking about is the world's largest uncut diamond. […]
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