A 25-year-old estate agent disappears in 1992 on a routine house viewing in the West Midlands. Andy Whittaker and criminal psychologist Dr Julia Shaw look back on all the twists in this sinister story with a mixture of contemporary interviews, audio drama and BBC archive. There’s graphic descriptions of violence. For details of help and support in the UK, visit bbc.co.uk/actionline.Michael Sams is played by Anthony Lewis. Julie Dart is played by Joanne Moore.Producer: Andy Whittaker. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Editor, BBC Radio Nottingham: Chris Pegg. Executive Producer: Kathryn Morrison.
Latest episodes
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5 min ↗
Introducing: Undercover, The Spycops
An undercover police officer is unmasked by the friends and lovers he was sent to spy on.
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29 min ↗
S2.7 A new diagnosis
Trauma expert Stephen Regel discusses what Stephanie went through mentally later life. Stephanie also explains some of this in her interview with Andy Whittaker before she died.Als…
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18 min ↗
S2.6 “Remind your attacker that you are human”
Dr Miriam Stoppard is overcome with emotion after learning that she helped to save Stephanie’s life through a book she wrote.Also, Stephanie’s best friend Stacey Kettner explains h…
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22 min ↗
S2.5 The black panther
Andy Whittaker continues to explore Michael Sams’ past with ‘Psycho Killer’ podcaster Simon Ford, the conversation turns to another well known criminal. Donald Neilson, known as ‘t…
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17 min ↗
S2.4 The hostage room
Andy Whittaker and ‘Psycho Killer’ podcast host Simon Ford dive into Sams' past and uncover a startling revelation from a witness in the BBC Archives. Also in this episode, Julie D…
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19 min ↗
S2.3 “The signs were there for her to see”
Find out what happened when the police spoke to Michael Sams’ wife Teena. Former police detective Ellie Baker describes how difficult the interview was and there’s a shocking revel…
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19 min ↗
S2.2 The Slater house
Former West Midlands Police detective Ellie Baker lived at the Slater home in Birmingham during Stephanie’s kidnapping in 1992. Ellie explains how she prepared Stephanie’s father w…
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16 min ↗
S2.1 The Parole Board
As the podcast returns for series 2, you’ll find out what the April 2023 Parole Board report says about Michael Sams and his suitability for release. We hear from Gary Atkin, Julie…
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18 min ↗
S1.8 Michael Sams' Case Update
New episodes coming soon but in the meantime Andy Whittaker shares news of a 2023 parole hearing for Sams and explores how these proceedings work in the UK.Julie Dart’s uncle, Gary…
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30 min ↗
S1.7 A force for good
Exploring Stephanie's lasting legacy through her work with UK police forces and their dealings with victims of crime.Andy Whittaker and criminal psychologist Dr Julia Shaw ask whet…
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33 min ↗
S1.6 Phoenix Rhiannon
Stephanie tries to heal from her ordeal and reveals more details of her captivity, some of which haunts her as she changes her name and starts to make a new life in the Isle of Wig…
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32 min ↗
S1.5 “It’s him, it's him”
After Stephanie is returned home, the kidnapper is the most wanted man in Britain. Michael Sams’ identity is revealed after a recording of his voice is featured on the BBC televisi…
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25 min ↗
S1.4 “Phantom of the Fog”
The kidnapper tries to get his ransom money by directing the courier across the Pennines in Northern England in thick fog. Andy Whittaker and Dr Julia Shaw explore events from the…
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26 min ↗
S1.3 Cat and mouse
Investigating links with a dangerous kidnapper after a young woman is taken from the Chapeltown area of Leeds and held for ransom. Andy Whittaker and Dr Julia Shaw explore this wit…
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30 min ↗
S1.2 The Workshop, Newark
Discover the bleak workshop where Stephanie Slater was held and hear the amazing story of how she managed to build a rapport with her captor. Andy Whittaker and criminal psychologi…
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29 min ↗
S1.1 Turnberry Road, Birmingham
A routine house viewing turns into terrifying nightmare as a kidnapper's carefully constructed plan succeeds.Andy Whittaker and criminal psychologist Dr Julia Shaw discuss events f…
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3 min ↗
Introducing The Kidnapping of Stephanie Slater
A 25-year-old estate agent disappears on a routine house viewing.