Bed of Lies cover

Bed of Lies

The Telegraph

Missing Debbie, a new series from the team behind Bed of Lies. When Debbie Cooper turns 40 she’s finally ready to find love and settle down, putting years of wanderlust behind her. She falls in love with awkward, geeky Jamie Starbuck and after a whirlwind 10 months they get married. A few weeks later, in May 2010, the newlyweds surprise family and friends by setting off on a round-the-world honeymoon. Emails arrive from all corners of the globe with descriptions of quiet coves in India, volunteering in Indonesia and sunrise yoga in Nicaragua. But something doesn’t feel right. There are no pictures. Debbie won’t call. And after two years on the road there’s no sign of her coming home. Debbie’s friends start to investigate and they soon discover Jamie’s been spinning a web of lies. Where is Debbie? And how long can Jamie cover up the truth? In the fourth series of the award-winning Bed of Lies, investigative reporter Cara McGoogan tells Debbie’s story for the first time. With Debbie’s sisters, friends and the police, she untangles this gripping story of coercion, murder, and an elaborate deception that spans the globe. The first three series of Bed of Lies are also available to listen to on this feed: Series 1: They have the perfect relationship, until one day he vanishes. Her hunt leads to other women just like her - and a web of state-spun lies. Cara investigates the untold story of the "spycops" and the undercover policing scandal. Series 2: It was meant to be a miracle treatment, but it became a deadly poison. Cara investigates the biggest medical disaster in NHS history, the infected blood scandal. Series 3: A taxi driver is shot dead in front of his children. A high-security room goes up in flames. Then terrorists are unmasked as spies. And behind it all, a shadowy unit of the British Army, who ran the notorious agent Stakeknife. Award-winning journalist Cara McGoogan investigates the biggest cover-up of the Northern Ireland Troubles and asks: is the British state getting away with murder? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Missing Debbie, a new series from the team behind Bed of Lies. When Debbie Cooper turns 40 she’s finally ready to find love and settle down, putting years of wanderlust behind her. She falls in love with awkward, geeky Jamie Starbuck and after a whirlwind 10 months they get married. A few weeks later, in May 2010, the newlyweds surprise family and friends by setting off on a round-the-world honeymoon. Emails arrive from all corners of the globe with descriptions of quiet coves in India, volunteering in Indonesia and sunrise yoga in Nicaragua. But something doesn’t feel right. There are no pictures. Debbie won’t call. And after two years on the road there’s no sign of her coming home. Debbie’s friends start to investigate and they soon discover Jamie’s been spinning a web of lies. Where is Debbie? And how long can Jamie cover up the truth? In the fourth series of the award-winning Bed of Lies, investigative reporter Cara McGoogan tells Debbie’s story for the first time. With Debbie’s sisters, friends and the police, she untangles this gripping story of coercion, murder, and an elaborate deception that spans the globe. The first three series of Bed of Lies are also available to listen to on this feed: Series 1: They have the perfect relationship, until one day he vanishes. Her hunt leads to other women just like her - and a web of state-spun lies. Cara investigates the untold story of the "spycops" and the undercover policing scandal. Series 2: It was meant to be a miracle treatment, but it became a deadly poison. Cara investigates the biggest medical disaster in NHS history, the infected blood scandal. Series 3: A taxi driver is shot dead in front of his children. A high-security room goes up in flames. Then terrorists are unmasked as spies. And behind it all, a shadowy unit of the British Army, who ran the notorious agent Stakeknife. Award-winning journalist Cara McGoogan investigates the biggest cover-up of the Northern Ireland Troubles and asks: is the British state getting away with murder? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 5 | Missing Debbie

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Episodes

Episode 5 | Missing Debbie 03 Nov 2026

With Nottinghamshire Police now investigating the disappearance of Debbie Cooper, it soon becomes clear she never left the country and Jamie has been travelling alone for years. Investigators slowly unravel his lies, but critical questions remain: what did he do to Debbie and how can they get their hands on him? Archive in this episode: Getty and BBC Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 4 | Missing Debbie 30 Oct 2026

As Debbie’s family and friends await news from the police, Jamie is enjoying an international backpacking trip across Europe, Asia and the Americas. To the people he meets on his travels, he plays the role of chatty, opinionated traveller who reveals very little about his personal life. But behind the friendly facade lies a volatile temperament and a dark secret about the life he left behind. Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 3 | Missing Debbie 27 Oct 2026

A year into the worldwide honeymoon, Jamie begins a cynical travel blog called Diary of a Misanthrope. Back in Nottingham, it sets off alarm bells with Debbie’s friends who can’t see any photos or mentions of her. They fear she’s vanished. Matthew and Andy start to investigate and they find a phone number for someone who reveals disturbing details about Jamie’s past. Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 2 | Missing Debbie 23 Oct 2026

Debbie and Jamie are getting married, but family and friends aren’t invited. They exchange vows in front of a handful of guests, then announce they’re setting off on a round-the-world honeymoon. They vanish onto the backpacker trail without getting their wedding presents, photos, or saying goodbye. To the outside world, it looks like the trip of a lifetime, but back home Debbie’s loved ones have a growing sense of unease. Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 1 | Missing Debbie 23 Oct 2026

When Debbie Cooper turns 40, she’s finally ready to find love and settle down, putting years of wanderlust behind her. She falls in love with awkward, geeky Jamie Starbuck and their relationship moves very quickly. But Debbie’s friends and family feel uncomfortable around him, and the new couple withdraw from the world. Cara McGoogan investigates the red flags and asks if we can we ever really know what’s going on with our loved ones? Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing Missing Debbie, a new series of Bed of Lies 16 Oct 2026

Coming soon, on October 23rd. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Legacy | 9 11 Apr 2025

Peace walls, segregated schools and old enemies living on the same street. Cara returns to Northern Ireland to see how, today, The Troubles are far from forgotten history. A victim of Stakeknife breaks his silence and, like so many others, he wants to know the truth about his father’s murder. As her investigation draws to a close, Cara examines the legacy of Britain’s terror spy network and asks, has justice been served – or is the state getting away with murder? Archive in this episode: Getty, ITN, PA, Infowars, BBC, RTÉ Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Devastation | 8 29 Mar 2025

A family forced to flee abroad. A young soldier killed by a car bomb. Two teenagers gunned down in a mobile shop. As Cara exposes the cold-bloodedness of both sides in the Troubles, she finds out the extent of the state's lethal spy network. Bereaved families hunt for justice, and the truth is shrouded in secrecy as killers walk the streets. Archive in this episode: RTE, Getty Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cover-up | 7 21 Mar 2025

IRA spycatcher Freddie Scappaticci has been outed as FRU agent Stakeknife – but he’s not going to disappear without a fight. The British state takes unprecedented measures to make sure their spy gets away with murder. Cara teams up with veteran reporter John Ware to reveal just how high up the cover-up goes. Their reporting leads to a key organisation that has so far remained in the shadows: MI5. Archive in this episode: Getty, Parliament TV Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

License to Kill | 6 07 Mar 2025

Brian Nelson is finally in the dock for his campaign of murderous violence, but will he face justice? The question sends shivers through the British government, and the answer causes even more of a stir. But Brian is just the tip of the iceberg – there’s a new battle, shocking revelations, and a landmark apology to come. Archive in this episode: Getty, ITN, UK Parliament Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Handlers | 5 20 Feb 2025

Cara tracks down soldiers from the covert unit of the British army at the heart of her investigation. As these people who handled spies in the IRA and loyalist paramilitaries spill their secrets, it becomes clear that Agent 6137 and Scap are just the tip of the iceberg. Betrayal, sex, murder. Was it really all for the greater good? Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Touts | 4 13 Feb 2025

The IRA creates a new unit to root out informers – or touts – and kill them. A man known as Scap quickly rises to the top of this ‘Nutting Squad’ and builds up a fearsome reputation for cruelty. But he is hiding a dark secret – and the implications of the truth being exposed are enormous. Archive in this episode: Carlton TV, ITV, BBC, Getty, ITN, RTÉ Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Agent 6137 | 3 06 Feb 2025

Facing life in prison for murder, a key loyalist makes a surprising confession: he is Agent 6137. When he targeted people for the UDA to assassinate, he was also working for the British. The daughter of one of his victims hunts for the truth about his life as a spy – but as she and Cara dig deeper, they find documents are missing and proof is hard to pin down. Archive in this episode: Getty, ITN, BBC Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Collusion | 2 30 Jan 2025

Top detectives race to untangle a web of lies behind the murders. But just as they’re about to arrest a key loyalist suspect, their secure office containing top-secret evidence goes up in flames. They hear whispers that a clandestine unit of the British army could be behind the sabotage. All to protect one man – a man Cara reveals is a vicious fighter with a shadowy past. Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trouble | 1 30 Jan 2025

Three innocent Catholic men are shot dead in front of their families by a brutal Protestant paramilitary group hunting the IRA. Even in the dark days of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, the murders shock the nation. Then it emerges the gunmen aren’t working alone. Cara McGoogan is determined to find out who else is involved and how deep the collusion goes. Archive in this episode: Getty, ITN, ITV, RTÉ, Fremantle, Thames TV, Npatou Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: cara.mcgoogan@telegraph.co.uk and on social media @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Final Report 25 May 2024

Over the last three years, Cara McGoogan has kept in touch with the people impacted by the Infected Blood Scandal who she spoke to for Series 2 of Bed of Lies. On Monday 20th May those victims finally heard how Sir Brian Langstaff, Chair of the inquiry, interpreted the evidence he’s heard over the past 5 years. But as the dust settles, and the euphoria of the final report and compensation package dies down, what's next? Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: podcasts@telegraph.co.uk and on Twitter @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Retribution, Part 2 17 Nov 2021

Every month, more names are added to the list of survivors. But with every year, more names on that list succumb to their illnesses. Will the Inquiry bring them justice before it’s too late? In this final instalment of the series, they lay bare the shattering impact of this bed of lies. Read Cara’s notebook: www.telegraph.co.uk/notebook Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: podcasts@telegraph.co.uk and on Twitter @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Retribution, Part 1 17 Nov 2021

A letter leads to a lawsuit – and a big development in our story. After years of feeling silenced, British survivors are making their voices heard. But will those accountable finally listen? Read Cara’s notebook: www.telegraph.co.uk/notebook Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: podcasts@telegraph.co.uk and on Twitter @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Violation 09 Nov 2021

Plasma is a life saver - and a lucrative industry. One that made fortunes and cost lives. But what was really going on behind closed doors? A whistleblower reveals all. Read Cara’s notebook: www.telegraph.co.uk/notebook Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: podcasts@telegraph.co.uk and on Twitter @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fabrication 02 Nov 2021

If you knock on enough doors, eventually one will open. Tireless investigators trace the infected blood from the arms of people with haemophilia back to the room where it all began – in that American prison. Read Cara’s notebook: www.telegraph.co.uk/notebook Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: podcasts@telegraph.co.uk and on Twitter @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Confrontation 25 Oct 2021

Sadness turns to anger; anger to action. The survivors fight back, but for each confrontation, there's a coverup. Read Cara’s notebook: www.telegraph.co.uk/notebook Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: podcasts@telegraph.co.uk and on Twitter @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Experimentation 18 Oct 2021

Medicine is a game of risk, and few have seen the cost of getting it wrong as clearly as one group of boys. Whispers, a terrifying newspaper headline and then a stark message: a deadly virus is in their school. Read Cara’s notebook: www.telegraph.co.uk/bedoflies Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: podcasts@telegraph.co.uk and on Twitter @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Infection 11 Oct 2021

Two young couples, two shock diagnoses. Our story begins with Clair, Bryan, Frankie and Joe - and four young lives turned upside down. Read Cara’s notebook: www.telegraph.co.uk/notebook Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: podcasts@telegraph.co.uk and on Twitter @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inquiry, Part 2 22 Dec 2020

The spycops' relationships were built on a bed of lies – including their marriages. In this final episode of the series, we hear about the shattering impact of the undercover policing scandal. And the truth catches up with the men. Read Cara’s notebook: www.telegraph.co.uk/bedoflies Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: podcasts@telegraph.co.uk and on Twitter @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inquiry, Part 1 22 Dec 2020

Police spies have infiltrated homes – and hearts. Now, they face a public inquiry. But why did they dupe women into relationships in the first place? Who sanctioned it? And will all the women and children involved finally receive an apology? Read Cara’s notebook: www.telegraph.co.uk/bedoflies | Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: podcasts@telegraph.co.uk and on Twitter @cjmcgoogan | Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fightback 15 Dec 2020

Each woman has a fragment of the truth. When they put the pieces together, the true scale of the deception starts to emerge. But as they edge closer to the full story, there's an obstacle in the way: the police. Read Cara’s notebook: www.telegraph.co.uk/bedoflies Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: podcasts@telegraph.co.uk and on Twitter @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tradecraft 08 Dec 2020

It’s a thin line between spying and meddling. And it’s one that's only faintly drawn in the manual once given to new undercover police officers - written by a familiar name. Read Cara’s notebook: www.telegraph.co.uk/bedoflies Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: podcasts@telegraph.co.uk and on Twitter @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Uncovered 01 Dec 2020

The mask slips, the relationships unravel, and as lies are uncovered, so too are the men behind them. Plus, for the very first time, our stories collide. Read Cara’s notebook: www.telegraph.co.uk/bedoflies Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: podcasts@telegraph.co.uk and on Twitter @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Breakdown 24 Nov 2020

One by one, the men vanish. As the search begins, the girlfriends start to question what they’re really looking for - and who they’re actually in love with. Read Cara’s notebook: www.telegraph.co.uk/bedoflies Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: podcasts@telegraph.co.uk and on Twitter @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Secrecy 17 Nov 2020

The perfect relationships are free of secrets. But these aren’t the perfect relationships. As the years go by, things begin to unravel - starting with the men themselves. Read Cara’s notebook: www.telegraph.co.uk/bedoflies Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: podcasts@telegraph.co.uk and on Twitter @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Infatuation 09 Nov 2020

It’s one of Britain’s biggest secrets, and it begins with a love story. Young activists united in their fight for justice. But then, cracks start to form. What’s real, what isn’t and where do the lies begin? Read Cara’s notebook: www.telegraph.co.uk/bedoflies Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor Get in touch: podcasts@telegraph.co.uk and on Twitter @cjmcgoogan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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