Codename Sunbeam - The story of MI6’s greatest Cold War spy (418)

Cold War Conversations Podcast

Ian Sanders

Society & Culture, Documentary, History

4.8 • 758 Ratings

🗓️ 22 August 2025

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

He was a KGB colonel. A double agent. And the most valuable spy Britain ever had. Born into a world of secrets & silence in Moscow Oleg Gordievsky’s journey takes us from the waning days of Stalin to his disillusionment with the Soviet system and his defection to MI6. He lived a secret life at the heart of Soviet intelligence — all while feeding classified information to London. From within the KGB’s London station, he exposed espionage operations, influenced diplomacy at the highest level, and warned of dangerous Soviet paranoia at the height of nuclear tensions. When discovery loomed, Britain launched one of the most daring escapes in espionage history. This is the astonishing true story of betrayal, conscience, and survival in the darkest shadows of the Cold War. Related episodes: 1983 – the year the Cold War almost turned hot https://coldwarconversations.com/episode316/ Episode extras ⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/episode418/⁠ The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, we welcome one-off donations via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/store/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on BlueSky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Threads ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Love history? Join Intohistory ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Cold War Conversations, the home of real stories of the Cold War.
0:06.1	When you have a pixel 10, you may get asked a few questions. Like, what is that? How did you do that?
0:14.9	And can we use your camera instead?
0:19.9	Ask more of your phone. Google Pixel 10. I've ruled out uni because I want to live at home.
0:28.5	I've ruled out uni because I want to earn money. I've ruled out uni because of my grades.
0:35.9	Study with the Open University and there's no need to rule out anything.
0:39.7	With our respected degrees, you can learn from home and work alongside study.
0:43.9	We're open to all.
0:45.5	Plus, you'll have the support of expert tutors.
0:48.6	So rethink your future with the degree you didn't think was possible.
0:52.5	The Open University, The future is open.
0:56.4	The door clicked shut behind him with a finality that Oleg Gordievsky would never forget.
1:02.6	He stood for a moment in the narrow hallway of his Moscow flat staring at the deadbolt.
1:08.2	It had been locked when he arrived. He never used the deadbolt. It was the
1:14.5	smallest thing, a simple twist of metal, but not in the life of a spy. Such details scream louder
1:22.1	than sirens. This is Cold War Conversations. If you're new here, you've come to the right place to listen to Cold War history.
1:33.0	Please make sure you follow us in your podcast app so you don't miss future episodes.
1:38.0	He was a KGB colonel, a double agent and the most valuable spy Britain ever had.
1:47.0	Born into a KGB family in Moscow, Oleg Gordievsky's journey takes us from the waning days of Stalin to his disillusionment
1:52.0	with the Soviet system and his defection to MI6. For more than a decade he lived a secret life
1:58.4	at the heart of Soviet intelligence all the while
2:01.4	feeding classified information to London from within the KGB's London station he
	...

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