Robert Maxwell

Evil Genius with Russell Kane

BBC

History, Comedy

4.2 • 2.7K Ratings

🗓️ 18 June 2025

⏱️ 42 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Was Robert Maxwell the defiant outsider who came from nothing to join Britain's elite? Or was he a bullying maniac whose power went unchecked? Was he a pioneer in business and politics who was ahead of his time? Or was he a fraud who nicked his employees pensions? And, did the man whose family tragically died in the holocaust actually commit a war crime himself? Tony Hawks, Janine Harouni and Hannah Platt join Russell Kane in the boardroom of Evil Genius to find out.

Additional Material: Eve Delaney Researcher: Christina Riggs Sound Editor: Kate Mac Production Coordinator: Sarah Nicholls Executive Producer: Paul Smith

The Producer was Gwyn Rhys Davies. Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios Audio Production for BBC Sounds. An EcoAudio certified production.

Transcript

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0:00.0	So it's that time of year again
0:03.4	When a huge tented city rises in Somerset
0:06.5	And the stage is set for some incredible music
0:09.9	It's time for Glastonbury
0:10.9	Join us for bonus episodes of sidetracked
0:14.0	featuring some very special guests
0:15.9	Rod Stewart, Emily Evas and more
0:18.7	Plus all the festival chat
0:20.7	Sightracked by Glastonbury with Nick Grimshaw and Annie Matmanis.
0:24.5	Listen on BBC Sounds.
0:28.1	BBC Sounds. Music, radio, podcasts.
0:32.0	Warning, this episode contains strong language.
0:38.6	Genius. Genius. Genius. Genius. Genius!
0:39.4	Genius!
0:42.7	Greetings, truth seekers, conspiracy addicts and people who use Cayman Islands as a verb.
0:48.5	I'm Russell Kane and this is BBC Radio 4's Evil Genius,
0:51.7	the show where we rummage through history's handbag and ask,
0:55.0	was that a medal or a weapon?
0:57.1	Was this icon a Marvel or a maniac with a PR team?
1:00.8	This week, we're diving headfirst into a champagne-scented whirlpool of one of the
1:04.8	20th century's slipperiest characters.
1:07.7	Today's subject, a man who rose from war-torn rags to billionaire riches, collecting
	...

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