As the palace reopens to the public, curious visitors flock to witness the infamous crime scene. Behind the scenes, Blenheim’s Chief Executive scrambles to tighten palace security.

An internationally renowned art hunter is hired by the insurers to hunt the golden treasure. Meanwhile playful sightings of fake golden toilets pop up across Oxfordshire.

Presenter: Clodagh Stenson.

Image: Getty.

Stunned Blenheim Palace staff are coming to terms with an early morning raid as the gang make their getaway with the £5 million gold toilet.

Meanwhile, rumours swirl about who could have orchestrated the heist with fingers pointing to the toilet’s creator, Maurizio Cattelan, who has a history of elaborate stunts.

When the artist shares a statement denying any involvement a police investigation is launched and the hunt for the real robbers begins.

Presenter: Clodagh Stenson.

Image: Getty.

The mystery of one of Britain’s weirdest art heists begins at an exhibition party at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, in September 2019.

A £5 million solid gold toilet, created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, is centre-piece at the exhibition. Hours after partygoers leave it is stolen by a masked gang.

The events are a shock for the palace staff who witness the heist and its aftermath, including guest services manager Eleanor Paice and Chief Executive Dominic Hare.

Presenter: Clodagh Stenson.

Image: Getty.

A story of art, mystery and a solid gold, fully plumbed in toilet stolen from a British palace.

With behind-the-scenes access at Blenheim Palace, we explore the inside story of the heist and its fallout.

Installed as part of an art exhibition, the £5 million toilet was notorious prior to its theft. Those behind the burglary remained a mystery for years. In 2025, with reporting restrictions lifted, we finally reveal their identities and the criminal past that led them to the toilet.

It's a tale of art and wealth but also security failures, ruthless criminals and missing millions.

Presenter: Clodagh Stenson.

Image: Getty

This final episode, recorded in December 2024, considers what the Dawn Sturgess Inquiry will achieve, and what might change as a result. BBC Security Correspondent Frank Gardner, legal commentator Joshua Rozenberg and Dan O’Brien from BBC News discuss what we’ve heard, what happens next, and what impact the Salisbury Poisonings have had around the world.

Executive production by Mary Sanders and Naomi Wordley.

After 7 weeks and over a hundred hours of evidence, the public hearings of the Dawn Sturgess Inquiry come to an end. In this episode, the main participants, including Dawn’s family, make their final statements to the Chair.

This episode was made by Marie Lennon, Andy Howard, Tom Ryan & Dan O’Brien.

Executive production by Mary Sanders and Naomi Wordley.

When the agents suspected of poisoning Sergei and Yulia Skripal with Novichok left Salisbury, what did they do with the nerve agent and how did the deadly chemical weapon end up in the hands of Charlie Rowley four months later? In this episode, we hear the most likely theories from Counter Terror Police and discover why some parts of this mystery are still unsolved. The Russian state and the suspects have always denied any involvement.

This episode was made by Marie Lennon, Andy Howard, Tom Ryan & Dan O’Brien.

Executive production by Mary Sanders and Naomi Wordley.

The widow of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko explains why she feels lessons weren’t learned between her husband’s assassination and the Salisbury Poisonings. Marina Litvinenko warns that British citizens need to be protected from foreign agents who ‘come to play their games’ in the UK and she recalls the moment she heard about the Salisbury nerve agent attack.

This episode was made by Marie Lennon, Andy Howard, Tom Ryan & Dan O’Brien.

Executive production by Mary Sanders and Naomi Wordley.

As Salisbury starts to reopen in the summer of 2018, the authorities weigh up how to keep the public safe, when they know there could be more Novichok out there. Questions are asked about whether enough was done to protect people from accidentally picking up a discarded chemical weapon.

This episode was made by Marie Lennon, Andy Howard, Tom Ryan & Dan O’Brien.

Executive production by Mary Sanders and Naomi Wordley.

Two Russian men visit Salisbury just as the former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter are poisoned with a nerve agent. They say they simply wanted to see the famous cathedral spire, but that’s not the view of the UK authorities who believe they came to kill. In this episode we learn more about the men, their movements and their real identities. Plus, we learn more about the Russian intelligence agencies from writer and historian Mark Galeotti.

This episode was made by Marie Lennon, Andy Howard, Tom Ryan & Dan O’Brien.

Executive production by Mary Sanders and Naomi Wordley.

Audio credit: JJ Extra, Salisbury Museum, ViaTravelers and British Pathe.