Pig Iron

Tortoise Media

Christopher Allen was trying to make it as a war reporter when, aged just 26, he was shot and killed on the frontline in South Sudan. But as news of his death began to spread, suspicion grew. Some claimed he was really there as a mercenary, a fighter. Others said he was a reckless freelancer, in over his head. And there was another question: was he killed on purpose, or was this another accident of war? From Tortoise and the team behind Sweet Bobby, Pig Iron is a dark adventure in war and journalism – and into what really happened to Christopher Allen.

Listen to the full series today. For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app. For early and ad-free access to all our investigative series and daily and weekly shows, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts.

If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consider donating to Tortoise at tortoisemedia.com/support-us. Your contributions allow us to investigate, campaign and explore, and to build a newsroom that is responsible and sustainable.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

read less

Our Editor's Take

The Pig Iron podcast tells the story of slain war reporter Christopher Allen. Did someone want him dead? Was his killing an accident? Did the man know too much? Tortoise editor Basia Cummings attempts to answer these questions in this seven-episode series.

Tortoise is more than a news outlet. Instead of sharing the news as it happens, it reports on the "why" behind each event. It aims to understand what is happening in the world. In her role at Tortoise, Basia exposes the power gap that oppresses communities and nations today. She believes in the power of storytelling to promote justice. Before she joined Tortoise, she worked at HuffPost and The Guardian. The Pig Iron podcast continues her work.

Christopher's 2017 death, the subject of the podcast, is still a mystery. He was a freelance journalist. The reporter died from gunshot wounds while near the Ugandan border. He'd been hiding among rebel forces. Evidence suggests that the killers and their associates committed war crimes. They even staged Christopher's body like a trophy. Thanks to the efforts of Reporters Without Borders, the Republic of South Sudan formed an investigation committee in 2023.

The first episode attempts to piece together what Christopher was doing in Sudan. The next podcast episode shifts to when he went to Ukraine on a break from school. He was 22. It was then that Christopher got his first taste of the frontlines. He seemed thrilled and horrified at once. The journalist's fascination led him to the Middle East. Did something happen in Ukraine that changed his fate?

Podcast listeners hear disturbing details suggesting Christopher's death was not accidental. Basia and a team travel to the crime scene and meet with the writer of a revealing essay. By episode five, Basia is in Nairobi, meeting with the secretive author. Does he know who killed Christopher and why? Why did some people call him the "white rebel?”

As Christopher's family continues to seek justice, Basia searches for answers. Both the UK and the US are fighting for the cause. Will justice prevail? Listeners can hear the entire Pig Iron podcast series today.

read less

Society & CultureSociety & Culture

Play Trailer

Introducing: Pig Iron

Introducing: Pig Iron

Christopher Allen, an aspiring war reporter, was just 26 when he was shot and killed in South Sudan. At first, it looked like another tragedy of war… a young journalist caught in the crossfire. Until, just hours after his death, his story splintered. The government claimed he wasn’t a journalist at all, but a foreign fighter – a legitimate target. Other evidence suggested he was killed on purpose for being a reporter. In this new series from Tortoise and the team behind Sweet Bobby, Pig Iron is a story about the dark seduction of war, and what really happened to Christopher Allen. Listen to the full series today. For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app. For early and ad-free access to all our investigative series and daily and weekly shows, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts.If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consider donating to Tortoise at tortoisemedia.com/support-us. Your contributions allow us to investigate, campaign and explore, and to build a newsroom that is responsible and sustainable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

Introducing: Pig Iron

Introducing: Pig Iron

Christopher Allen, an aspiring war reporter, was just 26 when he was shot and killed in South Sudan. At first, it looked like another tragedy of war… a young journalist caught in the crossfire. Until, just hours after his death, his story splintered. The government claimed he wasn’t a journalist at all, but a foreign fighter – a legitimate target. Other evidence suggested he was killed on purpose for being a reporter. In this new series from Tortoise and the team behind Sweet Bobby, Pig Iron is a story about the dark seduction of war, and what really happened to Christopher Allen. Listen to the full series today. For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app. For early and ad-free access to all our investigative series and daily and weekly shows, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts.If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consider donating to Tortoise at tortoisemedia.com/support-us. Your contributions allow us to investigate, campaign and explore, and to build a newsroom that is responsible and sustainable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

White rebel | Ep 1

White rebel | Ep 1

Five years after his death on a distant frontline in South Sudan, the truth about what happened to Christopher Allen is still a mystery. Was he a reckless freelancer? A mercenary? Or a young and ambitious reporter, caught in the crossfire? Approached by a family member looking for answers, journalist Basia Cummings begins investigating.Listen to the full series today. For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app. For early and ad-free access to all our investigative series and daily and weekly shows, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts.If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consider donating to Tortoise at tortoisemedia.com/support-us. Your contributions allow us to investigate, campaign and explore, and to build a newsroom that is responsible and sustainable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spring break | Ep 2

Spring break | Ep 2

At just 22 years old, Chris travels to Ukraine for his spring break, keen to see war up close. For the first time, he experiences the thrill and horror of the frontline. He's hooked. Five years later, Basia, along with Chris's cousin, Jeremy, visit Chris's parents in America to piece together who he really was. There they learn a troubling new detail about Chris's time in Ukraine.All episodes of Pig Iron are now available for free. Tortoise members and Tortoise+ subscribers on Apple Podcasts can listen to the entire series, ad-free and get access to bonus content, coming soon. Just subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise as a member, where you will also get access to more of our investigations, and invites to exclusive events. Go to tortoisemedia.com/pigiron and enter the code Basia50 for half price membership. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The lonely impulse | Ep 3

The lonely impulse | Ep 3

Basia traces Chris's career as a young freelancer. By now, it's clear his death is tied to his life as a reporter. But who was he trying to be? Just how close was he to a group of fighters? And after years in Ukraine, how did he end up in a remote corner of South Sudan?All episodes of Pig Iron are now available for free. Tortoise members and Tortoise+ subscribers on Apple Podcasts can listen to the entire series, ad-free and get access to bonus content, coming soon. Just subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise as a member, where you will also get access to more of our investigations, and invites to exclusive events. Go to tortoisemedia.com/pigiron and enter the code Basia50 for half price membership. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The kaleidoscope | Ep 4

The kaleidoscope | Ep 4

There is a new layer of horror to Chris's story – and in trying to understand it, Basia investigates the evidence that Chris was killed on purpose. The team figures out how to get to South Sudan – and how to finally meet the essay-writer.Listen to the full series today. For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app. For early and ad-free access to all our investigative series and daily and weekly shows, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts.If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consider donating to Tortoise at tortoisemedia.com/support-us. Your contributions allow us to investigate, campaign and explore, and to build a newsroom that is responsible and sustainable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Months after Jeremy first approached Basia, the team fly to Nairobi to sit down with the mysterious essay writer. And it turns out that he is not the only person ready to share what he knows about who killed Christopher Allen.Listen to the full series today. For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app. For early and ad-free access to all our investigative series and daily and weekly shows, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts.If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consider donating to Tortoise at tortoisemedia.com/support-us. Your contributions allow us to investigate, campaign and explore, and to build a newsroom that is responsible and sustainable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The rope | Ep 6

The rope | Ep 6

The team tries to understand the connection between Chris's trip to South Sudan, and one taken by a group of American fighters just weeks before. Could this explain why Chris was called a white rebel? And after months investigating, Basia finally speaks to the fighter who fascinated Chris, and she asks – how close really were you? Listen to the full series today. For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app. For early and ad-free access to all our investigative series and daily and weekly shows, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts.If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consider donating to Tortoise at tortoisemedia.com/support-us. Your contributions allow us to investigate, campaign and explore, and to build a newsroom that is responsible and sustainable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Out there | Ep 7

Out there | Ep 7

In the last episode of the series, the team finally hears from a man they’ve been chasing for months. And they return to Maine, to tell Christopher’s parents what they have discovered about their son's life and death.Listen to the full series today. For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app. For early and ad-free access to all our investigative series and daily and weekly shows, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts.If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consider donating to Tortoise at tortoisemedia.com/support-us. Your contributions allow us to investigate, campaign and explore, and to build a newsroom that is responsible and sustainable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing... Three Doors Down

Introducing... Three Doors Down

Nikki Allan was 7 years old when she was brutally murdered. Her mother never gave up the hunt to find her killer. David Boyd was a convicted child sex offender who lived three doors down from where Nikki first went missing. So how did it take the police thirty years to find him? This is a story of class prejudice, police corruption and a shocking miscarriage of justice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing...Walter's War

Introducing...Walter's War

Introducing Walter's War, a brand new investigation from Tortoise. It’s London, 2012. Oliver is a dashing diplomat. Charlie is a young graduate trying to find her feet in the world. They meet online and she falls in love. With his encouragement, Charlie applies for a job in British intelligence. Then, she receives a text message that turns her life - and her relationship - upside down, and 10 years later, a mystery is still hanging over her. Walter's War is an investigation into what happened next – a journey through big tech and national security, hype and hucksterism, where anyone who can tell a good story can go far. But how much is true? Search for Tortoise Investigates wherever you get your podcasts and follow the feed so you don't miss an episode. You can find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing...The Gas Man

Introducing...The Gas Man

Introducing...The Gas ManIt starts with a tip-off. It’s the late 1980s and US Special Agent Dennis Bass is warned about a shipment of suspicious chemicals headed to a secret destination. So he follows the lead – and ends up stumbling into a global plot helping fuel a war. The main suspect? The Gas Man. In the decades since, Special Agent Bass has been locked in an international game of cat and mouse with the man who supplied a dangerous regime with the chemicals to make weapons. Every time Bass thinks he’s got his hands on him… The Gas Man somehow manages to slip the net. And he’s still on the run today.But after more than 30 years, could his past finally be catching up with The Gas Man?The first two episodes of The Gas Man are available now, with further episodes released each week. To get ad-free and early access to more episodes today, become a Tortoise member or subscribe to Tortoise+.Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.comReporter: Chloe Hadjimatheou Producer: Claudia WilliamsEditor: Jasper CorbettNarrative editor: Gary MarshallSound design: Hannah VarrallOriginal theme music: Tom KinsellaOriginal artwork: Jon Hill Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing...Dangerous Memories

Introducing...Dangerous Memories

Introducing...Dangerous MemoriesWhen Sarah watched her 23 year old daughter cycle away from her in Chelsea - a well-off corner of London - she had no idea it would be the last time they’d see each other for 6 years. What would make a loving child from a life of privilege sever ties with friends and family, and disappear? It turns out, Sarah wasn’t alone in losing a daughter. Something strange was happening to other young women, too.And they all had one thing in common: a kind of therapist figure - a woman they were all seeing and sharing their problems, their secrets, their fears with. But it took years for the truth of what was happening behind closed doors to emerge, and the extraordinary things this woman led them to believe.Dangerous Memories is the story of young women who wanted to be healed that became, for us, a story about the healer, and what we risk when we let someone else into our mind, and our memory. The first 2 episodes are out now and released weekly. To binge-listen to all 6 episodes ad-free from today, subscribe to Tortoise+ or download the Tortoise appTo find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.comReporter: Grace Hughes-HallettProducer: Gary MarshallAdditional reporting and production: Imogen HarperSound design and original composition: Tom KinsellaTheme music: Far Gone (Don’t Leave) by Pictish TrailPodcast artwork: Lola WilliamsCommissioning editor: Basia CummingsExecutive producer: Ceri Thomas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.