Impact Podcasts
Impact podcasts create narrative investigative podcasts that shine a light on major crimes or scandals in communities covered by DC Thomson brands such as The Courier and The Press and Journal. Impact’s first season, Hunting Mr X, centred on the story of former North Sea oil diver Julian Chisholm who orchestrated a £100m cocaine deal with the Cali cartel. It was shortlisted for best podcast at the UK Society of Editors’ Media Freedom Awards in 2023. Season two - ’Vanished: The Arlene Fraser Murder’ - is also now available. Follow investigative journalist Dale Haslam as he uncovers what really happened in Scotland’s biggest ever missing persons case. In 1998, 33-year-old mum of two Arlene Fraser was at her home one minute - and gone the next. The team involved in Impact includes reporters Dale Haslam and Brendan Duggan, Senior Audio Producer Morven McIntyre, and Special Projects Editor Cheryl Livingstone. Check out more investigations from the Impact team here: https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/category/pj-investigations/ and https://www.thecourier.co.uk/category/courier-investigations/
Listen on:
Episodes
Thursday Jun 15, 2023
Thursday Jun 15, 2023
It’s not how you thought this story was going to end.
Listen to the epic conclusion to Hunting Mr X and find out where each of our characters ended up after their lives were forever changed by Julian Chisholm.
For more Mr X content, visit www.thecourier.co.uk/ and www.pressandjournal.co.uk/
Thursday Jun 08, 2023
Thursday Jun 08, 2023
The net closes in on the gang as police and customs officers swoop after weeks of covert surveillance stretching from Spain to Scotland.
Customs investigator Graham Dick races to intercept the huge drugs haul, which is packed in a bright orange van, but gets the surprise of his life.
For more Mr X content visit www.pressandjournal.co.uk/ and www.thecourier.co.uk/
Episode 5 coming June 15th
Thursday Jun 01, 2023
Thursday Jun 01, 2023
After being put in a car during the middle of the night, on the orders of Julian Chisholm, Chris Howarth and Noel Hawkins eventually find themselves in Gibraltar where they then set off on a journey across the Atlantic to pick up 500kg of cocaine from the Cali Cartel.
They are faced with a battle for survival as the pair try to land the drugs near Ullapool amid a fierce storm.
This is not the end of the story...
Episode 4 releases June 8
Episode 5 releases June 15
For more Mr X content visit www.pressandjournal.co.uk/ and www.thecourier.co.uk/
Thursday Jun 01, 2023
Thursday Jun 01, 2023
From Spain to Ullapool, customs officer Graham Dick and his team keep a watchful eye on the gang’s movements. As they begin to build a case against Julian Chisholm, Graham has a hunch Chisholm, who later became known as Mr X, is planning something big with his criminal associates - including latest recruit, “Crazy” Chris Howarth.
For more Mr X content visit www.pressandjournal.co.uk/ and www.thecourier.co.uk/
Thursday Jun 01, 2023
Thursday Jun 01, 2023
A young and ambitious diver from the Highland village of Straffpeffer travels to Aberdeen in search of fortune but his sights aren’t just set on oil money. Julian Chisholm forms a gang with the intention of smuggling drugs into Scotland through a once dangerous deserted island.
For more Mr X content visit www.pressandjournal.co.uk/ and www.thecourier.co.uk/
Friday May 26, 2023
Friday May 26, 2023
Introducing Hunting Mr X: A new 5-part true crime podcast series from the DC Thomson titles The Press and Journal and The Courier
The team behind Impact Podcasts
Impact podcasts create narrative investigative podcasts that shine a light on major crimes or scandals in communities covered by DC Thomson brands such as The Courier and The Press and Journal.
Our first season features original reporting and exclusive interviews that unveil the incredible true story behind the biggest drugs importation in Scottish history and the man who masterminded it all – Julian Chisholm.
Original reporting came Dale Haslam who is part of the Impact team, an investigative unit at The Courier and Press and Journal.
Dale is a multi-award winning investigative reporter with more than 15 years of experience reporting on crime.
He spent more than a year researching the story of Julian Chisholm, tracking down and speaking to those who fought to bring Chisholm to justice.
This true crime podcast was co-produced by Brendan Duggan and Morven McIntyre.
Brendan Duggan is an investigative journalist and is the host of this thrilling series.
Morven McIntyre is a multi-award winning podcast producer. She has produced for major publishers across Scotland.