Sherlock & Co. - Introducing: Bear Hunt

Episode Date: September 9, 2026

350 British civilians are dead and Russia is responsible. Number 10 hits back as a hapless Prime Minister plays his hand in the age of regime decapitation.Bear Hunt is a technically rigorous action drama exploring the political manoeuvres, operational challenges and conflict expertise required to assassinate a head of state. Billed as a British Bourne, this geopolitical thriller pulls listeners into the white-hot corridors of power in Westminster and Washington. To the battlefields where the nation’s best learnt their killing trade. And to the mission itself, deep behind enemy lines. Goalhanger’s award-winning drama team worked with current and former military and defence professionals to shape the most accurate and daring mission conceivable: a forensic exploration of what it takes, in the modern age, to kill the President of the Russian Federation. Search and follow Bear Hunt now for weekly episodes straight into you feed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This series contains strong language and violence. It is fiction. Resemblance to reality is coincidental. This is Bear Hunt. East India Company coined it, but Kipling, many others, all used in great game. Jig struggle between Britain and Russia. Two centuries long. Still going, clearly.

Only, it isn't much of a fucking game. if one player is turning away from the board, eh Alex? Give your old Pearl Pilgrim a call. Over the North Sea, and this year 2025 is no different, Prime Minister. At 2111 hours, the captain and first officer believe the plane to be on course, 225 degree true. ATC confirm and get the same data, but their altitude readings are differing with the cockpit readings. At 2111, if both parties, Both parties understood that reality. That's not a problem.

Because this can happen and does. Does happen, that's right, Prime Minister. Not typically on the North Sea, though. Now, we have from this point at 2111... The... Prime Minister, can we grab you for a second? Yeah, of course, Ezra. Has Henry got a speech? Can I have this written up, please?

Chris. Yeah, thank you, yeah. Fran wants to get on top of it because there's reports saying it was a near-empty flight. That's just... Not... What is it? Cobra. Right.

It's from Royal Navy ISR vessel, correlated with RAF rivet joint tasking. This vessel was in the North Sea, and these are the abnormally strong L1L2 signals that picked up at 2,100 hours. Right, Phil, can you hear... Did you get that? Yeah.

What's Anthony saying? We're talking a signal consistent with... GPS disturbance. Disurbance. Deliberate? Do we think? Phil? Yes. Yeah.

Yes. It's deliberate, likely deliberate. Deliberate GNS interference consistent with spoofing, yeah. From a vessel in the area. NATO? We assess Prime Minister... With high confidence it was Russian. There was the, um, someone said it earlier, the oil rig.

Yes, Prime Minister. It was, it had incorrect coordinates, same patch of the Central North Sea we're talking about here. Just sort of zooming out for a moment. It's a general activity that they were doing. Spoof tool GPS readings, yes. A part of their, um, a part of their, gray zone warfare strategy. Gray zone warfare. Right. So this GPS spoofing...

He got the... No, sorry. Go on. Yeah, that activity, yes, that got VA 236. Keep me updated on the search. Prime Minister. Prime Minister.

Afghanistan. Fifteen years earlier. Situation right now in the year of our Lord, Turns out turning poppy fields to coffee plantations here in Helmand is pretty fucking hostile work. Someone decided that since we can't buy Terry out, we're going to dig him out. So it's a fucking peace. Lots of fucking democracy. Have some of that, Terry.

And do things the American way. Qop Moshtarak, which commenced a few months back. February 2010 I think. It's part of the new war model. Five months on, part of the new war model. Americans want a clean-up job before we deliver police, engineers and government in a box.

And today's clean-up... It's to run a link up with a sniper element. Is that right? Ooh, do you want to take this brief? Necky-cunt? I'll finish fucking talking, shall I? Course. course? Yes of course, Lance Corporal Wade, sir.

Robertson, is it, yeah? Is yeah. Go one click north, yeah? Fuck off, as fast as you can, to Sierra Papa Romeo 03984070. And link up with Duffy. Duffy. Corporal Tom McDuff.

Thank you, Lance Corporal. Oh, what's needed for him? He's been there a pretty decent amount of time. Piss will need throwing. Maybe he's got a dump in there for you and all. Understood. That's the thrill of this job, Robertson, mate. You never know.

Could be piss. Could be dump. Could be spunk, eh? Hey, and if you drink all that, you'll get a mention in debrief. You. Uh, ha ha ha ha. Step in that vehicle and I'll blast it. I'm serious. We'll just fucking blame Terry Taliban.

Walk. Roger that. Corporal. Corporal Macduff? We're in Helman, not Cattrick. Duffy? Robbo, come take a pew man. You're lucky day. Empty piss bottle?

Not a drop. That's impressive. It's like dehydration and a packet of biscuit brown before we left. I'm locked down tighter and a jock. pockets. You see the Taliban out there? Oh, aye. Of course. There's a set of range finders in my day sack.

Yep, sure, sure. I spy with my 40 power eye, something beginning with D. Desert. No, Deccers. Duo of Deccas with a doucheca. Jen? I'll bring me on, I can't see them. See Alpha-14? Big compound with the wall come left of fist to the line of the trees heading right to left with a ditch behind it.

Can't see him. Are you gonna drop her? Not really how things are done anymore, sadly. An ROA issue or what? We're on card alpha now. What's that? Short hand for JSP 398A, of course. Of course.

We're self-defense only. We lost hostile intent a few weeks ago. Not to worry, if we want to kill two little gentlemen like this, we got a ass nicely, Robo. Tunston 9-9, this is tungsten 3-2 Alpha. We are at Grid, Sierra Papa Romeo 03984070. A pair of fighting age males, PIDD in vicinity of Alpha-14, with one-time's crew-served heavy weapon.

Requesting ROE upgrade to hostile intent, over? Tundstone 3-2 grid Sierra Papa Romeo 0394-070 PID 2 times fighting age males, digging you from facility of Alpha-14 with one ex-crucru-served heavy weapon, requesting ROA upgrade to a hostile intent. Wait out. They must be using that ditch to move around. Now you're thinking, Robo. Tungsten 3-2 Alpha-99.

Tungsten 3-2-Alpha, send it. 99 message from tungsten 0-Alpha 427 ROE requested. I'd maintain eyes on. Hey that. We can't touch him? Because of what, Obama? No, we can't, says Mr. Yes, we can. Welcome to 2010. Dunstan 3-2 alpha out. Double press the button at the top of the box.

Get me a range to the trees. Your dickers are a total blur to me. That's one seven-60 metres to the trees. Roger. My usual advice would be, if you can't be best, be first. but we might have to let them have the opening pop. What do you mean? We can't shoot at them unless they shoot at us first.

Oh, whoa, what you doing? Peekaboo. Lovely, get down, man. Get on the net, let 9-9-9-9 that we're taking effective. 99. 3-2, Charlie, can't... Wait, wait out, wait out. Tongson 9-9, this is Tungson 3-2.

Contact at last time in given locations. two times FAM killed. Crews served, weapons still operable. No friendly injuries. Maintain eyes on for follow-up over. Available now, wherever you get your podcasts.