Dead Competitive

BBC Radio 4
  • 3.5 (26)
  • PERSONAL JOURNALS
  • SERIES

Comedian Kerry Godliman takes a journey into the world of dog shows, on the hunt for answers, after the death of an Irish setter in 2015. It’s a playful investigative podcast, which follows all leads into the wondrous world of dog showing, while trying to make sense of the death of a beloved pet.

Episodes

  1. 11/02/2022

    Welcome to Dead Competitive

    What happened when an Irish setter was found dead after a dog show in 2015, as a forensic report reveals the dog's stomach contained three strains of poison sewn inside beef cubes.

    3 min

  2. 11/09/2022

    1. A Deliberate Malicious Act

    What happens when a dog dies under suspicious circumstances directly after appearing at the world’s biggest dog show? This is an investigation into the death of Thendara Satisfaction, an Irish setter, a superstar show-dog-in-training, and a family member. Comedian and dog owner Kerry Godliman enters the world of dog showing to discover Thendara Satisfaction, Jagger to his loved ones, was poisoned. His owners believed it could only have happened at Crufts; the greatest dog show in the world.

    29 min

  3. 11/16/2022

    2. The Greatest (Dog) Show on Earth

    Kerry visits Crufts in Birmingham. The dog show to end all dog shows. 160,00 thousand people, 28,000 dogs, a cash prize of £200. One dog found dead. This episode explores Crufts in all its sparkle and glory, looking back at its murky history and the participants who compete annually. The scene of the crime is illuminated and we are taken back to the moment the death was announced on Twitter by accident. A media frenzy ensued – why was the story of a dog’s death so delicious to a hungry journalist?

    31 min

  4. 11/23/2022

    3. Cui Bono?

    Means, Motive, Opportunity. Kerry applies the principles of human homicide investigation to this four-legged mystery. She considers the line-up of suspects and asks Cui Bono? (To Whom Is It A Benefit?) Enlisting the help of a professional Pet Detective, Kerry speaks to people who were there at Crufts and digs deep into the motivation of who might want Jagger eliminated. She considers the rivalries and rewards of winning Crufts. Fame, film, dog-modelling plus the real money in winning is that it increases the dog’s value as a breeder.

    35 min

  5. 11/30/2022

    4. White Gold

    Kerry discovers the world of breeding dogs, the art of pedigree dog naming and the money exchanged for specific dogs. She goes on to look at the relationships within the (Irish) Setter world and the international semen trade. Rhodesian Ridgeback breeder Dorothy tells the story of her prize stud dog, who was shot to death next to a children’s playground in Belgium. Is Europe where Kerry should head next?

    33 min

  6. 12/07/2022

    5. He Died like a Dog Because He was a Dog

    In this episode Kerry gets wind that Jagger could have been collateral for a much bigger cause – animal rights activism. She looks into the PETA protests at Crufts in 2015, and the arguments against dog shows. “A dog is better off dead than in a crate.”

    32 min

  7. 12/14/2022

    6. Novichok for Dogs

    Kerry gets news of more attacks on dogs, poisoned sausages and marshmallows – is this an organised attack or does this all feel a bit random? The case of Hendrix the Cat raises new questions about our relationship to animals. Why do people kill animals? How does it feel to have your pet, a member of your family, brutally slain? Is this a potential serial killer on the loose? A forensic psychologist explains. The toxicology results come in. Jagger was killed by an illegal nerve agent: the animal equivalent of Novichock...

    32 min

  8. 12/21/2022

    7. A Nidderdale Cocktail

    Kerry is shocked to discover that Jagger was killed by a cocktail of illegal pesticides. The toxicologist in Ghent reveals how this same poison is used to protect multi-million-dollar racing pigeons from birds of prey. The head of the RSPB reveals how in the UK this poison is being illegally used by game keepers in the UK too. Jagger is not the first dog to have been killed by poison bait. Chloe Ambler’s two dogs both consumed what is known as ‘the Nidderdale cocktail’ due to its prevalence. This was no accident. A human had sewn it into meat. For a dog. But was Jagger the dog in the killer’s sights?

    33 min

  9. 12/28/2022

    8. Tittle Tattle

    In a last attempt to get some more answers, Kerry tries to reach out to Jagger’s family. Returning to Crufts 2022 she ponders on the lasting impact of his death on the dog show world. The poisons have led us down a path of a much bigger story and an understanding of the animal hierarchy that us humans hold up. Why are some animals fair game for poison, yet when it happens to others, its national news? Why has this world been so hard to penetrate and why won’t people speak?

    32 min
  • 9 Episodes

3.5
out of 5
26 Ratings

About

Comedian Kerry Godliman takes a journey into the world of dog shows, on the hunt for answers, after the death of an Irish setter in 2015. It’s a playful investigative podcast, which follows all leads into the wondrous world of dog showing, while trying to make sense of the death of a beloved pet.

Information

  • Creator
    BBC Radio 4
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2022
  • Show Website
    Dead Competitive