Joanne McNally Investigates

BBC & CBC
  • 4.0 (153)
  • COMEDY
  • WEEKLY SERIES
Joanne McNally Investigates Podcast

Joanne McNally is back on the investigative trail…. and with the Avril / Melissa theory no longer giving her sleepless nights, she’s keen to find a new story to get her teeth into. Top of her list, after some deliberation is a story from the late 90’s… about a soft toy, the Furby, which took over the world and became the no.1 gift for Christmas. But Joanne has found headlines that claim the toy was banned, suspected of being a spy, linked to international espionage… there couldn’t be any truth to it… could there?

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  1. Introducing... Did Furbys Spy on Us?

    EPISODE 1

    Introducing... Did Furbys Spy on Us?

    Joanne McNally is back on the investigative trail…. and with the Avril / Melissa theory no longer giving her sleepless nights, she’s keen to find a new story to get her teeth into. Top of her list, after some deliberation is a story from the late 90’s… about a soft toy, the Furby, which took over the world and became the no.1 gift for Christmas. But Joanne has found headlines that claim the toy was banned, suspected of being a spy, linked to international espionage… there couldn’t be any truth to it… could there?

    4 min
  2. Did Furbys Spy on Us? 1. Furby Phobia

    EPISODE 2

    Did Furbys Spy on Us? 1. Furby Phobia

    Joanne McNally is back on the investigative trail…. and with the Avril / Melissa theory no longer giving her sleepless nights, she’s keen to find a new story to get her teeth into. Helped by her loyal gaggle of fans, she draws up a list of options, and then sets down with friend and ‘original sleuth’ Joe Lycett to go through them. Top of her list, after some deliberation is a story from the late 90’s… about a soft toy, the Furby, which took over the world and became the no.1 gift for Christmas. But Joanne has found headlines that claim the toy was banned, suspected of being a spy, linked to international espionage… there couldn’t be any truth to it… could there? As her journey begins, Joanne visits a Furby collector to try and understand their capabilities. She reaches out to the manufacturers to ask them if the claims are true. And she has an uncomfortable bonding experience with a Furby all of her own.

    34 min
  3. Did Furbys Spy on Us? 2. The Autopsy

    EPISODE 3

    Did Furbys Spy on Us? 2. The Autopsy

    After falling in love with a Furby in episode 1, Joanne begins looking for evidence on its spying capabilities. So – with the help of Gearoid, she decides to open up a Furby for a closer look. The operation is complex, and a little gruesome, but once inside, the pair discover that the Furby is fitted with an abundance of electronics. To understand how it all worked, Joanne consults the operating manual. And she discovers that the Furby really was advanced for its time, and she tests its comedy potential. We also speak to Dr Megan Rose, an expert in all things soft toys – who explains why the Furby’s unique visual design may have helped it gain a reputation for espionage. Equipped with a better understanding of the Furby, and it’s skills, Joanne is ready to put the rumour to bed… until she receives a surprising call from Gearoid which sees her question everything.

    35 min
  4. Did Furbys Spy on Us? 3. Eye-Spy

    EPISODE 4

    Did Furbys Spy on Us? 3. Eye-Spy

    Rocked by Gearoid’s suggestion that the Furby could have been adapted by secret organisations to be a real actual spy, Joanne travels to the north of England, and visits a shop which specialises in selling covert gadgets. She discovers that for a modest sum of money she can be the proud owner of multiple listening bugs...and while using them is a legal minefield – please do your own research to make sure you don’t fall foul of the law – she hears that that there are no shortage of customers. Joanne even decides to hide a few around her own apartment, to see if she's really made for the covert world. But will Gearoid be able to spot them? Elsewhere – Joanne is introduced to a real life member of MI6. And she finds out what life as a spy is really like, and gets to ask if a Furby might have been the perfect device for a spy to use.

    33 min
  5. Did Furbys Spy on Us? 4. You Looking at Me?

    EPISODE 5

    Did Furbys Spy on Us? 4. You Looking at Me?

    Determined to get to the bottom of the rumours once and for all, Joanne lines up a meeting with one of the marketing brains behind the toy. She learns that the scandals which rocked Furby in 1998 did wonders for it's sales... and she wonders if it's still popular today because of the mystery around it. Joanne also journeys to a toy shop, to do some hands-on research. And she finds out that the Furby is so coveted that it's kept inside a sealed glass container. We also hear from an expert who explains why smart toys, and other smart devices, need to be treated with caution... and she meets an ethical hacker who was able to prove that some smart toys have been able to be hacked, and manipulated. Joanne then hears some real stories of accidental espionage from her gaggle of followers. And she meets Jamie - a woman with a terrifying story of what can happen when your smart tech is infiltrated by strangers...

    34 min
See All Season 2 (5)

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out of 5
153 Ratings

About

Joanne McNally is back on the investigative trail…. and with the Avril / Melissa theory no longer giving her sleepless nights, she’s keen to find a new story to get her teeth into. Top of her list, after some deliberation is a story from the late 90’s… about a soft toy, the Furby, which took over the world and became the no.1 gift for Christmas. But Joanne has found headlines that claim the toy was banned, suspected of being a spy, linked to international espionage… there couldn’t be any truth to it… could there?

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