The Story of Ronnie Biggs: 6. The White Cliffs of Dover

About this episode

The episode explores the life and choices of Ronnie Biggs, a fugitive from the Great Train Robbery, as he contemplates surrendering to the UK justice system.

The Great Train Robber fugitive faces a stark choice: depression, debt and death in Rio ... or surrender to the UK justice system. Twenty-five years ago, Britain Most Wanted septuagenarian ceremoniously flew home on a private jet chartered by The Sun newspaper, after 35 years on the run. Some celebrated him as a hero, others demanded he live the rest of his days in Belmarsh Prison. As the series comes to a close, actor Daniel Mays reflects on how and why Britain built-up the Ronnie Biggs myth. Credits: Presenter - Daniel Mays Producers - Phoebe McIndoe & Jude Shapiro Executive Producer - Jack Howson Associate Exec - Chris Pickard Mix Engineering - Will Fitzpatrick Commissioning Producer - Sam Proffitt Commissioning Executive - Louise Kattenhorn Commissioning Editor - Richard Maddock Contributors include: Ursula and Chris Crocker, ex-housemates of Biggs Professor Dick Hobbs, criminologist Colin MacKenzie, crime reporter for the Daily Express Professor Ruth Penfold-Mounce, celebrity crime expert Chris Pickard, ghostwriter for Biggs Nick Reynolds, sculptor and son of the Great Train Robbery gang leader Jim Shreim, documentarian and neighbour of Biggs Noel ‘Razor’ Smith, writer…

People in this episode

Host: Daniel Mays

Topics covered

• Great Train Robbery
• Ronnie Biggs
• UK justice system
• fugitive
• myth-making
• crime
• depression

Keywords

• Great Train Robbery
• Ronnie Biggs
• fugitive
• UK justice
• depression
• crime
• myth
• Daniel Mays

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Sun, BBC Radio 5 Live, A Peanut & Crumb production

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