Pig Iron
By Tortoise Media
Christopher Allen was trying to make it as a war reporter when, aged just 26, he was shot and killed on the frontline in South Sudan. But as news of his death began to spread, suspicion grew. Some claimed he was really there as a mercenary, a fighter. Others said he was a reckless freelancer, in over his head. And there was another question: was he killed on purpose, or was this another accident of war? From Tortoise and the team behind Sweet Bobby, Pig Iron is a dark adventure in war and journalism – and into what really happened to Christopher Allen.
Launching Tuesday 18th October, with episodes dropping weekly. Follow the feed to be the first to find out.
Tortoise members and Tortoise+ subscribers on Apple Podcasts can now exclusively listen to the entire series, ad-free. Just subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts or join Tortoise as a member, where you will also get to more of our investigations, as well as invites to exclusive events. Go to tortoisemedia.com/pigiron and enter the code Basia50 for half price membership.
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Latest episode
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Episode seven: Out there
After one last crucial interview, the team return to Maine and Chris's parents. -
Episode six: The rope
Basia tracks down the fighter on Chris's emergency contact sheet. -
Episode five: Kaya
The team travels to Nairobi to finally meet the mysterious essay writer. -
Episode four: The kaleidoscope
Was Christopher Allen killed on purpose? The team investigates. -
Episode three: The lonely impulse
Basia traces Chris's career as a young freelancer. By now, it's clear his death is tied to his life as a reporter. But who was he trying to be? Just how close was he to a group of fighters? And after years in Ukraine, how did he end up in a remote… -
Spring break
At just 22 years old, Chris travels to Ukraine for his spring break, keen to see war up close. For the first time, he experiences the thrill and horror of the frontline. He's hooked. Five years later, Basia, along with Chris's cousin, Jeremy, visi… -
White rebel
Five years after his death on a distant frontline in South Sudan, the truth about what happened to Christopher Allen is still a mystery. Was he a reckless freelancer? A mercenary? Or a young and ambitious reporter, caught in the crossfire? Approac… -
Introducing: Pig Iron
A story about the mysterious death – and life – of a young war reporter on the frontline