The BBC 5 Live podcast, Gangster, returns with the story of the unsolved murder of the ‘North East’s hardest doorman’ 30 years on
May 20, 2024 – “In this series I’ve delved into the notorious life and brutal death of Viv Graham. I wanted to know how a charming young boy from a village in the sticks grew to become one of the most feared enforcers in the country – ruling over Tyneside’s nightlife with an iron fist.” — Livvy Haydock
The BBC 5 Live podcast series Gangster returns with a new series which tells the dramatic story of the rise and fall of an enforcer who ran a protection empire which dominated Tyneside’s pubs and clubs.
Presented by investigative journalist Livvy Haydock, the first two episodes of the six-part series titled Gangster: The Story of Viv Graham will be available to hear on BBC Sounds on 24 May.
This new series takes listeners on a journey across the North-East’s criminal underworld of violence, drugs and ultimately, murder.
This is the story of Viv Graham – a 17-stone man with a fearsome reputation to match his imposing physique. He controlled the doors of Newcastle’s pubs and clubs with terrifying violence. The dad of four was shot dead on New Years Eve of 1993, after leaving a pub in the Tyneside town of Wallsend. No one has ever been brought to justice for the murder and the killing remains one of the North East’s most notorious unsolved crimes.
Produced by the team that created Gangster: The Story of John Palmer, the most popular true crime podcast on BBC Sounds in 2023, and Gangster: The Story of the Burger Bar Boys. Livvy Haydock guides listeners through Viv Graham’s life, from a sleepy village in the country, to the boxing ring and beyond. She talks to his family, friends and former associates, to build a picture of a man who was feared and revered in equal measure.
He had a number of enemies, but also friends in high places including former footballer Paul Gascoigne who was left devastated from his murder.
Episodes one and two of Gangster: The story of Viv Graham are available to hear on BBC Sounds from Friday 24 May, with two episodes releasing weekly.
Source
BBC 5 Live
