The Defuse Podcast: Where Experts Defuse Real Threats
When the threats are real and the stakes are high — what actually works?
Right now, as you're reading this, someone's watching your family, your business rivals are digging through your digital history, and a disgruntled employee knows exactly where your vulnerabilities are. While you're focused on your day job, they're building a plan.
This podcast exists because ignoring threats doesn't make them disappear.
I'm Philip Grindell — former Scotland Yard detective, behavioural threat specialist, and author of Personal Threat Management. After Jo Cox MP was murdered, I was tasked with creating Parliament's specialist threat assessment team. I've spent 35 years stopping people who wanted to hurt prominent individuals, from MPs to royalty to the ultra-wealthy.
What You'll Get From Listening
You'll recognise the warning signs everyone else misses. That "helpful" new employee asking odd questions. The photographer at three different family events. The online critic whose interest feels too personal.
You'll understand how dangerous people operate. The people planning to harm you treat you like a research project — cataloguing your habits, weaknesses, and blind spots whilst you're oblivious.
You'll know what to do when a crisis hits. Not theory — actual steps. How to control the narrative when your reputation's under attack. When to stay silent and when silence destroys you.
You'll discover what's already out there about you. Right now, strangers can map your life using tools you've never heard of.
What You'll Hear
Straight-talking conversations with ex-FBI agents who've tracked serial killers, digital investigators who can find anyone online, crisis managers who've saved billion-pound reputations, and psychologists who understand exactly how fixated individuals think.
Topics include stalking, fixated individuals, insider threats, protective intelligence, reputation management, OSINT, digital vulnerability, and crisis leadership.
These aren't interviews — they're operational briefings. Real cases, real tactics, real consequences.
Who This Is For
You must understand modern threats if you're responsible for protecting someone important (yourself, your family, or your boss). Physical violence is just one possibility. Reputation assassination, digital stalking, insider betrayal — these happen far more often and can be just as devastating.
If you're prominent enough to be a target, you already are one. The question isn't whether someone's paying attention to you — it's whether you're paying attention to them.
What Makes This Different
No corporate nonsense. I've watched too many good people get hurt because they received sanitised advice from people who'd never faced real threats. You'll get the truth, even when it's uncomfortable.
Experience that matters. I've identified planned terrorist attacks, managed stalking cases involving royalty, and helped ultra-wealthy families navigate threats they never considered. Every recommendation comes from cases where lives and reputations were on the line.
Stories that stick. Theory doesn't save lives — understanding does. Every episode includes real cases that show you what threats look like before they turn dangerous.
Because the people planning to hurt you aren't taking the day off.
Subscribe now and learn how to manage threats before they become crises.
The Defuse Podcast: Where Experts Defuse Real Threats
Crisis Communication with Giles Kenningham MBE
Giles Kenningham is an expert in crisis communication. A former journalist who honed his skills at the sharp end of politics as the strategic advisor to Prime Minister David Cameron shares his thoughts on the relevant issues. In this podcast, we look back at his time in politics, and the Covid pandemic. We then discuss how his consultancy, Trafalgar Strategy, advises their clients, understanding the traps and opportunities, guiding them away from a crisis or helping them avoid one in the first place.
Some of the key questions Giles answers include.
What do you do in a crisis?
How do you respond?
Can you get ahead of the game and pre-empt a crisis?
What impact does Social Media have and how do you use it for positive effect?
How do you manage fake news?
Giles Kenningham MBE is a former Head of Press at Number 10 Downing Street and spokesman to the Prime Minister. He was the Director of Communications for the Conservative Party’s general election win in 2015 leading a team of 40 people. Prior to this he was a special adviser/ press secretary to the Secretary of State for Communities, Local Government and Housing.
He started his career as a journalist in national radio reporting on business and consumer issues for a variety of stations including Classic and Magic FM. He is a former ITV News producer having worked for 3 years on their three main flagship programmes.
Few people entering the sector have his level of experience and insight of dealing with every crisis imaginable. From political scandals to sex scandals, to privacy issues, he has dealt day in day out for 6 years with the issues that have led the TV news bulletins and dominated the newspaper front pages.
Giles regularly appears as a political and media commentator on BBC, Sky & CNN. He also writes for various national publications including the Times and Spectator.
Contact Information: gkenningham@trafalgar-strategy.co.uk
https://www.trafalgar-strategy.co.uk/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/giles-kenningham-mbe-96515a2/
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