“There’s something addictive about uncovering the world as it really is.” The allegations begin. When James Le Mesurier fell to his death in Turkey in 2019 he left behind a tangle of truths and lies. Mayday tells the extraordinary real story of the man who organised the White Helmets – rescuers who film themselves pulling survivors from bombed out buildings in rebel-held areas of Syria – and investigates claims that, far from being heroes, they are part of a very elaborate hoax. James Le Mesurier – his detractors say – was a British secret agent, pulling the strings. So when his body was found by worshippers on their way to morning prayers, there were a lot questions. Produced, written and presented by: Chloe Hadjimatheou Editor: Emma Rippon Researcher: Tom Wright Mixed by: Neil Churchill Arabic translation and additional research: Vanessa Bowles, Abdul Kader Habak Turkish researcher: Nevin Sungur Narrative Consultant: John Yorke Original music: Nick Mundy and Bu Kolthoum Production Coordinator - Gemma Ashman REFERENCES “MARK DEVLIN WITH NICK KOLLERSTROM ON THE PAUL McCARTNEY REPLACEMENT, LONDON, FEBRUARY 2019” - Mark Devlin YouTube channel, 5 April 2019, video of a lecture hosted by “Keep Talking,” filmed and edited by Alan Bariffi “KEEP TALKING - Vanessa Beeley on The White Helmets & the billionaires funding Regime Change” - Ian Fantom YouTube channel, 17 Jul 2019 “Is Le Mesurier an Epstein?” - Fault Lines, Sputnik International, 12 November 2019 “Child Rescued From Airstrike Rubble in Aleppo” - Wall Street Journal, footage originally from Aleppo Media Center, 18 Aug 2016 Kate Baldwin CNN News Report about Omran - CNN, 18 August 2016 “تلبيسة 10-10-2016 طفلة مصابة تنادي والدها” (“An injured child calls out to her father”) “talbisa h” YouTube channel “Bashar al-Assad speaks to Swiss television” from “swissinfo.ch” – film of an interview with Swiss public television, SRF, In an interview with Swiss public television, SRF, aired 20 Oct 2016 “Is Le Mesurier an Epstein?” - Fault Lines, Sputnik International, 12 November 2019 “Operation Pillar of Defense Day 7; Gaza press building under an Israeli air strike” – Reuters – published on Haaretz הארץ YouTube channel, 20 Nov 2012 The Wall Will Fall – Vanessa Beeley’s blog “Palestine : Conference Laurent Louis Dieudonne Marion Sigaut Jacob Cohen Samir Belgium United” - Belgium United YouTube Channel - audio and video editing: Samir Prod Y2J for: Belgium United and MetaTv Belgium “US Peace Council on Syria (Arab/Eng) مجلس السلام الأمريكي على سوريا Ft Vanessa Beeley on Syrian TV” - ICIT Digital Library “White Helmets' black record: 'Real Syrian civil defence groups describe them as terrorists'” – RT “White Helmets' bizarre ‘mannequin challenge’ in Syrian warzone” – RT “'WTF White Helmets': Bizarre ‘mannequin challenge’ in Syrian warzone (VIDEO)” - RT “UK in Syria- Creating A Dystopian Shadow State Ft Vanessa Beeley on British Constitution Group” - ICIT Digital Library “Bashar al-Assad speaks to Swiss television” from “swissinfo.ch” – film of an interview with Swiss public television, SRF, In an interview with Swiss public television, SRF, aired 20 Oct 2016 BBC Monitoring copy of HTS video