Amateur Detectives Vie for £10,000 Prize Solving Antarctic Murder Mystery

LONDON, UK. 1st May, 2024 - In an industry first, amateur detectives are invited to embark on an immersive journey into the heart of Antarctica's Winter Over with the Cold Tapes Podcast, where they have the chance to crack a murder case for a shot at a £10,000 grand prize.

In the treacherous depths of Antarctica's Winter Over, where darkness reigns and isolation consumes, a remote research base becomes the stage for a chilling mystery. Amidst the scientific fervour, unresolved tensions, and whispered conspiracies, a 33-year-old scientist's enigmatic death sets the stage for Cold Tapes, a groundbreaking podcast experience. 

Aspiring sleuths can brave the Antarctic chill, and piece together clues from the audio recordings discovered from Bowers Wilson. With £10,000 on the line, every listener becomes a detective, navigating a web of secrets and lies to unmask the truth behind Andrew Fairfield's untimely death

Gemma Batterby of Free Turn said "Cold Tapes is more than just a passport to excitement, it's also the chance to be rewarded for your investigative abilities. With over 20 hours of immersive audio content, Cold Tapes offers mystery enthusiasts and competitive sleuths alike a tough, compelling and entertaining experience. After listening and interrogating the alibis, motives and opportunities of each of the crew on the base listeners can then head to www.coldtapes.com where they can confront the difficult decision of selecting their prime suspect from a lineup of sixteen for a chance to win £10,000 grand prize, but make no mistake solving the crime is difficult and will require genuine detective ability"

Jon Hamm, CEO of Free Turn “As a child I was obsessed by Kit Williams and his book “Masquerade” and have wanted to do something similar ever since…it became clear that the way that audio can grab your imagination was perfect for this concept and that’s how Cold Tapes was born”

Hamm continued “Kit Williams is quoted as saying that when he was a child treasure hunts had bad puzzles and treasure that wasn’t worth finding. Which is why he created a real treasure, of gold, buried it in the ground and then painted real puzzles to lead people to it. Inspired by Williams' pursuit of genuine treasure, we debated crafting a golden object like a golden magnifying glass, but with the realities of life for many people we decided that £10,000 cash was the ultimate prize people wanted. We did however want to honour the challenge of unravelling the mystery, hence our partnership with Crime Con for the prestigious Super Sleuth of the Year Award—a prize that definitely promises undeniable bragging rights."

With over 20 hours of immersive audio made up of secret recordings, police interviews and intimate diaries, Cold Tapes offers a deep and immersive experience for mystery enthusiasts and competitive sleuths.

Teaming up with Spotify for distribution, Free Turn Entertainment is attempting to revolutionise the audio entertainment landscape with this groundbreaking new format and challenging listeners to become detectives as they unravel the sinister secrets of the Antarctic.

Speaking on the collaboration, Spotify’s UK Head of Partnerships, Jon Monsour says: "Opportunities to work on truly innovative, fresh, new ideas come around very rarely which is why working with Free Turn on their new audio project COLD TAPES was an absolute no brainer. Their ambition to create new, ground-breaking formats matches with our approach to taking a different path and I can't wait to see the results.”

Sian Williams, a Producer at Free Turn and the show’s Director says: “For anyone who loves nothing more than a new binge-able true-crime podcast, and simultaneously fancies their chance at solving a complex and intriguing crime, COLD TAPES is for them. We’ve brought the authenticity of a real life police investigation together with the unique experience and soundscape of an Antarctic research base to create something immersive and totally addictive.”

  

Gemma Batterby, COO and Founder of Free Turn adds: "COLD TAPES delivers an experience that will have you glued to your earbuds. This is more than a podcast; it's a cerebral challenge and an intricate puzzle, an opportunity for listeners to showcase their analytical prowess and potentially emerge as the sharpest amateur detective, claiming both bragging rights and a substantial cash prize. We set out to create the audio equivalent of the Blair Witch project and hopefully we’ve managed to do that."

In the making of the series, Free Turn has collaborated with a number of professionals to develop the script and storyline, including police officers, polar adventurers, and researchers to ensure an authentic experience with meticulous attention to detail regarding life in Antarctica and police investigative procedures. 

Cold Tapes is now available for free on major audio platforms including Spotify, Apple, Amazon and Audible, with new weekly files released to captivate audiences worldwide.