The Profumo Affair: Sex, Spies, and Scandal During the UK's Cold War

Thanks to Keeps for sponsoring this video! Head to keeps.com/biographics to get 50% off your first order of Keeps hair loss treatment.
→ Subscribe for new videos at least twice a week!
kzbin.info...
Love content? Check out Simon's other KZbin Channels:
Geographics: / @geographicstravel
MegaProjects: / @megaprojects9649
SideProjects: / @sideprojects
Casual Criminalist: / @thecasualcriminalist
TopTenz: / toptenznet
Today I Found Out: / todayifoundout
Highlight History: / @highlighthistory
XPLRD: / @xplrd
Business Blaze: / @brainblaze6526
Simon's Social Media:
Twitter: / simonwhistler
Instagram: / simonwhistler
This video is #sponsored by Keeps.
Source/Further reading:
www.nytimes.com/2006/03/10/wo...
www.bbc.com/news/uk-42147156
www.ft.com/content/b4fe1a24-a...
www.bbc.com/news/uk-29213271
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2...
www.thetimes.co.uk/article/pr...
archive.macleans.ca/article/1...
www.historyextra.com/period/2...
www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/...
www.history.com/this-day-in-h...
www.parliament.uk/about/livin....
inews.co.uk/culture/televisio...
www.latimes.com/archives/la-x...
www.vam.ac.uk/articles/the-ma...
www.bbc.com/news/uk-29213271

[@Biographics]

Thanks to Keeps for sponsoring this video! Head to keeps.com/biographics to get 50% off your first order of Keeps hair loss treatment.

[@radekwypadek]

That was a bit excessive ad read in my opinion.

[@ashishraulin]

Please make a Biography of Indian and world's greatest Scientist Nobel Prize Winner DR CV RAMAN.

[@falloutboy1165]

Can u do lord mountbaton please

[@markokot8067]

Hi. I love this show. I agree Lord Mountbatten would be a good one. Can you do Prince William of Gloucester?

[@solosofi2480]

@@radekwypadek p

[@gm2407]

I remember when the newspapers anounced that the elderly Keeler was was working as a school dinner lady to make her money. Within days of the papers making a big deal about it and bring back up the history of the affair the school sacked her. Frankly how any of her notorious past would have effected her ability to work in the school kitchens or influence the next generation is another matter as I doubt school kids even knew who she was.

[@Perc_angle30]

I mean they do that with background checks but it don’t matter she decided to speak to get her clout up for the moment not thinking about her future that’s not the people’s fault for scrapping her due to her past maybe she should’ve kept her mouth shut

[@gm2407]

@@Perc_angle30 Well I'm sure its a lesson she learned. But following your logic instead of learning from the mistake and not making similarly bad decisions again. She would have to double down on the bad decisions due to no longer being alowed to move on. All due to not making the right choices earlier in life. Looking at the events as laid out here we see a person who makes a series of bad decisions in their youth. I thought it was rather petty of the newspaper, as people have to work somewhere and I am damn sure it the story would have been near identical no matter what occupation she had. It strikes me that the story was run to get her fired. But hey the tabloid was the Sun so no surprises there.

[@Perc_angle30]

@@gm2407 maybe but again that’s not their fault we as humans have always flocked controversy as entertainment for example u and I click this video and several other of videos like this to soak in the knowledge being given to us and some if not most of us are genuinely entertained by what we are learning the press most likely wrote this story due to its events and the people involved in it the whole situation sounds like a plot to movie and tbh her decisions were made as an adult sure she was young but she was an adult I’m 20 if I decide to kill someone and ur on that jury Stand u ain’t gonna say “I feel sorrry for this kid”

[@Perc_angle30]

@@gm2407 and I’m not saying it’s she shouldn’t have stopped what she was doing but when u make ur bed u sleep in it…every consequence up until that point needs to be confronted the world never felt sorry for anyone tbh I wish it wasn’t like that but people ain’t the same as u or I there’s people more cruel than the people that denied her that job

[@BarryKennedy]

That is unfortunate and seems unfair, but this event could also be chalked up to suffering the natural consequence of decisions she made in the early 1960's. She engaged in transactional sex, was happy to throw Profumo under the bus when the hint of advantage presented itself (volunteering unnecessary information on the affair at her first contact with police), and seemed focused on trying to gain advantage from the scandal (instead of protect the confidentiality of a vulnerable former partner) - which didn't work out well for her in the long run. I don't think she can honestly paint herself as a victim, she seems more like a bad gambler.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:45 - Chapter 1 - The players 6:10 - Chapter 2 - The affair 9:25 - Chapter 3 - The scandal 13:05 - Chapter 4 - The truth 15:50 - Chapter 5 - The aftermath - Chapter 6 -

[@jeremiahsparrow4442]

Thanks Simon, from a Billy Joel fan in America who now understands the "British Politican Sex" lyric in We Didn't Start the Fire.🔥👍

[@bookapillar]

Always figured it was a scandal like this though, similar to who we would all think of if the line had been American politician sex...Maybe a certain President, his Brother, and a beautiful movie star might have come to mind..

[@Beryllahawk]

Oh good I'm not the only one!

[@nameslesss]

@@bookapillar my mind would’ve gone to bill and Monica 😭

[@kcollier2192]

"Ah, those wacky British politicians- always up to naughty stuff." JFK- allegedly...

[@owenshebbeare2999]

Also FDR, Buchanan, Johnson, JFK, LBJ, Harding, so many more. A list of US prez's not linked to actual scandals (as opposed to mere controversy), is still shorter than the list of prez's who were not. Recent times have seen Iran Contra, Free Willy Billy, Libya and the current fiasco as demonstrable, linked-to-the-man cases. Then again, leaders tend to be susceptible to dodgy behaviour.

[@williamwhitcombe6487]

At least this time the people they were banging were of legal age

[@BarryKennedy]

@@williamwhitcombe6487 Barely.

[@Lord-Hood]

I feel like doing Constantine the Great is a no-brainer for y’all. But it hasn’t even been touched yet. I’m genuinely surprised!

[@sallyintucson]

I think they did that on another one of the channels that Simon hosts.

[@rockytopbritt]

I've been waiting for him as well. They've done a lot of great Roman Emperor videos, but not him yet.

[@vanityofthesaint]

I love your content so much,as an aspiring historian I have come to spend alot of my day listening to you while I do my chores. Though I was wondering how do you come up with topics and people to cover?

[@patricklinehan4747]

After Profumo, You've now got to do the Thorpe Affair Scandal.

[@danielkarmy4893]

Yes! How terrible a reflection on society in those decades it was though - that when an MP had an affair with a woman, his mates tried to brush it under the carpet, but when it was with a man, both of their lives were effectively ruined and the politician tried to allegedly plot the murder of his ex-lover...

[@Madeleine_des_Esseintes]

A video on Lord Byron would be awesome. Most other KZbin videos I've seen on him only care about his affairs but totally ignore the fact that he was a bestselling poet, a freedom fighter for both Italy and Greece, and that he was far from being the brooding, melancholy hero of some of his poems but had a great sense of humour (just read his letters, if you don't believe me), and that he was extremely self-ironic and never took himself (or anyone else) seriously. He's often called the first modern celebrity and, at the same time, he always made fun of all the fuss around him.

[@rjfaber1991]

"Freedom fighter" is a relative term of course, but he certainly was an interesting character.

[@Swagpie890]

I’d also appreciate one on Lord Byron.

[@fidelio9301]

One of the greatest and most overlooked men of all time because of the scandals surrounding him. I also found out he was half Scottish (I grew up there) which I never knew before. Most Brits know nothing about him due to him becoming persona non grata here.

[@Madeleine_des_Esseintes]

@@fidelio9301 Yes, he grew up in Aberdeen and it's said he never fully lost his accent. His mother was part of the Gordon Clan and directly related to the Stuarts. It's pretty sad that he's always reduced to his sex life.

[@fidelio9301]

@@Madeleine_des_Esseintes But his sex life is entertaining Tbf, he’s the ultimate outsider who everybody wishes they were. Britons always exile people who are different because they are usually jealous such as Bryon. I thought it was so cool that he’s half Scottish. Obviously makes me more proud as he’s our alma mater haha.

[@arkady714]

Brilliant, straight forward account of the scandal! Although, to get it all clear, I re-watched it with pen & paper and graphed it all out!

[@thefrecklepuny]

"I did not have sexual relations with THAT woman..."

[@robertlewis1965]

OK BILL !

[@nahtayrome6007]

Omg I'm so here for this video

[@cliffordnewell2445]

Great job Sime.

[@TheEvilCommenter]

Good video 👍

[@fatdaddyeddiejr]

I remember watching the movie "Scandal." And that was about this event. But I don't remember much about it. Time to learn more about it.

[@curiousworld7912]

It's been a while since I've watched it, too, but I recall it as being very good.

[@Ater_Draco]

The Trial of Christime Keeler is worth watching too

[@jamesclendon4811]

I thought "Scandal" was very good--I remember it quite well. John Hurt was excellent as Stephen Ward, as was Bridget Fonda as Mandy Rice-Davies. (Her delivery of the line "Well he would, wouldn't he?" was hilarious.) Joanne Whalley was OK as Christine Keeler, if less memorable. I don't remember who played Profumo--I think he was a lesser character in the film. Christine's boyfriend Johnny was played by, of all people, Roland Gift, lead singer of the Fine Young Cannibals. I thought Hurt deserved an Oscar nomination, at least.

[@stephanieclark8327]

@RA CW There's also a musical, I think it's called Ward? Andrew Lloyd Webber produced it and it focuses more on Stephen Ward's part of the scandal. And it also got heavily mentioned in The Crown season 2 finale with implications that Prince Philip was involved.

[@Michalis2m]

I do too, then a couple of years back (i think) i watched the british tv dramatization of the events, i remember it was detailed and told the story very well, thoroughly enjoyed it!

[@jamesm4903]

Simon your beard is looking something special these days!!!

[@shaunthomas6]

Simon whistle my man! Just banget sfter banger aftet banget vids frim you my bro! Keep up yhr work cuz all love from the hearty dunedin dad

[@benjaminguarnero8152]

I think you should do the US Air Force Pilot Scott O'grady. He was flying a NATO patrol mission and was shot down and had to eject over Bosnia when he was shot down. He had to survive for six days and escape the country for a wet extraction. He wrote a book about it, it's quite interesting.

[@TheProfir]

Yo Simon! You should totally do something on Burebista or Decebalus

[@Thatdumbbrown]

Simon and team. How about a few episodes on mythological characters like Thor, Athena, Venus, Anubis, Jupiter etc?

[@LuminousMindGames]

It might upset people to learn these fictional characters are based on quasi historical figures from Africa and the middle east. Zeus for example was Ethiopian

[@j.3.d335]

Another great and enjoyable video. I'd love to see one on "The Russian werewolf" Mikhail Popkov and videos on Patrick Tate, Tony Tucker and Craig Rolfe

[@loupiscanis9449]

Thank you

[@hoopsnbulls2207]

bit of a slow day today and then bam, another great Bio video drops....Cheers Simon n Crew

[@invincibleluis]

I think it would be interesting if you could do the biographies of Sasaki Kojiro and John Milton, would be interesting. Every video is amazing, cant wait for the next one!

[@rogerevans9666]

The Potato Affair rocked Idaho to its foundations.

[@hungrysoles]

Did you do a video on the Jeremy Thorpe scandal?

[@do-ol2540]

Please do Philippe Pétain or Woodrow Wilson next? Please?

[@altinmares8363]

Please post more videos about -Thales of Miletus -Empedocles -Parmenides -Heraclitus -Democritus -Anaxagoras -Al Kindi -Al Farabi

[@coucamaya]

Hey Simon. What about covering Grace Hopper. She's a BADASS

[@rjfaber1991]

I seem to recall Clarkson referring to this scandal in one of his documentaries, but until now I'd had no idea what it was actually about. Seems pretty mild, all things considered, but then I suppose tabloids do have a habit of blowing things out of proportion.

[@Ater_Draco]

It was a different time. There had been a few spy defections. The Cold War was at its height. Plus, there were unrealistic expectations of UK politician's behaviour, because of the endemic class system. The press at the time hid a lot of scandals because of the Old Boys Network

[@kieranpotter1483]

Plus at the time people strictly abided by moral guidelines presented through theology which the Conservative Party seen as a traditional trusting party upheld. When the scandal came about people who thought they trusted that party were mistaken as they are alike every other person selfish and conduct actions in an improper manner seen back then as immoral as affairs did ruin politicians careers

[@kelerews]

he was a conservative talking about family values and anti communism. I can see how this was incredibly funny at the time

[@Lazbotable]

that would the one about arctic convoys, more specifically the judge who presided over the scandal had been captain of a vessel in the convoy pq17

[@rjfaber1991]

@@Lazbotable Thank you! I've been racking my brain over where it was from...

[@ethanramos4441]

“To my deep regret I have to admit that this is not true, and that I misled you and my colleagues and the house” John Profumo

[@Rakeshgupta-iy7lm]

Hi can you make a video on Desmond T Doss the first conscientious objector to win the medal of honour and which Hacksaw Ridge the movie is based on.

[@robertlewis1965]

For the REAL story of Hacksaw Ridge , read " THE UNLIKELIEST HERO " ( printed 1967 "

[@j.a.weishaupt1748]

Please do one about William of Orange

[@stevedgrossman]

I live down the street from where Mandy's Singing Bamboo restaurant used to be...

[@simonbarr9489]

Entitled torys having affairs, corrupt, entitled, with some questionable accounting practices while having to be called honourable gentlemen? Im just glad nothing like that happens these days.

[@markransom9198]

please do videos on Justinian and Belisarius

[@chewyismycopilot788]

If I had to choose between having a full head of hair or a luscious, manly beard like Simon, I’d go with the beard

[@dontbefatuousjeffrey2494]

Me too. And I'm a woman.

[@styx4947]

That's funny. M15 "informed the cabinet" Isn't the War Secretary a member of said 'Cabinet'. Lol

[@ralfsziemelis9201]

Can you make video about Ryan Tedder please?

[@kingatish4565]

Beautiful

[@alejandrayalanbowman367]

Once the news broke, Christine was more wronged than wrong as various highly placed names (tories, of course) tried to keep their asses out of the mire..

[@revinaque1342]

Wasn't this scandal featured in The Crown?

[@GearheadDaily]

Video starts at @1:18

[@terijones2847]

Glad to see you used an Oxford comma in the title.

[@BarryKennedy]

If only my fellow Americans could wrap their brains around the Oxford comma. When it comes to the proper use of the English language, I think the Brits know what they're about.

[@altinmares8363]

Make videos about Rumi,Al Kindi

[@RJ6837]

Could you do a video on Lord Mountbatten

[@randisallah]

Fun fact; William Aster's manor house where this whole started, is the same place that a certain Megan Markle stayed the day before her wedding to Prince Harry.

[@cajunlinks]

Astor

[@michaelhowell2326]

I just seen that on Walking the UK with Sir Tony.

[@sailinbob11]

Oh my ! Tell us more ! No... actually don't care.

[@Foxxil.]

Meghan

[@michaelhowell2326]

@@Foxxil. I mean no disrespect to you at all but not too many people care how that succubus's name is spelled. She should be happy anyone can remember her name much less spell it.

[@afinoxi]

The title sounds like a light novel title

[@tc-su4gw]

Please do charles martel. Im related to him and want to know more. Thank you

[@navarresiberis3553]

I wonder if Simon's early onset hair loss has something to do with him testing medication when he was younger. Although I don't know when he started taking meds, it may have been after he lost his hair already.

[@centredoorplugsthornton4112]

Why did Mandy Rice Davies get a cameo part in an episode of Absolutely Fabulous and Christine Keeler didn't??

[@Ater_Draco]

She kept to herself

[@jasonmomoa8613]

Plz Simon more roman videos

[@Fourwedge]

needing a little trim there Simone!

[@brianf7100]

How about Griville Wynn the British Spy from the 60’s, I would love to hear his story

[@TheBrainSpecialist]

You should do the Lockheed Martin scandal at some point, lots of political intrigue and a kamekaze attack by a pornstar

[@owenshebbeare2999]

Lockheed has a long and rich history of corruption, whether it was the F-104 or the L-1011, and others.

[@TheBrainSpecialist]

@@owenshebbeare2999 Mhm, welcome to the military industrial complex. Still don't understand why they thought hiring a yakuza don with previous connections to a Japanese nationalist terrorist group was a good idea.

[@Manuel-gu9ls]

This is from Netflix “the crown” 👑

[@DarylReeceJames]

Fantastic video as ever Simon, I have never ever heard of this scandal until now found this story very interesting and I do feel sorry for Stephen Ward obvious scapegoat for the government. Just a suggestion for a upcoming video... I did ask when she was alive however she has now passed away however I do feel her story would make a interesting one... The Life Of Barbara Windsor

[@metalhigh0043]

Who should do a Biographics on Simon Whistler?

[@sandybarnes887]

There's an hour long interview. That's kinda like a Biographics?

[@JFDA5458]

A lot of lives went went down the toilet because of this affair. John Profumo, Mandy-Rice-Davis, Stephen Ward, Harold MacMillan, Christine Keeler.

[@jamesclendon4811]

My memory may be faulty, but didn't Mandy land on her feet and go on to a more-or-less successful life?

[@JFDA5458]

@@jamesclendon4811 Just checked and yes, she does seem to have fallen on her feet after the scandal.

[@MrHeroFamily]

I feel like Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim will be an excellent choice for a video, the one even the most iconic totalitarian figures in the 20th century had to take their hats off to...

[@perstaunstrup3451]

Not sure wether it would fir Biographics or Megaprojects, but a video on the sprawling expanses over the centuries of the various Catholic orders would be interesting; Jesuits, Opus Dei, Teutonic Order, and so on. Many of them have a lot of history and dark sides to dive into (incl. backstabbing, persecution and other brother-on-brother shenanigans).

[@alexduggan68]

Who killed Stephen Ward, available on Amazon, is an interesting book. It questions if Ward's death was really suicide. It also goes into detail about the people and the events of the time which give greater insight to just how closely the establishment and politics was linked.

[@richardnixon1893]

Simon is becoming the next vsauce.

[@York22]

Im surprised you haven't done Walt Whitman yet. I'd love to see a video on him.

[@currentcommentor8745]

"There are two things a gentleman should never do. Send a letter to his mistress, the other is joining the Clarendon club." -Duke of Wellington

[@edwardjarrold2769]

Do a bio on the Chinese explorer Zheng He

[@daviddivad777]

could you do one on Anton Szandor LaVey?

[@altinmares8363]

Make one video about Xenophanes

[@CRAIG5835]

Aloysius is said... Allo-wish-us, you munter Simon. I still 'Liked' it though.

[@larkmacgregor3143]

I think he mispronounces things purposefully, just to keep his watchers alert for them 😂.

[@martynridley3671]

It was Parker's first name, too (Thunderbirds)!!

[@owenshebbeare2999]

Yeah well, given American mispronunciations of names, take one for the team.

[@amandajones6481]

Thank you Simon for another brilliant video. I always felt sorry for Stephen Ward because he was made the scapegoat for much of the scandal when, in reality, people like Profumo and Lord Astor were just as much to blame, if not more. After Ward committed suicide, the satirical magazine Private Eye showed a photograph of Ward's coffin being lowered into the ground with the caption: "Somebody For God's Sake Say Something." And they were right, it was all so hypocritical. Mandy Rice - Davies was absolutely right when she said about Lord Astor: "Well, he would, wouldn't he?" Good for her!

[@michaelgreen1515]

I have had contact with the Tonybee charity and their work with the disadvantaged; poor; and health issues. I had no idea John Profumo was connected to them!!!

[@A-Crowe]

A fun one to do could be The Wizard. A funny character from New Zealand. And yes, that is his actual, legal name…

[@keithprice4711]

Is that the dude who was the city wizard in like Auckland?

[@Turtytreeandaturd]

How about Boris Johnson, the Russian Dancer and the Super Injunction?

[@michaelhowell2326]

Can someone be an MP and active duty military at the same time in the UK?

[@RickOShay4u]

If I wasn't washing my hands at the time it started I would have signed off immediately, preshow commercials SUCK!

[@sjshar1510]

Brave of Simon to promote hair growth product 😹

[@jessicajujubean5004]

At the end it says his death date was March 9nd lol

[@justcallmedevil267]

Interesting Person for a brand deal, to keep your hair

[@FrozenDung]

You must work with British Scandal at Wondery because you both release the same things at the same time

[@me0101001000]

Imagining Simon with a full head of hair feels completely uncanny

[@danielseelye6005]

He needs a Bob Ross 'fro. With his beard... Glorious! 👌

[@me0101001000]

@@danielseelye6005 idk man, imagining our boy with hair makes me a little uncomfortable. Like a glitch in the matrix. It just doesn't feel right.

[@yehkasee365]

Your talking speed should be somewhere between the playback speed of .75 and Normal.

[@kazukiJume]

Guy in the thumbnail looks like sheldon lol

[@kennethMblake]

19:41 The graphic says “March 9nd…” , shouldn’t have said “March 9th”?

[@Mustangguy9702]

Right there with ya Simon. Started loosing mine at 24-25 hahaha 5yrs later and it's not worth saving hahaha

[@Rhoxmaster316]

I appreciate the number of times you cut to the Morley photograph...you know... for historical reasons.

[@himanshusingh4872]

Please make a video on Wolfgang Mozart...

[@davidbrennan660]

Afterwards he lived real quietly.

[@ashproof]

Simon made me Google a word. However you spell... temp-in-ú-ous?

[@sandybarnes887]

Tempestuous?

[@robertsollory7475]

Crikey, this is complicated.

[@jamestnov41945]

I remember this very well. I was personally enamored with Mandy Rice Davies. A truly beautiful young woman. Thank you Simon.

[@extragoogleaccount6061]

Her eyes were stunning!

[@frankieseward8667]

Ah yes, the scandal that ruined Harold MacMillan. Poor guy.

[@alejandrayalanbowman367]

The man was incompetent, same as Eden

[@charlotte-mg9wj]

"women this time, thank God,not boys"....wait, what?

[@Ater_Draco]

The biggest political scandal prior to the Profumo affair had been MPs attending parties with young male sex workers, and one of the Kray twins

[@commie3393]

Please Ataturk video for the love of god

[@_ExtraMedium]

Hello 😁

[@markcartlidge6701]

Baldy. Love you.

[@Doones51]

i think Simon needs to slow his speech a bit, and sometimes his voice drops so low i can't understand what he is saying. After all, enunciation is the name of the game in narrating, isn't it?

[@GirlDickGang]

You know what really works to keep your hair from fallin out? Estradiol.

[@deniseroe5891]

Thanks, have heard of this but didn't n know much, other than JFK was unusually interested in. Guess we know why.

[@MRVISTA-wz7vj]

A lot of names n titles to follow.

[@Gos1234567]

What about the rumours that Keeler was big into DP?