Merrick Watts hosts new True Crime podcast, Police Tape

Merrick Watts has spoken to top police and uncovered insights about some of the Australia’s biggest crimes in a new podcast series.

Merrick Watts hosts the new true crime podcast, Police Tape. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts

Comedian, radio and television personality Merrick Watts is turning his hand to podcasting as the host of a new true crime podcast series, Police Tape, which kicks-off on Friday.

Watts, who departed radio station Triple M’s drive show at the end of 2017, has spoken to some of the nation’s top police officers about their most memorable moments and in the process uncovered “new insights about some of the biggest crimes” in Australia’s history.

Police Tape has been produced by News Corp and Nova Entertainment under the True Crime Australia banner, and follows the huge success of The Australian newspaper’s record breaking true crime podcast series, The Teacher’s Pet.

The Teacher’s Pet looked into the disappearance of Sydney mother Lyn Dawson in 1982 and has been downloaded 45 million times worldwide.

Watts has worked with Mark Morri, crime editor for The Daily Telegraph, and Charles Miranda, crime author and True Crime Australia editor, on the new podcast.

Watts said he was “spellbound” by the stories in Police Tape.

“Like so many other people, I find these stories and people fascinating,” he said.

Listeners will hear from the men and women who have rarely spoken openly about their

involvement in some of Australia’s highest profile cases, said Morri, who has covered crime for four decades.

“Their blow-by-blow descriptions of the moments that matter will be something you’ll never forget,” he said.

In a joint statement, News and Nova said a new episode of Police Tape will be released each week, supported by editorial coverage across print, online, social media and radio.

The new podcast series is one of 20 new podcasts to be produced by News Corp Australia’s new podcasting arm NewsCast, which was announced at its annual advertising showcase, Come Together, last week.

News Corp publishes The Australian, and Nova is owned by Illyria, Lachlan Murdoch’s privately owned investment vehicle. Mr Murdoch is also co-chairman of News Corp.