The North Pole Scandal

In the autumn of 1909, the American explorer Frederick Cook arrived in Copenhagen, claiming to have become the first person to reach the North Pole. His dramatic return had been eagerly anticipated, but one young journalist was skeptical. Philip Gibbs contested Cook's version of events, calling him a fraud and starting a public relations war that captured the attention of the Western world.So was Cook a charlatan, bent on fame and fortune? Or was Gibbs merely trying to stir up scandal and intrigue? Dan is joined by Richard Evans, author of The Explorer and the Journalist, to find out which of the two emerged from this scandal with their reputation intact.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at [email protected] can take part in our listener survey here.