About the Old Fox

Who is the Old Fox?

The Old Fox is a storyteller with a long memory and a sharp nose for a con. He's seen a few things: the advertising men who decided what a ring should cost, the gangs who drilled into vaults, the builders of the pyramids. He tells true stories, short and straight, and always ends the same way: keep your nose to the wind.

How the episodes are made

We're honest about this: the Old Fox is a character. His pictures are illustrated with AI image tools, and his voice is made with an AI voice tool. There is no real fox (sadly).

The stories are a different matter. Every script starts with research. Each claim is checked against sources such as court records, museum and library collections, encyclopaedias, academic papers and reputable journalism, and the script is written to say only what those sources support. Where sources disagree, the fox hedges ("about", "the story goes") or leaves the claim out. You can see the main sources for every episode under Sources on its page.

Penny Tips are general information, not financial advice. Rules change and everyone's situation is different, so check your own before you act; each tip lists the official and consumer guidance it is based on.

Corrections welcome

If we've got something wrong, we want to know. Leave a comment on the video on YouTube or TikTok, ideally with a source, or email fox@theoldfoxtalks.com. We'll check it and put it right.

Get in touch

Story ideas, corrections, press and collaborations: fox@theoldfoxtalks.com. We read everything, though the fox types slowly.

The four series

• Who's Tricking You?

  The marketing tricks and consumer history behind what you buy, from diamond rings to Black Friday. The Old Fox asks who's really selling you the story.

• The Old Fox's Library

  Pull up a chair: quick, fact-checked history from the Old Fox's bookshelf, from the pyramids to the Great Fire of London.

• The Old Fox: Case Files

  Heists, cons and famous thefts, told by an old fox who's seen them all. Case closed.

• The Old Fox's Penny Tips

  Money-saving tips you can use today: refunds, bills, travel and the rules that put money back in your pocket.

Follow along

New Shorts most evenings, UK time.