Donald Trump is facing an unexpected fallout as one of his most loyal supporters has resigned from Congress and turned against him. With divisions widening after the attack on Venezuela, is there a split in the broader MAGA movement? Reporter: Stephen Armstrong Producers: Madeleine Parr and Jonathan Lewis Artwork: Lucy Stevenson Editor: Matt Russell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jan 06, 2026•45 min•Season 1Ep. 372
One of the stories in 2025 that seemed to capture the British public's attention was the trial for the men accused of cutting down the iconic Sycamore Gap tree. In this audio essay, Andrew Hankinson explores who those men are...and what might have motivated them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 30, 2025•30 min•Season 1Ep. 371
Like many public institutions across the UK, the Guildhall school of music has had to reckon with a past where abuse by staff was either ignored or dismissed. So when a second former student came forward to tell The Observer's Vanessa Thorpe their story, this time from the 1990s, how would the institution respond? Reporter: Vanessa Thorpe Producer: Ada Barumé Artwork: Lola Williams Editor: Jasper Corbett Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 23, 2025•31 min•Season 1Ep. 370
David Walliams has been dropped by his publisher over alleged ‘inappropriate’ behaviour. A spokesperson for Walliams said that the author had never been informed of any allegations raised against him nor was he given the opportunity to respond to questions about them. He strongly denies that he has behaved inappropriately. Walliams came to prominence starring alongside Matt Lucas in the TV series Little Britain which ran from 2003 - 2006. Critics though accused the comedy show of trading in ster...
Dec 22, 2025•43 min•Season 1Ep. 369
In October reporter Hilary Andersson was selected to witness an execution by lethal injection in Oklahoma. Her assignment led her to the case of Tremane Wood, who had spent more than two decades on death row. This is the story of what happens to a man as he waits to die. Reporter: Hilary Andersson Producer: Jonathan Lewis Artwork: Lola Williams Sound Design: Dominic Delargy Editor: Jasper Corbett Subscribe to The Observer today and get access to: Our podcasts before anyone else A daily edition, ...
Dec 18, 2025•33 min•Season 1Ep. 368
In October reporter Hilary Andersson was selected to witness an execution by lethal injection in Oklahoma. Her assignment led her to the case of Tremane Wood, who had spent more than two decades on death row. This is the story of what happens to a man as he waits to die. Reporter: Hilary Andersson Producer: Jonathan Lewis Artwork: Lola Williams Sound Design: Dominic Delargy Editor: Jasper Corbett Subscribe to The Observer today: https://observer.co.uk/subscribe And get access to: Our podcasts be...
Dec 16, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 367
Gianni Infantino is the most powerful man in world football but in the run up to the 2026 men's World Cup, his relationship with US president Donald Trump has grown very friendly. It's led to questions whether Infantino still has football's best interests at heart. Reporter: Rory Smith Producer: Ada Barumé Artwork: Lola Williams Sound Design: Dominic Delargy Editor: Jasper Corbett Subscribe to The Observer today and get access to: Our podcasts before anyone else A daily edition, curated by our e...
Dec 09, 2025•33 min•Season 1Ep. 366
The chancellor’s budget was supposed to be a gamechanger, but turned out to be an exercise in political survival. This is the story of how Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves took on a radical budget. Reporter: Rachel Sylvester Producers: Jonathan Lewis and Matt Russell Sound design: Dominic Delargy Artwork: Lola Williams Editor: Jasper Corbett To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content head to our website observer.co.uk Downl...
Dec 02, 2025•24 min•Season 1Ep. 365
When Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana announced a new political party this summer, it had all the ingredients to be a big success. But a summer of disarray has seen them overtaken by a rival on the left. What happened? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 25, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 364
Three years ago, travel writer Lydia Gard discovered freediving. An extreme and beautiful sport defined by one objective: to dive as deep as you can on one single breath. It soon became a calling. Then, she stumbled on a darker side of the sport. Rumours that a group of top divers were doping to go deeper. So she decided to investigate. Reporter - Lydia Gard Producer - Gary Marshall. Music supervision and sound design - Karla Patella Sound design - Rowan Bishop Podcast artwork - Lola Williams Fa...
Nov 18, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 363
With Prince Harry in effective exile and Andrew disgraced, the Royal family is smaller than ever before and at a potential crisis point. Prince William has already signalled his intention to be a different kind of monarch to King Charles. But can the monarchy survive, and what is its purpose? Reporter: Rachel Sylvester Producer: Madeleine Parr Artwork: Blythe Walker Sibthorp Sound design: Dominic Delargy Editor: Jasper Corbett To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on App...
Nov 11, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 362
Over the summer, Epping, a small town on the outskirts of London became the scene of mass protests. featuring hundreds of people. Noisy and occasionally violent, the demonstrations attracted crowds from around the country and plenty of media attention. But what really happened in Epping and what does it tell us about where the right in Britain is heading? To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content head to our website obse...
Nov 04, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 361
Just outside Gaza is a small settlement of Israelis hoping to enter and settle inside Gaza. They may be a fringe movement, but their voice holds a powerful sway within Israel's cabinet. Could they influence the terms of a future peace plan for Gaza? Reporter: Oliver Marsden Producer: Poppy Bullard and Matt Russell Artwork: Lola Williams Sound design: Dominic Delargy Editor: Jasper Corbett To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-fre...
Oct 28, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 360
The French President and the First Lady of France are taking American right wing commentator Candace Owens to court in Delaware over bizarre claims the First Lady is transgender and the President is part of a CIA-backed mind-control programme, among many other conspiracy theories. But how much are the French President and the First Lady risking in doing so? Reporter: Stephen Armstrong Producer: Ada Barumé Artwork: Lola Williams Sound design: Dominic Delargy Executive Producer: Matt Russell Edito...
Oct 21, 2025•44 min•Season 1Ep. 359
Donald Trump has launched four lawsuits against major media organisations for up to $15 billion over the past year. This is the story of Trump's war on the media and the people driving it. Reporter: Giles Whittell Producer: Jonathan Lewis Artwork: Lola Williams Sound design: Dominic Delargy Editor: Matt Russell To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content head to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a ...
Oct 14, 2025•35 min•Season 1Ep. 358
Since May, almost 900 Palestinians are reported to have been killed in the vicinity of aid checkpoints. So what exactly has happened at these aid sites? Reporter: Ruth Michaelson Producer: Madeleine Parr Artwork: Jon Jones & Lola Williams Sound design: Dominic Delargy Editors: Jasper Corbett & Matt Russell Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 06, 2025•39 min•Season 1Ep. 357
Unite was once the biggest trade union in Britain, and the largest funder of the Labour Party. In the past its reputation has come under scrutiny. Four years after its first female leader was elected on a promise of restoring trust… it remains mired by in-fighting. In our podcast called “An uncivil war inside Unite”, which was released on 30 September 2025, we failed to convey Unite’s position that it is in good financial health and that the submission of its accounts has been delayed by a re-au...
Sep 30, 2025•32 min•Season 1Ep. 356
The week in culture, annotated. Writer and journalist Liv Little and Observer critic Miranda Sawyer get notes from editors all the time - now it’s their turn to hand them out. Every Wednesday morning, Liv and Miranda weigh in on the latest cultural happenings, from reality TV meltdowns and art house films, to gallery openings and TikTok trends. Smart, funny, and full of sharp observations. We Have Notes is culture with commentary. To listen to We Have Notes click HERE Let’s chat! Send us your vo...
Sep 25, 2025•5 min•Season 1Ep. 355
Insiders tell the story of how the US Health Secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, has hollowed out the Center for Disease Control putting the whole world at risk in the event of another pandemic. Reporter: Stephen Armstrong Producer: Ada Barumé Sound design: Dominic Delargy Art work: Lola Williams Editor: Jasper Corbett To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content head to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – fo...
Sep 23, 2025•41 min•Season 1Ep. 354
What happens when you get new blood and new DNA from a complete stranger? This is the story of a woman whose own features began to change following a stem cell transplant. Reporter: Eva Wiseman Producer: Matt Russell Sound design: Dominic Delargy Artwork: Lola Williams Editor: Jasper Corbett Commissioning editor: Matt Russell To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content head to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoi...
Sep 16, 2025•41 min•Season 1Ep. 353
A city in Honduras is home to a start-up selling experimental gene therapies for $25,000 a dose. Now, those radical ideas are reaching the United States. What happens when biohacking leaves libertarian fringes… and reaches Capitol Hill? Reporter: Patricia Clarke Producer: Madeleine Parr Sound design: Dominic Delargy Artwork: Lola Williams Executive Producer: Matt Russell Editor: Jasper Corbett Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 09, 2025•42 min•Season 1Ep. 352
Before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine Anna Netrebko was the biggest opera star in a generation. Since the war, due to past support for Vladimir Putin, she has effectively been boycotted by theatres around the world. Except, this autumn, she’ll be headlining the Royal Opera House’s new season. Reporters: Vanessa Thorpe, Nina Kuryata and Lauren Crosby Medlicott Producer: Jonathan Lewis Artwork: Lola Williams Sound design: Dominic Delargy Editor: Matt Russell To find out more about The Observer: Subs...
Sep 02, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 351
For nearly a decade beekeepers around the world have been saying that there’s something very wrong with the honey industry. Prices are down, and so is production, but there’s more honey being sold than ever before. So what exactly is in that jar in your kitchen cupboard? An investigation by The Observer reveals a global honey fraud that begins in China and ends with allegations of adulterated jars on UK supermarkets shelves Reporter: Jon Ungoed-Thomas Producer: Ada Barumé Artwork: Lola Williams ...
Aug 26, 2025•36 min•Season 1Ep. 350
The number of teenage boys killed on our streets has more than doubled in a decade. This is the story of a mother trying to stop it, while dealing with grief and anger for her son. Reporter: Francisco Garcia Producer: Matt Russell Artwork: Blythe Walker Sibthorp Editor: Jasper Corbett To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content head to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curate...
Aug 19, 2025•40 min•Season 1Ep. 349
HS2 should have been a symbol of engineering excellence. Instead half of it has been scrapped and it's still running £50 billion over budget. This is the story of how Britain’s largest infrastructure project became its biggest scandal. Reporter: Stephen Armstrong Producer: Jonathan Lewis Artwork: Lola Williams Sound design: Dominic Delargy Editor: Jasper Corbett This episode is sponsored by The Life of Chuck. Join us across the UK for a preview screening on Wednesday 13 August, before it hits ci...
Aug 12, 2025•37 min•Season 1Ep. 348
As a tax haven Jersey has a reputation for welcoming the wealthy with open arms, but how does it treat other kinds of immigrants? Jane Kiiti came from Kenya to work in Jersey’s hotels for more than twenty years. Her death raises questions about the conditions migrant workers face and whether the island is doing enough to prevent their exploitation. You can read Orlando Crowcroft's article 'The never-ending fear that haunts Jersey's troubled migrant workers' here . Reporter: Orlando Crowcroft Pro...
Aug 05, 2025•31 min•Season 1Ep. 347
Penniless and homeless, the Winns found fame and fortune with the story of their 630-mile walk to salvation. But the truth behind the hit memoir is very different. Reporter: Chloe Hadjimatheou Producer: Matt Russell Field Producers: Leonie Thomas and Helen Clifton Artwork: Lola Williams Sound design: Tom Burchell Editor: Jasper Corbett Original article The News Meeting To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content head to ou...
Jul 29, 2025•40 min•Season 1Ep. 346
Kathleen Folbigg was known as ‘Australia's worst female serial killer’ - she’d lost all four of her infant children and was convicted for killing them. Until, after spending decades in jail, a scientist working in a lab uncovered the truth behind the deaths. The Lab detective is the story of a shocking miscarriage of justice, and an investigation into why Kathleen’s story might not be the last. To listen to more episodes of The Lab Detective, go to Tortoise Investigates . Our thanks to The Franc...
Jul 22, 2025•41 min•Season 1Ep. 345
This is the story of how and why a small Central European country became the epicenter of global conservatism. It’s the tale of two men…and what happens when we ignore the powerful forces behind a government. Reporter: David Aaronovitch Producer: Jonathan Lewis Artwork: Lola Williams Sound Design: Dominic Delargy Editor: Jasper Corbett Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content head to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening ex...
Jul 15, 2025•33 min•Season 1Ep. 344
This is the story of how a boxing match helped solve a 50-year art world mystery. And how, when a man named Ted wades in to stop a mugging in Soho, it leads to a most unlikely life-altering friendship with an artist who makes him, or his picture, immortal. Reporter: Stephen Smith Producer: Katie Gunning Artwork: Blythe Walker Sibthorpe Sound Designer: Dominic Delargy Editor: Jasper Corbett To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-fr...
Jul 08, 2025•40 min•Season 1Ep. 343
