Under one roof | Foundling Ep 2
Mar 30, 2026
Jess does a DNA test. And she and Lucy travel to visit a house where Jess’s birth mother once lived, and try and work out how nobody noticed a thing. Foundling is a 6 part original series from…
On 6th October 1987, a newborn baby is found on the verge of a remote country lane in Suffolk. Police comb the area for clues and appeal for witnesses, but the mother is never found. The baby, Jess, is adopted. Journalist Lucy Greenwell has never forgotten the day when Jess was discovered. She was a child and lived nearby. For decades Lucy has wondered; what happened to Jess, and what could have driven a mother to leave her child in such an isolated place? When Lucy tracks Jess down, she finds a woman already deep in her own search for the truth, and a story far more tangled than either of them expected. What unfolds is a tale of long-held secrets and unintended consequences that spirals out of Jess’s control. Foundling is a six-part original series from Tortoise Investigates and The Observer To binge listen to all episodes today, ad-free, subscribe to The Observer and use the code AUDIO50 for 50% off an annual digital subscription. You'll get access to: This series and all our podcasts before anyone else Ad-free listening A daily edition, curated by our editors 7 days a week Puzzles from the inventors of the cryptic crossword Recipes for every occasion Free tickets to join Observer events in our newsroom or online Or subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for access to this series and ad-free listening to Observer podcasts. Reporter - Lucy Greenwell Producer - Katie Gunning Original theme music - Tom Kinsella Sound design and additional music - Rowan Bishop Podcast artwork - Blythe Walker Sibthorp Narrative editor - Gary Marshall Editor - Jasper Corbett Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
PodSkip has analyzed 2 episodes of Foundling | Tortoise Investigates, averaging 4.5 ads per episode (3% of runtime).
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On the verge | Foundling Ep 1
Mar 24, 2026
Journalist Lucy Greenwell goes in search of Jess following rumours and unanswered questions about where she was born and who gave birth to her. Foundling is a 6 part original series from Tortoise…
Introducing... Foundling
Mar 17, 2026
On 6th October 1987, a newborn baby is found on the verge of a remote country lane in Suffolk. Police comb the area for clues and appeal for witnesses, but the mother is never found. The baby, Jess…
The Missing Book | The Walkers Ep7
Feb 16, 2026
The Salt Path was the supposed bestseller debut book by Raynor Winn, selling millions worldwide. So when two more sequels came along with increasingly bold claims on reversing a terminal illness, why…
The Letters | The Walkers Ep6
Feb 09, 2026
At a motorway service station, Chloe meets someone close to Raynor Winn who’s nervous about coming forward. It turns out she’s another character from The Salt Path …and she’s Raynor Winn’s niece. And…
The French Quarter | The Walkers Ep5
Feb 02, 2026
In the aftermath of her initial investigation, Chloe hears from a close family member of Moth’s. The story is one of deep divides…and another theft. But it takes her one step closer to understanding…
The Miracle | The Walkers Ep4
Jan 26, 2026
Moth is suffering from a rare and terminal illness: corticobasal degeneration. Life expectancy rarely extends beyond eight years. But almost two decades after his diagnosis, Moth is still defying the…
Cider at Haye | The Walkers Ep3
Jan 20, 2026
When the television cameras come to a heritage cider farm in Cornwall, Moth and Raynor Winn take centre stage. Within weeks, they vanished. The farm’s owner, their friend, is left to piece together…
On the path | The Walkers Ep2
Jan 13, 2026
With question marks now raised over how The Salt Path began, Chloe Hadjimatheou starts to track down other characters from the book. Did Raynor Winn and Moth ever walk the path the way they claimed?…
The Missing Money | The Walkers Ep1
Jan 12, 2026
In a small town in north Wales, an alleged theft at a local estate agents plants the seeds for a global blockbuster. Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to the entire…
Introducing... The Walkers: The real Salt Path
Jan 06, 2026
Raynor Winn’s memoir The Salt Path was a bestseller and literary phenomenon with millions of people captivated by this true story of financial ruin, terminal illness, and healing through nature…
In good faith | Deep Water Ep6
Dec 15, 2025
After weeks of chasing him, Lydia finally speaks to Vitomir Maričić, the Croatian freediver at the heart of the scandal – and he tells his side of the story. Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts…
Click Bait | Deep Water Ep5
Dec 08, 2025
An anti-doping officer tells Lydia that drugs are only considered a problem in freediving on social media, and in podcasts. She learns the problem is bigger, and more complex, and more corrupt, than…
Don’t hold your breath | Deep Water Ep4
Dec 01, 2025
The CEO of the United States Anti-Doping Agency – and the man who caught Lance Armstrong – has advice for Lydia. It’s not what she’s expecting. Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to…
In the bag | Deep Water Ep3
Nov 24, 2025
Vertical Blue, 2023, the moment the doping scandal erupts. The competition organiser, William Trubridge, recounts his plan to catch the dopers – and Lydia investigates the fallout of a very…
Fair Play | Deep Water Ep2
Nov 17, 2025
Lydia travels to Kalamata, Greece, a renowned freediving spot to investigate the doping allegations. What substances are athletes meant to be taking? And what are the risks – to them, and to the…
Depth Wish | Deep Water Ep1
Nov 17, 2025
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…
Introducing ... Deep Water
Nov 10, 2025
Three years ago travel writer Lydia Gard discovered freediving almost by accident. It’s an extreme and beautiful sport defined by one simple objective: to dive as deep as you can on one single…
Myths and monsters | The Lab Detective Ep4
Aug 04, 2025
Rachel Sylvester travels to Greece to investigate whether genetic science could change the story in the case of Roula Pispirigou – a mother who was convicted of killing her three young children just…
Science versus the law | The Lab Detective Ep3
Jul 28, 2025
Scientist Carola Vinuesa and her team test their extraordinary genetic discovery in a court of law. Our thanks to The Francis Crick Institute for sharing recordings and insights. Reporter: Rachel…
The eureka moment | The Lab Detective Ep2
Jul 21, 2025
Kathleen Folbigg is just trying to survive. She’s a grieving mother, sentenced to life in jail for killing her four infant children. That is, until a small group of people start to question whether…
Three is murder | The Lab Detective Ep1
Jul 21, 2025
Journalist Rachel Sylvester investigates the case of 'Australia's worst serial killer'. And discovers, in a story about mothers who have been accused of murdering their own children, there is one man…
Introducing...The Lab Detective
Jul 15, 2025
Introducing...The Lab Detective Kathleen Folbigg experienced unimaginable loss. All four of her infant children died suddenly, over a 10-year period. Their deaths were unexplained. Until a police…
An update on the story | Lucky Boy
Jun 06, 2025
When Lucky Boy launched back in March, there was an important detail that didn't make it into the podcast, for legal reasons: the team had discovered that they weren’t the only people who had been…
Lucky Boys | Lucky Boy Ep4
Mar 10, 2025
Sally Anne Bowen doesn’t want to speak about her relationship with Gareth, but it turns out there is a way of hearing her version of events. And after months of searching, Chloe gets a message from…
The school | Lucky Boy Ep3
Mar 03, 2025
Chloe hears from a former teacher who seems to support what Gareth believes - that there was a cover-up. And it’s still going on today. You can find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app…
The relationship | Lucky Boy Ep2
Feb 24, 2025
Gareth is convinced that his memories are true and that there are plenty of witnesses who can corroborate his story, so why will no one help him? You can find out more about Tortoise: Download the…
Gareth | Lucky Boy Ep1
Feb 24, 2025
Gareth spent years believing he was a lucky boy. He was the 14-year-old who got the attention of the attractive young science teacher. Now, decades later, he wants the truth to come out about the…
Introducing...Lucky Boy
Feb 24, 2025
Gareth’s whole life has been defined by a relationship he had 35 years ago when, as a 14-year-old schoolboy, he fell in love with an attractive young teacher at his school. He spent most afternoons…
A star is born | Elon's Spies Ep4
Nov 12, 2024
When Donald Trump declared victory in the US presidential election, he told an adoring crowd that "a star is born". He was referring to Elon Musk. After months of reporting on the billionaire's use…