The Observer
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- Kirat and Bobby have an unusual relationship. The circumstances of their individual lives mean it’s difficult for them to meet face to face but, despite everything, they end up falling in love. Their romance might play out online but in many ways it’s a traditional love story. Until Kirat discovers the disturbing truth. Sweet Bobby is the #1 chart-topping, award-winning series about a sophisticated ten year scam that almost destroyed one woman’s life, and the investigation into the catfisher behind it all. If you want to listen to more thought-provoking investigations, head to Tortoise Investigates - the home of all our investigative podcasts. To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free episodes. Head to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 4.1 (458)
- DOCUMENTARY
- 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 detective turned up at her door, and arrested Kathleen on suspicion of murder. She was labelled ‘Australia's worst female serial killer’, convicted, and was destined to spend most of the rest of her life in jail. Until a different type of detective entered her life. A scientist working in a lab who uncovered the truth behind the deaths. This is the story of a shocking miscarriage of justice, but as journalist Rachel Sylvester starts to investigate how this happened, she learns that Kathleen is not alone – other mothers have endured the same fate, and may also be in prison. The Lab Detective is a story about the power of science, and the determination of those searching for the truth. Episodes 1 and 2 will be available to listen on 22nd July. To listen to the full series on 22nd July, subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify or download the Tortoise app. Reporters: Rachel Sylvester Producer: Gary Marshall Executive editor: Basia Cummings Music supervisor: Karla Patella Sound design: Rowan Bishop Artwork: Lola Williams Fact checking: Ada Barume and Madeline Parr 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 curated by our journalists If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 4.5 (3321)
- DOCUMENTARY
- Introducing... Hoaxed, the new series from Alexi Mostrous and Tortoise, who brought you Sweet Bobby. In 2014, two children told police a shocking story: that they were being abused by a Satanic cult; a cult headed by their father and by parents and teachers at their school in the wealthy London suburb of Hampstead. The story was a lie. But on the internet, that didn't matter. Hoaxed is an investigation into one of Britain's most serious-ever conspiracy theories. A story about a modern-day Satanic panic; about the victims whose lives were destroyed and about the conspiracists who spread the lie around the world. Oh, and it's about our hunt for the perpetrators - the people who forced the kids to lie - the ones who started it all. All 6 episodes are available now to listen for free. You can listen to the full series ad-free and get access to exclusive bonus content by downloading the Tortoise audio app or subscribing to Tortoise+ on Apple podcasts. Or join Tortoise as a member, where you can access more of our reporting, live events and support our work. Just visit the Tortoise website and use the code Alexi50 for half price membership. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 4.8 (1141)
- DOCUMENTARY
- Introducing… Who Trolled Amber? What comes to mind when you think of Amber Heard? Liar? Survivor? Narcissist? Millions of us watched the celebrity trial of the century, Depp v Heard, in 2022. Amber Heard lost and Johnny Depp was vindicated. But what if Amber was actually the victim of an organised trolling campaign? What if the online hate against her was manufactured? Alexi Mostrous, the reporter who brought you Sweet Bobby and Hoaxed, investigates what happened to Amber and who might have been responsible. It’s a story about how our own thoughts and opinions can be moulded without us even realising. All six episodes of Who Trolled Amber are now available to binge-listen. To find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and more If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact [email protected] Reporter and host: Alexi Mostrous Producer and reporter: Xavier Greenwood Editor: David Taylor Narrative editor: Gary Marshall Additional reporting: Katie Riley Sound design: Karla Patella Artwork: Jon Hill & Oscar Ingham Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 4.7 (95)
- TRUE CRIME
- When Sarah watched her 23 year old daughter cycle away from her in Chelsea - a well-off corner of London - she had no idea it would be the last time they’d see each other for 6 years. What would make a loving child from a life of privilege sever ties with friends and family, and disappear? It turns out, Sarah wasn’t alone in losing a daughter. Something strange was happening to other young women, too. And they all had one thing in common: a kind of therapist figure - a woman they were all seeing and sharing their problems, their secrets, their fears with. But it took years for the truth of what was happening behind closed doors to emerge, and the extraordinary things this woman led them to believe. Dangerous Memories is the story of young women who wanted to be healed that became, for us, a story about the healer, and what we risk when we let someone else into our mind, and our memory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 4.3 (24)
- NEWS
- Full series out now Three doors down: a murder, a mother and a thirty year investigation In May 2023 David Boyd was found guilty of the brutal murder in 1992 of seven year-old Nikki Allan. Sharon Henderson, Nikki’s mother, called for a public inquiry into why it had taken the police so long to find and convict her daughter’s murderer. When Nikki was murdered, Sharon was a single mother of four living in Wear Garth, a rundown housing estate in Sunderland. David Boyd lived a few floors above Sharon in the same block. He was known to the police. He was the kind of offender who should have been caught. Three doors down tells the astonishing story of Sharon Henderson’s thirty year campaign to get justice for her daughter’s killing. It shines a light on police behaviour and their treatment of working class women. It’s a personal tale of trauma and resilience in the face of systemic police failure, that couldn’t be more timely. For the premium Tortoise listening experience, curated by our journalists, download the free Tortoise audio app. For early and ad-free access to Tortoise podcasts, subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts. If you’d like to further support slow journalism and help us build a different kind of newsroom, do consider donating to Tortoise at tortoisemedia.com/support-us. Your contributions allow us to investigate, campaign and explore, and to build a newsroom that is responsible and sustainable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- 4.6 (36)
- TRUE CRIME
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About
The Observer is the home of original reporting, narrative investigations and independent thinking.
If you’re new to The Observer audio, we release new podcast episodes every weekday. Our daily podcast The Sensemaker tells one story every day to make sense of the world. The Slow Newscast is our weekly investigative podcast focusing on the stories that really matter in the UK and around the world. Every Monday and Friday you can hear Observer journalists and special guests battle it out to see whose story should lead the news and why in The News Meeting. You can also listen to our award winning investigative series on Tortoise Investigates including hit podcasts Sweet Bobby, Hoaxed, Dangerous Memories and Lucky Boy.
For just £5.99 a month, or £49.99 a year, you can get exclusive subscriber benefits: early access to the Slow Newscast and our investigations before anyone else, bonus content and ad-free listening to all our podcasts. What’s more, your first 3 days are completely free.