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The Slow Newscast
Foundling
Foundling is a six-part original series from Tortoise Investigates and The Observer. This is episode 1 - On the verge
Journalist Lucy Greenwell goes in search of Jess following rumours and unanswered questions about where she was born and who gave birth to her.
To listen to the rest of the series, just search for Tortoise Investigates wherever you get your podcasts.
Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to all 6 episodes.
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
Credits:
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
More episodes
View all episodes

437. My father, the vampire hunter
36:27||Season 1, Ep. 437After a spate of paranormal sightings in 1970s London, debate raged over the existence of a vampire in Highgate Cemetery. Fifty years on, the legend has been taken on by a new generation, fuelled by the world’s longest-running online feudReporter: Francisco GarciaProducer: Poppy BullardSound Design: Dominic DelargyArtwork: Blythe Walker-SibthorpeEditor: Matt Russell
434. What does a mass shooter’s chatbot history reveal?
25:28||Season 1, Ep. 434After a 2025 mass shooting on Florida State University’s campus, investigators found a year’s worth of chat history between the shooter and ChatGPT. MotherJones’ Mark Follman has been investigating what the chat log reveals about the shooter and the chatbot and examines how AI responds when faced with severe warning signs and where the responsibility lies when something goes wrong.Note: This story discusses suicide and violence.Mark Follman's reporting can be found here: https://www.motherjones.com/media/2026/08/openai-chatgpt-fsu-mass-shooting-chat-logs/
433. Ctrl Alt Restore
35:47||Season 1, Ep. 433Rupert Lowe is the MP for Great Yarmouth, and the leader of Restore Britain, a right-wing political party which launched in February this year. So, how did the leader of such a young, fringe party end up appearing as a guest on the world’s most popular podcast? And what does it tell us about how the far-right works? Reporter: Poppy BullardProducers: Amalie Sortland and Ada BarumeSound Design: Dominic DelargyArtwork: Lucy StevensonEditor: Matt Russell
432. What next for Reform and Nigel Farage?
22:32||Season 1, Ep. 432Nigel Farage has been re-elected as MP for Clacton. But that also means a Parliamentary investigation into Farage resumes. So what's next for Reform and their leader?
428. The Mandelson files
28:28||Season 1, Ep. 428When Peter Mandelson was sacked as the UK’s ambassador to the United States over his links with Jeffrey Epstein people wondered how he ever got appointed in the first place.Eventually Keir Starmer’s government was forced to publish more than a thousand pages of emails, messages and letters which reveal how Peter Mandelson was appointed, vetted and cleared to become the UK’s most influential diplomat.What emerges from those documents, is a story about who wields power in Britain today, how it works and how we conduct our politics.The Observer’s Ada Barumé tells the story of a political farce that begins with the appointment of Peter Mandelson and ends with the resignation of Keir Starmer.All four episodes are now available to listen to for subscribers to the Observer.
427. Is mountaineering getting more dangerous?
29:47||Season 1, Ep. 427On Thursday 30th July, an avalanche hit the world's twelfth highest mountain. Ten experienced climbers were caught by it, among them one of the world's most famous and experienced mountaineers Nirmal Purja. Is the world of mountaineering becoming more dangerous?
426. Hard knocks: the cost of courage
40:46||Season 1, Ep. 426When World Cup Winner Phil Vickery retired in 2010, he thought his toughest physical battles were behind him. Today, like hundreds of former players, he lives with memory loss and the looming threat of brain trauma – and he’s demanding answers. And across the world, more and more people are looking towards one man in particular.Reporters: Ben Coles and Jonathan LewisProducer: Jonathan LewisArtwork: Lucy StevensonSound design: Dominic DelargyExecutive producer: Jasper CorbettCredits: ITV, BBC, Dodge Woodall, ABC News
425. Who owns our water?
25:20||Season 1, Ep. 425What are companies extracting British spring water, companies like Coca Cola and Nestle, paying for that water? The answer is extraordinary. And with the threat of nationalisation, what does the future hold for our water companies? In other words, what is our water worth?
424. One-star review: A stolen year
38:30||Season 1, Ep. 424How a mislaid phone led to a nightmare of fake reviews and claims of antisemitism. When Ali, a restaurateur, realised his mobile’s security had been breached and that random things were missing from his flat, he began to feel uneasy. Was he being targeted for his politics or his personal life? And more importantly, who could stop it?Credits:Reporter - Eva WisemanProducer - Matt RussellSound design - Dominic Delargy