Nkechi is frustrated by the lack of clarity and delays from the council. She seeks advice from the poet, Lemn Sissay, who also grew up in care. A lawyer recommends she should go bananas. Reported by Ashley John-Baptiste and Madeleine Parr Produced and written by Madeleine Parr Sound design by Simon Panayi Artwork by Jon Hill The editor is Jasper Corbett Careless is a 4 part original series from To

Journalist Ashley John-Baptiste joins actor Nkechi Simms as she returns to Camden to untangle the truth about her childhood and find out why she was taken into state care when she was 12. Careless is a 4 part original series from Tortoise Investigates and The Observer. To binge listen to all episodes today, ad-free, subscribe to The Observer . Or subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

Nkechi Simms is a successful actor who’s had parts in Top Boy and the BBC comedy PRU. Outwardly life is good and she’s got everything going for her, but this hasn’t always been the case. When she was 12 Nkechi’s mother handed her over to Camden council and she was placed in foster care. Now Nkechi wants to find out what happened to her and why. The only way she can do this is by getting hold of he

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 damage it’s caused him. But his story is not straight forward. Episode one is available to all listeners. To listen to all five episodes of Lucky Boy, subscribe to The Observer where you can access all To

When 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 diplo

When Asma arrives in Syria, there’s a palpable sense of hope. People in the country and around the world dare to believe that she is a force for good. Chloe hears from people who worked with her in the early years who - despite everything that’s happened - still believe her intentions were genuine but that she became trapped by the regime. Episodes one and two are available to all listeners. To ac

Emma is a high achieving, middle class woman from West London - she’s destined for a successful career and a comfortable British life. But in 2001 she makes a decision that will come to define her - she marries the son of a dictator and becomes Asma al-Assad, the first lady of Syria. Episodes one and two are available to all listeners. To access the rest of the series, ad-free, subscribe to Observ

Emma is a high achieving, middle class girl from west London. She seems destined for a successful career in banking and a comfortable British life. Until she makes a decision that will come to define her. In 2001 Emma marries Bashar al-Assad - the now infamous dictator of Syria. In the early days, people inside and out of Syria dared to hope. Alongside his beautiful, progressive wife, Bashar promi

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 Tortoise Investigates and The Observer To binge listen to all episodes today, ad-free, subscribe to The Observer and use the code AUDIO50 to get 50% off your annual subscription. You'll get access to: This s

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 Investigates and The Observer To binge listen to all episodes today, ad-free, subscribe to The Observer and use the code AUDIO50 to get 50% off your annual subscription. You'll get access to: This series

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 d

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 did the publisher Penguin not question it more? Chloe also goes on the hunt for Raynor Winn’s fourth book…her true debut written years before The Salt Path . Credits: Reporter - Chloe Hadjimatheou Pro

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 she’s not turned up empty handed… Credits: Reporter - Chloe Hadjimatheou Producer - Matt Russell Artwork - Observer design with acknowledgements to Angela Harding Music supervision and sound design -

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 who Moth and Raynor Winn really are. Credits: Reporter - Chloe Hadjimatheou Producer - Matt Russell Music supervision - Karla Patella Sound design - Rowan Bishop Executive Producer - Jasper Corbett Sub

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 odds. Has he discovered the secret to a medical miracle? Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to the entire series. To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to Th

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 the disparity between what he’d witnessed…and what Raynor Winn had written about. Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to the entire series. To find out more about The Ob

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? Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to the entire series. To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free

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 series on Tuesday 13th January. 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: Report

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. Raynor Winn has since published two more books and The Salt Path has been adapted for the big screen, starring Jason Isaacs and Gillian Anderson. At its heart it is a simple tale, of a couple embarking on

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 and Spotify to binge listen to the entire series on Tuesday 18th November. To find out more about The Observer: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Head to