PODCAST · society
Foundling | Tortoise Investigates
by The Observer
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
Episodes
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Introducing... Spiral
When The Observer’s Technology Editor, Patricia Clarke began investigating a new phenomenon initially dubbed ‘AI psychosis’, she found lives upended by long, intimate conversations with chatbots. But as she followed the evidence from a psychiatric ward in Bristol to the safety teams in Silicon...
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A One Way Mirror | Careless Ep 4
Another batch reveals childhood records dating back to when she was just three years old. Nkechi talks to the Children's Commissioner for England, Rachel de Souza, and receives a long letter from Camden Council. Reported by Ashley John-Baptiste and Madeleine Parr Produced and written by Madeleine...
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Live event | Careless
To culminate Careless, a new investigative series from The Observer, we invite you to join actor Nkechi Simms, broadcaster and Careless reporter Ashley John-Baptiste, and Observer producer Madeleine Parr for a special online event. Together, they’ll take you behind the scenes of the…
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You Can’t Unknow | Careless Ep 3
After months of bureaucratic delays, Nkechi finally sits down with her care files. But is it always better to know? Ashley asks Baroness Lola Young, who grew up in care, about the impact of reading her care records. A social worker reveals the reality of how records are written. Reported by…
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Kicking Off | Careless Ep 2
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…
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Bag For Life | Careless Ep 1
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...
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Introducing...Careless
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…
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A verdict | Lucky Boy update
For the last three weeks, reporter Chloe Hadjimatheou has been following the trial of Sally Anne Bowen, the teacher at the centre of Tortoise Investigates’ podcast series Lucky Boy, first released in 2025. Following the jury’s verdict, Chloe calls producer Gary Marshall to break the news. Lucky…
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Gareth | Lucky Boy Ep1
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...
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A Flying Start | The Mandelson files Ep1
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...
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Asma's Syria | We call her Emma Ep6
Eighteen months ago the Assad regime suddenly collapsed, and the first lady and her family fled to Moscow. A regime insider tells Chloe just how powerful Asma had become in the final years and what was happening inside the palace. Could Asma really have had aspirations to take over from her...
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Asma’s orphanages | We call her Emma Ep5
Chloe learns of allegations that Asma - the ‘mother of the nation’ - had an active role in one of the regime’s cruellest strategies: separating the children of dissidents and rebel fighters from their parents to use them as bargaining chips. At an orphanage in Damascus, Chloe gets closer to the...
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Asma’s deal | We call her Emma Ep4
Chloe travels to Damascus to meet people close to Bashar and Asma. One source tells her that Asma took a drastic decision in the early years of the war - she tried to leave Syria. Only it’s not for the reasons you might think. We call her Emma is a 6 part original series from Tortoise…
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Asma’s choice | We call her Emma Ep3
In 2011, the Arab Spring hits Syria and Asma has a decision to make: speak out in favour of the popular revolution or stay loyal to the regime. But what choice did she really have? We call her Emma is a 6 part original series from Tortoise Investigates and The Observer. To binge listen to all...
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Diana of Damascus | We call her Emma Ep2
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…
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The girl from Acton | We call her Emma Ep1
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...
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Introducing...We call her Emma
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…
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Lost | Foundling Ep 6
Jess gets some surprising visitors and Lucy receives a call from Jess’s birth father. 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...
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Betrayal | Foundling Ep 5
Jess is shocked when she makes a new discovery about her birth mother. 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.…
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The fallout | Foundling Ep 4
Jess ignores a plea from her birth mother to stop searching for answers. She decides to track down her father. Foundling is a 6 part original series from Tortoise Investigates and The Observer ** If you have questions about the series, we will be publishing a subscriber only bonus episode. You…
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In the blood | Foundling Ep 3
Jess’s DNA results lead her to a close blood relative, who has her own extraordinary story. Foundling is a 6 part original series from Tortoise Investigates and The Observer ** If you have questions about the series, we will be publishing a subscriber only bonus episode. You can email your...
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Under one roof | Foundling Ep 2
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...
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On the verge | Foundling Ep 1
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…
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Introducing... Foundling
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…
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The Missing Book | The Walkers Ep7
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...
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The Letters | The Walkers Ep6
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...
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The French Quarter | The Walkers Ep5
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…
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The Miracle | The Walkers Ep4
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...
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Cider at Haye | The Walkers Ep3
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...
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On the path | The Walkers Ep2
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...
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The Missing Money | The Walkers Ep1
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...
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Introducing... The Walkers: The real Salt Path
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,...
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In good faith | Deep Water Ep6
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...
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Click Bait | Deep Water Ep5
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 she realised. Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to the entire...
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Don’t hold your breath | Deep Water Ep4
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 binge listen to the entire series on Tuesday 18th November. To find out more about The Observer:...
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In the bag | Deep Water Ep3
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 controversial drugs bust. Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to the…
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Fair Play | Deep Water Ep2
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 sport she loves? Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to the entire...
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Depth Wish | Deep Water Ep1
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…
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Introducing ... Deep Water
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 breath. Record holders are now routinely diving to more than 120 metres, pushing the sport and their...
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Myths and monsters | The Lab Detective Ep4
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 last year. Our thanks to The Francis Crick Institute for sharing recordings and insights.…
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Science versus the law | The Lab Detective Ep3
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 Sylvester Producer: Gary Marshall Music supervisor: Karla Patella Sound design: Rowan Bishop Podcast...
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The eureka moment | The Lab Detective Ep2
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 she might be the victim of a terrible miscarriage of justice. Our thanks to The Francis Crick...
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Three is murder | The Lab Detective Ep1
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 who connects them all: a doctor called Roy Meadow. Our thanks to The Francis Crick Institute for...
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Introducing...The Lab Detective
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...
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An update on the story | Lucky Boy
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 investigating the allegations made by Gareth - the Metropolitan Police had been too. Now, reporter...
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Lucky Boys | Lucky Boy Ep4
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 another ‘lucky boy’. You can find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a...
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The school | Lucky Boy Ep3
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 - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts...
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The relationship | Lucky Boy Ep2
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 Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple...
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Introducing...Lucky Boy
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 in her bedroom and thought he was the luckiest boy in the world. But when she walked out of his…
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A star is born | Elon's Spies Ep4
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 of private investigators, Alexi asks whether the insights he gained from that investigation reveal...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
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
HOSTED BY
The Observer
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Foundling | Tortoise Investigates have?
Foundling | Tortoise Investigates currently has 119 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Foundling | Tortoise Investigates about?
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...
How often does Foundling | Tortoise Investigates release new episodes?
Foundling | Tortoise Investigates publishes regularly with 119 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Foundling | Tortoise Investigates?
You can listen to Foundling | Tortoise Investigates on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Foundling | Tortoise Investigates?
Foundling | Tortoise Investigates is created and hosted by The Observer.
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