Introducing ... Deep Water
11 November 2025 - 4 minsThree 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 bodies to find out what’s humanly possible.
Through her coach, Lydia was drawn into a small but fanatical community of competition athletes all united in their drive for depth, and that’s where she stumbled on a darker side of the sport. Rumours swirled that a group of top divers were doping to get deeper, faster.
As the community began to turn on each other over the allegations, one prominent diver...
Series Episodes
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 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 Episode 1 will be available to listen on Tuesday 24th March. Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to all 6 episodes on Tuesday 24th March 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 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.
3 mins
17 March Finished
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 fourth book…her true debut written years before The Salt Path. Credits: Reporter - Chloe Hadjimatheou Producer - Matt Russell Artwork - Observer design with acknowledgements to Angela Harding Music supervision - Karla Patella Sound design - Tom Burchell Executive Producer - Jasper Corbett Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
42 mins
17 February Finished
Bonus... subscriber exclusive Q&A
If you’re enjoying the series but have burning questions that are still unanswered, then join our conversation on Tuesday 17th February. You can put your questions directly to Chloe Hadjimatheou, plus hear behind-the-scenes and find out what’s happened since the series aired. This event is exclusively for our subscribers. This is going to be an event exclusively for our subscribers. If you’re already a subscriber, head here to book your place for the Q&A. Don’t worry if you haven’t subscribed yet - you can subscribe now at observer.co.uk/subscribe. By becoming a subscriber, you will get tickets to future events like the Q&A, The Observer app, our premium newsletters and exclusive partner offers. Find out more at observer.co.uk/welcome. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
16 February Finished
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 Artwork - Observer design with acknowledgements to Angela Harding Music supervision and sound design - Karla Patella Executive Producer - Jasper Corbett Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
47 mins
10 February Finished
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 Russell Music supervision - Karla Patella Sound design - Rowan Bishop Executive Producer - Jasper Corbett 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 content Head to our website observer.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
27 mins
3 February Finished
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 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 content Head to our website observer.co.uk Credits: Reporter - Chloe Hadjimatheou Additional reporting - James Urquhart Producer - Matt Russell Sound design - Rowan Bishop Fact checking - Madeleine Parr Music supervision - Karla Patella Executive Producer - Jasper Corbett Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
39 mins
27 January Finished
