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376 episodes

The God complex: Part 1
20/1/2026 | 38 mins.
When an esteemed transplant surgeon is found to have sexually harassed a number of his female colleagues — sometimes in the middle of operations — the General Medical Council recommends that he be struck off the medical register. But that is not what happens.
Rachel Sylvester discovers that the case of James Gilbert, isn't a shocking one-off. In fact, it is symptomatic of a much wider problem in surgery.

Reporter: Rachel Sylvester

Producer: Gary Marshall

Artwork: Lola Williams

Sound Design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Jasper Corbett

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Introducing the new host of the Slow Newscast
16/1/2026 | 2 mins.
From next week, our Investigations Editor Alexi Mostrous – the man behind Sweet Bobby, Who Trolled Amber and Elon’s Spies – will take over as the new host of the Slow Newscast, and he wants to hear from you.

If there are particular types of stories you’d like us to cover more often, or if you have thoughts on what we do well, or could do better, please let us know.

You can email us on [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Walkers: The real Salt Path
13/1/2026 | 42 mins.
In a small town in north Wales, an alleged theft at a local estate agents plants the seeds for a global blockbuster. To listen to episode two, just search for Tortoise Investigates wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to the entire series on Tuesday 13th January.

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Head to our website observer.co.uk

Credits:

Reporter - Chloe Hadjimatheou
Additional reporting - James Urquhart
Producer - Matt Russell
Music supervision & sound design - Karla Patella
Artwork - Lola Williams
Executive Producer - Jasper Corbett
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Donald Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene: The MAGA divorce
06/1/2026 | 44 mins.
Donald Trump is facing an unexpected fallout as one of his most loyal supporters has resigned from Congress and turned against him. With divisions widening after the attack on Venezuela, is there a split in the broader MAGA movement?

Reporter: Stephen Armstrong

Producers: Madeleine Parr and Jonathan Lewis

Artwork: Lucy Stevenson

Editor: Matt Russell
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sycamore Gap: felling of a tree
30/12/2025 | 30 mins.
One of the stories in 2025 that seemed to capture the British public's attention was the trial for the men accused of cutting down the iconic Sycamore Gap tree. In this audio essay, Andrew Hankinson explores who those men are...and what might have motivated them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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About The Slow Newscast

The Slow Newscast from The Observer takes the news slowly. We investigate, and every week we focus on stories that really matter in the UK and around the world. From wars in Ukraine and Gaza through to true crime and injustice and real life mysteries, The Slow Newscast team is devoted to narrative investigations covering some of the biggest topics of the day.Who are the people biohacking themselves in a quest for immortality? Or the man taking on an entire nation in the high seas to protect whales? And what happened when humanity's most distant messenger fell silent? From a newsroom with a different approach to journalism these are the stories we tell.Subscribe to The Observer today and get access to:Our podcasts before anyone elseA daily edition, curated by our editors 7 days a weekPuzzles from the inventors of the cryptic crosswordRecipes for every occasionFree tickets to join Observer events in our newsroom or onlineClick here to subscribe today for just £1 for your first month. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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