Fair Play | Deep Water Ep2

More from Careless | Tortoise Investigates

1. 

   S17 · E5 · 9 Dec 2025 · 29 min

   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 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 our website observer.co.uk Reporter - Lydia Gard Producer - Gary Marshall. Music supervision and sound design - Karla Patella Sound design -…

2. 

   S17 · E4 · 2 Dec 2025 · 27 min

   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: Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free content Head to our website observer.co.uk Reporter - Lydia Gard Producer - Gary Marshall. Music supervision and sound design - Karla Patella Sound design - Rowan Bishop Podcast artwork - Lola Williams Fact checking - Poppy…

3. 

   S17 · E3 · 25 Nov 2025 · 31 min

   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 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 our website observer.co.uk Reporter - Lydia Gard Producer - Gary Marshall. Music supervision and sound design - Karla Patella Sound design -…

4. 

   S17 · E1 · 18 Nov 2025 · 26 min

   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 go deeper. 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 our website observer.co.uk Reporter - Lydia Gard…

5. 

   S17 · 11 Nov 2025 · 4 min

   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 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…

6. 

   S16 · E4 · 5 Aug 2025 · 35 min

   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. Reporter: Rachel Sylvester Producer: Gary Marshall Music supervisor: Karla Patella Sound design: Rowan Bishop Podcast artwork: Lola Williams Executive producer: Basia Cummings This episode is sponsored by The Life of Chuck. Join us across the UK for a preview screening on Wednesday 13 August, before it hits…

7. 

   S23 · E2 · 6 Oct 2026 · 43 min

   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 Simon Panayi Artwork by Jon Hill The editor is Jasper Corbett 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 to listen to all our…

8. 

   S23 · E1 · 22 Sep 2026 · 43 min

   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 episodes today, ad-free, subscribe to The Observer . Or subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to listen to all our podcasts, including this one, without any ads. Reported by Ashley John-Baptiste and Madeleine Parr Produced and written by Madeleine Parr Sound design by Simon Panayi Artwork…

9. 

   S23 · 16 Sep 2026 · 3 min

   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 Nkechi wants to find out what happened to her and why. The only way she can do this is by getting hold of her care records. But that’s easier said than done. And will those records answer her questions? Reported by Ashley John-Baptiste and Madeleine Parr Produced and written by Madeleine Parr Sound design…

10. 

    S22 · E1 · 27 Aug 2026 · 38 min

    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 listeners. To listen to all five episodes of Lucky Boy, subscribe to The Observer where you can access all Tortoise Investigates series. It’s easy to subscribe: sign up on Apple or Spotify or directly at observer.co.uk/subscribe/audio , where you can use the code AUDIO50 for 50% off. Reporter - Chloe…

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