Foundling  | Tortoise Investigates

Foundling | Tortoise Investigates

The Observer

Episodes 119
Avg. Duration 37m
Activity Dormant
Apple Rating 4.5 (3,462)
Since Oct 2021
Latest Episode Mar 2026

Outreach Signals

Open to Sponsors

Publishing Details

Schedule
Weekly
Format
Serial
Consistency
51%
Hosting
feeds.acast.com

Contact & Outreach

About This Podcast

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


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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.

Explore Statistics

Recent Episodes

S19E6 Lost | Foundling Ep 6

Apr 28, 2026 38m

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 ObserverTo binge listen to all episodes…

S19E5 Betrayal | Foundling Ep 5

Apr 21, 2026 30m

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 ObserverTo binge listen to all episodes today, ad-free,…

S19E4 The fallout | Foundling Ep 4

Apr 14, 2026 34m

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…

S19E3 In the blood | Foundling Ep 3

Apr 07, 2026 46m

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…

S19E2 Under one roof | Foundling Ep 2

Mar 24, 2026 44m

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…

S19E1 On the verge | Foundling Ep 1

Mar 24, 2026 39m

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…

S19 Introducing... Foundling

Mar 17, 2026 3m Trailer

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,…

S18E7 The Missing Book | The Walkers Ep7

Feb 17, 2026 42m

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…

S18E7 Bonus... subscriber exclusive Q&A

Feb 16, 2026 0m Trailer

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,…

S18E6 The Letters | The Walkers Ep6

Feb 10, 2026 47m

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…

S18E5 The French Quarter | The Walkers Ep5

Feb 03, 2026 27m

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…

S18E4 The Miracle | The Walkers Ep4

Jan 27, 2026 39m

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…

S18E3 Cider at Haye | The Walkers Ep3

Jan 20, 2026 42m

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…

S18E2 On the path | The Walkers Ep2

Jan 13, 2026 35m

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…

S18E1 The Missing Money | The Walkers Ep1

Jan 13, 2026 41m

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…

S18 Introducing... The Walkers: The real Salt Path

Jan 07, 2026 3m Trailer

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.…

S17E6 In good faith | Deep Water Ep6

Dec 16, 2025 38m

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…

S17E5 Click Bait | Deep Water Ep5

Dec 09, 2025 29m

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…

S17E4 Don’t hold your breath | Deep Water Ep4

Dec 02, 2025 26m

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…

S17E3 In the bag | Deep Water Ep3

Nov 25, 2025 30m

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…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Foundling | Tortoise Investigates have?

Foundling | Tortoise Investigates has published 119 episodes since October 2021.

Is Foundling | Tortoise Investigates still active?

Foundling | Tortoise Investigates is currently dormant with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 37m.

How do I contact Foundling | Tortoise Investigates for sponsorship or guest appearances?

Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for Foundling | Tortoise Investigates, including email and social media links.

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