Introducing... Hoaxed, the new series from Alexi Mostrous and Tortoise, who brought you Sweet Bobby.
In 2014, two children told police a shocking story: that they were being abused by a Satanic cult; a cult headed by their father and by parents and teachers at their school in the wealthy London suburb of Hampstead. The story was a lie. But on the internet, that didn't matter.
Hoaxed is an investigation into one of Britain's most serious-ever conspiracy theories. A story about a modern-day Satanic panic; about the victims whose lives were destroyed and about the conspiracists who spread the lie around the world. Oh, and it's about our hunt for the perpetrators - the people who forced the kids to lie - the ones who started it all.
All 6 episodes are available now to listen for free. You can listen to the full series ad-free and get access to exclusive bonus content by downloading the Tortoise audio app or subscribing to Tortoise+ on Apple podcasts. Or join Tortoise as a member, where you can access more of our reporting, live events and support our work. Just visit the Tortoise website and use the code Alexi50 for half price membership.
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The Travel Diaries is a weekly interview series where journalist Holly Rubenstein chats to a special guest about their adventures around the world, and the travel experiences and destinations that have shaped their lives.
Be transported to exotic and far flung places as Holly and her diverse range of famous guests take you on a journey through the seven chapters of their life's travel diaries, from their earliest childhood travel memory and the first place they fell in love with; to their all time favourite destination, their hidden gem recommendation and what’s at the top of their bucket list. It's wanderlust, guaranteed!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Love and dating can be messy—so let’s talk about it! On this multi-award-winning podcast, comedian Nicole Byer explores romantic highs, lows, and all the juicy stuff in between, alongside comedians, experts, and sometimes an ex or two. New episodes every Friday!
Global investigations from the BBC. Uncovering gripping stories from around the world and telling them episode by episode. Delve into a World of Secrets.
Latest season: The Child Cancer Scam. Your child is critically ill. It’s the worst news you can get. But to make the situation even more awful, you struggle to afford the care they need. So when someone tells you a foreign sponsor can help raise the money, you’ll do anything. You make a video: your child begs for help from strangers online. But it comes to nothing. You wait and wait for the cash that was donated. It never comes, and all the while your child is fighting for their life.
Previously on World of Secrets:
Death in Dubai. A woman falls from a tower block and her name starts trending. But behind the online rumours lies an even darker reality.
The Abercrombie Guys. Investigating sexual exploitation claims against the former CEO of fashion giant Abercrombie & Fitch.
And Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods. Women accuse Mohamed Al Fayed of rape.
Take a deep dive into the collected recordings of Alan Watts with Alan’s son, Mark Watts.
Being in the Way is a podcast series that explores the Alan Watts Archive’s 100-hour tape collection - including recordings not heard in 40 years. We will meet some of the people being influenced by the works of Alan Watts today and learn a little of the history behind how these remarkable recordings were made.
Mark and his guests offer reflections on Alan’s ideas— ideas that were radically innovative and groundbreaking in the sixties and seventies, and yet seem to have come of age today.
Being in the Way is brought to you by the Alan Watts Organization, in partnership with Ram Dass' Be Here Now Network.
Check out all of the Alan Watts Organization's offerings at alanwatts.org.
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, starring Jason Isaacs and Gillian Anderson.
At its heart it is a simple tale, of a couple embarking on a 630 mile trek in the face of stark adversity. When faced with nothing, they chose to walk.
But when reporter Chloe Hadjimatheou received a tip-off that the memoir may not be the "unflinchingly honest" account it claimed to be, suddenly things began to unravel. And the questions, about what is and isn't true, began mounting.
How far can you bend the truth before it begins to break?
Episode 1 will be available to listen on Tuesday 13th January.
Subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to binge listen to all 7 episodes on Tuesday 13th January.
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Reporter - Chloe Hadjimatheou
Producer - Matt Russell
Music supervision and sound design - Karla Patella
Sound design - Rowan Bishop
Podcast artwork - Lola Williams
Executive producer - Jasper Corbett
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.