Careless | Tortoise Investigates by The Observer | Podcast Rankings & Episodes

Where it charts

Today’s combined position on our country charts.

United Kingdom · All podcasts

#172

Pulse 6

United Kingdom · Society & Culture

#38

Pulse 25

Canada · Society & Culture

#71

Pulse 17

Australia · Society & Culture

#56

Pulse 16

Ranking history

All podcasts, United Kingdom Society & Culture, United Kingdom Society & Culture, Canada Society & Culture, Australia

History builds daily. We started tracking this show on the Society & Culture, Canada chart recently, so the trend line appears after a second day of data.

View as table

Date	Combined Rank	Apple Podcasts	Castbox
Oct 7	#71	#73	#86

About the show

When she was 12, the actor Nkechi Simms' mother handed her over to Camden Council and she was placed in foster care. Now she 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? The home of investigative podcasts from Tortoise, from Sweet Bobby to Lucky Boy. Listen to the latest original series from Tortoise, including We call her Emma and The Mandelson files. To binge listen to all episodes today, ad-free, subscribe to The Observer and use the code AUDIO50 for 50% off an annual digital subscription. You'll get access to: This series and all our podcasts before anyone elseAd-free listeningA 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 online Or subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for access to this series and ad-free listening to Observer podcasts. 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Latest episodes

Kicking Off | Careless Ep 2

October 6, 2026 · 43 min

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…
Bag For Life | Careless Ep 1

September 22, 2026 · 43 min

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…
Introducing...Careless

September 16, 2026 · 3 min

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…
Gareth | Lucky Boy Ep1

August 27, 2026 · 38 min

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…
A Flying Start | The Mandelson files Ep1

August 18, 2026 · 27 min

When Peter Mandelson was sacked as the UK’s ambassador to the United States over his links with Jeffrey Epstein people wondered how he ever got appointed in the first place. Eventually Keir Starmer’s government was forced to publish more…
Diana of Damascus | We call her Emma Ep2

July 14, 2026 · 46 min

When Asma arrives in Syria, there’s a palpable sense of hope. People in the country and around the world dare to believe that she is a force for good. Chloe hears from people who worked with her in the early years who - despite everything…
The girl from Acton | We call her Emma Ep1

July 7, 2026 · 41 min

Emma is a high achieving, middle class woman from West London - she’s destined for a successful career and a comfortable British life. But in 2001 she makes a decision that will come to define her - she marries the son of a dictator and…
Introducing...We call her Emma

July 1, 2026 · 4 min

Emma is a high achieving, middle class girl from west London. She seems destined for a successful career in banking and a comfortable British life. Until she makes a decision that will come to define her. In 2001 Emma marries Bashar…