Best Guardian Long Read Podcasts (2025)

1
Many life-saving drugs fail for lack of funding. But there’s a solution: desperate rich people 29:52

9h ago29:52

29:52

Each year, hundreds of potentially world-changing treatments are discarded because scientists run out of cash. But where big pharma or altruists fear to tread, my friend and I have a solution. It’s repugnant, but it will work By Alexander Masters. Read by Tom Andrews. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod…

1
In search of the South Pacific fugitive who crowned himself king 47:44

3d ago47:44

47:44

Noah Musingku made a fortune with a Ponzi scheme and then retreated to a remote armed compound in the jungle, where he still commands the loyalty of his Bougainville subjects By Sean Williams. Read by Simon Darwen. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpodBy The Guardian

1
"Santa Spectacular, Bolivia!" With Italo Badani 1:26:49

4d ago1:26:49

1:26:49

This episode, Matt is joined by his first guest from Bolivia, Italo Badani!By Matt Spaulding

1
From the archive: ‘I pleaded for help. No one wrote back’: the pain of watching my country fall to the Taliban 30:06

5d ago30:06

30:06

We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2021: As the fighters advanced on Kabul, it was civilians who mobilised to help with the evacuation. In the absence of a plan, the hardest decisions fell on inexperienced volunteers, and the stres…

1
The real Scandi noir: how a filmmaker and a crooked lawyer shattered Denmark’s self-image 47:41

7d ago47:41

47:41

The Black Swan follows a repentant master criminal as she sets up corrupt clients in front of hidden cameras. But is she really reformed – and is the director up to his own tricks? By Samanth Subramanian. Read by David Bateson. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpodBy The Guardian

1
"Rise of the Guardians" With Gerry and Jeff 59:39

10d ago59:39

59:39

This episode, Matt welcomes Gerry from Totally Rad Christmas and Jeff from Lost Christmas to talk about the film "Rise of the Guardians".By Matt Spaulding

101
Kahane’s ghost: how a long-dead extremist rabbi continues to haunt Israel’s politics 46:37

10d ago46:37

46:37

A violent fanatic and pioneer in bigotry, Meir Kahane died a political outcast 35 years ago. Today, his ideas influence the very highest levels of government By Joshua Leifer. Read by Kerry Shale. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpodBy The Guardian

101
From the archive: The great betrayal: how the Hillsborough families were failed by the justice system 49:04

13d ago49:04

49:04

We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2021: After 32 years of establishment lies, media smears, inquests, trials and retrials, the families of the Hillsborough dead have yet to see anyone held accountable By David Conn. Read by Gavin …

1
My mother, the racist 32:03

14d ago32:03

32:03

She spent her life in northern France doing exhausting, back-breaking work – and yet she turned her anger against people who had done no wrongs to her. But as much as I couldn’t stand her rants, I was forced to accept her as she was By Didier Eribon. Read by Mark Noble. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod…

1
The brain collector: the scientist unravelling the mysteries of grey matter – an Audio Long Read podcast 35:43

16d ago35:43

35:43

Alexandra Morton-Hayward is using cutting-edge methods to crack the secrets of ancient brains – even as hers betrays her There are more Audio Long Reads here, or search Audio Long Read wherever you listen to your podcastsBy The Guardian

1
The reluctant collaborator: surviving Syria’s brutal civil war – and its aftermath 50:15

18d ago50:15

50:15

At 18, Mustafa was told his only way out of prison was to join the regime forces. After 14 years, his past as one of Assad’s fighters could get him killed By Ghaith Abdul-Ahad. Read by Mo Ayoub. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpodBy The Guardian

1
From the archive: Votes for children! Why we should lower the voting age to six 33:49

20d ago33:49

33:49

We are raiding the Guardian Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2021: The generational divide is deforming democracy. But there is a solution By David Runciman. Read by Andrew McGregor. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod…

1
The Rainham volcano: a waste dump is constantly on fire in east London. Why will no one stop it? 38:55

21d ago38:55

38:55

Under Arnolds Field, tonnes of illegally dumped waste have been burning for years, spewing pollution over the area. Locals fear for their health – and despair that no one seems willing to help By William Ralston. Read by Sam Swainsbury. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod…

1
The mysterious novelist who foresaw Putin’s Russia and then came to symbolise its moral decay – an Audio Long Read podcast 35:54

23d ago35:54

35:54

Victor Pelevin made his name in 90s Russia with his scathing satires of authoritarianism. But while his literary peers have faced censorship and fled the country, he still sells millions. Has he become a Kremlin apologist? There are more Audio Long Reads here, or search Audio Long Read wherever you listen to your podcasts…

1
It came from outer space: the meteorite that landed in a Cotswolds cul-de-sac 29:30

25d ago29:30

29:30

Meteorite falls are extremely rare and offer a glimpse of the processes that formed our world billions of years ago. When a space rock came to an English market town in 2021, scientists raced to find as much out as they could By Helen Gordon. Read by Sasha Frost. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod…

1
From the archive: ‘The treeline is out of control’: how the climate crisis is turning the Arctic green 36:32

27d ago36:32

36:32

We are raiding the Guardian Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2022: In northern Norway, trees are rapidly taking over the tundra and threatening an ancient way of life that depends on snow and ice By Ben Rawlence. Read by Christien Anholt. Help support our i…

1
Holidays in hell: summer camp with Russia’s forgotten children 24:48

29d ago24:48

24:48

At the rural orphanage where I volunteered, the place resembled a Dickensian workhouse. The staff’s main tools were antipsychotics and violence. The experience gave me a window into Putin’s Russia By Howard Amos. Read by Harry Lloyd. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod…

1
Inside the Vatican’s secret saint-making process – an Audio Long Read podcast 35:24

1M ago35:24

35:24

Canonisation has long been a way for the Catholic church to shape its own image. As the Vatican prepares to anoint its first millennial saint, we ask how it decides who is worthy There are more Audio Long Reads here, or search Audio Long Read wherever you listen to podcastsBy The Guardian

1
The savage suburbia of Helen Garner: ‘I wanted to dong Martin Amis with a bat’ 38:39

1M ago38:39

38:39

Over 50 years, she has become one of the most revered writers in Australia. Is she finally going to get worldwide recognition? By Sophie Elmhirst. Read by Nicolette Chin. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpodBy The Guardian

1
From the archive: Is society coming apart? 42:36

1M ago42:36

42:36

We are raiding the Guardian Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2021: Despite Thatcher and Reagan’s best efforts, there is and has always been such a thing as society. The question is not whether it exists, but what shape it must take in a post-pandemic world …

1
The Coventry experiment: why were Indian women in Britain given radioactive food without their consent? 38:13

1M ago38:13

38:13

When details about a scientific study in the 1960s became public, there was shock, outrage and anxiety. But exactly what happened? By Samira Shackle. Read by Dinita Gohil. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpodBy The Guardian

1
Seth Rogen: slacker to studio boss; Marina Hyde on Trump making anywhere but America great again; and Philippa Perry helps with imposter syndrome 35:15

1M ago35:15

35:15

Seth Rogen may be known for his stoner vibe and comedies such as Superbad and Knocked Up, but behind the scenes the actor, writer, weed-lover and pottery fan has also become a producing power player. The US stock market is spooked and Trump’s henchmogul’s companies are floundering – has the great dealmaker been building up the wrong nation? And Phi…

1
My life as a prison officer: ‘It wasn’t just the smell that hit you. It was the noise’ 27:16

1M ago27:16

27:16

I saw first hand how prisons are having to use segregation units for acutely mentally ill inmates who should not be in prison at all Written and read by Alex South. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpodBy The Guardian

1
"Santa of Oxley" With Brendan Low 1:26:44

1M ago1:26:44

1:26:44

Matt welcomes back his good friend Brendan Low, who has been on his Santa journey the past few years and has talked about it before on the show. Now he's here to talk about a lot of the fun and exciting things he has done in the last couple of seasons!By Matt Spaulding

1
From the archive: The revolt against liberalism: what’s driving Poland and Hungary’s nativist turn? 37:27

1M ago37:27

37:27

We are raiding the Guardian Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2021: For the hardline conservatives ruling Poland and Hungary, the transition from communism to liberal democracy was a mirage. They fervently believe a more decisive break with the past is neede…

1
‘The ghosts are everywhere’: can the British Museum survive its omni-crisis? 38:48

1M ago38:48

38:48

Beset by colonial controversy, difficult finances and the discovery of a thief on the inside, Britain’s No 1 museum is in deep trouble. Can it restore its reputation? By Charlotte Higgins. Read by Diveen Henry. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpodBy The Guardian

1
Actor Michael Sheen on paying off £1m of his neighbours’ debts; Marina Hyde on ‘grotesque’ JD Vance; and ‘how the Beatles helped my autistic son find his voice’ 50:20

1M ago50:20

50:20

Marina Hyde on 1,000 grotesque memes of JD Vance – they’re all more likable than the real thing. The actor Michael Sheen grew up poor, got rich, then lost everything backing the 2019 Homeless World Cup. Now he’s giving away more of his money to help 900 total strangers. When John Harris first started noticing that his baby had some unusual quirks, …

1
Turkey said it would become a ‘zero waste’ nation. Instead, it became a dumping ground for Europe’s rubbish 31:00

2M ago31:00

31:00

When China stopped receiving the world’s waste, Turkey became Europe’s recycling hotspot. The problem is, most plastics can’t be recycled. And what remains are toxic heaps of trash By Alexander Clapp. Read by Philip Arditti. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpodBy The Guardian

1
From the archive: The end of Atlanticism: has Trump killed the ideology that won the cold war? 38:52

2M ago38:52

38:52

We are raiding the Guardian Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2018: The foreign policy establishment has been lamenting its death for half a century. But Atlanticism has long been a convenient myth By Madeleine Schwartz. Read by Kelly Burke. Help support our…

1
Signature moves: are we losing the ability to write by hand? 30:22

2M ago30:22

30:22

We are far more likely to use our hands to type or swipe than pick up a pen. But in the process we are in danger of losing cognitive skills, sensory experience – and a connection to history By Christine Rosen. Read by Laurel Lefkow. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod…

1
Actor Danny Dyer on aliens and cocaine; the anti-vax parents who changed their minds; and Philippa Perry on feeling unimportant 43:18

2M ago43:18

43:18

Danny Dyer talks about his journey from national joke to national treasure. Fuelled by social media misinformation, anti-vax activism has accelerated – but why are some in the movement becoming disillusioned? And Philippa Perry advises a reader who is ‘struggling to feel like I matter in any area of my life’…

1
‘Here lives the monster’s brain’: the man who exposed Switzerland’s dirty secrets 31:34

2M ago31:34

31:34

Inspired by Che Guevara, Jean Ziegler has spent the past 60 years exposing how Switzerland enabled global wrongdoing. His enemies accuse him of treason By Atossa Araxia Abrahamian. Read by Lanna Joffrey. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpodBy The Guardian

1
From the archive: ‘In my 30 years as a GP, the profession has been horribly eroded’ 25:07

2M ago25:07

25:07

We are raiding the Guardian Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2022: As I finished the final house calls of my long career in general practice, it struck me how detached I am from my patients now – and that it was not always like this. Where did we go wrong, …

1
Massacre in the jungle: how an Indigenous man was made the public face of an atrocity 32:31

2M ago32:31

32:31

In 2004, 29 people were killed by members of the Cinta Larga tribe in Brazil’s Amazon basin. The story shocked the country – but the truth of what happened is still being fought over By Alex Cuadros. Read by Felipe Pacheco. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpodBy The Guardian

1
The White Lotus actor Aimee Lou Wood, Marina Hyde on Daddy Musk, and are we over-diagnosing illness? 1:03:22

2M ago1:03:22

1:03:22

With the mothers of Elon’s kids begging for his attention on social media, he makes much of ‘pronatalism’ – but is that just a fancy word for bad parenting? ‘I don’t know whether I’d describe it as fun,’ says Aimee Lou Wood on the intensity of making The White Lotus. And are ordinary life experiences, bodily imperfections and normal differences bei…

1
Israel and the delusions of Germany’s ‘memory culture’ 34:03

2M ago34:03

34:03

Germany embraced Israel to atone for its wartime guilt. But was this in part a way to avoid truly confronting its past? By Pankaj Mishra. Read by Mikhail Sen. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpodBy The Guardian

1
From the archive: One drug dealer, two corrupt cops and a risky FBI sting 41:22

2M ago41:22

41:22

We are raiding the Guardian Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2017: Davon Mayer was a smalltime dealer in west Baltimore who made an illicit deal with local police. When they turned on him, he decided to get out – but escaping that life would not prove as ea…

1
"Santa Claus Suits & Equipment Company" With Chris Parada 49:38

2M ago49:38

49:38

On this episode, Matt welcomes back returning guest and recent Santa Claus Hall of Fame inductee Chris Parada to talk about his new company, Santa Claus Suits & Equipment Company, which is offering new versions of the classic, nostalgic Charles Howard suit from the original pattern!By Matt Spaulding

1
Innit innit boys and Super Eagles: how Nigerian Londoners found their identity through football 26:46

2M ago26:46

26:46

For the children of the Nigerian diaspora, displaced by war and split between two worlds, footballers from John Fashanu to Jay-Jay Okocha were a first glimpse of themselves in Britain’s mainstream. Written and read by Aniefiok Ekpoudom. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod…

1
‘I forgive them for what they’ve done’: Esther Ghey on life after the murder of daughter Brianna 32:35

2M ago32:35

32:35

Two years ago, transgender teenager Brianna Ghey was stabbed to death by two 15-year-olds. The killers had been radicalised on the dark web, while the victim was trapped in an online world of her own. Now her mother has become friends with the parent of one of the murderers. On the second anniversary of Brianna’s death, Esther sits down with Simon …

1
The mysterious novelist who foresaw Putin’s Russia – and then came to symbolise its moral decay 34:30

2M ago34:30

34:30

Victor Pelevin made his name in 90s Russia with scathing satires of authoritarianism. But while his literary peers have faced censorship and fled the country, he still sells millions. Has he become a Kremlin apologist? By Sophie Pinkham. Read by Olga Koch. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod…

1
"Santa Takes You Places" With Lincoln Crum 53:42

2M ago53:42

53:42

On this episode, Matt welcomes his friend Lincoln Crum, who talks about the opportunities being Santa can open up in life as well as about his children's book.By Matt Spaulding

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Guardian Long Read Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen