Like many public institutions across the UK, the Guildhall school of music has had to reckon with a past where abuse by staff was either ignored or dismissed. So when a second former student came forward to tell The Observer's Vanessa Thorpe their story, this time from the 1990s, how would the institution respond?

Reporter: Vanessa Thorpe

Producer: Ada Barumé 

Artwork: Lola Williams

Editor: Jasper Corbett

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David Walliams has been dropped by his publisher over alleged ‘inappropriate’ behaviour.

A spokesperson for Walliams said that the author had never been informed of any allegations raised against him nor was he given the opportunity to respond to questions about them. He strongly denies that he has behaved inappropriately.

Walliams came to prominence starring alongside Matt Lucas in the TV series Little Britain which ran from 2003 - 2006. Critics though accused the comedy show of trading in stereotypes and casual racism. And some of that is evident in Walliam’s children’s books too. 

This episode was first published on 23rd May 2023.

Reporter: Claudia Williams

Producer: Matt Russell

Sound design: Tom Burchell

Editor: Basia Cummings

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In October reporter Hilary Andersson was selected to witness an execution by lethal injection in Oklahoma. Her assignment led her to the case of Tremane Wood, who had spent more than two decades on death row. This is the story of what happens to a man as he waits to die.

Reporter: Hilary Andersson

Producer: Jonathan Lewis

Artwork: Lola Williams

Sound Design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Jasper Corbett 

Subscribe to The Observer today and get access to:

Our podcasts before anyone else

A daily edition, curated by our editors 7 days a week

Puzzles from the inventors of the cryptic crossword

Recipes for every occasion

Free tickets to join Observer events in our newsroom or online

Click here to subscribe today for just £1 for your first month.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In October reporter Hilary Andersson was selected to witness an execution by lethal injection in Oklahoma. Her assignment led her to the case of Tremane Wood, who had spent more than two decades on death row. This is the story of what happens to a man as he waits to die.

Reporter: Hilary Andersson

Producer: Jonathan Lewis

Artwork: Lola Williams

Sound Design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Jasper Corbett 

Subscribe to The Observer today: https://observer.co.uk/subscribe 

And get access to:

Our podcasts before anyone else

A daily edition, curated by our editors 7 days a week

Puzzles from the inventors of the cryptic crossword

Recipes for every occasion

Free tickets to join Observer events in our newsroom or online

Click here to subscribe today for just £1 for your first month.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gianni Infantino is the most powerful man in world football but in the run up to the 2026 men's World Cup, his relationship with US president Donald Trump has grown very friendly. It's led to questions whether Infantino still has football's best interests at heart.

Reporter: Rory Smith

Producer: Ada Barumé

Artwork: Lola Williams

Sound Design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Jasper Corbett 

Subscribe to The Observer today and get access to:

• Our podcasts before anyone else
• A daily edition, curated by our editors 7 days a week
• Puzzles from the inventors of the cryptic crossword
• Recipes for every occasion
• Free tickets to join Observer events in our newsroom or online

Click here to subscribe today for just £1 for your first month.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The chancellor’s budget was supposed to be a gamechanger, but turned out to be an exercise in political survival. This is the story of how Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves took on a radical budget.

Reporter: Rachel Sylvester

Producers: Jonathan Lewis and Matt Russell

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Artwork: Lola Williams

Editor: Jasper Corbett

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 

Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact [email protected]

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When Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana announced a new political party this summer, it had all the ingredients to be a big success. But a summer of disarray has seen them overtaken by a rival on the left. What happened?

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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. So she decided to investigate.

Reporter - Lydia Gard 

Producer -  Gary Marshall. 

Music supervision and sound design - Karla Patella

Sound design - Rowan Bishop

Podcast artwork - Lola Williams 

Fact checking - Poppy Bullard, Katie Gunning, Amalie Sortland, Madeleine Parr & Jess Swinburne 

Executive producer - Basia Cummings 

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 

Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact [email protected]

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With Prince Harry in effective exile and Andrew disgraced, the Royal family is smaller than ever before and at a potential crisis point. Prince William has already signalled his intention to be a different kind of monarch to King Charles. But can the monarchy survive, and what is its purpose?

Reporter: Rachel Sylvester

Producer: Madeleine Parr

Artwork: Blythe Walker Sibthorp

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Jasper Corbett

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 

Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the summer, Epping, a small town on the outskirts of London became the scene of mass protests. featuring hundreds of people. Noisy and occasionally violent, the demonstrations attracted crowds from around the country and plenty of media attention.

But what really happened in Epping and what does it tell us about where the right in Britain is heading?  

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 

Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact [email protected]

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Just outside Gaza is a small settlement of Israelis hoping to enter and settle inside Gaza. They may be a fringe movement, but their voice holds a powerful sway within Israel's cabinet. Could they influence the terms of a future peace plan for Gaza?

Reporter: Oliver Marsden

Producer: Poppy Bullard and Matt Russell

Artwork: Lola Williams

Sound design: Dominic Delargy

Editor: Jasper Corbett

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 

Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalists

If you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.