Sensemaker
The Observer
The Sensemaker from The Observer - one story every day to make sense of the world.Subscribe to The Observer and use the code AUDIO50 to get 50% off your annual subscription:Early access, bonus content and ad-free listening to our podcastsA 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jan 3, 2025 • 6min
Denmark’s gold rush town
If 2023 was the year weight-loss injections such as Ozempic or WeGovy took over Hollywood, then 2024 was the year they went global. What does that mean for Novo Nordisk, the Danish company making them? And can it live up to the hype?Writer: Claudia WilliamsProducer: Claudia WilliamsPhotography: Joe MeeExecutive producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 2, 2025 • 5min
A hard year for King Charles
The King's first full year on the throne has been marked by his illness. Along with that of his daughter-in-law, Catherine, Princess of Wales. What does this year tell us about the state of the royal family?Writer: Xavier GreenwoodProducer: Xavier GreenwoodPhotography: Lola WilliamsExecutive producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 1, 2025 • 5min
Joe Root – the greatest gets better
How England cricket’s greatest batter got even better in 2024. Writer: Andrew Butler.Producer: Lola WilliamsPhotography: Lola Williams Executive producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 31, 2024 • 8min
Nara Smith and the trad wife renaissance
The tradwife movement, led by influencers like Nara Smith, sparked intense online debate throughout 2024, particularly following Donald Trump's presidential election victory. What does it tell us about the year?Writer: Jess SwinburneProducer: Jess SwinburneHost: Casey Magloire Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 30, 2024 • 8min
The rise and rise of Kneecap
The Belfast rap trio has taken the world by storm. But who are they and how have they managed to capture the zeitgeist?Writer: Elaine McCalligProducer: Casey Magloire Photography: Jon JonesExecutive producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 27, 2024 • 8min
How Baby Reindeer rocked British TV
How the fallout from the TV show sparked a nearly two hundred million dollar lawsuit. Thanks for listening to the Sensemaker.This episode was written and mixed by Eleanor Biggs.Photography by Jon Jones. The executive producer is Rebecca Moore. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 26, 2024 • 8min
Gaza’s Vlogger
How a young woman from Gaza who chronicled life in the Strip after October 7th and became one of the most influential women in the world. Writer: Chloe HadjimatheouProducer: Gary MarshallHost: Tomini BabsExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 25, 2024 • 10min
Chappell Roan and the price of fame
In 2024, Chappell Roan went from relative obscurity to playing to some of the biggest crowds in festival history. What toll did this meteoric rise take on her?Writer: Katie RileyProducer: Katie GunningPhotography: Lola WilliamsHost: Casey MagloireExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 24, 2024 • 6min
The woman behind ITV’s Mr Bates vs. The Post Office
The Post Office scandal was one of the largest miscarriages of justice in the UK with hundreds of people wrongly prosecuted for theft or false accounting. So why did it take an ITV drama to bring about change? Writer: Sophie FentonProducer: Tomini BabsHost: Tomini BabsExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 23, 2024 • 7min
2024: The year of the sequel
For the first time ever, the top ten grossing films of the year are all sequels. What does this tell us about the film industry? Has Hollywood run out of new ideas?Writer: Casey MagloireProducer: Casey MagloireHost: Tomini BabsExecutive Producer: Rebecca Moore Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
