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The Audio Long Read

The Guardian
Climate Change
Stephen David Jones
Syrian Civil War
Hyperemesis Gravidarum
The Guardian
Human Rights
Trump Administration
Maternal Health
Mental Health
Colonialism
Corruption
Donald Trump
Afghanistan
Nevis
Ngũgĩ Wa Thiong'o
Syria
Israel
Taliban
Aleppo
BBC

Three times a week, The Audio Long Read podcast brings you the Guardian’s exceptional longform journalism in audio form. Covering topics from politics and culture to philosophy and sport, as well as investigations and current affairs.

PublishesDailyEpisodes624Founded14 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

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Latest Episodes

Every Wednesday and Friday in August we will publish some of our favourite audio long reads of 2026, in case you missed them, with an introduction from the editorial team to explain why we’ve chosen it. This week, from January: Universities in Britai... more

Every Wednesday and Friday in August we will publish some of our favourite audio long reads of 2026, in case you missed them, with an introduction from the editorial team to explain why we’ve chosen it. This week, from February: I suffered with my my... more

He was elected mayor of Istanbul in 2019, and had announced his candidacy for the 2028 presidential elections. But Ekrem İmamoğlu is now behind bars, and his trial, on charges including fraud and organised crime, could take 12 years By Kaya Genç. Rea... more

Intensive farming has all but destroyed England’s ancient woodlands and freshwater wetlands. On a farm in Lincolnshire a radical aristocrat hopes to show there’s money in protecting nature By Patrick Barkham. Read by Dermot Daly. Help support our ind... more

Key Facts

Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Steven Pinker
Cognitive psychologist and best-selling author
Harvard University
Episode: Pinker’s progress: the celebrity scientist at the centre of the culture wars
Alessandro Casolari
veteran of Italy's football ultras and subject of the piece
Unknown (ultra movement)
Episode: ‘He liked that people were scared of him’: my year unpicking fantasy and reality with a veteran of Italy’s football ultras
Josiah Meldrum
Organic farming activist and Hodmer Dodds co-founder
Hodmer Dodds
Episode: From the archive: Flour power: meet the bread heads baking a better loaf
Kim Bell
Artisan baker and founder of Small Food Bakery in Nottingham
Small Food Bakery
Episode: From the archive: Flour power: meet the bread heads baking a better loaf
John Turner
Fourth-generation organic farmer on Grange Farm
Grange Farm, Lincolnshire
Episode: From the archive: Flour power: meet the bread heads baking a better loaf
Martin Wolf
Agronomist and advocate for diverse grains; associated with agroforestry and Wheat/YQ program
Bread Lab (Washington) / ORC Wakelands
Episode: From the archive: Flour power: meet the bread heads baking a better loaf
Guy Turner
John Turner's partner in farming at Grange Farm
Grange Farm, Lincolnshire
Episode: From the archive: Flour power: meet the bread heads baking a better loaf
David Wolf
Son of Martin Wolf, involved in agroforestry experiments
Wakelands (family involvement)
Episode: From the archive: Flour power: meet the bread heads baking a better loaf
Paul Wyman
Owner of Tuxford Mill and organic milling advocate
Tuxford Mill
Episode: From the archive: Flour power: meet the bread heads baking a better loaf

Host

Tobias Jones, Giles Tremlett, Robert P. Baird, Kai Wright, Carter Sherman, Cara Sherman
Primary contributors across Guardian longform audio pieces, with roles spanning host, interviewer, and narrator.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 5.3k ratings
  • Hope does not die

    but I haven‘t heard a more names dropping guy called himself King about Tokyo knowing nothing about the subject in spite of 10 years in the city …

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Tippfehlerteufel
    Germanya month ago
  • I love the Guardian…

    But hearing a 42 min puff piece from the editor, I do have my limits. Points about the information crisis were mainly taken from Alderman’s book and then the solutions offered were an advert for the Guardian (which I guess is somewhat fair). The article could have been a lot stronger given the real issues we are facing about how we process information and how information is received.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    EleanorCr
    United Kingdom3 months ago
  • Why must there be music played in the background?

    I really wanted to listen to one of these long reads which came up when I was searching for podcasts about a particular subject matter, but quickly realised that the whole thing was underlaid by music, why? It makes it impossible to listen to!

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Ruthieroo123
    United Kingdom3 months ago
  • Please be honest…

    I have one simple question. Please answer honestly. Was the latest episode about what we risk losing by using A.I. actually voiced by A.I.? (I have temporarily given 3 stars as a neutral vote… )

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    theCOLLECTOR
    United Kingdom6 months ago
  • Consistently good

    Always a great listen

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TeAWL
    New Zealand7 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Appreciation for global, in-depth investigations that connect historical context with current issues.
Listeners praise the thoughtful, well-researched storytelling and high production quality.
A few reviews note issue with clipping edits or audio pacing occasionally.
Some listeners criticize AI/narration choices and periodic repetition of archive material.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#67
United Kingdom/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#174
Canada/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#96
Italy/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#135
Australia/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#182
New Zealand/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#198
Ireland/Top Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Stateside with Kai and Carter: Stacey Abrams on why gutting of the US Voting Rights Act is ‘evil’
Q: What does it mean that the Voting Rights Act has been gutted, and what comes next?
Abrams explains that the two-pronged enforcement approach has been hollowed out, requiring renewed legal action, constitutional safeguards, and sustained grassroots organizing to protect and expand voting access.
From the archive: Inspired by nature: the thrilling new science that could transform medicine
Q: How did Karp's background influence his work?
Karp's connection to nature during childhood and his experiences observing wildlife fostered his approach to bio-inspiration and innovative problem-solving in medical devices.
From the archive: Inspired by nature: the thrilling new science that could transform medicine
Q: What was the initial problem Karp aimed to address with his inventions?
Karp aimed to solve the challenges associated with surgical procedures, particularly in sealing wounds effectively and reducing complications from traditional methods like sutures and staples.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Audio Long Read

What is The Audio Long Read about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The Audio Long Read curates the Guardian's longform journalism in engaging audio form, covering politics, culture, philosophy, sport, investigations, and current affairs three times weekly. Episodes emphasize deeply reported narratives, archival context, and on-the-ground reporting, often weaving multiple locations and voices to illuminate complex subjects. A standout is the consistent production quality and the willingness to tackle nuanced, ambitious topics that go beyond quick-news summaries, making it a strong fit for listeners who enjoy in-depth storytelling and rigorous analysis.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Audio Long Read?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Audio Long Read. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Audio Long Read and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Audio Long Read get?

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What are the audience demographics for The Audio Long Read?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Audio Long Read, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Audio Long Read have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Audio Long Read has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Audio Long Read?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Audio Long Read:

1. Today in Focus
2. Science Weekly
3. The Slow Newscast
4. The Documentary Podcast
5. Politics Weekly America

How many episodes of The Audio Long Read are there?

The Audio Long Read launched 14 years ago and published 624 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Audio Long Read?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Audio Long Read?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Audio Long Read from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Audio Long Read?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Audio Long Read. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Audio Long Read?

Recent guests on The Audio Long Read include:

1. Steven Pinker
2. Alessandro Casolari
3. Josiah Meldrum
4. Kim Bell
5. John Turner
6. Martin Wolf
7. Guy Turner
8. David Wolf

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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