Weekend

Who is really in charge – the people or the markets? In the first episode of Radical Thinking, a new series from the Guardian, senior economics commentator Aditya Chakrabortty speaks to the former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis. What was it like during the Eurozone crisis, when Varoufakis went head-to-head with those who wanted to stop his reforms?

From the Guardian Investigates team: Across the world, hundreds of people have come to believe they have made extraordinary scientific discoveries with AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini. Others say their AI has ‘awakened’, or is leading them to a higher spiritual realm. The Guardian journalist Michael Safi begins investigating a phenomenon labelled ‘AI psychosis’, travelling to the US to meet two people who have been on weird journeys with their chatbots

The US supreme court has preserved nationwide access to mail-order abortion pills, for now. As Carter Sherman explains, the fight to protect this medication is far from over, as a nationwide, near-total abortion ban could be on the horizon. Carter speaks with Dr Angel Foster, co-founder of the Massachusetts Medication Abortion Access Project, who reveals how the legal battle over abortion pills has affected patients across the US – and what could happen next

The US supreme court demolished the 1965 Voting Rights Act when they ruled in Louisiana v Callais in April that states can’t consider race in redistricting. Southern states from Tennessee to Alabama have rushed to erase majority Black districts, sparking chaos for the midterm elections. Kai Wright talks with Stacey Abrams, voting rights activist and former Georgia house minority leader, about the fallout from the decision, and why, even now, she thinks the way forward is still through engaging more voters to participate in democracy: “They have fractured communities and said we’re going to scatter these seeds. Our job is to grow.”

On the evening of 29 December 2011, Officer Clifton Lewis was moonlighting as a security guard at a Chicago minimart when two men walked in. They shot Lewis several times, then took off with his gun and police star. A week later, police had their suspects: four men affiliated with a gang called the Spanish Cobras. For hours, under intense police questioning, they all said they didn’t do it. But that didn’t seem to matter. This is episode one of Off Duty, an investigation by the Guardian’s Melissa Segura Find the whole series by searching for ‘Guardian Investigates’

The Free Birth Society was selling pregnant women a simple message. They could exit the medical system and take back their power. By free birthing. But Nicole Garrison believes FBS ideology nearly cost her her life. This is episode one of a year-long investigation by Guardian journalists Sirin Kale and Lucy Osborne Listen to the full series from The Guardian Investigates podcast

Three years ago British journalist Dom Phillips and Brazilian indigenous defender Bruno Pereira vanished while on a reporting trip near Brazil’s remote Javari valley. The Guardian’s Latin America correspondent Tom Phillips investigates what happened in the first episode of a new six-part investigative podcast series. Find episode 2 – and all future episodes – by searching for “Missing in the Amazon”

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 podcasts

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

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 podcasts

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 Philippa Perry advises a reader: ‘That voice in your head telling you that you’re saying the wrong things is not telling the truth.’

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, he wasn’t too worried. Then came an autism diagnosis – and a fear of the future. Could a shared passion for music give James a way to shine?

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’

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 being unnecessarily pathologised? Neurologist and author Suzanne O’Sullivan argues just that

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 Hattenstone to discuss her daughter’s murder and her own extraordinary response.

Marina Hyde on Keir Starmer’s palid imitation of Trumpism. The sole survivor of a landslide describes the pain, the fear and the long, winding path of recovery. After Kendrick Lamar lands another savage blow at the Super Bowl, a crisis expert advises on how Drake can return to relevance. And, ‘I feel happier and healthier when not around my mother’ – Philippa Perry advises one reader

Emperor Kanye and his ‘chief architect’ Bianca Censori at the Grammys – guess which one wasn’t wearing any clothes? Roman Kemp opens up about his journey from viral radio presenter to mental health advocate. ‘I feel more secure than when I was earning’: meet the woman who lives without money. And ‘I’ve totally run out of patience with my chaotic husband’: Philippa Perry advises one reader

From yearning for a ‘strong leader’ to being swept up in riots, the portents for our children are not good – and who can blame them for being so disillusioned, asks Marina Hyde. Oscar-nominated Cynthia Erivo has gone stratospheric as Elphaba in Wicked – what next for one of Britain’s brightest stars? And new research shows western medicine’s traditional split between brain and body is far from clear cut – could this new understanding provide a breakthrough for many complex conditions?

Confusing and capricious, Trump started as he means to go on: chaos, dysfunction and a coalition of creeps; Ruby Franke was a social media star who made viral videos about her six children – until she was jailed for child abuse. Now her eldest daughter Shari is telling her side of the story; and No Dylan but loads of Coldplay! What the songs with a billion streams on Spotify tell us about music taste today.

Move fast, break things, sprint to kiss Trump’s ring: Marina Hyde on the tech bro inauguration derby. ‘I get hate from both sides – vegans and carnivores’: James Collier on UPFs, emotional eating and why he created Huel. And “My partner blames a ‘lack of attraction’ for not wanting sex”: Philippa Perry advises one reader

Caroline Darian, daughter of Dominique and Gisèle Pelicot, tells of the ‘crushing double burden’ of being the child of both victim and perpetrator. Plus Philippa Perry invites one reader to see what happens when you prioritise someone who offers you stability and decency

Chris Godfrey spent a decade trying to quit smoking, then he tried hypnotherapy and it changed his life. ‘They’re probably not thinking about you’: Oliver Burkeman on how to liberate yourself and stop people-pleasing. And ‘one night I’m a murderer, the next my husband’s having an affair’. Why do we have the dreams that we do?

Fast-talking, finger-jabbing Jeff Goldblum on vanity, mortality and becoming a father in his 60s. Elon Musk (father of 11) supports their cause, thousands follow their ideology: to make it easier for everyone to have multiple children. Enter the unsettling world of Malcolm and Simone Collins, America’s premier pronatalists

The Duke of York is a royal problem, says Marina Hyde: it’s time they owned it. Matt Goss discusses mega-fame, political correctness and loneliness with Simon Hattenstone. After April Balascio’s foster brother was killed, she started piecing together evidence that revealed her father was a serial killer. And Philippa advises an 80-year-old reader how to face the existential void that is overwhelming them.

Some cases of child/parent estrangement stem from a traumatic childhood. But in others it can come as a shock to parents who believe they did their best. People on both sides of family rifts share their stories with Gaby Hinsliff Because of industrial action taking place by members of the National Union of Journalists at the Guardian and Observer this week, you may notice some disruption to the availability of new episodes in your Guardian podcast feeds. All the work on this episode was done before the strike action began. For more information please head to theguardian.com.

Writer and actor Jamie Demetriou reveals how an admin mixup paved the way for an unconventional career trajectory, the groups of women unmasking online cheats and ghosters, and Sam Wollaston extols the virtues of sitting down to pee. Because of industrial action taking place by members of the National Union of Journalists at the Guardian and Observer this week, we are re-running an episode from our archive. For more information please head to theguardian.com. We’ll be back with new episodes soon.

Former Skins actor Kaya Scodelario talks about growing up poor in London, why she loves doing action films – and the pitfalls of taking her kids to work. When one man discovered someone had been impersonating him for years without his knowledge, he decided to act. He reveals what happened next. And ‘the climate crisis and all the evil in the world drives me to despair’: Philippa Perry advises one reader on how to cope

Marina Hyde asks us to spare a sob for Don Jr, replaced in Daddy’s affections by Elon Musk. The Bank of Mum and Dad – the unspoken dynamic behind society’s growing inequality of ‘inheritocracy’. ‘I’ve been called worse than a Nazi’: Simon Hattenstone meets Jacob Rees-Mogg. And psychologist Lucy Foulkes on why we should take teenage love more seriously

‘Narcissists – only more devious’: Anita Chaudhuri explores the world of the Dark Empath and how to recognise the danger signs; ‘Henry VIII is a serial killer and abuser’: what’s behind the flood of 21st-century retellings of the Tudors, including the new TV series The Mirror and the Light?; and Philippa Perry advises one reader on how to circumnavigate emotional hesitancy.

Donald Trump has triumphed again, and collective amnesia means any lessons Democrats and Republicans may learn from Trump 2.0, they will also forget; influencers have declared the trend for ‘duck lips’ over and many people are seeking to reverse their cosmetic treatment – often with painful and disfiguring results; and ‘Lies, manipulation and fear’ – writer Lucille Howe recounts how she lost her husband to fake news and flat-Earthers. Would their relationship survive?

Marina Hyde reflects on the unexpected stone-cold truth Saoirse Ronan delivered to the male guests on Graham Norton’s sofa; comedian Rob Beckett on the anxieties behind his infectious humour; and Philippa Perry advises one reader on how to improve their relationship with their daughter after deciding not to reveal a dark secret

Why does Rivals’ high-camp, warts-and-all frolic through the 80s make Zoe Williams feel so nostalgic? Is it wrong for Elon Musk to offer voters $1m to get Trump elected? ‘I was blown away by how meaningful and interesting it is: one woman’s ‘love story’ to the caring profession. And Philippa Perry advises a reader to be more forgiving to a friend who is a perpetual liar

Strictly Come Dancing is no longer just a dance show – it’s a battlefield for culture wars, says Marina Hyde. The extraordinary story of Robbie Parker facing down right-wing provocateurs after losing his child. Philippa Perry offers advice to a reader whose partner wants more sex and more enthusiasm

‘It’s hard to think of anyone who has squandered so much electoral capital, so quickly, for so little’: Marina Hyde reflects on Keir Starmer’s first 100 days. When Al Pacino bagged the lead role in The Godfather, he couldn’t believe his luck: in an extract from his new book, he recalls the making of the film that changed his life …

Heartstopper’s Joe Locke on trolls, typecasting and turning to the dark side; ‘I wished I were holding a cat and not a baby’: the mothers who regret having kids; and Philippa Perry advises one reader struggling to cope with a rich friend who has become a boastful bore.

Marina Hyde on the motley crew of enforcers, concealers and NDA experts behind every Al Fayed or Diddy; Liz Taylor’s son, Chris Wilding, discusses his mother’s legend and legacy; and Philippa Perry helps one reader struggling to reconcile the emotions that come with a devastating illness

Marina Hyde laments the sexist gossip surrounding Charlotte Owen and her relationship to Boris Johnson; Friends writers and producers on the inside story of the iconic TV show; and Janet Jackson talks to Nosheen Iqbal about taking back control

Weekend is taking a little break. So this week, we’re picking some of our favourite pieces from the last few months just in case you missed them… Zoe Williams turns the tables on veteran interviewer Louis Theroux; how an app sparked a late-life gender transition for author Lucy Sante; and if you kill someone in your sleep, are you a murderer?

Listen to part 1 Scenes from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry by Richard Norton-Taylor and Nicolas Kent On 14 June 2017, a fire broke out in Grenfell Tower in London. 72 people died. It was the worst residential fire in the UK since the second world war. The Grenfell Tower Inquiry was created to examine the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the fire. Two reports were published as a result of this inquiry: phase 1 on 30 October 2019; and the second, and final, report last Wednesday. This verbatim play, which was recorded in front of a live audience, is taken from excerpts of spoken evidence, given under oath, to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Phase 2, between October 2019 and July 2022. This play was created so that some of the lessons leading up to that night, and the vital work of the Inquiry, could be more widely understood by the public. This is the second part in a two-part series, if you haven’t yet listened to part 1, you may want to before starting this episode.

Listen to part 2 Scenes from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry by Richard Norton-Taylor and Nicolas Kent On 14 June 2017, a fire broke out in Grenfell Tower in London. 72 people died. It was the worst residential fire in the UK since the second world war. The Grenfell Tower Inquiry was created to examine the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the fire. Two reports were published as a result of this inquiry: phase 1 on 30 October 2019; and the second, and final, report last Wednesday. This verbatim play, which was recorded in front of a live audience, is taken from excerpts of spoken evidence, given under oath, to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Phase 2, between October 2019 and July 2022. This play was created so that some of the lessons leading up to that night, and the vital work of the Inquiry, could be more widely understood by the public.

Weekend is taking a little break. So for the next two weeks, we’re picking some of our favourite pieces from the last few months just in case you missed them… Actor Julia Fox unpacks abuse, fame, and dating Kanye; should you blame yourself for your bad habits? And what happened when one man’s boat sank in the dead of night and he had to save his seven-year-old son.

Michael Sheen talks about life back in his home town of Port Talbot and falling in love with a younger woman; from Big Brother to Bake Off, Alison Hammond discusses the highs and lows of celebrity; and Philippa Perry responds to an empty-nester who misses her adult children so much it feels like grief

Actor Gillian Anderson on prudes, powerful women, and collecting secret fantasies; How singer-songwriter Chappell Roan slow-burned her way to stardom; and Oliver Burkeman tells you how to stop being such a people-pleaser.

Susanna Crossman describes her childhood in a utopian commune where children ran wild – and the trouble that came with that freedom; Marina Hyde assesses Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s glitch-ridden chat; and Moya Sarner reveals the life-changing power of selfishness, with the help of a simple phrase.

Where are you Tommy and Elon? Marina Hyde finds that those provoking the race riots are far, far away; the dead hang delight – how this quick, surprisingly simple exercise can change your life; and ‘A bolt of lightning struck my plane’ – one woman’s incredible story of survival

Actor Jeff Goldblum on vanity, mortality and becoming a father in his 60s; sundresses and rugged self-sufficiency: the ‘tradwives’ trend touts a conservative American past that didn’t exist; and one man’s extraordinary story of embracing the dating world with the help of his terminally ill partner.

Victoria Pendleton is one of Britain’s greatest ever athletes, but has often felt like a failure and fraud. She tells Simon Hattenstone about her Olympic golds, the misery that came with them, and the joy she has found since she retired. And Twisters is the tornado blockbuster that almost has it all. But its two hot stars – Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones – avoid a climactic smooch. Is Steven Spielberg to blame?

Never doubt the instincts of Donald Trump, warns Marina Hyde, who just appointed a ‘never Trump guy’ as his running mate. Let your kids roam free, stay home alone, have fun – and fail – Norwegian style. Charli xcx’s new album, Brat, highlights how many young women now aspire to live – dirty, hedonistic, happy and bra-less. And ‘My brother’s mental illness hovers over my family life’ – Philippa Perry answers a reader.

Marina Hyde advises the US president: ‘Walk to podium, smile, wave goodbye’; ‘I’m a failure, in debt and my partner is pregnant’ – Philippa Perry helps one man open up; Superman, Frodo and Star Wars: the stunning life and career of Kiran Shah; actor Katy Wix confronts a painful memory when she gets a message out of the blue

Hollywood’s great survivor discusses his band, politics, family, embracing change and learning selflessness; as pornography use soars, we meet the men who feel their behaviour is moving from a compulsion to an addiction; and, last week, a job advert emerged for a private tutor to an architecture student with potential earnings of more than £2m. One man who has worked with wealthy families describes what it takes.

Charlotte Edwardes interviews the Labour leader as he closes in on power, but who exactly is the man who wants to run Britain? Plus the extraordinary story of the woman who stepped in as a surrogate for her daughter’s baby, and Sam Pyrah examines the latest scientific understanding about why we dream what we do

Marina Hyde on poor Rishi, who had to go without a Sky subscription as a teenager; Chris Godfrey spent a decade trying to quit smoking, then he tried hypnotherapy and it changed his life; when Jordan Hatmaker pulled the string of her parachute, she realised something was very wrong; and ‘My grownup son is gaming all day and lives on takeaways’ - Philippa Perry offers advice to a mother

The former cricketer discusses the ramifications of his decision to speak out about racism at Yorkshire; a reader has developed an intense crush on an unavailable work colleague; Boris Johnson and Brexit weren’t the only reasons Rory Stewart left politics; and Simon Usborne on the destructive impact of bamboo

We are delighted to bring you the first episode in our latest series of Pop Culture with Chanté Joseph. Chanté (not a Swift fan) is joined by the writer Elle Hunt (is a Swift fan) to talk about why Taylor Swift is not just a pop sensation, bringing her billion-pound Eras tour to the UK, but has also managed to become a business icon. The pair also chat about whether or not one artist should even have that much influence in the first place. If you like the episode, please search for Pop Culture with Chanté Joseph and hit subscribe.

The Guardian lockdown love story that ended in ‘I do’; the incredible story of Maxwell Smart, who lost his family in the Holocaust at 10 and avoided detection from the Nazis for two years; and Philippa Perry advises a reader not to invite his alcoholic father to his wedding.

Rishi Sunak is so convinced he can’t win he’s promising any old mad thing, while the Lib Dems are deliberately falling off paddleboards – Marina Hyde on the election. The couple on a mission to make it easier for everyone to have multiple children – Elon Musk (father of 11) is a supporter. Few of us have the money to take a long pause from work – but, as Anita Chaudhuri discovers, even a day can make a difference

Comedian, writer and actor Stephen Merchant on standup, fame and the pressures of cancel culture; testing the ‘world-leading science’ claims behind the Zoe nutrition app; and the point when writer Harriet Tyce realised she didn’t want to be remembered only as a drinker

Marina Hyde: ‘So Russell Brand was baptised in the Thames, and all his sins were washed away. Cheaper than a lawyer, I suppose’; plus Jenny Kleeman meets Raffaella Spone, the woman accused of creating and circulating a damaging ‘deepfake’ video of teenage cheerleaders. The problem? Nothing was fake after all.

Frock horror! The ludicrous spectacle of the Met Gala; reluctant star Josh O’Connor takes the lead in a new film, Challengers; Catherine Carr talks to boys about sex, pornography and feeling isolated and vulnerable; and Philippa Perry responds to a reader who is child-free.

Sofie Hagen loves sex – so why has it been 3,089 days since she’s had any? (1m27s); A flat white can now set you back up to £5.19 – but should we swallow it? (25m13s); and psychotherapist and Observer columnist Philippa Perry addresses a reader’s personal problem (43m51s).

Beware of ‘Tetchy Rishi’ – the prime minister struggles to control his anger during the Rwanda bill press briefing (1m24s); David Harewood on acting, racism and mental health (9m08s); Phil Daoust’s surprisingly simple solution to insomnia hell (24m33s); and Stuart Heritage examines the dangerous fallout from Netflix’s Baby Reindeer (42m29s)

Zoe Williams explores the greatest mystery of modern politics: Liz Truss’ self belief (1m15s), and Charlotte Edwardes delves into the extraordinary inside story of the biggest art fraud in American history (5m53s)

Marina Hyde with her take on Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s surreal US presidential bid (1m23s); Emine Saner meets the sociopath who learned to behave – and found happiness (8m05s); why Gen Z has fallen in love with Sex and the City (24m45s); and do our political opponents really hate us? (29m54s).

This week, Marina Hyde discusses the Thames Water crisis after a sewage-plagued boat race (01:27); Simon Hattenstone interviews Nick Cave, who is about to exhibit his ceramic figurines at the Xavier Hufkens gallery, about art, love, politics and the death of his two sons (08:59); and Rachel Dixon investigates bread in Britain and what it tells us about health, wealth and class (28:52)

This week, Marina Hyde discuss the Tories’ attack ad as they bid to unseat Sadiq Khan (01:54); Phil Daoust asks what can he change at 60 to make it to 100 (08:31); and Eva Wiseman interviews Gillian Anderson as she prepares to play Emily Maitlis in a drama about her interview with Prince Andrew (26:25)

If Labour gets into government, the deputy labour leader Angela Rayner will be one of the most powerful women in Britain. ‘Bring it on,’ she says (1m58s); and ‘I was having a much better time as a girl in that parallel life’: why author Lucy Sante transitioned (29m08s)

Should you blame yourself for your bad habits? (1m53s); author and teacher, Michael Donkor, on the dilemma of whether to come out to his pupils (7m50s); and missed connections: four extraordinary stories of couples who found love via small ads (26m05s)

It’s the Christian Horner paradox, according to Marina Hyde: F1 is now hideously dull, but it’s never been more dramatic (1m53s); if you kill someone in your sleep, is it murder? (9m33s); and ‘What a ridiculous question!’ How fawning, and inanity ruined the red carpet (23m02s)

We wanted to bring you this episode from our new series, Black Box. In it, Michael Safi explores seven stories and the thread that ties them together: artificial intelligence. In this prologue, Hannah (not her real name) has met Noah and he has changed her life for the better. So why does she have concerns about him? If you like what you hear, make sure to search and subscribe to Black Box, with new episodes every Monday and Thursday.

John Crace watches the Tories tie themselves in knots to avoid calling Lee Anderson the ‘R’ word (1m48s); a Ted Bundy survivor tells Anna Moore how the moment changed her life (8m59s); and Fergal Kinney looks at how Sex Lives of the Potato Men broke the British cinema industry (25m59s)

From Tucker Carlson to Johnny Depp, a celebrity bromance is the must-have accessory for modern dictators, says Marina Hyde (1m50); the Libertines on feuds, friendship and their tortured reunion by Simon Hattenstone (9m03); and how habituation, a simple behavioural trick, can help you experience less pain and more pleasure by Cass Sunstein and Tali Sharot (35m49).

John Crace on Rishi Sunak using his Big Break on GB News to remind us he can’t connect with people (1m27s); Annie Rice on burn out and exploitation – when yoga turns toxic (8m34s); and on the 10th anniversary of Hollie Gazzard’s murder, Anna Moore speaks to her father about how he has not let anger destroy him (28m20s)

Marina Hyde reviews ‘Liz Truss and the PopCons’, the Tory tribute act sounding a death knell for irony (1m28s); Catherine Shoard interviews Michael J Fox on pity, Parkinson’s – and a potential cure (9m40s); and Poor Things’ intimacy coordinator, Elle McAlpine, discusses consent, orgies and Emma Stone with Elle Hunt (25m27s)

Marina Hyde asks what now for Laurence Fox after the sad clown of the culture wars circus loses high court libel case (1m21s); Hugh Hefner’s wife on mind games in the Playboy Mansion (9m05s); and the difference between memory loss and dementia – and how to keep your brain sharp (28m20s)

Long live the Tory Fringe! John Crace reviews last week’s conservative ‘comedy hour’ (1m22s); Johannes Radebe on how he fought the bullies - and became a Strictly superstar (9m22s); and Zoe Williams reveals how to spot a liar in ten easy steps (26m14s)

So Prince Harry is a living legend of aviation? Why not, says Marina Hyde (1m21s); Bernie Sanders on what happens if Trump wins – and how to stop him (8m32s); and mushroom macchiato, anyone? Are the new boosted coffees worth the hype? (34m37s)

As the Post Office scandal continues to unfold, Marina Hyde urges us to keep watching and stay angry (1m24s); what one man learned after 30 days of rejection therapy (9m40s); and double Oscar-winner Jodie Foster on beauty, bravery and raising feminist sons (26m49s)

Weekend is taking a little break. So this week, we’ve picked some of our favourite pieces from the last few months, just in case you missed them… Two stories about secrets, lies, and what happens when the people we trust turn out to have hidden motives: first, Joe Gibson reveals a troubling affair he had with his teacher that changed his life (1m48s); and comedian Michelle Brasier explains why she befriended her scammer (41m46s)

For the next two weeks, we’re picking some of our favourite pieces from the last few months, just in case you missed them… Two tales of coming of age and finding out what matters most: in this episode, Heartstopper’s Kit Connor confronts the aftermath of being forced to come out under the gaze of millions (1m44s); and how food helped the Guardian’s restaurant critic Grace Dent create small, meaningful moments amid immense loss (25m20s)

Marina Hyde mulls over Lady Mone’s PPE farrago, car crash interview and fight with the PM (1m26s); Victoria Mary Clarke on the excess, addiction and love that bound her and Shane MacGowan together (10m20s); and Anita Chaudhuri on being shut out by loved ones for 40 years (27m46s)

Actor Toby Jones on class, character and the cost of fame (1m26s); John Crace on Rishi Sunak’s break from a feral Tory party with a spa day at the Covid inquiry (23m00s); and the weird world of celebrity training – how Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Madonna get in shape for their shows (30ms58)

Marina Hyde ponders the small slip that sent Omid Scobie’s Harry and Meghan book into orbit (1m18s); and an English couple, a Ukrainian surrogate and a baby: the extraordinary story of how war united two unlikely families (8m51s).

Rishi Sunak loses his marbles and causes a diplomatic spat in the process (1m18s); Gareth Gates on bullying, resilience and tabloid gossip (7m32s); and the nature cure: how time outdoors transforms our memory, imagination and logic (21m06s).

How The Crown went from prestige drama to TV disaster (1m26s); what happened when one man’s boat sank in the dead of night – and he had to save his seven-year-old son (11m19s); how discount supermarkets changed the way we shop (25m21); and Philippa Perry shares advice on how to overcome loneliness and isolation (40m08s)

Is Rishi Sunak rewarding failure? With David Cameron back it’s being celebrated like never before, says Marina Hyde (1m28s); Nicolas Cage on dreams, fame and his two-headed snake (10m25s); why one woman flew across the world to win back her ex (22m51s); and four cardiologists share 20 simple steps to a healthy heart (27m37s)

Marina Hyde asks: What’s in Nadine Dorries’s book? A pile of dead cats big enough to kill that phrase for good (1m18s); and writer Simon Hattenstone finds out what happened next after Harry Potter’s stunt double broke his neck on set, changing his life forever (8m18s).

Marina Hyde reports on the not-so-shocking incompetence laid bare by the Covid inquiry (1m20s); Zoe Williams turns the tables on avuncular interviewer Louis Theroux (9m58s); and Elle Hunt reflects on Matthew Perry’s troubled life and foreshadowed death (28m48s).

Marina Hyde wonders if anything will change, as GB News is found to have breached Ofcom rules yet again (1m26s); American writer Kenny Biddle, reveals how he became a full-time paranormal investigator…and sceptic…(10m03s); and Olympic champion Caster Semenya talks labels, leaked medical records and how lowering her hormones took its toll on her body (15m58s).

Marina Hyde is impressed by Princess Diana, the ‘hardest working spectre in showbiz’ (1m22s); Bella Ramsey talks football, rapping and why fame is ‘silly’ (9m44s); and Elle Hunt meets a woman who was crushed by an elephant (20m32s).

John Crace watches a glitter-covered Keir Starmer get down to business with a game-changing speech (1m21s); Dolly Parton on style, stardom and sexism (9m51s); plus one man’s leap of faith into the world of hair transplants (26m46s)

John Crace watches Rishi Sunak veer between dull and delusional in his conference speech (1m23s); actor Julia Fox unpacks abuse, fame, and dating Kanye (9m12s); plus the bizarre story of how an advert for a reality show led to a British TV mystery (35m01s)

Marina Hyde asks: who gains from Rishi’s ‘longterm’ thinking? (1m21s) ; and journalist Simon Hattenstone meets the illustrious Joan Collins to discuss love, loss and lust at 90 (8m43s).

Marina Hyde appeals for us all to do the right thing by the victims of Russell Brand’s misogyny (1m23s); and writer and professor David Runciman reveals what happened when he followed all the same Twitter accounts as Elon Musk to try to get inside his head (11m9s).

Marina Hyde ponders a government so tedious, even the ‘shocking’ revelation of an alleged spy can’t sex things up (1m20s); Grace Dent delves into ‘the great social leveller’, cheese, and what our love for this foodstuff says about us (8m8s); and a male escort reveals what women want when they pay for sex (34m56s).

Marina Hyde on why crumbling concrete is just the latest phase in Rishi’s doom loop (1m26s); Maggie Smith on why her marriage disintegrated as her career took off (10m01s); and Richard Osman reveals how he conquered both TV and publishing (25m24s)

Marina Hyde on Prince Andrew being chauffeured back into the royal fold by Prince William (1m24s); how Shallow Hal almost broke Gwyneth Paltrow’s body double (8m29s); and pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo contemplates overnight pop superstardom, plagiarism and growing up in public (21m17s)

The Weekend team are taking a break. So this week, we’re looking back at some of our favourite pieces of the year. Elle Hunt reveals the incredible story of one man’s struggle to rebuild his life after being struck by lightning (1m35s); Amelia Dimoldenberg recounts her journey from the Chicken Shop to Vanity Fair’s Oscars party (16m32s); and Chloë Hamilton describes navigating the heartbreak of fertility – shoulder to shoulder with her twin sister (33m56s).

The Weekend team are taking a break. So for the next two weeks, we’re looking back at some of our favourite pieces of the year. Michelle Obama reads an exclusive extract from her book The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times (2m05s); are you a stehpinkler or a sitzpinkler? Sam Wollaston extols the virtues of sitting down to pee (28m23s); and three decades on, the only survivor of a plane crash reflects on how the trauma changed her (41m23s).

Marina Hyde recoils at Matt Hancock’s latest cringeworthy attempt to boost his brand (1m24s); writer Joel Snape asks whether we should worry about snacking (7m55s); and journalist Simon Hattenstone sits down with author Jacqueline Wilson to discuss rivalry, censorship – and love (14m02).