The Cruelty: Stolen Generations
True crime podcast review — 2026
Reviewed · Updated
"Historical institutional abuse, investigated with the same rigour as the reporter's earlier Unknown Bairn case."
Who is this podcast for?
- ✓Listeners who enjoy following a single case from start to finish
- ✓Listeners interested in British cases and the UK criminal justice system
Pros & cons
- +High binge factor — listeners consistently come back for more
- +Serialized format builds a compelling, sustained narrative arc across episodes
- −Must listen in order — cannot dip in and out between episodes
About this podcast
The Cruelty, from BBC Radio Scotland, grew out of Davie Donaldson's efforts to solve the mystery of the Unknown Bairn — a young boy whose body washed up on a Scottish beach and was never claimed. Stolen Generations widens the lens to Scotland's historic care system and the children failed by it.
Best episode to start with
Episode 1
Serialized format — listen from the beginning for the full experience
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Frequently Asked Questions about The Cruelty: Stolen Generations
What is The Cruelty: Stolen Generations about?
The Cruelty, from BBC Radio Scotland, grew out of Davie Donaldson's efforts to solve the mystery of the Unknown Bairn — a young boy whose body washed up on a Scottish beach and was never claimed. Stolen Generations widens the lens to Scotland's historic care system and the children failed by it.
Is The Cruelty: Stolen Generations worth listening to?
Our editorial verdict is "Good if historical institutional-abuse cases interest you". It scores 7/10 on binge factor. BBC Radio Scotland's Davie Donaldson investigates historic Scottish care-system failures, building on his work solving the mystery of the Unknown Bairn.
Who is The Cruelty: Stolen Generations for?
The Cruelty: Stolen Generations is ideal for: Listeners who enjoy following a single case from start to finish; Listeners interested in British cases and the UK criminal justice system.
What is the best episode of The Cruelty: Stolen Generations to start with?
We recommend starting with Episode 1. As a serialized show, it's best to listen from the beginning of a season.
Where can I listen to The Cruelty: Stolen Generations?
The Cruelty: Stolen Generations is available on BBC Sounds, Apple Podcasts, Spotify. Search for it by name on any of those apps.
What podcasts are similar to The Cruelty: Stolen Generations?
If you enjoy The Cruelty: Stolen Generations, you might also like: Unsolved Murders: True Crime Stories, Cults, Lore, Serial Killers. See our full "Podcasts Like The Cruelty: Stolen Generations" page for more recommendations.
Quick facts
- Format
- Serialized
- Host style
- Solo narrator
- Style
- Grave; unflinching; journalistic; sombre
- Episode length
- 30-40 min
- Episodes
- 19 episodes
- Binge factor
- 7/10
- Country
- United Kingdom
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