Podcast Episodes

Malick Sidibé: Mali’s star photographer

The Malian photographer, Malick Sidibé, is one of Africa’s most celebrated artists.

His most famous photographs show black and white scenes of young people partying in the capital Bamako in the joyfu…

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

A Great Day in Harlem: The story behind the iconic jazz photo

It's 65 years since aspiring photographer Art Kane persuaded 58 of the biggest names in jazz, including Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk to line up for a photo outside a townhouse in …

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

Lee Miller in Hitler's bath

Vogue's war correspondent Lee Miller found herself in Adolf Hitler's Munich apartment when the news broke that he was dead.

Earlier that day, she and fellow photographer David Scherman had witnessed t…

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

1955 Le Mans disaster

On 11 June 1955, more than 80 people were killed and 100 injured at the Le Mans 24-hour race.

A car driven by Pierre Levegh crashed into the crowd of around 300,000 causing the deaths.

John Fitch was …

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

Last communist march before Hitler

On 25 January 1933 the last legal communist march was held in Berlin.

Just a few days later Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany.

Soon the Communist Party was banned and the Nazi grip on power was…

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

Facial reconstruction: From mummy to murder

In 1975, British forensic artist Richard Neave used a pile of modelling clay, two prosthetic eyes and a woman’s wig to reconstruct the face of an Egyptian mummy.

It was to be the start of a 40-year c…

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

Inuit children taken from families

In the early 1960s, the Canadian government launched an experimental programme to take academically promising Inuit children from their homes to be educated in Canada’s cities.

The aim was to produce…

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

The first Indian woman to conquer Everest

As a child, Bachendri Pal never dreamt of conquering mountains but a chance meeting with a climber changed all that.

She applied for a mountaineering course and was chosen to be part of India’s first …

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

Tragedy on Everest

Michael Groom is one of the survivors of a tragic climbing expedition to Mount Everest in Nepal.

In 2010, Jonny Hogg spoke to Michael Groom about the moments that went badly wrong when a storm struck…

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

Mallory on Everest

In 1999 the body of the legendary British mountaineer, George Mallory, was found on Mount Everest. Mallory disappeared on the mountain in 1924 after making a final push for the summit with his fellow…

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago