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History Behind the Headlines Trailer
Our new monthly series explores the historical stories hitting the headlines – and the way in which the past informs today’s world.
To access this new series and listen to all episodes completely ad-f…
Published on 2 years, 2 months ago
Is black history still being overlooked?
Episode 1786
As the UK marks Black History Month, a panel of expert historians – Hannah Cusworth, Pamela Roberts and Hakim Adi – tackle some of the biggest questions around bringing black histories to light. Spea…
Published on 2 years, 2 months ago
Cat history: everything you wanted to know
Episode 1785
Cats have lived alongside us for centuries, and our relationship with them has transformed over time – from venerating them to vilifying them. What roles have humans cast cats in over the years? Why …
Published on 2 years, 2 months ago
The Huxleys: how one family shaped our view of nature
Episode 1784
Known as “Darwin’s bulldog”, Thomas Henry Huxley fought a tireless battle against the opponents of evolutionary theory. His grandson Julian lived among the animals of London Zoo and made nature docum…
Published on 2 years, 2 months ago
Great Reputations: Gandhi
Episode 1783
In the latest in our series charting the contested reputations of key historical figures, Vikram Visana and Jad Adams debate the complex, sometimes controversial life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, an…
Published on 2 years, 2 months ago
The Cultural Revolution: a Chinese catastrophe
Episode 1782
For the decade between 1966 and 1976, Chairman Mao’s Cultural Revolution wreaked immense havoc on China – with up to 2 million killed, and another 36 million persecuted for perceived political or cul…
Published on 2 years, 2 months ago
The brutal WW2 battle for Italy
Episode 1781
When Allied forces invaded Italy in September 1943, they hoped to be in Rome by Christmas. But by the end of the year, after four months of unrelenting warfare, the Italian capital was still 70 miles…
Published on 2 years, 2 months ago
David Mitchell on a new history of England’s monarchy
Episode 1780
From his turn as Shakespeare in Upstart Crow to his historical sketches with Robert Webb, comedian and actor David Mitchell’s work has often touched on the past. Now he’s written his first history bo…
Published on 2 years, 2 months ago
Archaeology’s golden age: everything you wanted to know
Episode 1779
The first half of the 20th century is often talked about as a golden age of archaeology – a time marked by thrilling finds such as those of Tutankhamun’s tomb and the ship burial at Sutton Hoo. But w…
Published on 2 years, 3 months ago
One day in the British empire
Episode 1778
On 29 September 1923, the British empire was at its territorial height. But even as British power stretched across the globe, were the seeds of the empire’s destruction already sown? Speaking to Elli…
Published on 2 years, 3 months ago