History Extra podcast

The History Extra podcast brings you gripping stories from the past and fascinating historical conversations with the world's leading historical experts.


Produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine, History Extra is a free history podcast, with episodes released six times a week. Subscribe now for the real stories behind your favourite films, TV shows and period dramas, as well as compelling insights into lesser-known aspects of the past. 

 

We delve into global history stories spanning the ancient world right up to the modern day. You’ll hear deep dives into the lives of famous historical figures like Cleopatra, Anne Boleyn and Winston Churchill, and explorations of intriguing events from the past, such as the Salem witch trials, the battle of Waterloo and D-Day. 

 

Expect fresh takes on history, helping you get to grips with the latest research, as we explore everything from ancient Roman archaeology and Viking mythology to Renaissance royals and Tudor kings and queens. 

 

Our episodes touch on a wide range of historical eras – from the Normans and Saxons to the Stuarts, Victorians and the Regency period. We cover the most popular historical subjects, from the medieval world to the Second World War, but you’ll also hear conversations on lesser-known parts of our past, including black history and women’s history. 

 

Looking at the history behind today’s headlines, we consider the forces that have shaped today’s world, from the imposing empires that dominated continents, to the revolutions that brought them crashing down. We also examine the impact of conflict across the centuries, from the crusades of the Middle Ages and the battles of the ancient Egyptians to World War One, World War Two and the Cold War.  

 

Plus, we uncover the real history behind myths, legends and conspiracy theories, from the medieval murder mystery of the Princes in the Tower, to the assassination of JFK.  

 

Featuring interviews with notable historians including Mary Beard, Tracy Borman, James Holland and Dan Jones, we cover a range of social, political and military history, with the aim to start conversations about some of the most fascinating areas of the past. 

Unlock full access to HistoryExtra.com for 6 months for just 99p https://www.historyextra.com/join/

History
1876
Female spies of the Civil War era
Historian Nadine Akkerman introduces a number of remarkable women who acted as secret agents in the 17th century
26 min
1877
Captain Cook’s Endeavour
Journalist and author Peter Moore talks about HMS Endeavour, the ship that carried Cook on his landmark voyage to the Pacific 250 years ago
26 min
1878
Dan Jones on the secrets of popular history
Historian, author and broadcaster Dan Jones talks to us about his career, his latest projects and how he combines swimming with his love of the past
63 min
1879
Mary Beard’s life in Classics
We pay a visit to the renowned Cambridge classicist to discuss her career, her passion for the ancient world and her desire to share her expertise with the masses
45 min
1880
Historical fact and fiction
Historian and author Tracy Borman describes the process of writing her first historical novel, set in the era of King James VI & I and the European witch craze
29 min
1881
Ian Kershaw on postwar Europe
For the 500th episode of the History Extra podcast we are joined by Professor Sir Ian Kershaw, who appeared in our very first programme. This time the topic for discussion is his new history of modern Europe
62 min
1882
Inside the mind of Elizabeth I
In the first of five special programmes to mark our upcoming 500th episode, historian, author and broadcaster Helen Castor explores the psychology of the Virgin Queen and discusses the challenges of writing a new biography of one of England’s best-know...
36 min
1883
Britons under Nazi rule
Historical author Duncan Barrett tells the stories of Channel Islanders who spent several years living under German occupation during World War Two
49 min
1884
Islam’s struggle with modernity
Ed Husain, author of The House of Islam, meets with the historian Tom Holland to explore the roots of some of the challenges Muslims face in the 21st century
44 min
1885
Britain’s foreign policy secrets
Historian Rory Cormac discusses his new book Disrupt and Deny, which investigates Britain’s use of spies and special forces for covert operations in the postwar period.
33 min
1886
The Tommies’ final acts
Jonathan Ruffle, creator of the BBC Radio 4 historical drama Tommies, explores the situation on the front line in August 1918 as the First World War approached its end
23 min
1887
Catholics in Elizabethan England
Historian Jessie Childs tells the story of Thomas Tresham, a Tudor gentleman who built a remarkable monument to his Catholic faith and risked the anger of the Virgin Queen
31 min
1888
Rethinking 20th-century Britain
Professor David Edgerton explains why we need to revise our understanding of recent British history, from the world wars to the welfare state
30 min
1889
Nelson Mandela’s extraordinary life
On the centenary of Mandela’s birth, we speak to the politician and author Peter Hain about the South African leader’s remarkable achievements in the face of tremendous adversity
57 min
1890
The murder of the Romanovs
Historical author Helen Rappaport explains why the last Russian tsar and his family met a violent end in 1918 and considers whether Britain could have saved the Romanovs from their fate
32 min
1891
Britain’s refugee camps
Historian Jordanna Bailkin discusses her new book, Unsettled, which explores the experiences of people of several different nationalities who fled to Britain in the 20th century
29 min
1892
Spies through the ages
Professor Christopher Andrew discusses his new book The Secret World, which explores the history of intelligence and espionage from ancient times until the present day
33 min
1893
Making the modern world
We are joined by bestselling historical author Simon Winchester, who reveals how some of history’s greatest engineers helped create the industrial age
33 min
1894
Ireland’s past and present
Professor Jane Ohlmeyer discusses a new multi-volume history of Ireland and explains how the past continues to affect Anglo-Irish relations today
34 min
1895
Sherwood Forest through the ages
Eleanor Rosamund Barraclough, presenter of a BBC Radio 3 series on forests, takes a trip to the home of Robin Hood to explore how forests have shaped our history and mythology
31 min
1896
The national debt dilemma
Economist Martin Slater charts 350 years of British government borrowing – from the Glorious Revolution to the 2008 financial crisis – and considers what lessons this history might have for policy makers today
40 min
1897
Restoring women’s voices
Sarah Jackson, joint founder of East End Women’s Museum, explores how historical women are currently commemorated and how this might be done better in future
29 min
1898
The history of manners
Distinguished historian Sir Keith Thomas reflects on how concepts of civility and civilisation shaped society in the early modern period
37 min
1899
World War One at home
Professor Maggie Andrews, historical consultant on the BBC Radio 4 drama series Home Front, joins us to reveal how the First World War was affecting British civilian life as the conflict entered its closing stages
25 min
1900
Grenfell Tower: from hope to tragedy
Ahead of the BBC Two documentary Before Grenfell: A Hidden History, architect Peter Deakins discusses his involvement in the creation of the tower block and considers its place in the history of social housing in Britain
27 min