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
1901
World-changing women
Jenni Murray, longstanding presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, discusses her new book, which tells the stories of some of the most fascinating women in global history.
33 min
1902
Legacies of the Holocaust
Historians Mary Fulbrook and Richard J Evans explore the aftermath of the Nazi genocide, looking at how thousands of perpetrators escaped justice and considering how subsequent generations have sought to understand the greatest atrocity of the 20th cen...
47 min
1903
Diversity in history
Olivette Otele, who recently became Britain’s first black female professor of history, joins Dr Sadiah Qureshi of the University of Birmingham to discuss race and equality in the British historical profession
27 min
1904
The story of the Hurricane
Joel Hammer, producer of the new podcast The Hurricane Tapes, revisits the life of Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter, the American boxer who was imprisoned for a 1966 triple murder.
25 min
1905
Mary, Queen of Scots’ tragic life
Historian, author and broadcaster Kate Williams tells the dramatic story of the 16th-century Scottish queen and reflects on her doomed relationship with Elizabeth I of England. As part of the conversation, Williams also discusses the upcoming film of M...
33 min
1906
The true history of The Favourite
Historians Amanda Vickery, Hallie Rubenhold and Hannah Greig discuss the acclaimed new historical drama The Favourite and consider how accurately it reflects the reality of Queen Anne’s court in the early 18th century
53 min
1907
Remarkable women through history
Max Adams, author of Unquiet Women, explores the lives of some remarkable women from history whose stories have been largely forgotten. He also overturns the idea that women of this period were either queens, nuns or invisible – and e...
41 min
1908
Egypt’s lost tombs
Egyptologist, author and broadcaster Chris Naunton talks about the search for the resting places of famous Egyptians such as Nefertiti and Cleopatra
38 min
1909
Medieval civil war
Historian, author and broadcaster Nick Barratt explores the dynastic clashes between Henry II and his ambitious sons for control of the Plantagenet crown in the 12th century
43 min
1910
Indians in World War One
Professor Santanu Das explores the experiences of Indians who fought in and were affected by the First World War and explains how he has utilised a wide range of sources to uncover their forgotten stories
38 min
1911
2018 Christmas history quiz
Join the BBC History Magazine team for the return of our annual Christmas history quiz with questions set by QI writer Justin Pollard. Read the text version at: www.historyextra.com/christmasquiz2018
24 min
1912
Bess of Hardwick: a Tudor success story
Kate Hubbard, biographer of Bess of Hardwick, explores the fascinating life of a Tudor woman who rose from relative obscurity to become one of the richest and most influential people of her age
32 min
1913
Wonders of the Middle Ages
Kathleen Doyle and Tuija Ainonen discuss a major Anglo-French project that has made hundreds of medieval manuscripts available for the public to view online
35 min
1914
Letters that changed the world
Bestselling historian and author Simon Sebag Montefiore describes some of history’s most fascinating and important letters, from Mark Antony’s thoughts on Cleopatra to a message Gandhi sent to Hitler
28 min
1915
Black radicalism with Kehinde Andrews
Kehinde Andrews, professor of Black Studies at Birmingham City University, discusses his new book, Back to Black: Retelling Black Radicalism for the 21st Century, and offers his opinions on a range of issues including Black History Month, reparations f...
48 min
1916
Napoleon: the insecure emperor
Historian Adam Zamoyski, author of a new biography of Napoleon, offers his views on the iconic French leader, exploring how his stellar career was driven by insecurities
31 min
1917
History in colour
Popular historian Dan Jones and digital artist Marina Amaral discuss their groundbreaking book The Colour of Time, which uses colourised photographs to chart the history of the world from the mid-19th to mid 20th century.
29 min
1918
Walter Ralegh: enemy of the state
Anna Beer, biographer of Walter Ralegh, explores the extraordinary life and incendiary legacy of the Tudor polymath. She reveals how he became a favourite of Elizabeth I, only to fall foul of her successor, James VI & I, with deadly consequences
39 min
1919
The Germans who fought Hitler
Paddy Ashdown tells the stories of German opponents of Nazism who plotted to bring down Hitler’s regime.
43 min
1920
Hunting Britain’s Nazis
Journalist and author Robert Hutton talks about his new book Agent Jack, which describes the activities of Nazi sympathisers in Britain during World War Two and reveals the brilliant methods MI5 used to subvert them.
24 min
1921
Tales from D-Day
Author and historian Giles Milton describes some dramatic but lesser-known stories of soldiers and civilians who were involved in the Normandy landings of June 1944
33 min
1922
Bernard Cornwell on the Last Kingdom
As the third series of the Anglo-Saxon drama is about to air, we speak to the renowned historical novelist Bernard Cornwell about his books that inspired the programmes, and about his writing career more broadly.
34 min
1923
Nietzsche’s dangerous ideas
The award-winning biographer Sue Prideaux discusses the life and work of the influential 19th-century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and explains how his ideas came to be associated with Nazi Germany
45 min
1924
Dan Snow on shell shock
The popular historian discusses war trauma over the past century, the subject of his upcoming BBC Two documentary
25 min
1925
The end of the First World War
As we approach the centenary of the Armistice, Gary Sheffield explores the final moments of the conflict that devastated the world for four and a half years
43 min