History

Brigitte Bardot

Is the screen siren evil or a genius?

01 Apr 2026,·37 mins

The Spanish-American War 1898

How a war that began in Cuba saw the US acquire the Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico.

02 Apr 2026,·42 mins

The Assassination of Franz Ferdinand

Why, in 1914, was Europe so fragile that a single shooting could tear it apart?

30 Mar 2026,·51 mins

Real Vikings

2. Ragnar Lothbrok and the Siege of Paris

Charlemagne launches a Christian crusade against the heathens on his northern border.

31 Mar 2026,·49 mins

Joan of Arc: Heroine in Chains (Part 3)

Join Tom and Dominic on Joan of Arc’s triumphs, war, capture, and trial.

31 Mar 2026,·60 mins

What are the Balkans?

Misha Glenny returns to the Balkans, powder keg of eastern Europe.

30 Mar 2026,·42 mins

Matta Ballesteros Part 1: The Faceless Phantom

In 1981, a raid throws up clues that point US agents towards a Honduran cocaine chemist.

01 Apr 2026,·39 mins

Commanders: Yamamoto

How did the mastermind of Pearl Harbour hasten Japan’s downfall?

02 Apr 2026,·58 mins

The Terracotta Army (Radio Edit)

Join Greg Jenner and his guests in Ancient China for a close look at The Terracotta Army.

27 Mar 2026,·28 mins

Israel and the Palestinians

10: From 2010 to the present day

Jonny Dymond and guests explore the complicated back-story of the Middle East conflict.

13 Apr 2026,·28 mins

Road Ghosts

Nat examines two road ghost encounters, and a miraculous incident with a ghost...

30 Mar 2026,·52 mins

The Sightseeing Flight and the Invisible Mountain

In 1979, Flight 901 left New Zealand for an Antarctic tour, heading toward a volcano.

27 Mar 2026,·38 mins

Rose Heilbron QC and The Cameo Murder

Can the first woman to lead a murder case in England prove herself in court?

31 Mar 2026,·28 mins

How filthy were the Victorians?

Were the Victorians as grimy as we imagine?

31 Mar 2026,·40 mins

Al Capone and the Valentine's Day Massacre

Find out how the massacre played out.

02 Apr 2026,·37 mins

March 30th to April 5th

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.

01 Apr 2026,·5 mins

Power to The People: Rewiring Britain

Douglas Fraser explores the scale and the challenges of rewiring Britain's national grid.

30 Mar 2026,·28 mins

1026: As simple as do-re-mi

The year is 1026. Monk Guido d'Arezzo causes a musical revolution with a new invention.

04 Apr 2026,·56 mins

How Reading Made Us

3. How Reading Made Our Politics

Did reading create democracy? And what does it mean for our politics if reading dies out?

23 Mar 2026,·42 mins

Spain welcomes Picasso’s Guernica

In 1981 the iconic painting, Guernica, was finally handed to Spain after a 44-year exile

02 Apr 2026,·10 mins

Series 4

60. True Crime on Trial

Lucy Worsley puts true crime on trial and asks are we so obsessed with true crime?

17 Feb 2026,·28 mins

Charles II: Restoration of the Monarchy

An in-depth exploration of the life and times of the Merry Monarch Charles II

23 Mar 2026,·57 mins

6. Moral Courage

Diane Foley must decide whether to face a man linked to her son’s murder - or not.

10 Feb 2026,·31 mins

Daisy Dunn on Marcus Agrippa, ancient Rome's king of cement

Classicist Daisy Dunn picks Marcus Agrippa, right-hand man of the emperor Augustus.

02 Feb 2026,·28 mins

Portmeirion

It's 100 years since the village of Portmeirion opened in Wales.

15 Oct 2003,·30 mins

What to listen to next: Cautionary Tales

We're bringing you a listening recommendation.

23 Mar 2026,·43 mins

Bonus: ‘I had to run’- A Mother’s Story

After 50 years, we share the mother and son reunion that seemed impossible.

11 Mar 2026,·36 mins

Cosy Mysteries

Cal Flyn's journey around mystery nears an end as the writer explores crime fiction.

20 Mar 2026,·14 mins

10. Legacy

Have new generations of Iraqis got the freedom they were promised?

24 Mar 2023,·19 mins

Dictators' Kids

What must it be like to be the child of a brutal tyrant?

14 Jan 2026,·27 mins