The comedy podcast that takes history seriously. In each episode of You’re Dead to Me from BBC Radio 4, Greg Jenner is joined by a comedian and an expert historian to learn and laugh about the past. History isn’t just about dates and textbooks – it’s about extraordinary characters, amazing stories, and some very questionable fashion choices. How long did it take to build an Egyptian pyramid? What does the Bayeux Tapestry reveal about medieval life? Why did it take nearly half a millennium for Joan of Arc to become a saint? And was Catherine the Great really all that great? Whether you want to explore ancient landmarks like Stonehenge and Machu Picchu, dance through the history of Broadway and Bollywood, or find out how the Tudors rose to power, Greg and his guests promise to teach you something new that you won’t have heard in history lessons. Previous episodes of You’re Dead To Me have covered everything from royals to revolutionaries, actors to activists and divas to dictators. Take a stroll through the history of high-heeled shoes or get the scoop on the history of ice cream. Maybe you’d like to paint like the cave artists of the Palaeolithic era, work out like a Victorian bodybuilder, or fight like a Spartan? We’ve even hosted a special, live episode with the BBC Concert Orchestra to explore the dramatic life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Whatever your historical interests, Greg and his guests make even the trickiest topics easy to follow. Join them for a history lesson that’s as entertaining as it is enlightening - with no homework required.
What this show covers
British historyColonialismScottish historyfairy loreearly modern religionwitch trialsghost storiesNorman ConquestBayeux TapestryBattle of HastingsMedieval England1066GoryeoJoseonMedieval Asia
What listeners will find here
Why early modern Scotland feared witches, fairies and even open pores
Scottish supernatural beliefs take center stage as Greg Jenner, Dr Martha McGill and Marjolein Robertson explore witches, ghosts, fairies and the devil in Jacobean Scotland. The episode looks at what these beliefs meant socially and culturally, and how later writers helped preserve them.
A fast, bloody guide to 1066 and the three men who fought for England
1066 is the story here: a succession crisis, three rival claimants, and the battles that reshaped England. Greg Jenner, Dr Erin Goeres and Alison Spittle dig into the personalities, politics and warfare behind Fulford, Stamford Bridge and Hastings, while also questioning the Bayeux Tapestry’s version of events.
Palace coups, Hangul, and invasions shape medieval Korea
Medieval Korea takes center stage as Greg Jenner, Dr John Lee, and Erika Ehler explore the Goryeo and Joseon dynasties. The episode ranges from unification and Mongol invasions to Sejong the Great, Hangul, social life, and the upheavals of the 1590s.
A glittering rise and ruin: Henry Paget’s theatrical life in 19th-century Wales
Henry Cyril Paget’s life was a swirl of aristocratic wealth, theatrical ambition and scandal. Greg Jenner, Professor Viv Gardner and comedian Morgan Rees explore how the so-called dancing Marquess of Anglesey spent a vast fortune on performance, style and spectacle before dying young.
How tea conquered Britain through war, empire, and theft
Tea’s rise from a Chinese plant to Britain’s national drink is tied to conquest, colonialism, and industrial espionage. Greg Jenner, Professor Yangwen Zheng, and Hugh Dennis trace how tea moved across empires, classes, and kitchens.
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