logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2022
43m 58s

Heartthrobs

History Hit
About this episode

What makes a heartthrob? Is he brooding, flamboyant or a bad boy? And what qualities translate to sex symbol status in society?


Which men have made the hearts of young (heterosexual) women flutter over the centuries? And why?


Today, Carol Dyhouse joins Kate to talk about the history of famous men who have lit women’s hearts on fire.


*WARNING There are adult themes and naughty words in this episode*


Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Mixed by Anisha Deva.


Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit.


For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newsletters here.


If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts, and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Yesterday
A Teasing History Of Burlesque
Has Burlesque always meant the same thing? Where did it come from? And how has it changed?Kate is joined by Dr Marissa Vigneault, Associate Professor of Art History at Utah State University, to find out more about how burlesque has become the art form it is today.This episode was ... Show More
53m 20s
Jun 12
Supersluts of History: Royal Mistress Madam du Barry
Madam du Barry's life was remarkable: from rags, to riches, to... revolution. And she pi**ed off Marie Antoinette along the way, too.How did this courtesan from a poor background make it to be royal mistress in Versailles? How did the French Revolution impact her? And what her 's ... Show More
45m 45s
Jun 9
The Truth about Adam & Eve
What really went down in the Garden of Eden? Was there an apple? Was there a snake? Was the 'original sin' all that bad?To answer these questions and more, Kate is joined by Dr Dylan Johnson, biblical scholar and historian of the Ancient Near East at Cardiff University. His most ... Show More
43m 50s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2022
Viking Sex
<p>In this episode of <em>Gone Medieval</em>, presenter Dr. Cat Jarman swaps seats and becomes the guest of Dr. Kate Lister’s brilliant podcast from History Hit, <em>Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society</em>.&nbsp;In it, she delves into the topics that they d ... Show More
45m 40s
May 2023
Alexander The Great's Sex Life
<p><em>This episode contains references and words of a sexual nature.</em></p><br><p>Did Alexander the Great and the Queen of the Amazons really have sex for 13 days solid? What do we know about his male lovers? And how did his sex life stand up to that of his dad’s?</p><br><p>To ... Show More
44m 56s
Feb 2022
Sappho: The Poet from Lesbos
<p>Famous throughout antiquity, yet retold only in fragments today - who is Sappho?&nbsp;Her poetry inspired generations, from Catullus to Byron, so how come we know so little about her life? This week Tristan is joined by Professor Margaret Reynolds from Queen Mary University in ... Show More
32m 20s
Mar 2023
First Ladies of the United States
<p>Don talks to former White House reporter Kate Andersen Brower about how the role of First Lady has changed - and stayed the same - since the 1960s. Supporting their husband's presidency, while pursuing their own agenda. Each putting their stamp on their time in office - while ... Show More
31m 17s
Feb 2024
Love: a weird & wonderful history
From prehistoric carvings and medieval spell books to grand romantic gestures and tokens of affection, throughout history there has been no shortage of ways to say those three little words. Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman, Edward Brooke-Hitching shares some incredible, and curious, ... Show More
26m 17s
Jan 2024
Tudors in Love
<p>From Henry VIII declaring himself as the ‘loyal and most assured servant’ of Anne Boleyn to the poems lavished on Elizabeth I by her suitors, the dramas of courtly love have captivated readers and dreamers for centuries.&nbsp;</p><br><p>In this edition of <em>Not Just the Tudo ... Show More
39m 23s
May 2023
Messalina: Empress of Rome
<p>In this episode of The Ancients, host Tristan Hughes speaks with historian Honor Cargill-Martin about the notorious Empress Messalina, third wife of Emperor Claudius. A lot has been said about Messalina over two millennia: that she was a nymphomaniac who organised orgies and e ... Show More
39m 11s
Oct 2019
The Witch Craze
Discover the truth behind the European Witch Craze. Far from the world of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, discover how one book turned the world upside down as a disgruntled patriarchy murdered thousands of innocent women. Join Greg Jenner, comedian Cariad Lloyd and historian Prof Suza ... Show More
47m 20s
May 2022
The Origins of Homo Sapiens
<p>What do we know about the earliest hominins to exist? With a story spanning one million years and counting, we're discovering more about how we came to be every day. </p><br><p>In this episode of The Ancients, we're on location in the Natural History Museum in London as Trista ... Show More
42m 58s