logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2023
49m 53s

Bond Girls

History Hit
About this episode

‘Bond girl’ is quite a loaded term. Why aren’t they women? What makes them part of this homologous team? And what does it mean if they have red hair?


In this episode, Kate speaks to Dr Lisa Funnell, award winning author and expert on all things Bond. She is here to tell us about the different eras of Bond girls and why it’s so important to revisit our old favourites.


Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Mixed by Pete Dennis.


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


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

Up next
Jul 8
The Power of Medieval Gossip
People have always gossiped, but what did they gossip about in medieval times? How were women punished for gossiping? And where does the term 'gossip' come from?Joining Kate today to gossip about all things medieval gossip is the wonderful Eleanor Janega, co-host of our sister po ... Show More
34m 25s
Jul 4
Royal Sex: Queen Victoria
With NINE children, it can probably be assumed that Queen Victoria was no stranger to the sheets, but what do we actually know about her love (and sex) life?To examine Victoria's diaries, her passionate relationship and her society's attitude to sex, Kate is joined for this speci ... Show More
47m 34s
Jul 1
Why Were Ancient Dicks So Small?
Have you ever been puzzled by proportions when looking at Ancient Greek statues? It can't just be us.From quarrying the stone to chipping away the final touches on your masterpiece - sculpting is a drawn out process. So why, after possibly years of work, did Ancient Greek artists ... Show More
35m 22s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2023
First Ladies of the United States
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 oft ... Show More
31m 17s
May 2023
Alexander The Great's Sex Life
This episode contains references and words of a sexual nature. 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? Today, the guest is our very own T ... Show More
44m 56s
Apr 2024
Ian Fleming
Ian Fleming’s most famous creation, James Bond, is a cultural icon. To paraphrase one critic, Bond is someone men want to be, and women want to be with. Although many attitudes expressed in the Bond books are out of kilter with modern ideas, Bond remains one of the most enduring ... Show More
1h 2m
Jun 2024
Women Pirates of the Caribbean
Anne Bonny and Mary Read were pirates who sailed the Caribbean in the early 18th century. For both of them, piracy offered a chance at a freedom otherwise disallowed to women. In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb learns more about Bonny and Read fro ... Show More
46m 30s
Mar 2022
James Bondcast - Episode 007
Last Fall marked the end of an era for the James Bond movie franchise! Daniel Craig played the 007 British secret agent for the last time on film in “No Time To Die!” And despite what happened during that movie, the end credits assured fans, “James Bond will return!” But who will ... Show More
1h 16m
Nov 2019
Bond Girl Style, an inteview with Dr. Monica Germanà
Icons of sex, danger and high style, this week we speak to Dr. Monica Germanà about women inhabiting the world of James Bond. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/dressed-the-history-of-fashion/do ... Show More
1h 9m
May 2024
The real Lady Whistledown & the golden age of gossip
Smash-hit historical romance Bridgerton returns this week. One of the series' key characters is the elusive Lady Whistledown – a savvy wordsmith with a penchant for causing mayhem among the Regency elite. But did an anonymous gossipmonger like Whistledown really exist in the Rege ... Show More
35m 30s
Jan 2024
Tudors in Love
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.  In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, first released in ... Show More
39m 23s
Oct 2022
Best of: Bonnie Nettles
Bonnie Nettles (1927-1985) was co-founder of the Heaven’s Gate cult, whose members committed mass suicide.In honor of the spookiest month, we’re revisiting our favorite Womanica episodes featuring villains, troublemakers, magic, and mystery all October. Join host Jenny Kaplan — w ... Show More
6m 47s
Apr 2020
Do I like them or am I just bored?
In this episode of Thick & Thin I discuss dating, revisiting old flames during this period of social distancing, and why we tend to obsess over the ones who don't love us back. I also tell a crazy story about the 1812 love affair between poet Lord Byron & Lady Caroline Lamb. Lord ... Show More
47m 36s