From torrid affairs and messy duels to corrupt law-enforcers and vengeful ghosts, Georgian Britain loved a good scandal. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, historian and author Emily Brand dishes the dirt on cases that shocked, appalled – and captivated – Georgian society.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine and BBC Histor ... Show More
Yesterday
What is ‘Europe’, anyway?
What defines Europe – is it geography, politics, a shared culture, or perhaps a mix of all three? In this episode, historian Roderick Beaton tells Emily Briffett about the ways in which it has been defined, and redefined, as an idea by its people over the centuries. ----- GO BEYO ... Show More
36m 59s
Sep 13
Christianity, conflict and catastrophe: the life of CS Lewis
He's well-known for creating children's classic The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but what else can history teach us about CS Lewis? Michael Ward explores the life of the author with Isabel King – from a tragic childhood to his turbulent relationship with faith. ----- GO BEYO ... Show More
40m 38s
Sep 10
Was Napoleon III the world's first populist leader?
Napoleon III's family was, in the words of historian Edward Shawcross, “the most cutthroat mafioso soap opera in the world”. Exiled to Switzerland as a boy and disowned by his own father, he spent years as a laughing stock of French politics, twice arrested trying to seize power. ... Show More
55m 35s
Aug 2025
History's Greatest Scandals Returns!
Join us for series two of History’s Greatest Scandals, where Ellie Cawthorne and Professor Hannah Greig are uncovering the secrets of the Georgian era. They’ll be following on the trail of forgers, exposing illicit liaisons, meeting cross-dressing celebrity spies and getting invo ... Show More
57s
Apr 2021
Introducing British Scandal
In a country obsessed with gossip, the great and the good fear one thing more than any other - scandal.British scandals change the course of history. They bring down governments, overthrow the rich and cause the mighty to fall. Some are about sex, others about money. In the end, ... Show More
1m 46s
May 2024
The REAL Bridgerton: Queen Charlotte, Lord Byron & Georgian Celebrity
The third season of Bridgerton is out and we are back in sexy scandalous Georgian society. But while we watch, we're taking a step back to ask: how real is Bridgerton?On this second episode in our REAL Bridgerton mini-series, we're looking at the royals and celebrities who filled ... Show More
43m 8s
Mar 2023
Lord Byron: Incest, Adultery & Daddy Issues
How debaucherous do you have to be to be remembered as the original bad boy? How mad, bad and dangerous to know was Lord Byron? And how much of it did he get from his family?For this episode, Kate is joined by Emily Brand, the author of ‘The Fall of the House of Byron: Scandal an ... Show More
47m 14s