Ever since the 1870s, rumours have swirled around Queen Victoria and her Highland servant John Brown. Were the pair in love? Could they have got married? And might they even have had a secret child? Historian Fern Riddell investigates these claims in her book Victoria's Secret, and has made some dramatic discoveries that she believes cast the story in a new ... Show More
Yesterday
The relentless rise of the mafia
The 20th century saw the mafia go global. Crime groups, from Japan's Yakuza to southern Italy's Camorra, capitalised on political chaos and mass migration to spread their influence around the world. In this episode, Spencer Mizen and Ryan Gingeras trace the relentless rise of the ... Show More
43m 10s
Mar 24
Harriet Martineau: life of the week
Thinker, feminist, sociologist, campaigner: 19th-century writer Harriet Martineau was a pioneer and a radical across a huge range of areas, but it's very likely you've never heard of her. Stuart Hobday tells Matt Elton about a figure who played a key role in shaping the modern wo ... Show More
40m 4s
Mar 23
Sores, sweat and secretions: the pox in early modern London
With sinful associations and incredibly painful symptoms, the pox could be a damning diagnosis in the early modern period. In this episode, Olivia Weisser speaks to Charlotte Vosper about the pox-ridden world of London in the era. She takes us behind the doors of medical practiti ... Show More
39m 24s
Dec 2024
Catherine Howard | Secret Lives of the Six Wives
<p>Henry VIII called her his 'rose without a thorn', but the teenage Catherine Howard was to fall out of favour less than 18 months after becoming Queen of England.</p><br><p>Out of all of Henry's wives it could be argued that the young queen, who was a cousin of Anne Boleyn, is ... Show More
37m 38s
Nov 2024
Catherine of Aragon | Secret Lives of the Six Wives
<p>We know the fates of Henry VIII's wives, but what were these iconic women <em>really</em> like?</p><br><p>In the first episode of this limited series, <em>Secret Lives of the Six Wives</em>, we'll explore the ways that Catherine of Aragon was a formidable queen and leader, and ... Show More
36m 17s
Dec 2024
Anne of Cleves | Secret Lives of the Six Wives
<p>Anne of Cleves gets a pretty raw deal in the history books.</p><br><p>She's often accused of being ugly, after Henry VIII claimed the painting he had made of her was overly flattering.</p><br><p>While their marriage was short-lived, is it time we give Anne of Cleves, who haile ... Show More
39m 38s
Aug 2024
The Real Anne Boleyn: Sex, Scandal & Betrayal
<p>Anne Boleyn was smart, sophisticated and had SO much charisma.</p><br><p>She kept Henry VIII waiting for SEVEN YEARS before they finally got together, and even then it was on her terms.</p><br><p>So where did it all go wrong for Anne Boleyn? Were any of the wild accusations ma ... Show More
50m 56s
Sep 2025
Anne Boleyn: Myths vs Reality
The life of Anne Boleyn has intrigued audiences for centuries. Everyone knows something about her time as Queen of England, and of course, her betrayal and execution. But her formative years in France remain a bit of a mystery.Joining us today is Estelle Paranque, an Associate Pr ... Show More
1h 1m
<p>At the time, <em>surely</em> Kateryn Parr had her reservations about being Henry VIII's sixth wife?</p><br><p>Aside from being a tyrannical maniac who'd just beheaded his last wife, Catherine Howard, he was getting old, angry and his ulcerous leg was getting smelly.</p><br><p> ... Show More
