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BBC Radio 4 · History

You're Dead to Me

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.

Episodes

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Hypatia of Alexandria (Radio Edit)

05 Jun 2026
28m
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Geoffrey Chaucer (Radio Edit)

29 May 2026
28m
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Lena Horne (Radio Edit)

22 May 2026
28m
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Philippe, Duc d’Orléans (Radio Edit)

15 May 2026
28m
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Renaissance Medicine (Radio Edit)

08 May 2026
28m
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Emperor Nero (Radio Edit)

01 May 2026
28m
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The Terracotta Army (Radio Edit)

24 Apr 2026
28m
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Medieval Irish Folklore (Radio Edit)

17 Apr 2026
28m
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El Cid: the life and legend of a medieval Spanish warrior

10 Apr 2026
58m
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Empress Dowager Cixi: from concubine to ruler of China

03 Apr 2026
58m
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History of the Telephone: 150th anniversary special

27 Mar 2026
55m
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The podcast explores the invention and early adoption of the telephone, contrasting it with the preceding technology of the telegraph. It highlights Alexander Graham Bell's role, along with rival inventors like Elisha Gray and Antonio Meucci, examining the social impact of the telephone, including anxieties about priva...

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History of Spices: commerce, colonialism and culinary innovation

20 Mar 2026
57m
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Epic of Gilgamesh: myths and heroes in ancient Mesopotamia

13 Mar 2026
58m
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Hypatia of Alexandria: mathematician, martyr and feminist icon

06 Mar 2026
55m
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Geoffrey Chaucer: the medieval father of English literature

27 Feb 2026
58m
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Lena Horne: racism and resilience in the Golden Age of Hollywood

20 Feb 2026
1h 0m
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Philippe, Duc d’Orléans: in the shadow of the Sun King

13 Feb 2026
57m
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Renaissance Medicine: healthcare and disease in early modern England

06 Feb 2026
57m
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Emperor Nero: ancient Rome’s most infamous ruler

30 Jan 2026
58m
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Marie Antoinette (Radio Edit)

23 Jan 2026
28m
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