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Horrible Histories: Putrid Podcasts

Welcome to the Horrible Histories podcastBBC Sounds
00:00 / 01:20

The team behind the Horrible Histories TV series have brought together some of the most remarkable figures in history and imagined what they’d do with their own podcasts! Packed with amazing historical info and bags of laughs – and featuring our famous talking rat, Rattus Rattus, as your guide – come and have a listen to what a podcast from the past might be like!

Episodes

The show was released on BBC Sounds in two x 15-episode series:

  • Series 1 in 2021

  • Series 2 in 2023

 

You can listen in the UK here.

SERIES 1

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Leonardo Da Vinci

Rattus gets Cecilia Gallerani talking to Leonardo and Michelangelo about art!

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Florence Nightingale

Rattus gets the Lady with the Lamp to talk about her nursing revolution!

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William the Conqueror

Rattus gets William to share his step-by-step guide to conquering Saxon England!

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Cleopatra

Rattus gets Cleopatra and Mark Antony to reveal all about their celeb lifestyle!

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Isaac Newton

Rattus gets Newton chatting to Nell Gwyn about his amazing scientific theories!

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Queen Victoria

Rattus gets Queen Vic and daughter Beatrice to talk family, food and upset tums!

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Henry VIII

Rattus gets Henry VIII to discuss hunting and beheading with Anne of Cleves!

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Elizabeth I

Rattus gets Queen Lizzie to chat about being single with Mary, Queen of Scots!

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Harriet Tubman

Rattus sends Frederick Douglass on a daring rescue mission with Harriet Tubman!

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George Washington

Rattus gets the first US President to take calls on his favourite activity!

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Josephine Baker

Rattus gets dancer and spy, Josephine Baker to chat with her celebrity mates!

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Mahatma Gandhi

Rattus gets Gandhi and Sarojini Naidu to discuss peaceful protest - and bees!

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Boudica

Rattus gets Boudica to tell us how Rome’s biggest fangirl became a Roman hater!

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The Brontë Sisters

Rattus gets Charlotte, Anne and Emily Bronte together for a natter about books!

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William Shakespeare

Rattus gets Shakespeare into major drama with Anne Hathaway and King James!

SERIES 2

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King Cnut

In his podcast ‘Send Your Inner Viking Hiking!’, King Cnut announces he is changing his ways.

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Tutankhamun

Tutankhamun takes us along on his ostrich hunt, alongside Queen Nefertiti!

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Cromwell

Oliver Cromwell tries to persuade his son that Oliver is definitely not a king!

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Mary I

Lady Jane Grey and Mary I squabble about who’s the real Queen of England!

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Equiano

Olaudah Equiano talks to Sake Dean Mahomet about fighting against slavery.

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Owain Glyndwr

Welsh rebel Owain Glyndwr finds a new recruit in his revolt against the English.

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Katherine Johnson

NASA mathematic Katherine Johnson and astronaut John Glenn talk space!

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Emmeline Pankhurst

Emmeline Pankhurst teaches us how to protest with her daughter Sylvia!

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Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens gives a writing masterclass with the help of his wife Catherine!

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Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar tries to figure out why his friend Brutus is acting suspiciously…

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Mary Seacole

Jamaican healer Mary Seacole goes to a concert celebrating her amazing life!

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Napoleon

Napoleon tries to escape imprisonment on an island with the help of his mum!

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Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc hangs out with the King of France as they try to beat the English!

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Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria and Alexander Graham Bell discuss wacky Victorian inventions

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William Wallace

William Wallace takes on the English invaders led by King Edward I!

Cast & crew

RECURRING CAST

John Eccleston as Rattus Rattus

Richard David-Caine

Harrie Hayes

James McNicholas

Jessica Ransom

Tom Stourton

Emily Lloyd Saini (S1)

Verona Rose (S1)

Ethan Lawrence (S2)

Timmika Ramsay (S2)

Paul G Raymond (S2)

PRODUCTION

ORIGINAL MUSIC BY

Richie Webb

Matt Katz

PRODUCED BY

BBC Sounds

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