Based on Terry Deary’s best-selling books, the 2009 TV adaptation introduces us to the silliest, messiest and most gory bits of history on screen, with host Rattus Rattus to lead the way.
CLIPS:
A collection of sketches, songs and the CBBC advert for series 1. You can watch all our clips here.
EPISODES:
Series 1 aired 13 half-hour episodes on CBBC from April to July 2009.
Episode 5 is the only episode not to feature a song in the show's history.
A pirate captain worries about an early bedtime, a soldier from World War I struggles to cook with fake food and the four King Georges form a boy band.
A Stone Age doctor tries to help a modern patient, a whining pharaoh invents the pyramid and Henry VIII meets his dead friends.
An Egyptian tries to save money on mummification, and the Roundheads and Cavaliers take part in Historical Wife Swap.
The Tudors sing their family history, Bob explains the history of Rome in two minutes, and a mad Victorian gentleman eats King Louis XIV's mummified heart.
There is a terrible smell in the Houses of Parliament, Cinderella struggles with the Blitz, and Helen of Troy reveals her complicated love life.
HHTV News reports live from the Battle of Thermopylae and the revolting truth about Roman toilets is revealed.
A priest makes a piano from live pigs, Emperor Caligula declares war on the sea, and there are some disgusting beauty tips from ancient Egypt.
Outlandish Georgian beauty tips, a Roman Galley safety announcement and made-up monsters from the Measly Middle Ages.
The Saxons exchange disgusting Christmas presents, and a caveman goes on a TV cookery show. Plus, discover the bizarre causes of WWI.
A Victorian inspector checks that school is suitably cruel, HHTV News reports live from the Great Plague, and Thumbelina drowns unpleasantly.
Queen Victoria learns that her British comforts are not very British, and on 'Axe Factor', the contestants try to become executioners.
A Victorian teacher is confused by her pupils' bizarre names, the Romans run out of animals to execute and Queen Victoria advertises her exercise DVD.
A lazy aristocrat invents the sandwich, the Romans host their own cookery show, and William Shakespeare is haunted by King Richard III's ghost.
WATCH EPISODES
You can watch full episodes on several DVD box sets and online streaming platforms...
MAIN CAST
SUPPORTING CAST
GUEST
Mathew Baynton
Simon Farnaby
Sarah Hadland
Martha Howe-Douglas
Jim Howick
Laurence Rickard
Ben Willbond
Lisa Devlin
Susie Donkin
Javone Prince
Giles Terera
Katy Wix
Meera Syal
PUPPETEER
John Eccleston
ADDITIONAL VOICES
Jon Culshaw
Jess Robinson
ALSO
WRITING TEAM
PRODUCTION TEAM
Lucy Clarke
Dave Cohen
Jon Holmes
Greg Jenner
Steve Punt
Laurence Rickard
George Sawyer
Ben Ward
DIRECTORS
Steve Connelly
Chloe Thomas
SERIES PRODUCER
Caroline Noris
PRODUCERS
Dominic Brigstocke
Giles Pilbrow
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
Richard Bradley
Kim Shillinglaw
EDITORS
Charlie Fawcett
Michelle Turkington
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Miranda Jones
COMPOSERS
Richie Webb
Matt Katz
ANIMATION
Triffic Films
REVIEWS:
Naomi West of The Daily Telegraph characterised the first series as "boundary-pushing", suggesting that "the bold decision to approach the series in the same way as an adult show has been the key to its success ... [it] delivers more laughs than most post-watershed comedies."
In its debut week of 15 June 2009, the show topped the UK children's TV viewing figures with 191,000 viewers.
The first series reached a viewing peak of 50% of UK children aged 6–12.
GALLERY:
