Horrible Histories TV

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

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.

Series 1 Episode 1

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.

Series 1 Episode 2

A Stone Age doctor tries to help a modern patient, a whining pharaoh invents the pyramid and Henry VIII meets his dead friends.

Series 1 Episode 3

A Roman emperor finds an alternative to candles, an Egyptian tries to save on mummification, and Roundheads and Cavaliers take part in Historical Wife Swap

Series 1 Episode 4

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.

Series 1 Episode 5

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.

Series 1 Episode 6

An evil Greek god appears on a daytime chat show, a rich Georgian swaps his wife with a peasant, and we meet some weird medieval monsters.

Series 1 Episode 7

There is a terrible smell in the Houses of Parliament, Cinderella struggles with the Blitz, and Helen of Troy reveals her complicated love life.

Series 1 Episode 8

The Saxons exchange disgusting Christmas presents, and a caveman goes on a TV cookery show. Plus, discover the bizarre causes of World War I.

Series 1 Episode 9

A Victorian inspector checks that school is suitably cruel, HHTV News reports live from the Great Plague, and Thumbelina drowns unpleasantly.

Series 1 Episode 10

HHTV News reports live from the Battle of Thermopylae, Celt housewives find decorative uses for severed heads, and the revolting truth about Roman toilets is revealed.

Series 1 Episode 11

Queen Victoria learns that her British comforts are not very British, a Viking warrior won't stop talking in rhyme, and on 'Axe Factor', the contestants try to become executioners.

Series 1 Episode 12

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.

Series 1 Episode 13

A lazy aristocrat invents the sandwich, the Romans host their own revolting cookery show, and William Shakespeare is haunted by King Richard III's ghost.

Songs

Videos & lyrics

Series 1 playlist

Extra content

Behind the scenes

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: