History Extra Podcast

As the war in Vietnam spiralled out of control, US president Lyndon B Johnson was confronted by a different type of threat: a fake report so convincing that it tricked Americans into believing dangerous disinformation. But that was never the intention. Revisiting The Report From Iron Mountain, journalist Phil Tinline speaks to James Osborne, to reveal how a satirical report evolved into something far more sinister than anyone could have predicted. (Ad) Phil Tinline is the author of Ghosts of Iron Mountain: The Hoax that Duped America and its Sinister Legacy (Apollo, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fghosts-of-iron-mountain%2Fphil-tinline%2F9781035903849. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the historical background of current news events, regular panellists Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter are joined by Matt Elton and Dr David Musgrove to explore what the Bayeux Tapestry tells us about the history of Anglo-French relations – and how people in previous centuries coped with natural disasters. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From drowning and agricultural mishaps to getting stabbed during a football match, crushed by a pig, scalded by porridge or suffocated by a fish, there were myriad ways to accidentally die in Tudor England. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Steven Gunn reveals what coroners records of fatal accidents can teach us about daily life in the 16th century. (Ad) Steven Gunn is the co-author, with Tomasz Gromelski, of An Accidental History of Tudor England: From Daily Life to Sudden Death (John Murray, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Accidental-History-Tudor-England-Sudden/dp/1529333741/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Beer is one of the world’s most popular alcoholic beverages. From refreshing lagers to amber ales and creamy stouts, there’s a style for virtually every drinker to enjoy. But how did this winning combination of water, hops, malts and yeast become such a staple in the first place? Jon Bauckham talks to Phil Withington to answer listener questions on beer’s boozy history, from medieval monasteries to the modern pub. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Published 100 years ago in 1925, Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf was one of the most consequential books of the 20th century. It laid out Hitler's political ideology and future aspirations, as well as making the Nazi leader a lot of money. In more recent times, Mein Kampf has continued to influence neo-Nazis and antisemites around the world, and there have been passionate debates about whether it should still be published in the 21st century. In this episode, Rob Attar speaks to Dr Lisa Pine, an expert on Nazi Germany, about the history of the book and its dark legacy. (Ad) Lisa Pine is the author of Nazi Posters: Propaganda and Policies (Bloomsbury Academic, 2025). Buy now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soviet-Nazi-Posters-Propaganda-Policies/dp/1350399442/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. Richard J Evans explores the motivations of those who governed and supported the Third Reich: https://link.chtbl.com/7M9Hm-d3. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind

Over the winter of 1641-2, England stood on the precipice of civil war. Historian and author Jonathan Healey charts how the relationship between the king and parliament disintegrated during those months, leading England down the road to bloody conflict. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, he reveals why tensions arose between Charles I and the MPs, and considers whether anything could have been done to avoid war. (Ad) Jonathan Healey is the author of The Blood in Winter: A Nation Descends, 1642 (Bloomsbury, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Winter-Descends-Bloomsbury-Publishing/dp/1526672294/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Like many families, the Mitfords emerged from the Second World War bearing scars. Yet as the world entered a new, uncertain era, the sisters' knack for making headlines showed no sign of abating. Released from prison, Diana remained loyal to fascism. In America, Jessica became the target of McCarthyism, and later joined the burgeoning Civil Rights movement. Nancy enjoyed literary success in France, while Pam relished the gentle rhythms of country life, and Deborah unexpectedly became Duchess of Devonshire. In this second of two episodes, biographer Mary S Lovell joins Danny Bird to unpack the personal and political divisions that shaped the sisters' postwar lives, revealing how this eccentric aristocratic family continued to reflect and challenge the evolving social landscape and rub shoulders with some of the era’s most famous people. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Slavery was a grim but omnipresent reality across the Silk Road during the Middle Ages. Speaking to Emily Briffett, Claire Taylor unpacks the complex networks of enslavement that spanned from Ireland to China, revealing how – and why – human lives were traded alongside silks and spices. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who was Nettie Honeyball? Why was the First World War a golden age for female factory teams? And why did the English Football Association move heaven and Earth to stamp them out? Speaking to Spencer Mizen as the women's Euros grips viewers, Jean Williams answers the big questions on the rollercoaster history of women's football - and female players' long battle for recognition. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It may be hard to believe for those of you who can remember it, but this month marks the 40th anniversary of the iconic music extravaganza that was LiveAid. David Hepworth co-presented the BBC's coverage of the event, a role that gave him a ringside seat at Queen's celebrated performance and led to a sweary encounter with Bob Geldof. In conversation with Spencer Mizen, David shares his main recollections of the day and reveals why he believes, following 13 July 1985, the world of entertainment would never be the same again. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You may be familiar with the name of Marco Polo – the 13th-century Venetian merchant who travelled along the Silk Road, journeyed through Asia and spent time at the court of Mongol emperor Kublai Khan. Famously, he documented his experiences in a detailed account that has inspired many travellers since. Emily Briffett and Sharon Kinoshita follow in Polo's footsteps, exploring the medieval world through his eyes. (Ad) Sharon Kinoshita is the author of Marco Polo and His World (Reaktion Books, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmarco-polo-and-his-world%2Fsharon-kinoshita%2F%2F9781789149371. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For much of the 20th century, six sisters from Britain’s minor aristocracy had a knack for making headline after scandalous headline. They were Nancy, Pamela, Diana, Unity, Jessica and Deborah Mitford. Now, the sisters' incredible shared story has been adapted into a TV drama called ‘Outrageous’ – based on the best-selling biography by Mary S Lovell. In this first of two episodes, Mary explores the sisters’ lives up to the end of the Second World War in 1945. Speaking to Danny Bird, she covers the hedonistic 1920s, the ideological rupture between fascism and communism in the 1930s, and how the sisters seemed to be on the frontlines of history, wherever it was happening. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When you think of the First World War, what springs to mind? Is it trench warfare? The myth that troops would be home by Christmas? Or perhaps the idea that the whole thing began because of the assassination of an Austro-Hungarian archduke? In this episode, we’re going beyond these narratives to consider alternative perspectives of the opening weeks of the conflict. Rachel Dinning is joined by historian Alex Churchill – co-author of new book 'Ring of Fire' alongside Nikolai Eberholst – to consider fresh perspectives of the conflict, highlighting the voices of ordinary people caught up in the war, as well as how it unfolded across the globe. Alex is the presenter of the new HistoryExtra academy series WW1: Myths and Misconceptions – which is out now and available to watch on the HistoryExtra App. In the series, Alex unpacks some of the most enduring myths about World War One – exploring topics such as the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, the complexities of wartime neutrality, why the war didn’t truly end

Did the Roman legions actually wear red? How often was their famous 'tortoise' formation actually used? How did military leaders maintain control of an army spread across such a massive empire? And what exactly was it that made that army so formidable? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Dr Adrian Goldsworthy answers listener questions on the ancient superpower's attitude to warfare, as well as its tactics, strategy and logistics. If you’re interested in finding out more about Roman military history, Adrian recently appeared on History's Greatest Battles to chart five epic clashes of the Roman empire – from naval showdowns and brutal sieges to disastrous defeats and tales of betrayal. Listen to that now: pod.link/1794311126 The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the first episode of season 2 of History’s Greatest Conspiracy Theories, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Steve Twomey joins Rob Attar to tackle the "back door to war" conspiracy theory, explaining why many Americans have been willing to believe in a president's treachery. Find the full episode and listen to the whole series by heading to History's Greatest Conspiracy Theories or following this link: https://link.chtbl.com/HGCTHEX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From her introduction into the royal family to the tragic circumstances of her death, Diana, Princess of Wales was never far away from a newspaper front page or TV headline. She was a media sensation, a national talking point, and a cultural icon. Speaking to Matt Elton, Edward White, author of Dianaworld: An Obsession, argues that the mythologisation of the 'people's princess' reveals a great deal about the world of the late 20th century – from Britain's relationship with its monarchy to the dominance of American culture. (Ad) Edward White is the author of Dianaworld: An Obsession (Allen Lane, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fdianaworld%2Fedward-white%2F%2F9780241562680. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On first glance, what might you notice about a medieval manuscript? Maybe the material it's made from, the elaborate script, or ornamental illustrations. But, look a little closer, and there's a lot more to discover. In fact, as historian and curator Michelle P Brown explains, these medieval artefacts offer a portal to the past. Emily Briffett speaks to Michelle to unravel some of their secrets and find out what they can tell us about the Middle Ages. (Ad) Michelle P Brown is the author of Illumino: A History of Medieval Britain in Twelve Illuminated Manuscripts (Reaktion, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fillumino%2Fmichelle-p-brown%2F9781836390374. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Famed for his dramatic and determined revolt against English rule in the early 15th century, as well as his bold vision for an independent Wales, Owain Glyndŵr has gone down in history as a symbol of Welsh resistance and a national hero. Speaking to Emily Briffett, historian Gideon Brough charts the medieval nobleman's emergence as a warrior and a statesman, to uncover the man behind the enduring myth. (Ad) Gideon Brough is the author of The Rise and Fall of Owain Glyn Dŵr: England, France and the Welsh Rebellion in the Late Middle Ages (I.B. Taurus, 2017). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rise-Fall-Owain-Glyn-D%C5%B5r/dp/1784535931/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Metal detectorists and members of the general public have contributed hugely to our understanding of Britain's past, through the artefacts they have found hidden in the ground. Speaking to David Musgrove, Michael Lewis and Ian Richardson revisit some of the everyday discoveries that have reshaped history – from a Bronze Age cup with magical properties and a Roman cavalry helmet that would have been very hard to see out of, to a hoard of gold coins that tells us a lot about resistance to the Normans after 1066. (Ad) Michael Lewis and Ian Richardson are authors of Beneath our Feet: Everyday Discoveries Reshaping History (Thames & Hudson, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beneath-our-Feet-Discoveries-Reshaping/dp/0500027528/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From parachuting into Nazi-occupied France to silent assassinations and exploding rats, many of the missions undertaken by the Special Operations Executive during the Second World War sound like the events of a high-octane spy thriller. Dr Kate Vigurs tells Elinor Evans more about the organisation dubbed 'Churchill's Secret Army', answering listener questions on the men and women trained to take on these dangerous, high-stakes secret operations. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices