

Evil Genius with Russell Kane
BBC Sounds
It’s good, bad, ugly - and very very funny. Changing the way we see heroes and villains in history.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 29, 2025 • 35min
Al Capone
 Maisie Adam, a lively comedian known for her sharp wit, joins the discussion about Al Capone, examining whether he was a villain or a misunderstood genius. They dive into Capone's rise from a troubled youth in Brooklyn to a powerful figure in Chicago's underworld. Maisie highlights his shrewd business acumen in the bootlegging trade and his PR savvy, including controversial soup kitchens. The panel votes on his legacy, sparking a lively debate about morality and myth, with Maisie ultimately branding him as evil amidst the majority ruling of genius. 

Oct 24, 2025 • 1min
Evil Genius: Returning Soon
 Evil Genius is back soon with more good, bad, ugly - and very, very funny. Hear it first on BBC Sounds. 

Oct 22, 2025 • 33min
Evil Animals - Vampire Bats
 Vampire Bats: should we give these misunderstood goth pigeons another shot? Or ghost them for good?Join comedian Russell Kane, zoological correspondent Jules Howard and comedian Rachel Fairburn, as they check out the amazing world of vampire bats - deciding whether they're evil or genius.Additional material by: Eve Delaney and Christina Riggs.
Researcher: Catherine Beazley
Sound Recordist: Gareth Wood
Digital Editor: Jerry Peal
Executive Producer: Paul Smith
Production Coordinator: Liz Tuohy
Producer: Simon NichollsEvil Animals with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios Production for BBC Sounds. 

Oct 15, 2025 • 31min
Evil Animals - Maggots
 Maggots: should we love these sweet, misunderstood baby flies? Or dread these gruesome creepies?Join comedian Russell Kane, entomologist Erica McAlister and comedian Ola Labib as they check out the remarkable world of maggots.Additional material by: Eve Delaney, Christina Riggs and Catherine Beazley.
Researcher: Catherine Beazley
Sound Recordist: Gareth Wood
Digital Editor: Jerry Peal
Executive Producer: Paul Smith
Production Coordinator: Liz Tuohy
Producer: Simon NichollsEvil Animals with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios Production for BBC Sounds. 

Oct 8, 2025 • 31min
Evil Animals - Snakes
 Snakes. Are they slithering wronguns or super sleek legends?Join comedian Russell Kane, zoologist Yussef Rafik and comedian Felicity Ward as they deep-dive snakes, looking specifically at the viper to decide if they are Evil or Genius.Additional material by: Eve Delaney, Christina Riggs and Catherine Beazley.Researcher: Catherine Beazley
Sound Recordist: Luke Nagy
Digital Editor: Jerry Peal
Executive Producer: Paul Smith
Production Coordinator: Liz Tuohy
Producer: Simon NichollsEvil Animals with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios Production for BBC Sounds. 

Oct 1, 2025 • 33min
Evil Animals - Cats
 Domestic cats. They divide opinion. But are they really just gorgeous fluffballs or the devil incarnate?Join comedian Russell Kane, zoologist, vet & author Jess French and comedian Jess Fostekew as they deep-dive cats.Additional material by: Eve Delaney, Christina Riggs and Catherine Beazley.
Researcher: Catherine Beazley
Sound Recordist: Luke Nagy
Digital Editor: Jerry Peal
Executive Producer: Paul Smith
Production Coordinator: Liz Tuohy
Producer: Simon NichollsEvil Animals with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios Production for BBC Sounds. 

Sep 24, 2025 • 32min
Evil Animals - Bottlenose Dolphins
 Bottlenose Dolphins. Smiley acrobatic boffins or nature’s smug psychopaths? Evil or Genius?Join comedian Russell Kane, zoologist Billy Heaney and comedian Lindsey Santoro as they deep-dive Bottlenose Dolphins.Additional material by: Eve Delaney & Christina Riggs
Researcher: Catherine Beazley
Recording Engineer: Gareth Wood
Digital Editor: Jerry Peal
Executive Producer: Paul Smith
Production Coordinator: Liz Tuohy
Producer: Simon NichollsEvil Animals with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios Production for BBC Sounds. 

Sep 17, 2025 • 38min
Evil Animals - Hamsters
 Join comedian Russell Kane as he gets to the bottom of hamsters (not that bottom). Are they cute little chaos merchants or agents of psychological warfare and cannibalism?Helping Russell decide whether hamsters are misunderstood marvels or pint-sized monsters are comedian Laura Smyth and zoologist and hamster expert Jules Howard.Additional material by: Eve Delaney & Christina RiggsResearcher: Catherine BeazleySound Recordist: Luke NagyDigital Editor: Jerry PealExecutive Producer: Paul SmithProduction Coordinator: Sarah Nicholls & Liz TuohyProducer: Simon NichollsEvil Animals with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios Production for BBC Sounds. 

Aug 13, 2025 • 2min
Welcome to Evil Animals...
 Join comedian Russell Kane for Evil Animals. The feral sibling of Evil Genius.Russell is joined by special guests: comedian Laura Smyth, zoologist Jules Howard, comedian Ola Labib and Principal Curator of Diptera at the Natural History Museum, Erica McAlister.Hosted by Russell Kane
Additional material by: Eve Delaney & Christina Riggs
Researcher: Catherine Beazley
Sound Recordist: Luke Nagy
Digital Editor: Jerry Peal
Executive Producer: Paul Smith
Production Coordinator: Sarah Nicholls & Liz Tuohy
Producer: Simon NichollsEvil Animals with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios Production for BBC Sounds. 

Jul 30, 2025 • 44min
Jackie Kennedy
 Rajiv Karia, an observational comedian, joins the lively discussion about Jackie Kennedy's complex legacy. They humorously debate whether she was a stoic icon or a master airbrusher of history. The conversation dives into her balancing act of image management amid a turbulent marriage and her significant influence on JFK’s political life. Karia and the panel explore her resilience through personal challenges, her impactful fashion sense, and her adept reinvention after loss, ultimately pondering if she was a genius in navigating societal expectations. 


