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Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

Latest episodes

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May 5, 2023 • 36min

Coronation Fashion: Crowns, Orbs & Pubic Wigs

From significantly sized cod-pieces to revenge dresses, the Royal family have used clothes to send a message to the public for centuries, and a coronation is one of the best opportunities to communicate what kind of king or queen you’re planning to be.King Charles III's coronation will be at Westminster Abbey, a place where monarchs have been crowned since 1066 - everyone from Henry VIII to Victoria.Today Kate is joined Betwixt the Sheets with Rosie Harte to talk coronations and royal fashion moments throughout history, including velvet robes and pubic hair wigs. Yes, you're reading that correctly.WARNING: There is adult content and explicit words in this episode.Senior producer: Charlotte Long. Mixed by Stuart Beckwith.Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit.For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newsletters here. 
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May 2, 2023 • 48min

Incest

Incest. It’s not the lightest topic of conversation, we wouldn’t recommend bringing it up as an icebreaker on a date, or when you’re trying to impress new people at a party - but it’s one which has fascinated many of us for centuries nonetheless.But has it always been taboo? How have the necessary degrees of separation between partners grown and shrunk over the years? And why were so many royal families keen on familial relations in the past...Hapsburg chin anyone?Kate is Betwixt the Sheets with Brian Connolly to discuss the history of incest, an episode suggested to us by a listener. You can read more of Brian's work here.WARNING: There is adult content and explicit words in this episode.Senior producer: Charlotte Long. Producer: Sophie Gee. Mixed by Siobhan Dale.Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit.For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newsletters here. This podcast includes music from Epidemic Sounds.
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Apr 28, 2023 • 43min

Pop's Golden Era: Success & Scandal

What made the decade between 1996 and 2006 a pop breeding ground? And what was this time like for the pop stars involved?From the Spice Girls to Girls Aloud, and Take That to Blue, Kate is Betwixt the Sheets with journalist Michael Cragg to look at the success and scandals during the golden age of pop.You can find out more about Michael Cragg's new book here.Senior producer: Charlotte Long. Producer: Sophie Gee. Mixed by Stuart Beckwith.Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit.For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newsletters here. This podcast includes music from Epidemic Sounds.
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Apr 25, 2023 • 40min

Human Emotion

Happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, disgust, fear... we all know what these emotions feel like, right?But what is emotion? Do we all feel the same things? And do we have the same feelings as people who lived five-hundred years ago?Today Kate is joined Betwixt the Sheets by Richard Firth-Godbehere to find out about the origins of emotions, and what they have to do with witchcraft and desire.You can find out more about Richard's work here.Senior producer: Charlotte Long. Producer: Sophie Gee. Mixed by Siobhan Dale.Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit.For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newsletters here. This podcast includes music from Epidemic Sounds and an archive clip from Prelinger Archives.
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Apr 21, 2023 • 43min

The Pirates' Code

How common was it for a pirates to walk the plank? Was there a lot of rum? And were relationships allowed on ships?Kate is joined by Rebecca Simon, author of 'The Pirate's Code' to find out about the codes that pirates had to live by.Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Mixed by Joseph Knight.Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit.For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newsletters here. 
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Apr 18, 2023 • 49min

Heirs, Affairs & Exiles: The Powderham Scandal

Why would a man embroil his own nephew in a sex scandal? What was it like for a Georgian man to have his affair with another man shared in the papers? And what options were available to them after this happened?Today Betwixt the Sheets, Kate is finding out about the lives of William Courtenay and William Beckford, the sex scandal surrounding the two heirs and their different responses to it.Kate is joined by Charlie Courtenay, 19th Earl of Devon, to talk about his relative William Courtenay, the 9th Earl. She is also joined by Dr Amy Frost from Beckford’s Tower in Bath. Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Mixed by Sophie Gee.Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit.For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newsletters here. 
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Apr 14, 2023 • 33min

Victorian Wardrobe Secrets

If someone from the future looked inside your wardrobe, what could they find out about your life? That you like going out to parties? Maybe your work uniform is in there? Or perhaps there is still evidence of fashion trends of yore, like the oh-so-low rise jeans of the early noughties….We can find out so much about people, culture and society through our clothes, and it’s the same for our ancestors.Today Kate is joined by fashion historian Dr Kate Strasdin Betwixt the Sheets to delve into the wardrobe secrets of a real life Victorian woman, from deadly dyes, to an actual pirate flag.Senior Producer: Charlotte Long. Producer: Sophie Gee. Mixed by Joseph Knight.For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newsletters here.If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts, and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!
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Apr 11, 2023 • 50min

Bond Girls

‘Bond girl’ is quite a loaded term. Why aren’t they women? What makes them part of this homologous team? And what does it mean if they have red hair?In this episode, Kate speaks to Dr Lisa Funnell, award winning author and expert on all things Bond. She is here to tell us about the different eras of Bond girls and why it’s so important to revisit our old favourites.Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Mixed by Pete Dennis.Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit.For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newsletters here. 
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Apr 7, 2023 • 34min

Sports Bra

REAL LIFE INVENTOR ALERT!!!Two jockstraps cleverly sewn together. That was how the very first sports bra was made in 1977. The product built out from this prototype, the “Jog Bra”, went on to change women’s athletics forever.Lisa Lindhal who, together with her friends Polly and Hinda, unleashed the sports bra on the world. In this episode from our sister podcast, Patented: History of Inventions, she spoke to Dallas Campbell . The episode was produced by Freddy Chick. The editor was Anisha Deva. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newsletters here.
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Apr 4, 2023 • 51min

A History of the C-Word

WARNING: This episode includes adult content and explicit language. As offensive terms go, you are entering a hard hat area.It’s one of the most taboo words in the English dictionary. In Scotland, it can be a term of endearment, but in the US it's one of the worst offences out there, and it would more than likely get you fired if you said it to your boss at work. It starts with c, and ends in t and we're not talking about a coconut.Kate is joined Betwixt the Sheets for our 100th episode by our favourite Kathy Burke and linguist legend Professor Deborah Cameron to talk about the etymology and cultural meaning of the c-word.Why is a word that simply means the vulva regarded as the most offensive word in the English language? Where does the word come from? And were medieval people really calling their children the c-bomb?Senior Producer: Charlotte Long. Producer: Sophie Gee. Mixed by Stuart Beckwith.For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newsletters here.If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts, and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!

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