You're Dead to Me
BBC Radio 4
The comedy podcast that takes history seriously. In each episode of You’re Dead to Me from BBC Radio 4, Greg Jenner is joined by a comedian and an expert historian to learn and laugh about the past.History isn’t just about dates and textbooks – it’s about extraordinary characters, amazing stories, and some very questionable fashion choices. How long did it take to build an Egyptian pyramid? What does the Bayeux Tapestry reveal about medieval life? Why did it take nearly half a millennium for Joan of Arc to become a saint? And was Catherine the Great really all that great? Whether you want to explore ancient landmarks like Stonehenge and Machu Picchu, dance through the history of Broadway and Bollywood, or find out how the Tudors rose to power, Greg and his guests promise to teach you something new that you won’t have heard in history lessons.Previous episodes of You’re Dead To Me have covered everything from royals to revolutionaries, actors to activists and divas to dictators. Take a stroll through the history of high-heeled shoes or get the scoop on the history of ice cream. Maybe you’d like to paint like the cave artists of the Palaeolithic era, work out like a Victorian bodybuilder, or fight like a Spartan? We’ve even hosted a special, live episode with the BBC Concert Orchestra to explore the dramatic life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.Whatever your historical interests, Greg and his guests make even the trickiest topics easy to follow. Join them for a history lesson that’s as entertaining as it is enlightening - with no homework required.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 3, 2023 • 56min
Vital Electricity
Greg Jenner is joined by guests Prof Iwan Rhys Morus and comedian Olga Koch in the 17th century to learn all about "vital electricity". From elaborate party tricks to questionable medicinal claims, we’ll explore the downright bizarre ways that the force of electricity has been harnessed and developed throughout the years.Research by Roxy Moore
Written by Emma Nagouse, Roxy Moore and Greg Jenner
Produced by Emma Nagouse and Greg Jenner
Assistant Producer: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow
Project Management: Isla Matthews
Audio Producer: Steve HankeyYou’re Dead To Me is a production by The Athletic for BBC Radio 4.
Feb 24, 2023 • 55min
The Indus Civilisation: life in Bronze Age South Asia
Greg Jenner is joined by guests Dr Danika Parikh and comedian Ahir Shah in the Bronze Age to explore the ancient Indus civilisation. They take a close look at the terracotta, toilets and even the unicorns of this vast civilisation which was in existence some 2,000 years before Pompeii.You’re Dead To Me is the comedy podcast that takes history seriously. Every episode, Greg Jenner brings together the best names in history and comedy to learn and laugh about the past.Research by: Aimee Hinds Scott
Written by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Aimee Hinds Scott and Greg Jenner
Produced by: Emma Nagouse and Greg Jenner
Assistant Producer: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow
Project Management: Isla Matthews
Audio Producer: Steve Hankey
Executive Editor: Philip Sellars
Feb 17, 2023 • 56min
Early Medieval Papacy
Greg Jenner is joined by guests Prof Brett Whalen and comedian Alison Spittle in 9th-century Rome to explore the early medieval papacy. As the political heart of the papacy is plunged into chaos, we step into a world consumed by debauchery and a thirst for power and hear about perhaps the most unhinged courtroom trial of all time.Research by Jessica Honey
Written by Emma Nagouse, Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg Jenner
Produced by Emma Nagouse and Greg Jenner
Assistant Producer: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow
Project Management: Isla Matthews
Audio Producer: Steve HankeyYou’re Dead To Me is a production by The Athletic for BBC Radio 4.
21 snips
Feb 10, 2023 • 58min
Georgian Courtship: love and marriage in 18th-century England
Greg Jenner is joined by guests Dr Sally Holloway and comedian Cariad Lloyd in the long 18th century to explore Georgian love and courtship. Forget Bridgerton and Jane Austen – this is a historical how-to guide to finding a spouse in Georgian England. This episode takes you through a typical courtship in the era, from where to meet a potential partner, what gifts to buy them, and how much involvement your parents might have in the whole affair. This was a time when penning a love letter was a serious commitment, whilst sweets and spoons were considered flirtations of the highest order!You’re Dead To Me is the comedy podcast that takes history seriously. Every episode, Greg Jenner brings together the best names in history and comedy to learn and laugh about the past.Hosted by: Greg Jenner
Research by: Bethan Davies
Written and produced by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Emma Nagouse and Greg Jenner
Project Management: Isla Matthews
Audio Producer: Steve Hankey
Executive editor: Philip Sellars
Jan 21, 2023 • 29min
Grainne O’Malley (Radio Edit)
Greg Jenner is joined by historian Dr Gillian Kenny and comedian Catherine Bohart in 16th-century Ireland to look at the life of pirate queen Grainne O’Malley. Against the backdrop of the changing legal landscape of Ireland as it faced brutality from incoming English administrators, we look at the difficult decisions Grainne was forced to make to ensure her family's survival. From bold changes to her appearance as a teenager to ensure her place on her father's ship, to aggressive actions against a castle that refused to serve her food. Grainne O’Malley was not a woman to be messed with. This strength and defiance would lead to an unlikely understanding with Queen Elizabeth I.For the full-length version of this episode, please look further back in the feed.Produced by Cornelius Mendez
Script by Greg Jenner and Emma Nagouse
Research by Jessica WhiteA production by The Athletic for BBC Radio 4.
8 snips
Jan 14, 2023 • 28min
Ancient Greek & Roman Medicine (Radio Edit)
Greg Jenner is joined by historian Dr Kristi Upson-Saia and comedian Stu Goldsmith to explore the strange world of Ancient Greek and Roman medicine. Welcome to a world where health was fleeting and water could be dangerous. The team will take you through a variety of common ailments from tight atoms to wandering wombs and provide startling cures in the form of electric eels and beaver anuses.For the full-length version of this episode, please look further back in the feed.Produced by Cornelius Mendez
Script by Greg Jenner and Emma Nagouse
Research by Hannah MacKenzieA production by The Athletic for BBC Radio 4.
13 snips
Jan 7, 2023 • 28min
The Asante Empire (Radio Edit)
Greg Jenner is joined by historian Dr Augustus Casely-Hayford OBE and comedian Sophie Duker to explore the incredible Asante Empire. We learn the roots of Ghanian heritage - from storytelling, fabric, food, music and rhythm as communication, to how centuries of traditions across the empire came together to protect the most sacred symbol of power in the Asante Kingdom from the hands of the British during the War of the Golden Stool.For the full-length version of this episode, please look further back in the feed.Produced by Cornelius Mendez
Script by Greg Jenner and Emma Nagouse
Research by Lloyd RobertsA production by The Athletic for BBC Radio 4.
Dec 31, 2022 • 28min
Prohibition in the USA (Radio Edit)
Greg Jenner is joined by historian Prof Sarah Churchwell and comedian Kemah Bob in 1920s USA to follow the implementation and after-effects of Prohibition. They take a look at the origins of the Prohibition laws and hear how a movement designed to encourage temperance backfired on the nation.For the full-length version of this episode, please look further back in the feed.Produced by Cornelius Mendez
Script by Greg Jenner and Emma Nagouse
Research by Tim GalsworthyA production by The Athletic for BBC Radio 4.
Dec 9, 2022 • 29min
Medieval Christmas (Radio Edit)
Greg Jenner and his guests Miles Jupp and Dr Eleanor Janega go back to the medieval Christmas for this one-off festive special. They look at the history and traditions that have thankfully continued through the ages, like gift-giving and stuffed wild boars (although numbers on stuffed wild boar we're told are down from previous years) and some that have mysteriously fallen off the radar completely, like masked carol singers and jellied eels.For the full-length version of this episode, please look further back in the feed.Research: Lloyd Roberts
Script: Emma Nagouse and Greg Jenner
Project Management: Siefe Miyo
Edit Producer: Cornelius Mendez
Dec 5, 2022 • 1h 1min
Christmas with Charles Dickens
Greg Jenner is joined by Dr Emily Bell and Mike Wozniak to find out what Christmas was like with Charles Dickens. We take a walk through the many Christmases of the renowned Victorian author. From elephants walking on ice to the family Christmas punch recipe, we take a closer look at the factors that may have influenced some of his most famous works and unpick what the phrase Dickensian has come to mean over the years.Written by Emma Nagouse and Greg Jenner
Produced by Emma Nagouse and Greg Jenner
Assistant Producer: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow
Researcher: Jessica White
Project Management: Isla Matthews
Audio Producer: Steve HankeyThe Athletic production for BBC Radio 4
