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
Dec 21, 2020 • 29min
The Victorian Christmas (Radio Edit)
Why do we celebrate Christmas with cards, crackers and a tree? Join us as we travel back and explore the weird and wonderful history of the Victorian Christmas.Just who the Dickens had the idea to bring trees indoors? Can a soft-drinks firm really take credit for Father Christmas’s red suit? And why did the Victorians send each other such bizarre Christmas cards?Greg Jenner is joined in the studio by historian Dr Fern Riddell and comedian Russell Kane.Produced by Cornelius Mendez
Scripted and researched by Greg JennerA Muddy Knees Media production for BBC Radio 4.
Dec 16, 2020 • 29min
Josephine Baker (Radio Edit)
Greg Jenner is joined by historical expert Dr Michell Chresfield and comedian Desiree Burch to travel to 1920s Paris and meet the phenomenal Josephine Baker. Josephine Baker was a renowned performer and entertainer, a civil rights activist and even a spy during the German occupation of France. But just how did the daughter of a laundress in St Louis find herself at the centre of some of the most pivotal moments in history?A Muddy Knees Media production for BBC Radio 4.
Dec 12, 2020 • 29min
The Mayflower (Radio Edit)
Greg Jenner is joined by historian Dr Misha Ewen and comedian Alex Edelman to take a trip back in time and across the Atlantic with the passengers of The Mayflower. A Muddy Knees Media production for BBC Radio 4.
Dec 8, 2020 • 29min
The Witch Craze (Radio Edit)
Revisit the dark days of the European Witch Craze when one book turned the world upside down and a disgruntled patriarchy murdered thousands of innocent women. Greg Jenner's guests are comedian Cariad Lloyd and historian Prof Suzannah Lipscomb.Produced by Dan Morelle
Script and research by Emma Nagouse, assisted by Eszter Szabo and Evie Randall
Radio edit by Cornelius MendezA Muddy Knees Media production for BBC Radio 4.
Dec 5, 2020 • 29min
The History of Football (Radio Edit)
Where did football come from? Was it really invented in China or is the truth a little closer to home? And what’s the truth behind the history of the women’s game? Greg Jenner is joined by comedian Tom Parry and historian Prof Jean Williams to learn the history of the beautiful game.Produced by Dan Morelle
Scripted by Greg Jenner
Researched by Emma Nagouse, assisted by Eszter Szabo and Evie Randall
Radio edit by Cornelius MendezA Muddy Knees Media production for BBC Radio 4.
Dec 1, 2020 • 30min
Stonehenge (Radio Edit)
Greg Jenner digs into the history and mystery of Stonehenge. Is it really the symbol of fertility and scene of sacrifice it’s portrayed to be, and what part of Stonehenge is the henge exactly? Featuring podcasting legend Richard Herring alongside archaeologist Susan Greaney from English Heritage.Produced by Dan Morelle
Script by Greg Jenner
Research by Emma Nagouse
Radio edit by Cornelius MendezA Muddy Knees Media production for BBC Radio 4.
Nov 28, 2020 • 29min
Harriet Tubman (Radio Edit)
Greg Jenner is joined by comedian Desiree Burch and historian Dr Michell Chresfield to explore the life of the American hero and abolitionist, Harriet Tubman. From a torturous childhood to surgery without anaesthetic, get ready to understand true bravery as we uncover the events which made Harriet Tubman a phenomenal force for change.Produced by Dan Morelle
Scripted by Greg Jenner
Researched by Emma Nagouse
Radio edit by Cornelius Mendez A Muddy Knees Media production for BBC Radio 4.
Nov 21, 2020 • 29min
Young Napoleon (Radio Edit)
Never mind the famous battles, who was the real Napoleon and what events turned him from a young Corsican officer to one of history’s greatest figures? Greg Jenner is joined by comedian Dan Schreiber and historian Dr Laura O’Brien.Produced by Dan Morelle
Script and research by Emma Nagouse
Radio edit by Cornelius MendezA Muddy Knees Media production for BBC Radio 4.
Nov 21, 2020 • 29min
Neanderthals (Radio Edit)
Greg Jenner is joined by the brilliant comedian Tim Minchin and Palaeolithic archaeologist Dr Becky Wragg Sykes as they take us way back in time to visit the Neanderthals. Just who were the Neanderthals? Were they the squat caveman we’ve come to know in pop culture or have we misunderstood them entirely? Join the team as we discover there is so much more to those handsome, hench beings who walked the Earth before us.
Nov 14, 2020 • 29min
The Aztecs (Radio Edit)
Travel back to the land of the Aztecs for stories of sacrifice and fancy diets. Greg Jenner is joined by comedian Joel Dommett and historian Dr Caroline Dodds Pennock to ask just how much food can be traced back to the Aztecs? Was cannibalism really a respectful process? And at what age were Aztec children expected to contribute to the family?Produced by Dan Morelle
Script by Greg Jenner
Research by Emma Nagouse assisted by Josh Daniels
Radio edit by Cornelius MendezA Muddy Knees Media production for BBC Radio 4.
