History Extra podcast - Immediate Media

Latest Episodes:

King Arthur: a tale of demon sex and dog-headed monsters Nov 11, 2026

Show notes

You may think of King Arthur as a chivalrous ruler, surrounded by noble knights, living in splendour in Camelot and setting out on amazing quests. However, that story originates from a late medieval account. Much more interesting is an earlier telling of the story, which is both weirder and more brutal, featuring dog-headed monsters and demon sex. Amy Jeffs, author of Arthur: A New Life, talks through this stranger side of Arthur with Dave Musgrove.

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Check out our deep dive on the Arthurian legends with Professors Ronald Hutton and Ad Putter here: https://bit.ly/4rfzFzl

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Become a HistoryExtra podcast member and unlock access to The Full Story podcast, plus enjoy ad-free listening, early access to other podcast episodes, and a member-exclusive newsletter.

Find out more and sign up here: ⁠https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm⁠

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For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠.

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Secrets of history's greatest commanders Nov 10, 2026

Show notes

Which battlefield victory did Napoleon rank as his most brilliant? How did Julius Caesar squeeze that extra one per cent commitment out of his soldiers? And what cunning ruse did George Washington implement to outfox the British at Yorktown? In this episode, Iain MacGregor talks Spencer Mizen through history's greatest battles, and considers what qualities separate the very best commanders from the also-rans.

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If you’d like to hear more from Iain MacGregor on the HistoryExtra podcast, why not listen to the episode in which he tells the incredible story of life in Hiroshima in the aftermath of the nuclear strike: https://bit.ly/4i4rvp9

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Become a HistoryExtra podcast member and unlock access to The Full Story podcast, plus enjoy ad-free listening, early access to other podcast episodes, and a member-exclusive newsletter.

Find out more and sign up here: ⁠https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm⁠

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For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠.

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What really sparked the Tudor Reformation? Nov 09, 2026

Show notes

Why did Henry VIII decide to break with Rome? From his turbulent personal life to a desire to rid the Catholic church of corruption, the Tudor king’s motivations have long proven a source of fascination. Yet, as historian and author Diarmaid MacCulloch tells Charlotte Vosper in this episode, the truth might be even more complicated than we sometimes think.

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GET MORE WITH MEMBERSHIP

Become a HistoryExtra podcast member and unlock access to The Full Story podcast, plus enjoy ad-free listening, early access to other podcast episodes, and a member-exclusive newsletter.

Find out more and sign up here: ⁠https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm⁠

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For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠.

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The WW2 nurses who saved lives in the skies Nov 06, 2026

Show notes

You might be forgiven for thinking there were no women on the frontline in the Second World War. But, that's not the case. In this episode of the HistoryExtra podcast, Lauren Good speaks to historian and author Leah Garrett about the unseen work of so-called 'flight nurses' at Iwo Jima and Okinawa - two of the most brutal battles of Pacific arena. She explores these women's stories, revealing how they risked their lives dodging enemy attacks in unreliable aircraft to tend to injured men.

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Don't miss this HistoryExtra article, which highlights what it was like to be in the Women's Royal Naval Service during the Second World War: https://bit.ly/4y7r2ss

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Become a HistoryExtra podcast member and unlock access to The Full Story podcast, plus enjoy ad-free listening, early access to other podcast episodes, and a member-exclusive newsletter.

Find out more and sign up here: https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm

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For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast⁠⁠.

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King Harold: tragic hero of the English Nov 04, 2026

Show notes

King Harold II of England – otherwise known as Harold Godwinson – famously died at the battle of Hastings, with his demise at the hands of Duke William of Normandy ushering in a new Norman era. Speaking to David Musgrove, historian Tom Licence draws on his new biography of the Anglo-Saxon king to explore Harold’s military experience, and investigate his complicated family and political ties. He also revisits the rival invasions of 1066, asks whether Harold could have won at Hastings, and examines what the Bayeux Tapestry and later legends tell us about his death – and his place in England’s national memory.

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You can hear Tom Licence reconsider King Harold's role in the battle of Stamford bridge here: https://bit.ly/4rFtFQy

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Become a HistoryExtra podcast member and unlock access to The Full Story podcast, plus enjoy ad-free listening, early access to other podcast episodes, and a member-exclusive newsletter.

Find out more and sign up here: ⁠https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm⁠

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For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠.

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Ancient goddesses: love, violence and ecstatic experiences Nov 03, 2026

Show notes

What do goddesses of love have in common with goddesses of war? Historian Ronald Hutton argues that some of the ancient world’s most powerful female deities were united by a potent combination of sex, violence and ecstatic experience. Speaking to Danny Bird, Hutton traces a lineage from the Sumerian goddess Inanna through Ishtar, Aphrodite and Venus, all the way to the Norse Freyja and the Irish Morrigan. Along the way, they discuss why the Greeks were terrified of love, how Christianity tried to erase pagan goddesses, and why these extraordinary figures are enjoying a revival in the modern world.

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To find out more about the goddesses of antiquity, be sure to read our profile on Artemis, the ancient Greek deity with 30 breasts: https://bit.ly/4yb4lUd

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GET MORE WITH MEMBERSHIP

Become a HistoryExtra podcast member and unlock access to The Full Story podcast, plus enjoy ad-free listening, early access to other podcast episodes, and a member-exclusive newsletter.

Find out more and sign up here: ⁠https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm⁠

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EXPLORE MORE

For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠.

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Life and death in the Viking age Nov 02, 2026

Show notes

Who was the first Viking? Why did Norse people believe they could turn into animals? And what does all of this have to do with the fall of the western Roman empire? In this episode, Neil Price speaks to James Osborne about facets of the Viking age that go beyond boats and battles and asks: what do we really know about life and death in the Viking Age?

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To find out more about life in the Viking Age, you can listen to our four-part podcast series on the Viking invasion of Anglo-Saxon England in the second half of the ninth century, with historian Eleanor Barraclough: https://bit.ly/4AuA1q6

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GET MORE WITH MEMBERSHIP

Become a HistoryExtra podcast member and unlock access to The Full Story podcast, plus enjoy ad-free listening, early access to other podcast episodes, and a member-exclusive newsletter.

Find out more and sign up here: https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm

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EXPLORE MORE

For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast⁠⁠.

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D-Day’s secret hero: the true story behind Pressure (In paid partnership with StudioCanal) Oct 30, 2026

Show notes

What comes to mind when you think D-Day? Perhaps it’s the tactical brilliance of the commanders, or the brutal combat fought by the troops. But, what about meteorologist James Stagg? He’s the subject of the new Second World War thriller Pressure, and to find out more about his contribution to the War – and how you go about turning a Second World War story into a blockbuster – in this episode, Charlotte Vosper spoke to the writer of the film, David Haig, and Catherine Ross, the Met Office’s archive and library manager, who helped advise on the film.

This episode was recorded live at the Royal Society of Arts, in partnership STUDIOCANAL. Pressure is now available to buy and rent from digital platforms, and will be available to own on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD from 30 November.

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GET MORE WITH MEMBERSHIP

Become a HistoryExtra podcast member and unlock access to The Full Story podcast, plus enjoy ad-free listening, early access to other podcast episodes, and a member-exclusive newsletter.

Find out more and sign up here: https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm

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EXPLORE MORE

For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Find out more at ⁠⁠historyextra.com/podcast⁠⁠.

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Why we believe in the supernatural Oct 28, 2026

Show notes

Ghosts, witches, flying nuns, and spirits summoned from beyond the grave might seem to belong to a less rational age. But were our ancestors really so different from us in their beliefs? In this episode, historian Malcolm Gaskill joins Elinor Evans to discuss his new book, Worlds of Fear and Wonder, and reveals how emotions like grief and uncertainty have shaped our relationship with the supernatural for centuries.

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You can hear more from Malcolm Gaskill, talking about Helen Duncan, also known as 'Hellish Nell', the last woman to be convicted and imprisoned under the 1735 Witchcraft Act, in this episode: https://bit.ly/4z11DRV

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How to build the ultimate medieval castle Oct 27, 2026

Show notes

If you had to survive a siege, which medieval fortress would you choose to be holed up inside? In today's episode, Dan Jones surveys the world's historic fortifications to cherry-pick the fashionable and functional features which he thinks would make the ultimate castle. Speaking to Charlotte Vosper, Dan guides us through the creation of his dream fortification, and reveals the most important principle for making a castle truly impregnable.

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If you'd like to find out more about how castles have changed the shape of warfare over time – from ancient Troy to 19th-century America – then check out this article from Dan Jones: https://bit.ly/4if4znp

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