Hot History

Latest Episodes:

HOT TAKE: Should we destroy history? (Part 1) May 14, 2026

Show notes

Hi guys! Today we're back with a HOT TAKE episode to unpack the big question we've been asking the last couple of weeks: Do we have a right to destroy history?

In this first part of the series we're going to look at 2 kinds of historical sources: Buildings, including the Berghof & Winter Palace, and Documents, including Mein Kampf & Queen Victoria's diaries!

Make sure to head on over and watch part 2 where we will cover exhibits and art/sculpture very soon!

If you also want more Hot History you can follow along on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and of course, right here!

Til next week, Ainslie x

ATLANTIS: Fact or Fiction? May 07, 2026

Show notes

Hello Divas! Today we're back to unpack the myth, the legend and the facts about the Lost City of Atlantis! According to the Greek philosopher Plato, Atlantis was said to have been blessed by Poseidon, god of the sea, becoming home to his demi god offspring, who turned the 'fertile plain' into the greatest civilisation that ever lived. With expertise in metallurgy, craftsmanship, commerce, agriculture and maritime trade, at a time where the rest of the world lived in small nomadic communities, the story of Atlantis has been met with great scepticism.

BUT what if Plato was talking about another island entirely? A real place where the history, archeology and geology all line up - Bronze Age Crete. I can't wait to unpack this one with you all!

If you'd like to read the Timaeus and Critias yourself, then the translations I used are linked.

If you also want more Hot History you can follow along on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and of course, right here!

Til next week, Ainslie x

Kiki Preston: The Girl with the Silver Syringe Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

Hello Divas! Today we're back with the story of Kiki Preston, the gilded age nepo baby whose life spanned from the streets of Paris to the plains of Africa and the sidewalks of New York City to the drawing room at Buckingham Palace, with her infamous moniker surmising a life that was steeped in equal parts drama, deceit, dukes and drugs!

But what does this nickname do to her historical legacy? Is it the full picture? And just how much of her history is shaped by the monarchical powers at be? Let's find out together!

If you also want more Hot History you can follow along on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and of course, right here!

Til next week, Ainslie x

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The Gilded Age mansion that sank with Titanic Apr 23, 2026

Show notes

Hello you! Today we're chatting about Lynnewood Hall, the 110 room gilded age mansion with double the footprint of the White House!

Built for the Widener family, it was meant to be a haven for art and culture, but its hopes sank to the depths with the RMS Titanic when both the Widener heirs died on board. Sold to the church for a seminary, the homes contents full of french art, italian mantles, chinese urns and persian rugs, were auctioned until nothing remained. Year by year, it fell further into disrepair until it was totally abandoned.

Now saved by the Lynnewood Hall Preservation Foundation this great dame gets a second chance, and I can't wait to tell you all about it! You can follow LHPF on Instagram, and watch some of the walk throughs here and here .

If you also want more Hot History you can follow along on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and of course, right here!

Til next week, Ainslie x

Ching Shih: The Pirate Queen Apr 16, 2026

Show notes

Happy Friday! Today we are talking about the most successful pirate in history, and I don’t mean Jack Sparrow or Blackbeard - I’m talking about Ching Shih, the former sex worker turned pirate queen who controlled the South China Sea to such an extent the Qing dynasty paid her to retire!

As an Asian woman she defies all the pirate stereotypes toted by historians and western sources alike, and had one hell of a career both on the sea and land!

If you're wanting more Hot History you can follow along on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and of course, right here!

Til next week, Ainslie x

Rasputin: Dynasty ending BDE Apr 09, 2026

Show notes

You guys have been asking for him, so today we are spending a full hour (and a bit) on Ra Ra Rasputin!

From a Siberian village to the centre of imperial Russia, how did the ‘mad monk’ bring the 300 year old house of Romanov crumbling down? We cover it all from horse whispering to sex sects, pesky rumours to miraculous events and of course, assassinations and 12 inch penises!

If you're wanting more Hot History you can follow along on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and of course, right here!

Til next week, Ainslie x

The 1903 Romanov Ball Apr 02, 2026

Show notes

Hello you! Today we are chatting about the 1903 Romanov Ball aka, the last great royal ball in Europe!

Thrown in celebration of 290 years of Romanov rule, the entire Russian court was sent back to the 17th century, dripped in gold and gems, posing for photos with their friends and most of all, blissfully ignoring the rumbling discontent outside the palace gates! Listen now to find out all the deets on the evening(s) and how the ball helped bring about the Romanovs final days!

If you're wanting more Hot History you can follow along on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and of course, right here!

Til next week, Ainslie x

REVIEW: Love Story Mar 30, 2026

Show notes

The finale of Ryan Murphy's cult historical fiction 'Love Story' was divisive and jam packed from the explosive scenes between Caroline & Ann Bessette to that plane scene! In this episode, we unpack the finale plus my thoughts on the series as a whole, while looking at the ethics of fictionalised historical dramas like 'Love Story' to try and answer the question on everyone's lips: how long after someone's dead is it okay to profit from the tragedy?

If you're wanting more Hot History content you can follow along on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and of course, right here!

Ainslie x

JFK Jr & CBK Mar 26, 2026

Show notes

Hello and welcome back to Hot History! I am so thrilled to FINALLY be covering the real history behind JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy in the wake of Love Story's final episode. From their careers, dealings with the media, inner circles and tragic passing, we're getting to know each of these 90's icons outside the silver screen.

Make sure to tune in on Monday for my full review of Love Story too!

If you're wanting more Hot History content you can follow along on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and of course, right here!

Til next week, Ainslie x

The (real) Peaky Blinders Mar 19, 2026

Show notes

Alrightttt … this episode of Hot History is by order of the Peaky Fooking Blinders!

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is on Netflix tonight, so we’re covering exactly who the real Peaky Blinders were! We start by looking at the Industrial Revolutions impact on Birmingham and the origins of the Victorian street gangs, before covering some of the real figures and events in the TV series. From Billy Kimber to Diana Mitford and of course, Alfie Solomon’s, we get down and dirty with the big wigs of Steven Knights story!We’re also doing some light myth busting (sorry) about some of the series key Shelbyisms and so much more!

If you're wanting more Hot History content you can follow along on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and of course, right here!

Til next week, Ainslie x