Single Malt History with Gareth Russell

Latest Episodes:

The real Anne of Cleves Jul 14, 2026

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A biography six years in the making uncovers remarkable details about Anne of Cleves, including a surprising, forgotten, and eerie similarity to her tragic predecessor Anne Boleyn.

Edward Longshanks Jul 07, 2026

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For half a century, Edward I won fame on the battlefields. He escaped rebels and vanquished his enemies. But what was the real cost of his ambitions?

The bloody Norman kings of England Jun 23, 2026

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Invasions, mysterious deaths, private scandals, quarrels with saints, treachery, and civil wars shaped the dramatic lives of England's four Norman kings.

The Six (Non-) Loves of James I Jun 16, 2026

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James VI & I lived a life full of love - and alleged lovers - but did gossip sometimes get it wrong? Yes. But feel free to make up your own mind. This episodes looks at some of the fascinating lives of those who probably never James's lovers - including a Scottish noblewoman so beautiful she was nicknamed "the Pearl of Lochleven," a handsome but quarrelsome rebel's son, a social- climbing knight, a dashing former soldier, and one of the most powerful noblemen in Ireland.

The fall of the German monarchy Jun 02, 2026

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Was Kaiser Wilhelm II a victim of circumstance or the author of his own ruin?

The House of Boleyn May 26, 2026

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Downton Abbey meets The Tudors - Dr Tracy Borman stops to discuss her new historical novel, "The House of Boleyn".

The lost face of Anne Boleyn May 19, 2026

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The face that launched a reformation? For centuries, the missing portraits of Anne Boleyn have excited investigation, imagination, and indignation. With her childhood home now mounting the largest exhibition of Anne Boleyn's images in history, I spoke to two of its curators Kate McCaffrey and Dr. Owen Emmerson.

The fall of the Russian monarchy (part 2) May 12, 2026

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How did three centuries fall apart in three years? The rise of Rasputin, plots in the military high command, riots in the cities, and a monarch's mental breakdown play out against the backdrop of one of the most brutal conflicts in human history.

The fall of the Russian monarchy (part 1) May 05, 2026

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The dramatic early reign of Nicholas II and Russia's catastrophic entry into the First World War.

24 Hours at Hampton Court Apr 21, 2026

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24 ghosts of Hampton Court guide you through its extraordinary history.