Witness History - TopPodcast.com

View Top 200 Chart

Back to Rankings Page

Witness History — History
Witness History

Witness History is a short BBC World Service podcast about history that takes you inside big moments from the past through first-hand testimony and archive. Each weekday, in around nine minutes, we revisit one moment that helped shape the world and hear it through the voice of someone who was there. Scientists, artists, campaigners, soldiers, leaders and everyday people tell their true stories.

When you subscribe to Witness History, you’ll be taken inside turning points in world affairs, from West Africa’s fight back against Boko Haram in 2015, to the behind-closed-doors talks that led to the US-Cuba “thaw” and the surprise announcement of restored relations.

You’ll discover what it was like to experience disasters and how people recovered from them, including the Tabasco floods in Mexico, Portugal’s worst train disaster, and the huge clean-up after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

You’ll explore culture and ideas too: Sweden’s Expedition Robinson, often credited as the first modern reality TV game show; the friendship between The Beatles’ George Harrison and Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar; and the night a tiger attack brought Las Vegas superstars Siegfried and Roy’s show to a sudden end.

And if you’re curious about inventions, we’ll tell you how air fryers, BlackBerry, YouTube, Alexa, GPS, superglue, the shopping cart (shopping trolley) and bubble tea were created.

If you’re new to Witness History, the appeal is simple: real voices, one strong true story, and a fresh way to understand today through events from history – all in the time it takes to enjoy a cup of tea or a walk around the block. Join millions of BBC World Service podcast listeners around the globe and enjoy the insight, context and detail Witness History will bring you.

Copyright: © (C) BBC 2024

Latest Episodes:

The first Bosphorus Bridge Oct 23, 2023

Show notes

In 1973, the Bosphorus Bridge was completed connecting Europe and Asia.

The suspension bridge was the first of three spanning the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey.

Wayne Wright speaks to Harvey Binnie who was an important member of the design team.

A Made in Manchester production for BBC World Service.

(Photo: The Bosphorus Bridge. Credit: Keystone/Getty Images)

Osmondmania Oct 20, 2023

Show notes

On 21 October 1973, American heartthrobs The Osmonds were met by hysterical crowds when their plane landed at London's Heathrow Airport.

A surge by some of the 10,000 fans caused a viewing balcony to collapse.

Eighteen people were injured. Four fans were treated in hospital. The term "Osmondmania" was used across the newspapers.

Donny Osmond shares his memories of it with Josephine McDermott.

(Photo: Fans wait for The Osmonds on the viewing balcony at Heathrow Airport before the collapse)

Launching Lagos Fashion Week Oct 19, 2023

Show notes

In 2011, models, stylists and fashionistas gathered for Lagos Fashion Week’s debut which would put Nigerian style on the global map.

Omoyemi Akerele founded the event which helped to launch the careers of designers internationally.

The annual event has become a major fashion occasion attracting Africa's biggest celebs and collections are sent around the world. Omoyemi Akerele speaks to Reena Stanton-Sharma.

(Photo: A model prepares backstage at Lagos Fashion Week in 2013. Credit: Per-Anders Pettersson)

Mexico’s murdered women Oct 18, 2023

Show notes

In 1993 young women began disappearing in the Mexican border town of Ciudad Juárez.

Hundreds were reported to have been kidnapped and killed.

Some of the first victims weren’t discovered until nearly 10 years later.

In 2013, Mike Lanchin spoke to Oscar Maynez, a forensic scientist who used to work in the city and to Paula Flores, the mother of one of the murdered girls.

(Photo: Wooden crosses in a Mexican wasteland. Credit: Jorge Uzon/Getty Images)

Rana Plaza building collapse Oct 17, 2023

Show notes

In April 2013, Rana Plaza, an eight-storey building on the outskirts of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, collapsed.

More than 1,000 people died and many others were injured.

The building contained five garment factories which manufactured clothes for well-known international brands.

It was the worst industrial disaster in Bangladesh's history.

Parul Akhter, a sewing machinist who survived the collapse, talks to Dan Hardoon.

(Photo: An injured victim of the Rana Plaza disaster at the site. Credit: Getty Images)

Cambodian peace walk Oct 16, 2023

Show notes

In 1992, the first peace walk was held in Cambodia aimed at uniting a country torn apart by years of conflict.

Buddhist monks, Cambodian refugees and aid workers set out on the 415 km journey which became known as the Dhammayietra – or the pilgrimage of truth.

The hope was to reunite Cambodian refugees who had fled into Thailand during Pol Pot’s brutal Marxist rule, with those people still living within Cambodia.

Distrust and fear had built up on both sides but that began to melt away during the 30-day trek, as organiser Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan tells Jane Wilkinson.

(Photo: Dhammayietra, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Credit: Romeo Gacad/AFP via Getty Images)

Surviving an acid attack and changing the law Oct 13, 2023

Show notes

In 2013, India's Supreme Court made a landmark ruling aimed at transforming the lives of acid attack survivors.

It followed a campaign led by Laxmi Agarwal, who at the age of 15 was burned by acid thrown over her body.

The attack changed Laxmi’s life and scarred her face. In 2006, she took legal action demanding a ban on the sale of acid and more help for survivors.

But it took seven years of campaigning before the court made a ruling, as Laxmi tells Jane Wilkinson.

(Photo: Laxmi Agarwal. Credit: Deepak Gupta/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

Kwame Nkrumah: Ousted from power Oct 12, 2023

Show notes

In February 1966, Kwame Nkrumah, one of Africa's most famous leaders, was ousted from power in Ghana.

While he was out of the country, the Ghanaian military and police seized power in a coup.

Ghanaian film maker Chris Hesse worked closely with Nkrumah and was with him at the time.

In 2021, Chris spoke to Alex Last about his memories of the coup and his friendship with the man who led Ghana to independence.

(Photo: Kwame Nkrumah after Ghana's independence from Britain. Credit: Bettman, Getty Images)

Theodosia Okoh: Designer of Ghana’s flag Oct 11, 2023

Show notes

In March 1957, Ghana became the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence and a new flag was unveiled marking a fresh start for the former British colony known as the Gold Coast.

The woman behind the design was Theodosia Okoh, an artist and former teacher who won a government competition for a new emblem which would signify the end of British rule.

Her flag had red, gold and green horizontal stripes with a black star in the centre and it replaced the symbol of an elephant encircled in front of a palm tree below the Union Jack.

Theodosia’s son Kwasi Okoh was a young boy at the time of independence, he speaks to Reena Stanton-Sharma about the inspiration behind his mother's creation.

(Photo: Ghanaian football fans with the flag at the 2006 World Cup. Credit Joerg Koch/DDP/AFP via Getty Images)

The 84-year-old primary school pupil Oct 10, 2023

Show notes

In 2004, Kimani Maruge became the oldest man to start primary school when he enrolled at the Kapkenduiywo Primary School in Kenya.

The 84-year-old student was a former soldier who had fought against colonial rule in the Mau Mau independence movement.

He missed out on school as a child so when the Kenyan government scrapped all fees for state primary education, he saw his chance to finally learn to read and write.

Kimani's former teacher Jane Obinchu tells Vicky Farncombe how his story inspired people all over the world.

(Photo: Kimani Maruge attends class at Kapkenduiywo Primary School in Kenya. Credit: Reuters/Thomas Mukoya)

Related Podcasts