Education
History Extra
Personal stories
Few shows have enjoyed the longevity of Who Do You Think You Are? and it's easy to understand why it has endured.
1 min |
June 2026
History Extra
Tidal change
Southern mythos notwithstanding, there exists no static, exceptional American South.
1 min |
June 2026
History Extra
Marriage story
Emily Howes on her novel about Catherine Dickens' relationship with her famous husband
1 min |
June 2026
History Extra
Sexual her-story
A witty, wide-ranging account of the myths and power structures behind female sexuality impresses SARAH JONES
2 min |
June 2026
History Extra
History man
According to Tom Hanks, during his childhood 'The War' was a recurring topic in the conversations of the adults around him.
1 min |
June 2026
History Extra
How to be a master of disguise
10 do's and don'ts when attending a masquerade
2 min |
June 2026
History Extra
Age of indulgence
Our content producer Charlotte Vosper picks episodes of the HistoryExtra podcast about Georgian Britain
1 min |
June 2026
History Extra
Gaffer tape
While Bobby Robson and Gareth Southgate both led England to World Cup semi-finals, Alf Ramsey remains the only manager to actually win the trophy.
1 min |
June 2026
History Extra
What's the origin of the Fosbury Flop?
Like the Salchow in ice skating, the Fosbury Flop is a sport technique that immortalises the name of its creator.
1 min |
June 2026
History Extra
EXHIBITIONS
In 1776, the United States of America was born - heralded by the Declaration of Independence.
1 min |
June 2026
History Extra
"English national identity was repeatedly redefined beyond English shores throughout the 17th century"
NANDINI DAS speaks to Charlotte Vosper about her new book revealing the colourful characters who helped create a global England in the Tudor and Stuart eras
10 min |
June 2026
History Extra
Is it true that the first human tools were baby carriers?
The short answer is: no.
1 min |
June 2026
History Extra
The brains behind the bombshell
The heart-shaped face. The iridescent blonde hair. And who can forget that billowing white dress? Image was key to Marilyn Monroe's meteoric rise but, as Lucy Bolton explains on the star's centenary, her success was only possible because of raw talent, ambition and a ferocious work ethic
10+ min |
June 2026
History Extra
Conspicuous consumption
PEN VOGLER savours an enlightening and entertaining book about living, eating and drinking to excess in big country houses in the 18th and early 19th centuries
4 min |
June 2026
History Extra
Offa the man, the monarch, the myths
Within a century of his death, Offa of Mercia was reviled as a saint killer, warmonger and tyrant. But look critically at the evidence, argues Rory Naismith, and it's clear this is at best a partial picture of one of Anglo-Saxon England's most important monarchs
8 min |
June 2026
History Extra
BLASPHEMY THROUGH THE AGES
British blasphemy laws have been updated and contested many times over the past six centuries
1 min |
June 2026
History Extra
"THE PLAGUE SAT LIKE A KING ON THE THRONE"
The Black Death is infamous for ravaging the population of Europe - yet it was most lethal in the Muslim world, leaving such a trail of devastation that bodies were left rotting in the streets. Thomas Asbridge investigates why plague took such a heavy toll in the Near East
10 min |
June 2026
History Extra
Guerilla tactics destroyed an ancient Roman legion
The Roman empire's domination of its expanding realms was often challenged - sometimes with catastrophic results for its soldiers
3 min |
June 2026
History Extra
Revolution reframed
BENJAMIN L CARP enjoys a global history of American independence that reveals a war of competing freedoms
2 min |
June 2026
History Extra
What did it mean to be a 'rake'?
Fans of the Regency romance series Bridgerton will be familiar with the term 'rake', especially in relation to Simon Basset and Anthony and Benedict Bridgerton.
1 min |
June 2026
History Extra
A tribute to the Tudors
NATHEN AMIN explores Conwy's Plas Mawr, an extraordinary Elizabethan townhouse that reveals the wealth, ambition and loyalties of the Wynn family within a changing Welsh society
2 min |
June 2026
History Extra
Where does the phrase ‘to curry favour’ come from?
The origin of the phrase 'to curry favour' has nothing to do with curry, and nothing to do with favour! It dates from 1310-14, from a now little-known text called the Roman de Fauvel.
1 min |
June 2026
History Extra
An extravagant life
Henry Paget's time on Earth was brief yet vividly colourful.
1 min |
June 2026
History Extra
There by the grace of gods
JAMES OSBORNE learns to balance the administration of a burgeoning ancient city with the need to placate demanding Roman deities
1 min |
June 2026
History Extra
Home front truths
While vanishingly few veterans of the Second World War are now around to tell their stories, many who were children during 1939-45 can still offer vivid firsthand accounts of the conflict.
1 min |
June 2026
History Extra
Why did people drink ‘groaning ale'?
Partake of too much ale and the groaning could be expected to accompany the hangover the next morning.
1 min |
June 2026
History Extra
The boys of summer
On 21 June 1970, Brazil thrashed Italy 4-1 in Mexico City to become the first nation to win the men's football World Cup three times.
1 min |
June 2026
History Extra
Grotesque Georgians
Written and directed by Peter Glanz, Savage House promises to be a black comedy with real satirical bite as it draws parallels between the 18th century and our own unequal age.
1 min |
June 2026
History Extra
Empire of bondage
A punchy new study contrasting the architectural and cultural achievements of Roman civilisation with the brutal realities of slavery intrigues ULRIKE ROTH
2 min |
June 2026
History Extra
What was the Blue Division?
During the Second World War, Spain remained officially neutral, or at least 'non-belligerent', but that did not stop the nascent regime of dictator Francisco Franco from finding ways to side with the Axis powers.
1 min |