History

The American Civil War, Part 1 of 2

The Civil War began with a question: could a nation built on slavery survive without it?

06 Apr 2026,·53 mins

More history than you can consume!

Misha Glenny returns to the Balkans on a 19th-century road trip.

06 Apr 2026,·42 mins

The Spanish-American War 1898

How a war that began in Cuba saw the US acquire the Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico.

02 Apr 2026,·55 mins

Episode 3

Ali Ansari concludes his grand tour of Iranian history travelling from the 1700s to today.

09 Jul 2012,·30 mins

Real Vikings

3. Blood Eagles: The Great Heathen Army

Emboldened by their forays, the Vikings escalate their raiding.

07 Apr 2026,·51 mins

Israel and the Palestinians

10: From 2010 to the present day

Jonny Dymond and guests explore the complicated back-story of the Middle East conflict.

13 Apr 2026,·28 mins

Beverley Knight on Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the godmother of rock and roll

Beverley Knight picks the great Rosetta Tharpe, gospel singer turned pioneer.

06 Apr 2026,·28 mins

Revolution in Iran: Fall of the Shah (Part 1)

Join Dominic and Tom as they explore the Islamic Revolution and its lasting impact.

07 Apr 2026,·74 mins

Emperor Nero (Radio Edit)

Join Greg and his guests in ancient Rome to learn all about Emperor Nero.

03 Apr 2026,·28 mins

Queen Mary II & the Restoration's Glorious Revolution

How did a quiet, devout queen help reshape Britain’s monarchy forever?

06 Apr 2026,·53 mins

Brigitte Bardot

Is the screen siren evil or a genius?

01 Apr 2026,·37 mins

1150: Songs of the Troubadours

In the 1150s, the King of the Troubadours meets Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine.

04 Apr 2026,·56 mins

The Mad Mystic and the Last Battle on English Soil - with Ian Breckon

As the Victorian era dawns, modernisation erodes the old ways of life and poverty rises.

03 Apr 2026,·42 mins

Matta Ballesteros Part 1: The Faceless Phantom

In 1981, a raid throws up clues that point US agents towards a Honduran cocaine chemist.

01 Apr 2026,·39 mins

Commanders: Zhukov

We go beyond the legend to explore one of the Second World War's greatest commanders.

07 Apr 2026,·64 mins

Marcel Duchamp and the urinal that changed art

In 1942, the French artist featured in New York's first major surrealist exhibition

07 Apr 2026,·10 mins

Power to The People: Rewiring Britain

Douglas Fraser explores the scale and the challenges of rewiring Britain's national grid.

30 Mar 2026,·28 mins

Henry VIII vs. Catherine of Aragon | History's Worst Break Ups

A breakup we're still feeling the effects of today.

07 Apr 2026,·54 mins

Road Ghosts

Nat examines two road ghost encounters, and a miraculous incident with a ghost...

30 Mar 2026,·52 mins

Series 4

60. True Crime on Trial

Lucy Worsley puts true crime on trial and asks are we so obsessed with true crime?

17 Feb 2026,·28 mins

Rose Heilbron QC and The Cameo Murder

Can the first woman to lead a murder case in England prove herself in court?

31 Mar 2026,·28 mins

Al Capone and the Valentine's Day Massacre

Find out how the massacre played out.

02 Apr 2026,·37 mins

How Reading Made Us

3. How Reading Made Our Politics

Did reading create democracy? And what does it mean for our politics if reading dies out?

23 Mar 2026,·42 mins

The discovery of the Terra Nova shipwreck and Echo the elephant

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History episodes

04 Apr 2026,·60 mins

What are the Balkans?

Misha Glenny returns to the powder keg of Europe, Sarajevo in Bosnia

03 Apr 2026,·41 mins

6. Moral Courage

Diane Foley must decide whether to face a man linked to her son’s murder - or not.

10 Feb 2026,·31 mins

What to listen to next: Cautionary Tales

We're bringing you a listening recommendation.

23 Mar 2026,·43 mins

April 6th to April 12th

Fascinating, surprising and eye-opening stories from the past, brought to life.

08 Apr 2026,·5 mins

Slumlord: The murky world of Peter Rachman

A new book paints a portrait of the man at the heart of London's post-war underworld.

04 Apr 2026,·16 mins

Series 2

William Wallace

William Wallace takes on the English invaders led by King Edward I!

26 Jul 2023,·16 mins