Who stole the Tudor crown?
On her deathbed Elizabeth I named the Scottish James VI as her successor, ensuring a smooth transition from the Tudor to Stuart monarchies. That, at least, is what we've long believed. But an explosiv...
14 Nov 202533min
The librarian who stole KGB secrets
When an elderly man with a battered suitcase walked into the British embassy in Vilnius in 1992, few could have guessed what he was about to hand over. Gordon Corera tells the story of Vasili Mitrokhi...
12 Nov 202532min
Nellie Bly: life of the week
In the late 19th century, when female reporters were largely confined to newspapers' society pages, Nellie Bly's daring investigations and headline-grabbing exploits made her a household name. From he...
11 Nov 202548min
The improbable alliance that defeated Hitler
To what extent does the course of history turn on the force of individual personalities? It’s a question that looms large when examining the unlikely alliance forged between Britain, the United States...
10 Nov 202539min
Remember, remember: The legacy of the Gunpowder Plot
'Remember, remember the fifth of November…'. For more than 400 years, the Gunpowder Plot has been etched into Britain’s memory. In the final episode of our series on the plot, Danny Bird speaks to Joh...
9 Nov 202537min
Five partitions that shaped South Asia
If you were to look down at South Asia from space at night, you would see a bright scar stretching more than 2,000 miles. This is the border between India and Pakistan – a division established within ...
7 Nov 202536min
Crystal balls & contacting angels: predicting the future in early modern England
Eating the palpitating heart of a mole. Sleeping with a wolf's tooth under your pillow. Communicating with angels through a crystal ball. In the 16th and 17th centuries, people had many cunning method...
5 Nov 202531min
Giuseppe Garibaldi: life of the week
He led one of history's most celebrated guerrilla campaigns, showed remarkable political acumen, and drove aristocratic English women wild. Is it any wonder that Giuseppe Garibaldi is one of the tower...
4 Nov 202540min
