History Extra Podcast

As the BBC TV dramatisation of Wolf Hall is shortly due to air, series director Peter Kosminsky reveals the challenges and joys of filming Hilary Mantel's acclaimed novels. Meanwhile, Professor David Crouch visits Wallingford Castle in Oxfordshire, which played an important role in the 12th-century battle for England's throne between King Stephen and Empress Matilda. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Princeton historian Stephen Kotkin, author of a major new biography of Josef Stalin, describes the Soviet leader's path to power. Meanwhile, BBC journalist Chris Bowlby gives us the lowdown on his forthcoming Radio 4 documentary about Adolf Hitler's notorious book, Mein Kampf. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For our Christmas Eve podcast, it's the return of our annual history quiz. Test your knowledge of all things historical with four themed rounds of questions written by QI elf Justin Pollard and delivered by the BBC History Magazine team. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Christopher Harding analyses the motivations of the Japanese kamikaze pilots, while Peter Firstbrook describes the life of the man whose life was famously saved by Pocahontas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Esmée Hanna explores the wave of protests that took place in a number of British universities in the 1960s. Meanwhile, Rick Stroud tells the story of the audacious kidnap of a Nazi general in Crete during the Second World War and describes the role of British agents in the adventure. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Historical author Michael Pye explores several centuries of the North Sea's history to reveal how its waters aided all manner of social, economic and cultural development. Meanwhile, Charlotte Hodgman visits Flag Fen in the company of archaeologist Francis Pryor to discover what the site tells us about life in Bronze Age Britain Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Historian Adam Zamoyski discusses his new book, Phantom Terror, which reveals how Europe's rulers lived in fear of conspiracies in the years between the revolutions of 1789 and 1848. Meanwhile, crime writer Val McDermid highlights some of the scientific techniques that have been used to catch criminals in the past Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dominic Sandbrook gives us the lowdown behind his new TV series Tomorrow's Worlds: The Unearthly History of Science Fiction. Meanwhile, Lucy Worsley explains how the dances of the past can reveal a great deal about Britain's social history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As we approach the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, historian Hester Vaizey reveals the impact this momentous event had on the lives of ordinary East Germans. Meanwhile, freelance journalist Dan Cossins visits the Banqueting House in London in the company of Professor Ronald Hutton, to discuss the Restoration Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As we approach Bonfire Night, historian Clare Jackson pays a visit to Coughton Court in Warwickshire to explore its connections to the Gunpowder Plot. Meanwhile, Yale University's Jay Winter joins us to discuss the First World War. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

British Museum director Neil MacGregor joins us to talk about his new BBC Radio 4 series Germany: Memories of a Nation, which illustrates the country's history through a wealth of fascinating objects. Meanwhile, historical author Giles Milton discusses some surprising tales from the past, including the story of Adolf Hitler's drug addictions. To read an extract from Milton's book, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Charlotte Hodgman heads to Hampton Court Palace to check out their restored Georgian kitchen garden in the company of garden keeper Vicki Cooke. Meanwhile bestselling historical novelist Wilbur Smith talks about his latest book Desert God. Plus we continue our First World War series with memories of November 1914 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ranulph Fiennes talks about his ancestors' involvement in the battle of Agincourt, and Paul Preston explores the life of Spanish communist politician Santiago Carrillo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Historian Helen Castor discusses her new biography of the tragic French heroine Joan of Arc, describing her famous victories and the dramatic trial that condemned her to death. Putting the questions is fellow historian Dan Jones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr Yuval Harari chats to us about his new book, Sapiens, which explores tens of thousands of years of history and offers fresh insights into subjects such as agriculture, war, empire, science and capitalism. Plus, he questions whether all our progress has made us happier Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Charles Spencer talks to Matt Elton about his new book, Killers of the King, which describes Charles II's efforts to track down and take revenge on the men who executed his father during the Civil War. Meanwhile, Charlotte Hodgman visits Rosedene cottage in Worcestershire to discover more about Chartism Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dan Jones is interviewed by Tudor expert Suzannah Lipscomb about his new book on the Wars of the Roses. The two historians discuss the writing of popular history, the role of medieval kings and the controversial figure of Richard III, among other things. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tudor historian Tracy Borman discusses the career of Thomas Cromwell, the henchman of Henry VIII who brought down Anne Boleyn only to eventually share the same fate. Meanwhile, our First World War audio series continues as veterans recall September 1914 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former BBC Two controller Janice Hadlow talks about her new book The Strangest Family, which explores the private lives of King George III and his family. Meanwhile, we speak to Adam Rutherford about his BBC Four series The Beauty of Anatomy that describes the connections between anatomical study and great works of art. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a lecture from our 2013 History Weekend festival, historian Tom Asbridge talks about how our understanding of the Crusades has changed over the past several centuries Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices