History Hit Podcasts

Birdwatching: How Four Prisoners of War Survived Captivity

This episode tells the incredible story of four Second World War British POWs who overcame the trials and tribulations of internment through a...

Life in Hitler's Germany

A warning that this episode contains descriptions of genocide and terms for groups which were classified that way at the time.

Personal...

Birth of the Gregorian calendar

Many of us are seeing in a new year, but of course there are, even today, several different ways of marking dates and years in various parts of...

Budapest: Between East and West

Almost at the centre of Europe, Budapest, is at the crossroads of geographical regions and of civilizations, at the intersection of ancient trade...

The World's Biggest Nuclear Bomb

In the early hours of 30 October 1961, a bomber took off from an airstrip in northern Russia and began its flight through cloudy skies over...

Paganism & Festive Traditions

The darkest nights of the year have long been the time for celebrations, from Yule and Mother Night, to Christmas and New Year's Eve. But where...

Dan Snow's History Hit Quiz!

Fingers on buzzers for a very special History Hit end-of-year treat.

Tricky expert questions, history in the headlines, historical fact or...

Downton Abbey

It’s December 1912 and we’re joining in with the festivities at Highclere Castle, in London England. The prime minister is Herbert H. Asquith...

Spartacus

‘I’m Spartacus!’ In the field of epic film making, the 1960 historical drama ‘Spartacus’, is legendary. Directed by Stanley Kibrick,...

A Happy Tudor New Year

This week we're sharing again a fascinating podcast first released at this time last Christmas.

For the Tudors, Christmas Day was not...

Hunting Stolen Nazi Art

As the Nazi war machine rampaged across Europe it did not just take territory and resources from its conquests but also many thousands of pieces...

Timekeeping

Today we’re bringing you an episode from Dan Snow’s History Hit. Normal Patented service will resume in the New Year.

Accurate...

Richard III vs Henry VII

We all think we know the story of Richard III and Henry VII, or do we? Richard III is often portrayed as a child-murdering usurper whose reign was...

Vikings: Surviving Winter

Vikings are often depicted as fearless warriors, but they were not immune to the harsh realities of northern weather. They not only survived in...

Christmas Carols: A Musical History

Traditionally sung at Christmas itself or during the surrounding Christmas holiday season, it is thought that carols existed to keep up people’s...

Santaphilia: Sexual Attraction to Santa

How long have people been hoping for Santa to hurry down their chimneys for?

Whether it’s because he’s a bear, a dom or the ultimate...

The CIA: Secret Drone Wars

Like most aspects of the organisation, the CIA drone programme is shrouded in secrecy. With covert bases located across the globe, all armed with...

Christmas Feasts Through The Ages!

Porpoises, beaver tails, boar's head and puffins: are just some of the exquisite dishes on medieval tables during the festive season. In this...

The First Americans

Modern humans thrived in the Americas for thousands of years before the first European colonists arrived, but how and when did they get...

The Biggest Discoveries of 2022

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb presents her annual review of the year, recommending the finest history books she has discovered, the best television...

The First Britons

67 million people currently inhabit the United Kingdom - but what do we know about the original, first Britons? It's no secret when looking back...