You’re Dead to Me: Horrible histories for grown-ups

You're Dead To Me is a little like Horrible Histories but in podcast format and for grown-ups. It's even presented by Horrible Histories' resident researcher, historian Greg Jenner. Each week they cover a popular historical figure or culture such as Joan of Arc or the Aztecs, ie all the exciting stuff like being burnt at the stake and human sacrifice.

The structure of the show relies on a balance of fact and humour. A suitable expert is brought on board to inform the listener, and they are joined by a comedian whose wisecracks inject some levity and irreverence. The comedian also serves as a proxy for the audience, dredging up any recollections of what they learned in school.

The first episode is a great listen: comedian and author Sara Pascoe gets to grips with Celtic warrior queen Boudica who has been lauded – retrospectively – as a feminist of her time. Pascoe points out that just because she was a fierce warrior and female doesn't automatically make her a feminist. She was, however, someone to be reckoned with: her name comes from the Gaelic "bua" for victory, and she did burn Roman London to the ground.

[ https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07mdbhg/episodes/downloads ]