Episodes

  • 64. The Spanish Civil War: A Nazi Training Ground (Ep 3)

    64. The Spanish Civil War: A Nazi Training Ground (Ep 3)
    Jan 12 2026
    What were Barcelona’s ‘May Days’? How did Orwell manage to escape Stalinist agents? Why did communists and anarchists begin to fight each other? How did the Spanish Civil War inspire Animal Farm and 1984? Join David Olusoga and Sarah Churchwell as they look at the harrowing events that inspired one of the twentieth century's most iconic writers. Social Producers: Emma Jackson, Harry Balden Assistant Producers: Alfie Rowe, Alfie Norris Producer: Alice Horrell Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    24 mins
  • 63. The Spanish Civil War: Fighting Fascism With Hemingway And Orwell (Ep 2)

    63. The Spanish Civil War: Fighting Fascism With Hemingway And Orwell (Ep 2)
    Jan 8 2026
    Why did 35,000 foreign volunteers join the International Brigades? How did the conflict lead to the first racially integrated military unit in US history? What was women’s role in the conflict? How was modern conflict journalism pioneered in Spain? David Olusoga and Sarah Churchwell examine the role of foreign volunteers and journalists in the Spanish Civil War Social Producers: Emma Jackson, Harry Balden Assistant Producers: Alfie Rowe, Alfie Norris Producer: Alice Horrell Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    35 mins
  • 62. The Spanish Civil War: A Nation In Flames (Ep 1)

    62. The Spanish Civil War: A Nation In Flames (Ep 1)
    Jan 5 2026
    What caused Spain to collapse into civil war in 1936? How did Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin become involved in the conflict? Why did western democracies do nothing to aid Spain’s government? What connected Ernest Hemingway, Martha Gelhorn, George Orwell and Kim Philby to the war? David Olusoga and Sarah Churchwell explore the events that led to Spain’s 1936-1939 Civil War. Social Producers: Emma Jackson, Harry Balden Assistant Producers: Alfie Rowe, Alfie Norris Producer: Alice Horrell Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    42 mins
  • 61. A Christmas Carol: From Alastair Sim To The Muppets (Ep 3)

    61. A Christmas Carol: From Alastair Sim To The Muppets (Ep 3)
    Jan 1 2026
    In what significant ways did the bestselling book ‘A Christmas Carol’ change Victorian behaviour around Christmas? From Christmas movies to the office Christmas party, what traditions do we have Charles Dickens to thank for? Why does this story still resonate in modern debates around poverty, responsibility, and compassion? Join David Olusoga and Sarah Churchwell exploring the enduring legacy of Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’. Social Producers: Emma Jackson, Harry Balden Assistant Producers: Alfie Rowe, Alfie Norris Producer: Alice Horrell Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    44 mins
  • 60. A Christmas Carol: The Radical Message Hidden In A Holiday Classic (Ep 2)

    60. A Christmas Carol: The Radical Message Hidden In A Holiday Classic (Ep 2)
    Dec 29 2025
    How did the three Ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future manage to save Scrooge, Tiny Time, and the Christmas spirit? What deadly social problem was Dickens looking to solve with A Christmas Carol? Who is actually on trial in the story: Scrooge or the society that made him possible? Join Sarah Churchwell and David Olusoga as they look at the Ghost story that terrified Victorian Britain into helping the poor. Social Producers: Emma Jackson, Harry Balden Assistant Producers: Alfie Rowe, Alfie Norris Producer: Alice Horrell Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    32 mins
  • 59. A Christmas Carol: The Book That Brought Back Christmas (Ep 1)

    59. A Christmas Carol: The Book That Brought Back Christmas (Ep 1)
    Dec 25 2025
    Why had the Victorians stopped celebrating Christmas? How did the wretchedness of a London school for poor children inspire Charles Dickens’ famous Christmas tale? What does the story’s main character, Ebenezer Scrooge, tell us about the state of the UK? Join David Olusoga and Sarah Churchwell as they tell the story of how Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ changed Victorian Britain. Social Producers: Emma Jackson, Harry Balden Assistant Producers: Alfie Rowe, Alfie Norris Producer: Alice Horrell Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    58 mins
  • 58. Black GIs: Brown Babies and Broken Hearts (Ep 5)

    58. Black GIs: Brown Babies and Broken Hearts (Ep 5)
    Dec 22 2025
    What does the hysteria around white women sleeping with Black GIs tell us about race and class in wartime Britain? Why were Black GIs banned from marrying their British sweethearts? What was the sad fate of many of the mixed raced babies left behind as a result of this encounter? Sarah Churchwell and David Olusoga tell the final chapter in the story of Black GIs in the UK. Social Producers: Emma Jackson, Harry Balden Assistant Producers: Alfie Rowe, Alfie Norris Producer: Alice Horrell Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    39 mins
  • 57. Black GIs: American Mutiny On British Streets (Ep 4)

    57. Black GIs: American Mutiny On British Streets (Ep 4)
    Dec 18 2025
    What happened when Black GIs went on strike over their violent treatment at the hands of the white Military Police? Why did the American Army start fighting itself in the heart of a British city? How did the Ministry of Information stop the British public from hearing about this violence? Join David Olusoga and Sarah Churchwell as they tell the story of the Park Street Riots, the forgotten American mutiny on the streets of Bristol. Social Producers: Emma Jackson, Harry Balden Assistant Producers: Alfie Rowe, Alfie Norris Producer: Alice Horrell Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    28 mins