Podcast of the week: You’re Dead to Me, hosted by Horrible Histories’ Greg Jenner
- Arguably the most digestible of all history podcasts, the BBC’s You’re Dead to Me offers 30-minute blasts from the past that will inform and entertain all age groups
- The name? ‘You’re dead to me’ is what Spartan mothers would say to their sons before heading off for a life of war
Host Greg Jenner, historical consultant to the brilliant children’s television series Horrible Histories, presides over arguably the most entertaining and digestible of all history podcasts. And I say this as someone who loves history podcasts. Now in its eighth season, You’re Dead to Me has been a huge hit for the BBC, selling out several live shows and winning podcast, radio and comedy awards every year since its launch, in 2019.
Jenner enlists a comedian and a top historian to explore historical people and events in snappy half-hour episodes (some special episodes run to an hour) but it is his own cheeky charm and extensive but lightly worn knowledge that elevate the format into one with universal appeal: fascinating and fresh vignettes to satisfy adults but enough irreverence and bizarreness to hook the kids. To be completely safe for younger children, listen to episodes marked “radio edit”, which are even snappier, having been sheared of any content that could be deemed offensive or inappropriate.
The appeal to youngsters also stems from the topics covered. Episodes on Atlantis or witchcraft are an easy sell and, although the show tends to focus on European history, ancient civilisations and more modern world histories are explored through child-bait subjects such as kung fu, football and ice cream.
Recommended episode: “The Ancient Olympics” features Professor Michael Scott, one of my favourite You’re Dead to Me historians, who, incidentally, wouldn’t look out of place in Ancient Greece and, instead of Gerard Butler, should have played King Leonidas in the 2006 film 300. Scott and Shappi Khorsandi join Jenner as they talk about the ancient Olympic Games, just in time for the XXXIII Olympiad in Paris. And if you’re wondering how the series got its name, “You’re dead to me” is what Spartan mothers would say to their seven-year-old sons as they went off to be trained in warfare. Just think of the blissful silence in the car as that idea sinks in.
