History's Heroes
BBC Radio 4
History's Heroes: the BBC's breathtaking, high stakes, story-led history podcast feed that shines a light on extraordinary people from across history.
Series include 'History's Youngest Heroes' with narration from Nicola Coughlan and 'History's Secret Heroes' with narration from Helena Bonham Carter.
In History's Youngest Heroes, actress Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton, Derry Girls) tells twelve true stories of rebellion, risk and the radical power of youth. Before she became a Hollywood star, how did the young Audrey Hepburn take on the Nazis during World War Two? As a young activist, how did Nelson Mandela attempt to overthrow the South African government to end apartheid? Did Queen of England, Lady Jane Grey give up her faith or face the executioner's axe? Why did Terry Fox, a young man with a prosthetic leg, set out to run the length of Canada? Join Nicola to hear inspiring tales of young heroes both famous and forgotten, whose bravery demonstrates how young people can change history.
In History's Secret Heroes, Helena Bonham Carter recounts untold stories of heroes from World War Two whose acts of resistance, deception and courage helped defeat fascism. In each episode, Helena shines a light on the spies, Royal Air Force pilots, army officers, prisoners of war and double agents who risked their lives to save others. Learn all about forgotten stories of survival, bravery and espionage - from the opera singers who helped dozens of Jewish people escape Nazi Germany, to the woman that Winston Churchill would go on to call his favourite spy. Previous episodes have looked at the story of the American actor George Takei (Star Trek), who was imprisoned without trial along with 12,000 other Japanese Americans, and Bela Hazan, a young Jewish woman who went undercover at the Gestapo headquarters to fight against the Nazis. From secret missions behind enemy lines in occupied Europe, to underground resistance movements across Germany, France, Poland, Great Britain and beyond, History's Secret Heroes reveals how ordinary people can make an extraordinary impact.
Join Nicola and Helena for tales of deception, rebellion, risk and courage.
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Top 10 History's Heroes Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best History's Heroes episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to History's Heroes for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite History's Heroes episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
07/26/23 • 28 min
Eric Roberts, a bank worker from Surrey, joins MI5. He is given the alias Jack King and his job is to hunt for British Nazi-sympathisers.
Helena Bonham Carter shines a light on extraordinary stories from World War Two. Join her for incredible tales of deception, acts of resistance and courage.
A BBC Studios Podcast production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.
Producer: Amie Liebowitz Executive Producer: Paul Smith Written by Alex von Tunzelmann
1 Listener
08/02/23 • 30 min
Albania was one of the few European countries to have a larger Jewish population at the end of the war than it had at the beginning. What role did Arslan Rezniqi, a Kosovan Albanian merchant, play in this?
Helena Bonham Carter shines a light on extraordinary stories from World War Two. Join her for incredible tales of deception, acts of resistance and courage.
A BBC Studios Podcast production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.
Producer: Amie Liebowitz Executive Producer: Paul Smith Written by Alex von Tunzelmann
1 Listener
Introducing Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley
History's Heroes
02/15/24 • 28 min
Join Lucy Worsley as she travels back in time to revisit the unthinkable crimes of 19th century murderesses from the UK, Australia and North America.
In this episode Lucy is joined by Evy Poumpouras, former special agent with the Secret Service, where she protected five US presidents as part of the Presidential Protective Division.
Lucy and Evy investigate the case of Mary Surratt, a 42 year-old widow, mother and pious Catholic who was arrested in April 1865 for conspiring to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln. He had been shot by former actor John Wilkes Booth while watching a play at Ford’s Theatre in Washington DC. One of the most sensational trials in US history followed, with prosecutors pushing for death sentences for everyone involved in the murder.
Lucy and Evy want to find out why the authorities were so sure that Surratt was involved in the assassination. They want to know what her story tells us about the lives of women at the close of the American Civil War. And they ask what happens when women step outside the domestic sphere and dare to get involved in protest and politics?
To find out more about the background to the Civil War and Lincoln’s assassination, Lucy asks Dr Nikki M Taylor, Professor of History at Howard University Washington DC, to go to Ford’s Theatre and to the Surratt House Museum, formerly Mary’s Surratt’s tavern in Maryland. Mary Surratt, she discovers, was a slave-holder and, like John Wilkes Booth, was horrified by Lincoln’s intention to end slavery and enfranchise African Americans.
Mary Surratt is an elusive and divisive woman. Lucy wants to know if she was a devoted mother attempting to make her way in the world - or a hard-hearted conspirator, a slave-holder and fanatical Confederate trying to reignite the civil war.
Produced in partnership with the Open University
Producer: Jane Greenwood Readers: Bill Hope, Jonathan Keeble and Laurel Lefkow Sound design: Chris Maclean Series Producer: Julia Hayball
A StoryHunter production for BBC Radio 4
You can hear all episodes of Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley on BBC Sounds - Available Episodes: http://bbc.in/3M2pT0K
1 Listener
04/01/24 • 29 min
How did Ida and Louise Cook, two opera-loving sisters from England, help dozens of Jewish people escape Nazi Germany?
Helena Bonham Carter shines a light on extraordinary stories from World War Two. Join her for incredible tales of deception, acts of resistance and courage.
A BBC Studios Audio production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.
Producer: Suniti Somaiya Edit Producer: Melvin Rickarby Assistant Producer: Lorna Reader Executive Producer: Paul Smith Written by Alex von Tunzelmann Commissioning editor for Radio 4: Rhian Roberts
1 Listener
History's Secret Heroes: Series 1: Charity Adams and the 6888
History's Heroes
06/07/23 • 28 min
Major Charity Adams, the first African American woman to be commissioned in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps, arrives in Birmingham, England, to sort out an enormous problem.
Helena Bonham Carter shines a light on extraordinary stories from World War Two. Join her for incredible tales of deception, acts of resistance and courage.
A BBC Studios Podcast production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.
Producers: Clem Hitchcock and Elaina Boateng Executive Producer: Paul Smith Written by Alex von Tunzelmann
1 Listener
06/28/23 • 28 min
In the aftermath of the Pearl Harbour attack, then five-year-old George Takei and his family join the 120,000 Japanese Americans who are removed from their homes and imprisoned without trial.
Helena Bonham Carter shines a light on extraordinary stories from World War Two. Join her for incredible tales of deception, acts of resistance and courage.
A BBC Studios Podcast production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.
Producer: Amie Liebowitz Executive Producer: Paul Smith Written by Alex von Tunzelmann
1 Listener
07/12/23 • 29 min
Poland, 1941. Bela Hazan, a young Jewish woman, secures an undercover job at the Gestapo headquarters. She is about to go undercover to fight against the Nazis.
Helena Bonham Carter shines a light on extraordinary stories from World War Two. Join her for incredible tales of deception, acts of resistance and courage.
A BBC Studios Podcast production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.
Producer: Amie Liebowitz Executive Producer: Paul Smith Written by Alex von Tunzelmann
1 Listener
History's Secret Heroes: Series 1: Ghost Army
History's Heroes
06/14/23 • 29 min
Bernie Bluestein, Seymour Nussenbaum and George Dramis are part of a secret army unit with one job: to put on a show for an audience who wants to kill them.
Helena Bonham Carter shines a light on extraordinary stories from World War Two. Join her for incredible tales of deception, acts of resistance and courage.
A BBC Studios Podcast production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.
Producer: Clem Hitchcock Executive Producer: Paul Smith Written by Alex von Tunzelmann
History's Youngest Heroes: St Francis of Assisi: Teen Rebel
History's Heroes
01/06/25 • 28 min
A charismatic young man attracts a band of followers after denouncing his family fortune and devoting his life to the poor.
Nicola Coughlan shines a light on extraordinary young people from across history. Join her for 12 stories of rebellion, risk and the radical power of youth.
A BBC Studios Audio production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.
Series Producer: Suniti Somaiya Producer: Lorna Reader Executive Producer: Paul Smith Written by Alex von Tunzelmann Commissioning editor for Radio 4: Rhian Roberts
04/22/25 • 28 min
In Cairo, an eccentric British army officer draws on magic tricks learned from his grandfather in order to fool the Nazis. Will the enemy fall for his illusions? Helena Bonham Carter shines a light on extraordinary stories from World War Two. Join her for incredible tales of deception, acts of resistance and courage.
A BBC Studios Audio production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.
Producers: Emma Weatherill and Suniti Somaiya Executive Producer: Paul Smith Written by Alex von Tunzelmann Commissioning editor for Radio 4: Rhian Roberts
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FAQ
How many episodes does History's Heroes have?
History's Heroes currently has 49 episodes available.
What topics does History's Heroes cover?
The podcast is about Society & Culture, History, Documentary and Podcasts.
What is the most popular episode on History's Heroes?
The episode title 'Introducing Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on History's Heroes?
The average episode length on History's Heroes is 26 minutes.
How often are episodes of History's Heroes released?
Episodes of History's Heroes are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of History's Heroes?
The first episode of History's Heroes was released on May 24, 2023.
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