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No One Saw It Coming

ABC Australia
World War II
Berlin Wall
Stonewall Inn
LGBTQ+ Rights Movement
Igor Stravinsky
Absinthe
Radium Girls
Cholera
The Rite Of Spring
London
Mona Lisa
East Germany
World War I
John Snow
Paris
Cold War
Phineas Gage
History Of Absinthe
Mark Segal
French Revolution

The bit players, the unexpected twists, the turning point you missed. Join Walkley award-winner Marc Fennell as he uncovers the incredible moments that changed the course of history. New episodes out Tuesday.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes77Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategory
History

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Artwork for No One Saw It Coming

Latest Episodes

It’s called The Football War and raged for just 100 hours. It’s a catchy name for a conflict supposedly sparked by a World Cup qualifier game.

But behind the catchy title, and away from the football pitch lies a deeper, darker history about politic... more

In 1932 Australia sent soldiers with machine guns to stop 20,000 emus rampaging through wheat fields.

What followed was a national embarrassment and earned the emus a reputation as the victors of one of history's strangest wars.

Dr Ruth Morgan tel... more

Their faces are everywhere: on calendars, incense packets, and soap packaging. But how did the Hindu deities' faces go beyond temples and shrines?

In nineteenth-century India, Ravi Varma dared to paint the gods in a way no one had before. What foll... more

You think you know Pompeii. A city wiped out. People frozen in time. A disaster that stopped time. But how much of that story is actually true?

Ancient historian and writer Dr Jess Venner (The Lost Voices of Pompeii) sits down with Marc Fennell (Stu... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Ruth Morgan
Director of the ANU Center for Environmental History
Australian National University
Episode: Birds 1 - Humans 0
Tarun Nagesh
curatorial manager of Asian and Pacific Art at the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art
Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art
Episode: The man who gave the gods new faces
Dr. Jess Venner
Ancient historian and writer
The Lost Voices of Pompeii (book)
Episode: What really happened at Pompeii?
Darrel Blake
Historian and storyteller who discusses Marcus Garvey and his legacy
London-based tour/heritage historian
Episode: Titanic mistakes sunk a black empire
Monica Miller
Professor of Africana Studies, Columbia University
Columbia University
Episode: The suit that sparked a riot
Richard Fidler
Host and interviewer on Conversations on ABC Radio, author
ABC Radio, Conversations
Episode: Richard Fidler: The lie that toppled a regime
Tim Bonyhady
Art historian and lawyer
Tim Bonyhady (author/historian)
Episode: Escaped the Nazis and lost by Australia
Gretel Gullier
Tim's grandmother; part of the family tied to the painting
Gullier family
Episode: Escaped the Nazis and lost by Australia
Kate Forsyth
Author, folklore scholar, historical fiction writer
Author and storyteller
Episode: The queen behind the witch hunts

Host

Marc Fennell
Host of No One Saw It Coming

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.8k ratings
  • Pardon?

    •EPISODE: Marcus Garvey, in which it is claimed the subject received a posthumous presidential pardon from Joe Biden in 2005: GW Bush was president in 2005; Garvey was pardoned in 2025.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    (Gibberer)
    Australia17 days ago
  • Er

    J Edgar Hoover was never president of the United States.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    nisqui
    Australiaa month ago
  • Incredible for a family

    I’ve got a family of five and road trips. We all listen to this podcast together absolutely incredible full of information that everyone didn’t know about the wheel. Enjoy listening to it.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Isslwissl
    Australia3 months ago
  • Fascinating!!

    I just love how much interesting and new information I am learning in such a short time. Marc’s interviewing is exceptional.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    J30azz
    Australia4 months ago
  • Love this podcast

    Great production quality, always interesting and different to other things out there! Love it!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Hekakaknne
    Australia4 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some criticism notes pacing or music choices in a few episodes.
Listeners praise the host's storytelling and interview quality as engaging and informative.
Episodes are described as well-produced with high-quality guests and deep, surprising historical details.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#175
Canada/History
Apple Podcasts
#196
United Kingdom/History
Spotify
#10
Australia/History
Spotify
#160
Australia/Trending
Apple Podcasts
#85
Australia/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#6
Australia/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What really happened at Pompeii?
Q: What personal stories from ordinary Pompeians illuminate the disaster best?
Dr. Venner highlights everyday lives—people who ran inns, bakeries, shops, and family households—showing how ordinary people experienced fear, sought shelter, and preserved a sense of livelihood even as the city crumbled.
Escaped the Nazis and lost by Australia
Q: Is that right?
Yes. The family's story includes a failed gift to the Art Gallery of New South Wales in the 1960s, followed by a later sale and eventual acquisition by major European galleries, which ultimately positioned the painting for its Australian narrative.
History’s favourite sex toys
Q: So I guess walk us through what the concept of hysteria was, and whether or not it's real or just a myth, and what the evidence actually shows.
The concept of hysteria was a vague, umbrella category used to describe perceived excessive distress in women; it was not supported by evidence of a universal medical condition, and the popular belief that it was treated with women being masturbated to orgasm is largely debunked by scholars and primary sources.
The Met Gala began in a dead woman’s closet
Q: What changed after Diana Vreeland's era or after her departure?
After her departure and especially following her death in 1989, the gala shifted back toward fundraising and more traditional museum-oriented approaches before later reintegration of media and editors as chairs redefined the public-facing aspect of the event.
The Met Gala began in a dead woman’s closet
Q: How did Diana Vreeland influence the Met Gala and its public perception?
Diana Vreeland reinvigorated the gala by turning Vogue-era fashion into a broader, media-driven spectacle, leveraging exhibitions and publicity to elevate the event into a global fashion moment.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About No One Saw It Coming

What is No One Saw It Coming about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A history-focused show that uses narrative storytelling, strong historical context, and expert guests to explore lesser-known moments that shifted events. Episodes blend archival framing, scholarly insight, and vivid storytelling to unpack big ideas—war, politics, culture, and technology—through human-centered angles and surprising twists. Noteworthy is the consistent pairing of a gifted host with subject-matter experts, offering accessible, entertaining, and well-researched histories that often connect global events to local or personal scales. This makes it appealing to listeners who enjoy deep-dive narratives with clear takeaways and engaging personalities, while also providing solid opportunities for brands seeking thoughtful, education... more

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Which podcasts are similar to No One Saw It Coming?

These podcasts share a similar audience with No One Saw It Coming:

1. ABC Rewind
2. Conversations
3. If You're Listening
4. What's That Rash?
5. Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today

How many episodes of No One Saw It Coming are there?

No One Saw It Coming launched a year ago and published 77 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on No One Saw It Coming?

Recent guests on No One Saw It Coming include:

1. Ruth Morgan
2. Tarun Nagesh
3. Dr. Jess Venner
4. Darrel Blake
5. Monica Miller
6. Richard Fidler
7. Tim Bonyhady
8. Gretel Gullier

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