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The History Hour

BBC World Service
World War II
Nazi Germany
Taiwan
South Africa
Nelson Mandela
Greece
Apartheid
Second World War
Post-War Germany
Charleston Church Shooting
Paris Climate Agreement
Spain
Iran
Norway
Islamic State
Cyprus
Boko Haram
Ireland
United States
Holocaust

A compilation of the latest Witness History programmes.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes518Founded14 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryPersonal JournalsSociety & Culture

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Artwork for The History Hour

Latest Episodes

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service.

We hear from one of the Peruvian pilots who secretly flew fighter jets to help Argentina during the Falklands War in 1982. We discuss with our guest... more

Max Pearson presents a collection of this week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service.

Our guest is Dr. April Nowell, a paleolithic archaeologist and professor of anthropology at the University of Victoria in Canada.

We start by ... more

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service.

We dedicate this edition to Manchester, in England. We hear about the man who opened the city's first racially inclusive nightclub in 1962. This pro... more

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service.

We hear how Norwegian teachers resisted peddling Nazi propaganda during the German occupation of the Second World War and our guest, Dr Rachel Pisto... more

Key Facts

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Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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People also subscribe to these shows.

Witness History
Witness HistoryBBC World Service
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Unexpected Elements
Unexpected ElementsBBC World Service

Recent Guests

Maxime Aubert
Professor of Archaeology, Griffith University
Griffith University
Episode: Sulawesi's historic cave art and the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls
April Nowell
Paleolithic archaeologist and professor of anthropology
University of Victoria
Episode: Sulawesi's historic cave art and the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls
Lisa Ayegun
Daughter of Phil Magbotiwan and custodian of Reno stories
Reno Nightclub legacy
Episode: Manchester's racially inclusive nightclub and the artist who portrayed Nelson Mandela from life
Kath McDermott
BBC 6 Music producer and Manchester DJ
BBC
Episode: Manchester's racially inclusive nightclub and the artist who portrayed Nelson Mandela from life
Magi Haroun
First female photographer in the English Premier League
Photographer
Episode: Manchester's racially inclusive nightclub and the artist who portrayed Nelson Mandela from life
Phil Magbotiwan
Reno founder, Moss Side resident
Reno Nightclub
Episode: Manchester's racially inclusive nightclub and the artist who portrayed Nelson Mandela from life
Peter Abrahams
ANC activist and writer
African National Congress
Episode: Manchester's racially inclusive nightclub and the artist who portrayed Nelson Mandela from life
Antoinette Keegan
Survivor and campaigner for Stardust victims
Stardust fire survivor
Episode: Norway's teacher resistance and Ireland's deadly nightclub fire
Roger Dooley
Maritime archaeologist
Cuban-American maritime archaeology comunit
Episode: Norway's teacher resistance and Ireland's deadly nightclub fire

Host

Max Pearson
Host of The History Hour

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 2.2k ratings
  • Strangely blind

    Having listened to the podcast by Jad Abumrad called Fela Kuti - Fear No Man, I came looking for more about Fela Kuti and found your episode about Festac ‘77. But I was flabbergasted to hear you cover the festival, the military regime in Nigeria, the brutal treatment of Fela and his mother Funmilayo by soldiers, and not a single mention of the brutal colonisation by the British that led to all of this.

    Seems strangely blind for a history programme.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Deeol99
    Ireland10 months ago
  • A diverse selection of historical happenings. Always worth a listen.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    listener alan
    a year ago
  • The first one

    The first time

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sufishuhu
    Switzerland2 years ago
  • Insulting review

    Well that’s just rude!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Vote2018
    United States2 years ago
  • Brilliant

    Well researched stories, 3-4 per episode, about aspects of history, both well known and totally obscure. Well presented, of course— it’s the BBC!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bilas Peles
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Audience appreciates original sources and expert context.
Shows strong archival sourcing and eyewitness voices, making history tangible.
Some reviews mention bias or pacing; overall positive reception of storytelling quality.
Broad range of topics keeps episodes fresh and insightful.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#161
United States/History
Apple Podcasts
#76
United Kingdom/History
Apple Podcasts
#116
Canada/History
Apple Podcasts
#38
Australia/History
Apple Podcasts
#150
Germany/History
Apple Podcasts
#172
France/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The first Comic Con and making Oasis’ Wonderwall
Q: How did the 1964 New York Comic Con come together despite early setbacks?
Bernie Bubnis describes how a small team, working on fanzines and using personal funds, pivoted from failed early plans to relocate and finally establish the convention, relying on community, improvisation, and the commitment of a few key allies to turn an idea into a global movement.
The evacuation of Tristan da Cunha and Japan surrenders to China at the end of World War Two
Q: But those who stayed, why? What is the appeal of living in such a remote and isolated place?
Many valued the freedom and lifestyle, despite the challenges of remoteness.
The evacuation of Tristan da Cunha and Japan surrenders to China at the end of World War Two
Q: What was the resettlement like?
Resettlement was difficult initially due to shortages of essentials and losses from the volcanic eruption.
The fight against sexual harassment in Egypt and Omar Sharif enters the world stage
Q: What was your experience during the years running up to that change in the law?
Nicola Pratt reflects on the widespread problem of sexual harassment and how it was often considered taboo, making it difficult for women's rights campaigners to advocate for change.
Nigeria’s Festac’77 and Gander’s generosity during 9/11
Q: What has been the legacy of FESTAC?
It raised the profile of Nigeria and Nigerian music and highlighted the cultural exchanges through the legacy of enslavement.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Age Range
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Frequently Asked Questions About The History Hour

What is The History Hour about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Structure focuses on global historical themes delivered through eyewitness accounts, archival recordings, and scholarly context. Episodes span decolonization, political repression, culture, science, and media history, often weaving personal testimonies with expert analysis to illuminate how memory shapes public understanding. Noteworthy is the show's pattern of cross-continental storytelling, blending archival material with contemporary reflections to bring long-forgotten or underrepresented moments to a broad audience. The program is likely to appeal to curious listeners who value original sources, nuanced storytelling, and a mix of political, cultural, and technological history framed by human experiences.

Where can I find podcast stats for The History Hour?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The History Hour. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The History Hour and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The History Hour get?

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What are the audience demographics for The History Hour?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The History Hour, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The History Hour have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The History Hour has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The History Hour?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The History Hour:

1. Witness History
2. The Documentary Podcast
3. HistoryExtra podcast
4. Unexpected Elements
5. Dan Snow's History Hit

How many episodes of The History Hour are there?

The History Hour launched 14 years ago and published 518 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The History Hour?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The History Hour?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The History Hour from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The History Hour?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The History Hour. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The History Hour?

Recent guests on The History Hour include:

1. Maxime Aubert
2. April Nowell
3. Lisa Ayegun
4. Kath McDermott
5. Magi Haroun
6. Phil Magbotiwan
7. Peter Abrahams
8. Antoinette Keegan

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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