Witness History
BBC World ServiceWitness History is a short BBC World Service podcast about history that takes you inside big moments from the past through first-hand testimony and archive. Each weekday, in around nine minutes, we revisit one moment that helped shape the world and hear it through the voice of someone who was there. Scientists, artists, campaigners, soldiers, leaders and everyday people tell their true stories. Wh... more
| Publishes | Daily | Episodes | 2025 | Founded | 17 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Personal JournalsHistorySociety & Culture | |||
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Latest Episodes
In 1962, Nigerian-born Phil Magbotiwan opened a brand-new nightclub in Manchester, England. In part because of his own personal experiences of racism, Phil wanted to create somewhere where everyone would be welcome – Manchester’s first racially inclu... more
In November 2015, the 'holy grail' of shipwrecks, laden with treasure worth an estimated $18 billion, was found off the coast of Colombia.
The San José, a Spanish galleon, sank in 1708, when a British warship intercepted it.
Rachel Naylor speaks t... more
In 1997, after years working abroad, Pramod Bhasin returned to India and spotted an opportunity that would help transform his country's economy.
Despite major telecommunications challenges, he went on to set up India's first call centre, laying the ... more
In the early hours of 14 February 1981, a fire broke out at the Stardust nightclub in Artane, Dublin which was filled with more than 800 people.
The blaze killed 48 people and injured 200. A tribunal in 1983 found the cause to be probable arson.
more
Key Facts
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Reviews
- Brilliant daily tidbit
Great podcast. The perfect length to learn something new every day. Another piece of excellence from the BBC.
Apple Podcasts5flashdash92
United Kingdoma month ago - Need to check their facts
The Rosa Parks story is completely incorrect. Rosa and her husband were politically active for years and the stunt on the bus was orchestrated. She had a journalist sitting behind her who had agreed to be there to write a favourable report for them.
Apple Podcasts2hannakusoUnited Kingdom2 months ago - Great Show
Nice, short digestible bits of history that I always enjoy listening to.
Apple Podcasts5Gobks
United States8 months ago - Why Bother?
Minute long historical news isn’t worth the time.
Apple Podcasts1Ned TallywhackerUnited Kingdom9 months ago - Love the history
My mother used to listen to your show on BBC short wave here in Canada, I found you on the podcast and I’ve been listening for years and years. 🥰
Apple Podcasts5CinderDaxWolf
Canadaa year ago
Listeners Say
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Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #54 | United States/Society & Culture/Personal Journals |
Apple Podcasts | #16 | United Kingdom/Society & Culture/Personal Journals |
Apple Podcasts | #35 | Canada/Society & Culture/Personal Journals |
Apple Podcasts | #152 | United Kingdom/Society & Culture |
Apple Podcasts | #11 |  Australia/Society & Culture/Personal Journals |
Apple Podcasts | #39 |  Italy/Society & Culture/Personal Journals |
Talking Points
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Audience Metrics
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Witness History
What is Witness History about and what kind of topics does it cover?
Short, bite-sized history with firsthand voices that illuminate turning points in world events. Episodes cover a wide range of topics—from colonial conflicts, revolutions, and political repression to cultural phenomena, technology origins, and landmark social changes. The format relies on archival material and interviews with witnesses, descendants, and specialists to provide context, nuance, and human perspective. A few standout traits include tightly crafted narratives, diverse geographies, and episodes that connect past events to contemporary understanding. This collection is likely to appeal to curious listeners who enjoy compact, well-researched history told through personal testimony, and may be especially attractive to sponsors seeki... more
Where can I find podcast stats for Witness History?
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Witness History. 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 Witness History and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
How many listeners does Witness History get?
Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Witness History, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.
What are the audience demographics for Witness History?
Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Witness History, 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 Witness History have?
To see how many followers or subscribers Witness History 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 Witness History?
These podcasts share a similar audience with Witness History:
1. The History Hour
2. The Documentary Podcast
3. The Inquiry
4. From Our Own Correspondent
5. Lives Less Ordinary
How many episodes of Witness History are there?
Witness History launched 17 years ago and published 2025 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 Witness History?
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 Witness History?
Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Witness History from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.
View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.
How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Witness History?
Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Witness History. 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 Witness History?
Recent guests on Witness History include:
1. Jay Jonas
2. Maureen Flavin Sweeney
3. Sylvette Lemagnen
4. Ita Dungan
5. Cathy O'Mahony
6. Zhong Ming
7. Steven Spielberg
8. Peter Coyote
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.