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 | HistorySociety & CulturePersonal Journals | |||
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Latest Episodes
In 1955, Rosa Parks made civil rights history in the US when she refused to give up her seat on the bus.
Segregation laws in Montgomery, Alabama, meant that when a bus was full, black passengers had to stand and give up their seat to white passenger... more
In September 1997, the remains of a Native American chief were returned to the United States, more than a century after his death in England.
Chief Long Wolf, a Lakota leader, died in 1892 while touring with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.
His fami... more
On 18 March 1959, Hawaii was brought into the United States of America as the 50th state with the passing of the Hawaiian Admission act.
Five months later, on 21 August it was officially proclaimed the 50th state by President Eisenhower.
Former gov... more
For more than 25 years, Rata de dos patas has been one of Mexico’s most recognisable - and unusual - songs. A relentless string of insults, it was made famous by the singer Paquita la del Barrio.
Composer Manuel Eduardo Toscano recalls the moment i... more
Key Facts
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Reviews
- Great Show
Nice, short digestible bits of history that I always enjoy listening to.
Apple Podcasts5Gobks
United States5 months ago - Why Bother?
Minute long historical news isn’t worth the time.
Apple Podcasts1Ned Tallywhacker
United Kingdom6 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
Canada8 months ago - Highly Recommended
Short, informative accounts of events often now generally forgotten. Keeping these stories alive.
Apple Podcasts5TWRunnerUnited Kingdom10 months ago - Thank you!
I just heard the story about the Jewish girl who fled to the Philippines in World War II. What a wonderful woman! So glad that she made it to the United States. And what a beautiful story. Thank you for bringing it.
Apple Podcasts5Jslt69United States10 months ago
Listeners Say
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Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #43 | United States/Society & Culture/Personal Journals |
Apple Podcasts | #23 | United Kingdom/Society & Culture/Personal Journals |
Apple Podcasts | #27 | Canada/Society & Culture/Personal Journals |
Apple Podcasts | #162 | United Kingdom/Society & Culture |
Apple Podcasts | #14 |  Australia/Society & Culture/Personal Journals |
Apple Podcasts | #23 |  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?
The series offers bite-sized, eyewitness-driven history across a wide range of topics, from political protests and cultural milestones to scientific breakthroughs and journalism. Episodes favor personal perspectives, archival context, and concise storytelling, frequently pairing researchers, journalists, and practitioners with family histories or firsthand memories. This approach gives listeners a quick, immersive understanding of how past events shaped present realities, often highlighting less-covered angles and human impact. The show's strengths include its diverse subject matter, strong archival sourcing, and a knack for turning complex histories into accessible narratives, making it appealing to curious listeners and professionals alik... 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?
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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 Documentary Podcast
2. The History Hour
3. The Inquiry
4. Lives Less Ordinary
5. From Our Own Correspondent
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. Guram Odisharia
2. Paul Shishkoff
3. Eileen Agar
4. Mstislav Rostropovich
5. John Hooper
6. Wu'er Kaixi
7. Paul Kelly
8. Christobel Kelly
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.