Witness History
BBC World ServiceEye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.
For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.
Recent episodes explo... more
| Publishes | Daily | Episodes | 2025 | Founded | 17 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Society & CulturePersonal JournalsHistory | |||
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Latest Episodes
In 1897, Paul Shishkoff was 10 years old and living with his family in rural Russia.
It was there he met the great Russian playwright, Anton Chekhov, who was resting after the end of Moscow's theatre season.
During the long, hot summer, Paul becam... more
In the summer of 1937, some of the 20th Century's most famous artists, writers and photographers were holidaying in the south of France.
They included artist Pablo Picasso, photographer Lee Miller, poet Paul Éluard and the painter Man Ray.
The gro... more
In 1978, Mstislav Rostropovich, one of the greatest cellists in history, was stripped of his Soviet citizenship for engaging in 'unpatriotic activity'.
Rostropovich’s fallout with the Soviet leadership was precipitated by his decision to let the di... more
On 13 June 1964, Nelson Mandela, who later became South Africa's president, was taken to the maximum security prison on Robben Island off the coast of South Africa.
Mandela had led the military wing of the African National Congress party which was b... more
Key Facts
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Recent Guests
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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 Kingdom5 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 Kingdom9 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 States9 months ago
Listeners Say
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Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #44 | United States/Society & Culture/Personal Journals |
Apple Podcasts | #18 | United Kingdom/Society & Culture/Personal Journals |
Apple Podcasts | #27 | Canada/Society & Culture/Personal Journals |
Apple Podcasts | #143 | United Kingdom/Society & Culture |
Apple Podcasts | #17 |  Australia/Society & Culture/Personal Journals |
Apple Podcasts | #38 |  Germany/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 History Hour
2. The Documentary Podcast
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. John Hooper
2. Wu'er Kaixi
3. Paul Kelly
4. Christobel Kelly
5. Sinéad Ní Ghuidhir
6. Saskia Sassen
7. Luisa Gomez de Silva
8. Virginia Martínez Tellez
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.