Period drama podcast episodes

Period dramas have long carried the responsibility of so-called ‘historical accuracy’, with many productions called out for ‘mistakes’ in recent years. But in 2021, are we reaching a different understanding of what it means to be ‘historically accurate’? And have we moved on from the more familiar stories and cosy adaptations of Sunday nights past? Here, Anthony Delaney and Madeleine Pelling explore the situation for historical representations in drama in the 21st century…

Historical weapon-maker Tod of Tod’s Workshop gives a behind-the-scenes peek into the fascinating world of making replica weapons for TV and film

Hannah Greig, historian and etiquette advisor to new Netflix show Bridgerton, joins us to talk about the historical detail that can be found in the drama – and the inspirations behind it

Owen Emmerson, who recently appeared on BBC docu-drama The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family, traces the clan’s meteoric rise – and crushing fall

Frank Spotnitz and Steve Thompson, creators of the new drama Leonardo starring Aidan Turner, talk about the inspirations behind their series on the Renaissance polymath

A decade since it first aired, Carolyne Larrington explores the medieval world that inspired the fantasy epic

Ahead of a major new TV drama, Janet Hartley explores Catherine the Great’s life and considers whether there is any truth behind the scandals associated with her

At the end of the 19th century, the law-abiding citizens of Birmingham were terrorised by a new breed of gang member with two defining passions: natty streetwear and extreme violence. Andrew Davies reveals why so many young, working-class men were drawn to the brutal glamour of the peaky blinders

Amanda Vickery, Hallie Rubenhold and Hannah Greig discuss the acclaimed new historical drama The Favourite

The renowned historical novelist talks about his books that inspired the Anglo-Saxon drama series The Last Kingdom

As Hamilton arrives in London’s West End, we spoke to historian Ron Chernow about the amazing life of the American Founding Father, his biography which inspired the hip-hop musical sensation, and his role as a historical consultant to the show…

As the smash-hit series Poldark returns to our TV screens, Hannah Greig and Greg Jenner tackle some of the big debates around historical dramas

Historical consultant Hannah Greig takes us behind the scenes of Bridgerton and explores the real history surrounding the period drama

Elena Woodacre delivers a lecture on the portrayal of historical queens in cinema and television, from Mary Queen of Scots to The Spanish Princess

Lynn Novick describes the making of an epic documentary series on the conflict in Vietnam, which she co-directed with Ken Burns

Robert Harris speaks about Munich: The Edge of War, the new Netflix film adapted from his 2017 historical novel

Lauren Johnson discusses the history behind the new Netflix film The King, considering how closely it follows the real events of Henry V’s life and reign

Hannah Skoda delves into the bloody and brutal spectacle of trial by combat in the Middle Ages

Rebecca Wragg Sykes introduces us to 19th-century fossil hunter Mary Anning, whose life has inspired the new film Ammonite

Ahead of the release of the new film The Dig, Professor Martin Carver discusses the real story of the 1939 excavation of Sutton Hoo