Summary
The witch has held a place firmly in our imagination for centuries – from whispered warnings in folklore to pop culture-driven heights. But what does it mean to be a witch now?
Presenter India Rakusen, creator of the podcast 28ish Days Later, is on a journey to find out.
In Scotland, a campaign is underway for an official pardon for the women burned as witches centuries ago. India heads to Edinburgh to discuss the deeply embedded misconceptions that still surround the witch hunts.
Scored with original music by The Big Moon.
Presenter: India Rakusen Executive Producer: Alex Hollands Producer: Lucy Dearlove Producer: Elle Scott AP: Tatum Swithenbank Production Manager: Kerry Luter Sound Design: Olga Reed
A Storyglass production for BBC Radio 4
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | The Traitors is back and so is that mysterious cloaked figure with the familiar fringe. |
| 0:06.7 | Yeah, it's me. |
| 0:07.9 | And when you've watched Claudia in the castle, join me, Ed Gamble, for the official visualised companion podcast. |
| 0:13.7 | And remember, I'll be listening. |
| 0:15.9 | Okay? |
| 0:16.7 | No, seriously, I love it. |
| 0:18.5 | What a faithful. |
| 0:19.7 | We'll unpack betrayals and spill scandalous secrets |
| 0:22.3 | with celeb guests, traitors' legends, |
| 0:25.0 | and murdered and banished players. |
| 0:27.1 | The traitors uncloked. |
| 0:28.4 | Watch on EyePlayer, listen for more on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:33.1 | BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. |
| 0:43.0 | Thank you. BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. Spring is smudging into a hot summer. |
| 0:47.6 | Our journey with the witch this series has already opened up a path through magic |
| 0:51.9 | and through the natural world that we live in. |
| 0:58.0 | But all this time, we're being followed by a brutal past. |
| 1:04.0 | This is a series all about what it means to be a witch, and you can't say witch without cundering up the witch hunts. |
| 1:09.0 | But what if almost everything we know about that period of history is wrong? |
| 1:15.7 | Maybe you've heard of witches being burned at the stake, or that they consorted with the devil |
| 1:20.2 | at wild orgies. Maybe you believe the witches were practitioners of ancient bad magic, |
| 1:25.9 | a fertility cult, or were mystic healers. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.