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You're Dead to Me

Ramesses the Great

You're Dead to Me

BBC

Comedy, History

4.711.8K Ratings

🗓️ 19 December 2025

⏱️ 15 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Dead Funny History: Ramesses the Great.

Join historian Greg Jenner for a fast-paced, funny and fascinating journey through the life of Ramesses II, aka Ramesses the Gr8, one of Ancient Egypt’s most famous Pharaohs, and possibly its biggest show-off.

This episode of Dead Funny History is packed with jokes, sketches and sound effects that bring the past to life for families and Key Stage 2 learners. From his epic PR campaigns and giant statues to his pet lion and peppercorn-packed mummy, Ramesses knew how to make history memorable.

Discover how he became king at just 24, caught pirates, lost the Battle of Kadesh (but told everyone he won), and built a glittering capital city called Pi-Ramesses, complete with temples, stables, and even a zoo. Learn about his Sed Festivals, where he raced to prove his fitness at age 89, and his obsession with building colossal statues of himself, some still standing today.

Meet his wives Nefertari and Iset-Nofret, his 100 children, and the sacred Apis Bull that answered questions by kicking buckets. There’s even a cow beauty pageant, a bake sale gag, and a goat who helps discover Ramesses’ tomb centuries later.

Expect parodies, sketch comedy, and a quiz to test what you’ve learned. It’s history with heart, humour and high production value. Perfect for curious kids, families, and fans of You’re Dead To Me.

Written by Jack Bernhardt, Gabby Hutchinson Crouch and Dr Emma Nagouse Host: Greg Jenner Performers: Mali Ann Rees and Richard David-Caine Producer: Dr Emma Nagouse Associate Producer: Gabby Hutchinson Crouch Audio Producer: Emma Weatherill Script Consultant: Dr Campbell Price Production Coordinator: Liz Tuohy Production Manager: Jo Kyle Studio Managers: Keith Graham and Andrew Garratt Sound Designer: Peregrine Andrews

A BBC Studios Production

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts.

0:05.0

Ellis, our podcast is nearly 500 episodes old.

0:10.0

But what have we learnt?

0:11.0

Ellis James and John Robbins.

0:13.0

I've learnt that when you're doing live radio, if somebody texts in in block capitals, it's very really a good sign.

0:18.0

We've had a confused text, it says, I want to listen to this rubbish.

0:21.9

I learned that if you lose to lose Sanders in a board game,

0:24.8

don't mention it on the show,

0:26.2

you are going to get an unexpected call.

0:28.2

Oh, dear, oh dear.

0:31.2

Ellis James and John Robbins, 500 not out.

0:34.1

Lovely stuff.

0:35.5

Listen on BBC Sounds.

0:40.2

Hello and welcome to Dead Funny History.

0:42.9

I'm Greg Jenner.

0:43.8

I'm a historian and I want to tell you about someone cool.

0:47.9

Ramesses the Second.

0:49.7

Now you may know him as the ancient Egyptian pharaoh who was mean to Moses in the Prince of Egypt movie. Or you may know him as the ancient Egyptian pharaoh, who was mean to Moses in the Prince of Egypt

0:54.8

movie.

0:55.7

Or you may know him as...

0:57.7

Ramesses the Great.

1:00.1

And he did do a lot of great stuff.

...

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