After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal

Who was the very worst of all the Medieval monarchs? No spoilers but we've got monarchs driven psychopathic by love, terrible sadists, and egos that straddled a continent. They were the worst of the worst, but who was the worst of all? Our guest today is Dr Eleanor Janega, co-host of Gone Medieval from History Hit - if you are a fan of the medieval world, you need to be listening! This episode was edited by Tim Arstall and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 27 November 2025

With the nights closing in, what better time to re-visit a favourite episode of ours. In 1727, Janet Horne of the Highland community of Dornoch became the last person in Britain to be tried and executed for witchcraft. As the poet Edwin Morgan put it; They tarred her and feathered her, bound her and barrelled her burning in the peat-smoke, while the good folk of Dornoch paused briefly for a look. But maybe the events aren’t quite as black and white as they seem? Maddy Pelling tells Anthony Delaney the story this week. Written by Maddy Pelling. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 24 November 2025

For Medieval Europe, the Apocalypse wasn’t just a metaphor - it was very real and very imminent.We are talking about the four horsemen, locusts the size of horses, the beast of the abyss, the Whore of Babylon, and, obviously, the anti-christ.We’re going to go through the medieval apocalypse blow-by-blow to see how this obsession with the end led to bizarre real-world cults like the Flagellants, who abandoned all norms for group sex in the woods. Our guest today is Dr Eleanor Janega, co-host of Gone Medieval with Matt Lewis. Watch Eleanor's documentary about the Medieval Apocalypse here. This episode was edited by Tim Arstall and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 November 2025

In 1540 Henry VIII was getting old, and his eyes turned to teenager Catherine Howard. He fell hard and fast for Catherine - his "rose without a thorn" - but when he found out about her past, all hell broke loose. Amidst all the panic and confusion, who was this young woman who rose to be queen? Why did Henry VIII want her killed? And how should we remember her? Joining Anthony and Maddy is author and historian Gareth Russell, to help us get to know this woman. This episode was edited by Tim Arstall and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 17 November 2025

Did Nostradamus really predict everything from the Great Fire of London to the rise of Hitler? We predict that you'll find out in this episode... Join Anthony and Maddy as they explore the life of 16th century astrologer and so-called seer, Nostradamus, to find out if he really had the ability to see into the future. This episode was edited by Tim Artsall and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 13 November 2025

Did they wear black hoods? Whose axe did they use? How did you get the job in the first place? Today Anthony Delaney takes Maddy Pelling inside the world of the Tudor Executioner. Research by Phoebe Joyce, edited by Tim Arstall, produced by Freddy Chick. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 10 November 2025

Henry VIII was a monarch everyone was excited for, and turned into someone who weaponised his powers for murder. What happened in his life that caused the death toll to suddenly rise? In this episode, Anthony and Maddy are joined by historian and author, Gareth Russell, to unpack the warning signs that led to beheadings, burnings and savagery in the Tudor court. Find out more about Gareth's work: https://www.garethrussell.co.uk/ This podcast was edited by Tim Arstall and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 6 November 2025

Deep in Renaissance Rome, it is said that a woman called Giulia Tofana supplied poison to kill some 500 abusive men. Is this the stuff of myth and folklore? What historical truth is there to be found? And how was Santa involved in this story?! Join Anthony and Maddy as they go back to the 17th century to explore this story more. This podcast was edited by Tim Arstall and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 3 November 2025

Reality is the real horror.Every Monday, poet and paranormal obsessive Heidi Wong unearths the chilling true stories behind the world’s most terrifying legends. From haunted dolls to cursed houses, each episode of Twisted Tales reveals the disturbing real-life events that inspired horror’s biggest blockbusters and the ones too twisted to make it to screen. Some stories are stranger than fiction. These are darker.New episodes every Monday. Twisted Tales is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts.Listen here: https://link.podtrac.com/listentotwistedtales Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 1 November 2025

What are the origins of keening for the dead? What is the history of Irish wakes? And why must you never put a coffin down on the way to the funeral? Anthony tells Maddy and special guest Dan Snow about the history of Irish funerary traditions. Edited by Tomos Delargy. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 30 October 2025

Sarah Dazley was one of the most infamous women in the world for a moment in 1843 when she was accused of poisoning not one but two former husbands. Our guest today is Nat Doig - creator of the podcast Weird in the Wade - a podcast about all that's weird and wonderful in/around the town of Biggleswade, Bedfordshire. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 27 October 2025

From the spookiest corner of the British isles, comes two stories of witches. Stories of fairies and magical powers, of skeletons and haunted history. Our guest is the manager of Bodmin Jail in Cornwall - Jess Marlton - https://www.bodminjail.org/. This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Freddy Chick. The senior producer was Charlotte Long. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 23 October 2025

Eugene Aram was an 18th century schoolmaster who got away with murder for fourteen years. Then a skeleton was unearthed and a case that had been forgotten burst into life & created a legend. Maddy Pelling tells Anthony Delaney the story this week. Research by Phoebe Joyce. Edited by Tomos Delargy. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 October 2025

What did Medieval people think about rats? Did they have any idea that they were the cause of the Black Death? How did they use charms and poisons to try to get rid of them? Today we explore the world of the Black Death Rat with Kathleen Walker-Meikle, historian of Medieval pets and animals whose books include 'Medieval Pets', 'Cats in Medieval Manuscripts', 'Dogs in Medieval Manuscripts'. This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Freddy Chick. The senior producer was Charlotte Long. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 16 October 2025

Behind the current display of celebrity waxworks lies the dark and bloody history of Madam Tussauds. Join Anthony and Maddy as they go back to the 18th century, when Marie Tussaud escapes the guillotines of Revolutionary France to carve (and mould) her fortune and legacy in wax. This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.think t Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 13 October 2025

The Tudor court was dangerous and high stakes at the best of times, where survival could often mean betraying others. Enter: Jane Boleyn, thrust into the Tudor limelight when her sister-in-law, Anne Boleyn, marries Henry VIII. Did she really contribute to the axe falling on Anne Boleyn's neck? Was she a spy for Thomas Cromwell? Was all of this just what it took to survive as a woman in this world? Joining Anthony and Maddy today is the fantastic Philippa Gregory, historian and author of Boleyn Traitor. This episode was edited by Tom Delargy, and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer is Charlotte Long. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 9 October 2025

It's 1864 and the height of industrialisation. The thrill of railway travel is shattered with the first murder that takes place on it. Join Anthony and Maddy as they pick apart the murder of wealthy banker John Briggs, that takes them from a blood-stained first class carriage in London to a police chase to New York. This episode was edited by Tom Delargy, and produced by Stuart Beckwith. Research by Phoebe Joyce. The senior producer is Charlotte Long. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 6 October 2025

Dan Snow joins After Dark to reveal the brutal reality of life of sailors during the golden age of sail. From the cat o' nine tails, to the pressgang, from scurvy to mutineers. How did people survive the most extreme conditions imaginable? Edited by Tomos Delargy. Produced by Freddy Chick and Mariana Des Forges. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 2 October 2025

The end of Elizabeth I's life was shrouded in darkness and plots as powerful figures circled her throne. How did Elizabeth hold off contenders reaching for the crown? And did James VI & I steal it in the end? Our guest today is Dr Tracy Borman whose new book The Stolen Crown: Treachery, Deceit and the Death of the Tudor Dynasty is out now. Edited by Tom Delargy. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 29 September 2025

We often think of Egyptian Pharaohs as a glamorous god-king of Ancient times, yet the truth of these people is a lot, lot darker. Who was the first Pharaoh? What shocking, violent stories surround some of these figures? How did their rule of Ancient Egypt come to an end? Joining Anthony and Maddy today is the always-fantastic Campbell Price, Egyptologist at University of Liverpool, and curator of Egypt and Sudan at the Manchester Museum. Edited by Tim Arstall. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 25 September 2025

There are a disturbingly high number of contenders for the title of Rome's Darkest Emperor - so as you can imagine, things get extremely disturbing in this episode. Joining Anthony and Maddy to introduce you to a couple of them, is Rome-based historian and tour guide, Alexander Meddings. Edited by Tom Delargy. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 22 September 2025

Join Anthony and Maddy as they spend a day - or should that be night? - in the life of a 19th century body snatcher. Find out which months they favoured for body snatching, why they never stole the dead body's possessions, and why they would never steal a body under a full moon - all referenced from a real-life grave robber's diary. Edited by Tom Delargy. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 18 September 2025

Did she do it? Did serving girl Eliza Fenning poison the dumplings she served the Turner family? This is a true crime case from 1813 that brings together class tensions, sexism, the law. have a go hero forensics! It's easy to see why this trial gripped the nation. Maddy tells Anthony the story of Eliza Fenning and the poisoned dumplings. Edited by Tim Arstall. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 15 September 2025

The Ancient Egyptians had a very different idea about death than most people do today. And the idea of mummification is (excuse the pun) wrapped up in so many modern ideas, that we can lose its real purpose. Joining Anthony and Maddy today to take us through the gory details of mummifying a body, and explaining where the term 'mummy' even comes from, is Dr. Campbell Price, author and Egyptologist at University of Liverpool. Edited by Tom Delargy. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 11 September 2025

On June 16, 1836, in New York City, Mary Jones stood in a courtroom that was a cauldron of hatred. Mary was African American and one of the first known transgender women in US history. Anthony Delaney tells Maddy Pelling the final story from his new book out now: Queer Georgians: A Hidden History of Lovers, Lawbreakers and Homemakers (published as Queer Enlightenments in the US). Edited by Richie Power. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 8 September 2025

Hear a chapter of Anthony's new book, Queer Georgians: A hidden history of lovers, lawbreakers and homemakers. It's out now! For more information, click here. Anthony tells listeners why he wanted to write this book, and introduces a special chapter, exclusive for After Dark listeners! After Dark will return to its normal programming on Monday (Sunday for subscribers). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 5 September 2025

In today's episode, we're taking you inside the towering walls of Ancient Rome's Colosseum to find out the dark reality of what happened there. From the sex appeal of gladiators, to the choreographed means of human sacrifice, and the eternal question: did they really have sharks in there?! Joining Anthony and Maddy today is historian and Rome-based tour guide, Alexander Meddings, to take us back to this world. Edited by Amy Haddow. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 4 September 2025

What price might a man pay for sex in the 18th century? Well, if it was with another man, he might pay with his life. In this episode, Anthony introduces us to 43-year-old milkman Gabriel Lawrence. Together, he and Maddy take us inside the Molly Houses of Georgian Britain, and through the criminal system from arrest, to imprisonment, to sentencing and execution. This story can be found in more detail in Anthony's new book, 'Queer Georgians: A Hidden History of Lovers, Lawbreakers and Homemakers'! Edited by Amy Haddow. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 1 September 2025

Jack the Ripper as we think of him, is an invention of the Victorian media. They took the complete absence of hard facts about the killer, and populated it with the period's anxieties, fantasies and fears. We're joined again by Dr Bob Nicholson, presenter of ‘Killing Victoria’ podcast on BBC Sounds. Edited by Tim Arstall. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 28 August 2025

This episode contains descriptions of execution and torture. To be Hanged, Drawn & Quartered. Put on the Rack. Impaled on a spike. This list paints a very dark picture. What was the reality of execution and torture in the Medieval world? Was it as bad as we think? Worse? Guiding us through this very grim history is Matt Lewis host of the History Hit podcast 'Gone Medieval'. Produced by Annie Coloe. Edited by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 25 August 2025

Today we step into the shadowy world of W.T. Stead—a Victorian journalist whose life was as controversial as it was groundbreaking.  Hear how he uncovered a sex scandal which shocked the nation, dabbled in the supernatural, and also… predicted the Titanic disaster (and ultimately, his own death). Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcribed - Published: 21 August 2025

This 1897 New York murder case that has it all - a villain, an incredibly useless police force, and a duck who saves the day. The incredible Dr Cat Byers (@heymorguegirl) joins Maddy and Anthony to tell this story. Edited by Tomos Delargy. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 17 August 2025

Through the industrial fog of Victorian London, in one of the city's most notorious slums, a murder took place that shocked a nation. The Bermondsey Horror, as it was called at the time, centred around a young woman and her older partner, and a wealthy man who was lured to their home one night. How did the gruesome events unfold? What did Charles Dickens have to say about the public execution? And what was the social impact of this story? Edited by Tom Delargy. Research by Phoebe Joyce. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 14 August 2025

It was a murder mystery that gripped 19th century France and changed crime investigation forever. Who was the body in the trunk? What were the groundbreaking techniques used in the forensics investigation? And how did the murder case unfold from there? Taking Anthony and Maddy back to France in 1889 and through this story is historian and author Dr. Cat Byers. This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long. Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 11 August 2025

What happens when you're left on a desert island with a psychopath? This is a story so horrendous it would be hard to believe were it not for the skeletons left behind. Maddy Pelling takes Anthony Delaney through the shipwreck of the Batavia. Edited by Tim Arstall. Research by Phoebe Joyce. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 7 August 2025

For Albert Pierrepoint, execution was a family affair. His father and uncle were hangmen and from the 1940s until the late 1950s Albert was Britain's "Number One" executioner. Which meant he was the one sent to hang the Nazis who ran the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp at the end of the war. Who was Albert Pierrepoint? What does it take to be able to execute hundreds of people? And what is 'The Drop'? Edited and produced by Freddy Chick, Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 4 August 2025

For Albert Pierrepoint, execution was a family affair. His father and uncle were hangmen and from the 1940s until the late 1950s Albert was Britain's "Number One" executioner. Which meant he was the one sent to hang the Nazis who ran the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp at the end of the war. Who was Albert Pierrepoint? What does it take to be able to execute hundreds of people? And what is 'The Drop'? Edited and produced by Freddy Chick, Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 4 August 2025

Today we’re going behind the foreboding doors of the Victorian workhouse to ask - ‘Could we survive it?’. From Oliver Twist's gruel to songs about flogging, from lice-ridden clothing to soul destroying isolation. Our guest is Oskar Jensen, author of "Vagabonds: Life on the Streets of Nineteenth Century London". Edited by Tim Arstall. Produced by Freddy Chick, Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here.

Transcribed - Published: 31 July 2025

If you think your job is bad, have you tried being a plague doctor in 17th century Venice? Join Anthony and Maddy as they wake up on a quarantine island and take you through a day in the life of a plague doctor, including the sights, smells and horrors of what you would have seen as you explored plague-riddled Venice in 1631. Find out what they would have worn, what they did on their lunch break, and what the perks of the job were! This podcast was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long. Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 28 July 2025

Conspiracy theories swirl about the final days of Napoleon. Was he poisoned by a friend? By the British? By his wallpaper? Did he cologne himself to death? Was his penis taken away by a vengeful priest!? Anthony and Maddy sweep aside the myths to find the truth of the final days of Napoleon Bonaparte. Edited by Tim Arstall. Research by Phoebe Joyce. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 24 July 2025

What was it like living in London, 1665, when the plague first crept in? Within weeks, the gruesome symptoms were being spotted around London, crosses were marked on the doors of the damned, and King Charles II had fled the city. To take us back to this time and find out how the city reacted, Anthony and Maddy are joined by historian and author Rebecca Rideal. Edited by Tim Arstall. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 21 July 2025

Would you have joined the OG Luddites? In 1811 and 1812 across the midlands and north of England which were the Silicon Valley of the day, Luddites smashed machines. They would not stop, not even at murder, in order to fight technology that was tearing down their way of life. Maddy tells Anthony the story this week. Edited by Tomos Delargy, produced by Freddy Chick, Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 17 July 2025

In the 6th century, the Roman Empire was split and its future hung in the balance. Emperor Justinian dreamed of restoring it to its former glory. That was until the first great plague devastated Constantinople. Thousands died, bodies were piled in the streets - even the Emperor fell ill. How did this effect ambitions to restore the Empire to its former glory? And how did citizens react to this deadly disease? Joining Anthony and Maddy is Kyle Harper, historian and author of The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease. Edited by Tim Arstall. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 14 July 2025

Against a time of radical change, a gothic masterpiece was written by the teenage Mary Shelley. Published in 1818, Frankenstein takes us into a dark world where man and monster meet in mutual torment. A world of raw, animalistic fear. How was this story influenced by the tragedies in Mary Shelley's own life, and the early 19th century obsessions with playing God? Edited by Tomos Delargy. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 10 July 2025

Last week we heard about Mary's formative years. Today we get to her reign, the infamous burnings and ask ourselves if Bloody Mary was as bad as people think. Edited by Tomos Delargy. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 7 July 2025

In the aftermath of the bloody Russian revolution, the Romanovs went from being a glittering royal family, to vulnerable everyday citizens who were soon murdered. In the wake of their deaths, the that one family member survived, began to gain traction. How do the claims of Princess Anastasia's survival begin? Why did people want her to survive? And why do humans need to believe in myths? Joining Anthony and Maddy today is author and historian Leonid Trofimov. This episode was edited by Tim Arstall. It was produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer is Charlotte Long. Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! You can now watch After Dark on Youtube! www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 3 July 2025

Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary. Mary I is known as a brutal tyrant. But what was the reality? In the next two episodes Anthony and Maddy will explore Mary's story. Today they explore the traumatic early years that shaped her. Edited by Tomos Delargy. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube: www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you! Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds. After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 30 June 2025

Today’s story is one that takes us to a very familiar setting - the Tower of London - but shows it in a new light. Edward Francis was an enslaved man who lived in the Lion Tower. In 1691 he decided to poison his enslavers. Maddy and Anthony are joined by (friend of the pod) Dr Misha Ewen who helped bring this history to light. Misha is the author of "The Virginia Venture: American Colonization and English Society, 1580-1660". Edited by Tomos Delargy. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube: www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds.

Transcribed - Published: 26 June 2025

It wasn't made by Druids (or Aliens or Merlin the wizard). But it was a garden centre. Get ready for the 10 strangest facts (mostly) about Stonehenge! Maddy Pelling takes Anthony Delaney back among the stones. Edited by Amy Haddow. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube: www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds.

Transcribed - Published: 23 June 2025

You're laid out on the surgeon's table. Wide awake. He stands over you knife in hand and behind him, in the stands, is a noisy crowd all joking, smoking and scoffing oysters, waiting for the show to start. Welcome to Victorian surgery! Could you survive? Joining Maddy Pelling and Anthony Delaney this week is Sara Yorath, from the Old Operating Theatre museum in London. Edited by Tim Arstall. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. You can now watch After Dark on Youtube: www.youtube.com/@afterdarkhistoryhit Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds.

Transcribed - Published: 19 June 2025