You're Dead to Me

In this episode, Greg Jenner is joined by Dr Leon Rocha and comedian Phil Wang to learn all about the surprising history of kung fu, from ancient China to the present day. Rooted in ancient Chinese exercises designed to promote long life, kung fu was pioneered by the monks of the Shaolin temple before spreading throughout China. But how did peaceful Buddhist monks come to create a martial arts sty...

In the first episode of a new series, Greg Jenner is joined by Dr Julia Leikin and comedian David Mitchell to learn all about the life of Catherine II of Russia, better known as Catherine the Great. Catherine’s story is full of contradictions and ambiguities. She was a German princess who became empress of all Russia, a ruler who believed in Enlightenment philosophy but championed imperial expansi...

Greg Jenner is joined by Dr Emily Bell and Mike Wozniak to find out what Christmas was like with Charles Dickens. We take a walk through the many Christmases of the renowned Victorian author. From elephants walking on ice to the family Christmas punch recipe, we take a closer look at the factors that may have influenced some of his most famous works and unpick what the phrase Dickensian has come t...

In this episode, recorded live at the Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot, Greg Jenner is joined by Professor Farah Karim-Cooper and comedian Richard Herring to learn all about the life, legend and legacy of William Shakespeare himself. 2023 marks the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio of Shakespeare’s plays, which preserved his work for future generations. But how did a bo...

In this episode, recorded live at the Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot, Greg Jenner is joined by Professor Farah Karim-Cooper and comedian Richard Herring to learn all about the life, legend and legacy of William Shakespeare himself. 2023 marks the 400th anniversary of the publication of the First Folio of Shakespeare’s plays, which preserved his work for future generations. But how did a bo...

Greg Jenner is joined by Dr Michael Carter and actor Mathew Baynton to learn all about ghost stories in the European Middle Ages. From the twelfth century onwards, medieval Europe produced a huge number of ghost stories, often written in monasteries. But why were monks so interested in ghosts? How were ghost stories related to wider Christian beliefs about death and the afterlife? And what happene...

Greg Jenner is joined by Dr Vanessa Heggie and comedian Darren Harriott to learn about the bodybuilding boom of the 19th and 20th centuries. The latter part of the 19th century saw the beginning of a fitness craze where the seeds of the modern-day gym and fitness culture were sown. But physical fitness also tapped into other parts of the psyche of British society at the time. From concerns over th...

Greg Jenner and his guests discuss the life, times and crimes of Russia's first tsar, the infamous Ivan the Terrible. Joining Greg are Prof Peter Frankopan from the University of Oxford and Russian-born comedian Olga Koch, whose BBC appearances include OK Computer, Human Error, Fight, QI and The Now Show. For the full-length version of this episode, please look further back in the feed. A producti...

Greg Jenner is joined by historian Dr Emma Southon and comedian Cariad Lloyd in first-century Rome to meet Agrippina the Younger. Empress, overbearing mother of the Emperor Nero and murderess, but how much of what has been written about this extraordinary woman is true? What does it really take to survive as a woman at the top of the Roman Empire? For the full-length version of this episode, pleas...

Greg Jenner is joined by historian Prof Benjamin Reiss and comedian Desiree Burch in 19th-century America to meet the self-proclaimed showman, P.T. Barnum. He was a man famous for his museums and shows as well as "curiosities" such as General Tom Thumb, Bearded Ladies and The Fiji Mermaid. But look beyond Barnum’s infamous spin and you’ll find that contrary to his pop culture image this showman wa...

Greg Jenner is joined by special guests Kemah Bob and Dr Campbell Price as they head back to Ancient Egypt to meet the unique and powerful ruler, Hatshepsut. She reigned for over 20 years, built a temple which is still admired today, had a ‘special’ relationship with statues and was one of the first rulers to focus on divinity rather than gender norms. So why did history try to erase her? For the...

In this special, live episode of You’re Dead To Me, Greg Jenner is joined by Prof Catherine Fletcher and comedian Dara Ó Briain to learn about Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo lived from 1452 to 1519 during an era of plague and warfare across Western Europe. It was also the height of the Italian Renaissance. From mathematics to military maps, and some paintings which you may have heard of, Leonardo da...

Greg Jenner is joined by Dr Stephen Kershaw and comedian Sophie Duker to dive into the myth of Atlantis. The Atlantean story has its origins in the writings of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. And literally nowhere else. Yet the enduring appeal of this mythical city and a sophisticated civilisation lost beneath the waves has lasted for thousands of years. It has inspired a huge number of stori...

Greg Jenner and his guests look at a range of scientific discoveries spanning 1000 years of history, widely known as the medieval period. How were knowledge and scientific findings shared across a world with its countless languages and regions before the internet? Greg is joined by Dr Seb Falk and comedian Josie Long to look at some of the weird and wonderful advancements of the period which we st...

Greg Jenner and his guests travel back to 17th-century England to meet a celebrity of the Restoration era. As was one of the first actresses in comedy and a mistress to King Charles II, Nell Gwyn's life was as eventful as her turns on the stage. Greg is joined by associate professor and writer, Diana Solomon and by comedian, actor and writer, Jess Knappett. For the full-length version of this epis...

Greg Jenner is joined in Ancient Greece by special guests Prof Michael Scott and comedian Alice Fraser as they examine the start of democracy with the Athenians. Aside from it obviously being a system that only benefited men, we will take a closer look at the fundamental issues that still apply today, why you’d want to avoid red ropes and broken pots, and just why the Romans disliked the very idea...

Greg Jenner, comedian Ria Lina and Prof Ronald C Po investigate one of the most successful pirates to have ever lived, Zheng Yi Sao. During the 18th century Qing dynasty, she led the most feared army of pirates the world had ever seen - all without a parrot on her shoulder. For the full-length version of this episode, please look further back in the feed. Research: Will Clayton Script: Emma Nagous...

Greg Jenner is joined by Dr David Rooney and Desiree Burch at the literal beginning of time to explore the history of timekeeping. Covering everything from the origins of timekeeping to time in space, we even learn how you can smell the time! Above all, we finally find out who you can blame for daylight savings and the real reason it was invented. For the full-length version of this episode, pleas...

Sue Perkins and Dr Lucy Worsley join Greg Jenner to discuss the life of world-famous novelist, Agatha Christie. Agatha Christie is arguably the greatest ever crime novelist but her work has also permeated film, theatre and television over the past century. Christie also lived during an extraordinary period of modern history. Her life encompassed the end of the Victorian era, the two world wars and...

In this special live episode, recorded at the Hay Festival, Greg Jenner is joined by Dr Gillian Kenny and comedian Seán Burke to learn about medieval Irish folklore. We’re focusing on the lore and stories from Gaelic Irish culture. Gaelic culture remained the dominant set of cultural and societal beliefs on the island of Ireland well into the 17th century until it was destroyed by a succession of...

Sue Perkins and Dr Lucy Worsley join Greg Jenner to discuss the life of world-famous novelist, Agatha Christie. Agatha Christie is arguably the greatest ever crime novelist but her work has also permeated film, theatre and television over the past century. Christie also lived during an extraordinary period of modern history. Her life encompassed the end of the Victorian era, the two world wars and...

In this special episode of You’re Dead To Me, recorded in front of a live audience, Greg Jenner is joined by Professor Catherine Fletcher and comedian Dara Ó Briain to learn about Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo lived from 1452 to 1519 during an era of plague and warfare across Western Europe. It was also the height of the Italian Renaissance. From mathematics to military maps, and some paintings whic...

Greg Jenner is joined by Dr Vanessa Heggie and comedian Darren Harriot to learn about the bodybuilding boom of the 19th and 20th centuries. The latter part of the 19th century saw the beginning of a fitness craze where the seeds of the modern-day gym and fitness culture were sown. But physical fitness also tapped into other parts of the psyche of British society at the time. From concerns over the...

Greg Jenner is joined by Dr Adam Chapman and comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean to learn about the rise of the Tudor dynasty. The Tudors are probably the most famous ruling dynasty in British and English history. But where and when did the Tudor family actually originate? The answer lies in 13th-century Anglesey with a collection of modest landowners, who wouldn’t have called themselves Tudor at all....

Greg Jenner is joined by Dr Shushma Malik and comedian Thanyia Moore to learn about Cleopatra. Cleopatra, the seventh Ancient Egyptian Queen to bear that name, was born around 69 BCE and she’s seen by many historians as the final ruler of dynastic Egypt; a lineage that stretched back 3,000 years. From marrying and murdering her siblings to liaisons of love and political pragmatism with top Romans...