Rogues Gallery Uncovered

He's a casino roaming, penthouse living, movie star dating, ruthless, fearless, WW2 double agent with a cycling-based codename. Meet the real-life inspiration for Ian Flemming's James Bond, Dušan Popov.  Why was his codename 'Tricycle'? How did a champagne cork start a dancefloor brawl? Was it possible to sleep through the Blitz? How angry did he make J Edgar Hoover? All these...

Flagellation, Blasphemy, Drunkenness, Promiscuity and Impersonating the King of Sweden, with the legendary leader of the most famous Hellfire Club...Sir Francis Dashwood.   How convivial was he? Why did he hate cats? What is 'Erotic Shrubbery ? How many drinking clubs can one man form?  All these questions and 30 minutes more can be found in episode 45 of Rogues Gallery Uncovered - The podcas...

“A harmless bit of blasphemy and dressing up" from the chairman of the very FIRST Hell Fire Club - Philip Duke of Wharton. He should support the establishment, but instead he makes fun of it. Discover the debauched history of - arguably- England’s very first Hellfire Club.  What is 'Holy Ghost Pie'? Who gives a bear cub as a gift? Why did Alexander Pope hate him so much? Why did the...

Grigori Rasputin, everyone's favourite irresistible, indestructible, mad monk is having a night on the town in Moscow. He's a controversial, mystic, healer and holy man but the Romanov family love him so he can get up to all sorts of rude, vodka fuelled high jinks.  Why did Tsarina Alexandra like him so much? Why did Tsar Nicholas II dislike him? Was Rasputin responsible for the Russian...

A necrophiliac in Paris! Join 18th-century England's most deviant politician ( and that's saying something) on a fun-packed mini-break to the French capital. With wit, cross-dresser and execution enthusiast George Selwyn.  Who was Robert Damiens? How many horses does it take to pull a man apart? Why did Georgian high society pay good money to sit in a field? Is disguising yourself as a w...

High fashion meets highway robbery with the 17th century's most lusted-after gentleman thief, Claude Duval. It's a flamboyantly dressed tale of rampant flirting, lewd piccolo playing and an appalling French accent.  Why was France full of posh Englishmen in the 1650s? How many masked women can visit one man's prison cell? Can you dance provocatively in stiff leather boots? What was...

 In an extra rude episode, meet 19th-century England's most prolific and energetic smut collector. Henry Spencer Ashbee. Listener discretion is advised - Those Victorians could be spicy!  Just how much X-rated material could one gentleman collect? Who were his famous friends? Did he go blind? Was he the mysterious author of erotic classic "My Secret Life"? Was Victorian morality rea...

Find out why 69 is just a number to Regency England's most rampant geriatric - William Douglas, 4th Duke of Queensberry, 'Old Q'. It's a heart warming tale of hot chocolate, comfy blankets, early nights and Greek-themed orgies.  How does a man in his 80s 'please' the ladies? How fast can you drive a carriage? Why should you never accept a milkshake from this man? What...

No one expects the 15th century's biggest party pooper, Tomas de Torquemada and the Spanish Inquisition. It’s a tortuous tale of a controversial historical figure, religious persecution, the Catholic Church, heretics, the Dominican Order and the Spanish monarchy. But I’ve tried to keep it lighthearted. What should you do if you see someone wearing fancy clothes on a Sunday? How many ways can...

Take a walk on the very wild side in 18th century London with teenage "Lad About Town," William Hickey. There's sex, booze, fighting and disrespecting of elders - what's the youth of yesterday coming to? It’s a nostalgic rose-tinted saunter through the taverns and brothels of Georgian England with a young man who would become famous for his diaries and memoirs chronicling scand...

After a bit of a break, Rogues Gallery Uncovered returns.  Join Hollywood's most misbehaved  duo, David Niven and Errol Flynn, as they water ski and roister through the 1930s - leaving a trail of broken hearts and heads in their wake. It’s a swashbuckling romp through The Golden Age of Hollywood as these two movie legends stretch the bonds of their friendship, share the ultimate party house,...

Keep your hands where everyone can see them while attending this stern lecture warning of the physical and moral decay brought about by the 19th century’s most destructive social contagion - MASTURBATION!! It’s a wrist achingly provocative tale of madness, blisters, breakfast cereals, female hysteria and abstinence.  Are there any life and sanity threatening  conditions NOT caused by masturbation?...

Ramble on in search of filth with Restoration England's most promiscuous, booze addled, royalty offending, saucy genius - Restoration poet and libertine, John Wilmot 2nd Earl of Rochester. It's a disgraceful double-ended tale of Italian sex woodwork, highway robbery, park abuse and rhyming couplets.  How many years did Rochester spend permanently drunk? How offensive was the poem he acci...

 Its "All Aboard" when the 18th century British navy's most promiscuous sailor puts into as many ports as he can, with Admiral Augustus John Hervey, 3rd Earl of Bristol. Enjoy  a salty tale of multiple mistresses, naughty nunneries, and opera.  How many brothels did the English Casanova visit in one day? What did he wear when looking for love beneath bridges? Why was he forever grat...

Be provoked beyond reason by 18th century Ireland's most quarrelsome and violent bully boy - George "Fighting" Fitzgerald.  Its a short tempered tale of animal disguise, head trauma, gratuitous musketry and good old fashioned insanity. What did Fitzgerald do to his father - twice!? How did he stand when facing an armed opponent? Should you  avoid him on a narrow street? Why should y...

Enjoy non stop 19th century sexcapades with Queen Victoria's most prolific swordsman and erotic wordsmith - Edward Sellon. Its a shameless tale of peeping, pooping, penile stamina and pistols. Why should ladies refrain from playing hide and seek with him? How many 'affairs' could he conduct at any one time? What's the worst thing that can happen when cleaning a sailing ship? Sh...

Brawling, duelling, thievery and seduction with the 17th century's most enthusiastic woman warrior, and a pivitol figure in LGBTQ+ history - Catalina de Erauso.  Its a bloody tale of senseless violence, nunnery escapades, greed, unbelievable coincidences and the Pope.  Why did Catalina disguise herself as a man? How many times did she lose her temper and kill someone? What made her apologise...

Enjoy a spectacular bender in Victorian London with one of the 19th century's most prolific party animals, Henry Weysford Charles Plantagenet Rawdon-Hastings. It's a convivial tale of alehouses, drinking,rat baiting, dancing girls, drinking, outrageous pranks,menacing Scandinavians....... and drinking. Why should you always dance with a pocketful of coins? Who looked like " a giant...

Get whipped into a terrified frenzy of social anxiety with the 18th century's most notorious gang of lawless youths - The Mohocks! It's a fear-inducing tale of brutal slashing, barrel-rolling, eye-gouging, random stabbing and violent flatulence.  Who was 'King of the Mohocks'? What is “Tippling the Lion”? How scared should I be? Is any of it true? Find out in episode 29 ( seaso...

Victorian Superman He translated the karma sutra and The Arabian Nights, sneaked into one of the holiest places on earth, was the first European to see Lake Tanganyika – by accident -  and possessed an extremely impressive moustache. His name was Richard Francis Burton and there was very little he couldn’t do. It’s a tale of pathological boredom, heroic drinking, sexual exploration and malaria. Wh...

Pirate, Cannibal, Bastard!! Tearing the heart out of the Spanish Main with the 17th century's most violently unhinged buccaneer - François l'Olonnais. It's a grisly tale of insane brutality, comedic beheading and poetic justice. Why did l'Olonnais hate the Spanish? Why would he have made a bad optician? What's the difference between a pirate and a privateer? What did his e...

Get "Hot for Teacher" with 17th century France's most hands-on sexual educator - Ninon de Lenclos. It's an enlightening tale of a woman who didn't give damn, outraged priests, lute playing, intimate soaping and free love. What did Ninon smuggle out of a nunnery in her underwear? How did Cardinal Richelieu waste his money? Why did no one go to queen Marie-Thérèse's par...

He's built like an outside privy, loves bending horseshoes with his bare hands and tosses foxes into the air for a laugh. He's 18th century Europe's most manly monarch  - the heavyweight champion, king of Poland, Augustus the Strong. It's a masculine tale of bullfighting, bear fighting, rampant shagging and fine, delicate porcelain.   How did he become King of Poland when he wa...

He's arrogant, scheming, selfish and will shag anything with a pulse. He's also famous, good looking and an ancient Greek hero. Meet Alcibiades.  You'll love him but not as much as he loves himself. It's a classical tale of ego, vigorous promiscuity, shameless backstabbing and phallic statue vandalism. What happened when he ended up in bed with Socrates? How annoyed was the kin...

She was one of history's first recorded serial killers. Meet the 17th century's worst employer - Countess Elizabeth Bathory  It's a tale of psychopathy, torture, soccer and witchcraft.   Why was Elizabeth known as "The Blood Countess"? How many did she kill? What did she do with knitting needles? Did she really bathe in blood? Find out all the grisly answers in episode 23...