Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

Picture a serial killer in your mind’s eye. What do you see? More often than not it will be a man. Statistically that’s accurate, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. Whilst it’s perhaps not the most worthy feminist cause to jump behind, the issue of gendered narratives is a fascinating one - and what better way to look at it than through the lens of serial killers? Kate is joined by Tori Telfer,...

Queen Charlotte is back in the spotlight, thanks to the new Bridgerton spin-off series looking into her life and marriage to King George III. We know Bridgerton uses a lot of creative license when it comes to historical accuracy (just in case you didn't know, people in the Regency period did not dance to orchestral covers of Beyonce) so today Kate thought she'd get Betwixt the Sheets with historia...

It’s hard to imagine London’s gay scene before vibrant night spots like Heaven and G.A.Y, but come back with us to the 18th Century to find out about where it all began: Molly Houses.  This was when to be gay in England was a crime punishable by death, and so a network of secretive gay gatherings in the backrooms of ale and coffee houses - known in the community as Molly Houses - were the pla...

The Ancient Romans are often thought of as ahead of their time. They invented concrete, sophisticated road systems and even underfloor heating. But their approach to murder is starkly different to how the modern world recognises it, and frankly it’s a bit weird. These people saw 26 emperors murdered in one 50-year period, and would watch people being killed for entertainment in the Colosseum. Toda...

In 1603, James VI & I became the first king of Scotland and England. But this isn’t the only reason he was remarkable. Because he also had a big, no HUGE, fear of witches. He literally wrote a book on it in 1597. Daemonologie, which just scratched the surface of Scotland’s relationship with so-called witches. Today, Kate is Betwixt the Sheets with Allyson Shaw to find out more about the witch tria...

What did Napoleon smell like? How many pairs of scented gloves did Marie Antoinette get through a month? And how did the study of perfume become the study of life itself in the 19th century? Kate is joined by Theresa Levitt for this episode to find out about the world of the Parisian perfumiers Laugier and Laurent. Theresa is the author of  Elixir: A Parisian Perfume House and the Quest for t...

From significantly sized cod-pieces to revenge dresses, the Royal family have used clothes to send a message to the public for centuries, and a coronation is one of the best opportunities to communicate what kind of king or queen you’re planning to be. King Charles III's coronation will be at Westminster Abbey, a place where monarchs have been crowned since 1066 - everyone from Henry VIII to Victo...

Incest. It’s not the lightest topic of conversation, we wouldn’t recommend bringing it up as an icebreaker on a date, or when you’re trying to impress new people at a party - but it’s one which has fascinated many of us for centuries nonetheless. But has it always been taboo? How have the necessary degrees of separation between partners grown and shrunk over the years? And why were so many royal f...

What made the decade between 1996 and 2006 a pop breeding ground? And what was this time like for the pop stars involved? From the Spice Girls to Girls Aloud, and Take That to Blue, Kate is Betwixt the Sheets with journalist Michael Cragg to look at the success and scandals during the golden age of pop. You can find out more about Michael Cragg's new book here. Senior producer: Charlotte Long. Pro...

Happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, disgust, fear... we all know what these emotions feel like, right? But what is emotion? Do we all feel the same things? And do we have the same feelings as people who lived five-hundred years ago? Today Kate is joined Betwixt the Sheets by Richard Firth-Godbehere to find out about the origins of emotions, and what they have to do with witchcraft and desire...

How common was it for a pirates to walk the plank? Was there a lot of rum? And were relationships allowed on ships? Kate is joined by Rebecca Simon, author of 'The Pirate's Code' to find out about the codes that pirates had to live by. Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Mixed by Joseph Knight. Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit. For more His...

Why would a man embroil his own nephew in a sex scandal? What was it like for a Georgian man to have his affair with another man shared in the papers? And what options were available to them after this happened? Today Betwixt the Sheets, Kate is finding out about the lives of William Courtenay and William Beckford, the sex scandal surrounding the two heirs and their different responses to it. Kate...

If someone from the future looked inside your wardrobe, what could they find out about your life? That you like going out to parties? Maybe your work uniform is in there? Or perhaps there is still evidence of fashion trends of yore, like the oh-so-low rise jeans of the early noughties…. We can find out so much about people, culture and society through our clothes, and it’s the same for our ancesto...

‘Bond girl’ is quite a loaded term. Why aren’t they women? What makes them part of this homologous team? And what does it mean if they have red hair? In this episode, Kate speaks to Dr Lisa Funnell, award winning author and expert on all things Bond. She is here to tell us about the different eras of Bond girls and why it’s so important to revisit our old favourites. Produced by Charlotte Long and...

REAL LIFE INVENTOR ALERT!!! Two jockstraps cleverly sewn together. That was how the very first sports bra was made in 1977. The product built out from this prototype, the “Jog Bra”, went on to change women’s athletics forever. Lisa Lindhal who, together with her friends Polly and Hinda, unleashed the sports bra on the world. In this episode from our sister podcast, Patented: History of Inventions...

WARNING: This episode includes adult content and explicit language. As offensive terms go, you are entering a hard hat area. It’s one of the most taboo words in the English dictionary. In Scotland, it can be a term of endearment, but in the US it's one of the worst offences out there, and it would more than likely get you fired if you said it to your boss at work. It starts with c, and ends in t a...

What was the early modern version of CSI? Why might whole pubs have been singing an executed person’s final words? And was the crime of murder different back then? In this episode, Kate spoke to Blessin Adams, a former member of the police who has been researching murders between the 16th and 18th centuries. Her book is called Great and Horrible News: Murder and Mayhem in Early Modern Britain. *Wa...

You may have seen the news that archaeologists have been reassessing a phallic object from Vindolanda Roman Fort in the north of Britain. How does the saying go ... "If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck." Do you think this counts for d*cks too? Today, Kate is talking to Rob Collins to find out how we can prove what an ancient artefact was a...

From the Chevalier de Saint-Georges to the Merry Monarch to Madame Jojo and Madame Trenti, the district of Soho in London has played host to many of the naughtiest names in history. And now, we can include Kate Lister on that list. In this episode, join us for a walking tour of Soho with Katie Wignall from Look Up London. You can even follow along, just start off at the black and white hut on Soho...

How debaucherous do you have to be to be remembered as the original bad boy ? How mad, bad and dangerous to know was Lord Byron? And how much of it did he get from his family? For this episode, Kate is joined by Emily Brand, the author of ‘The Fall of the House of Byron: Scandal and Seduction in Georgian England’. From incest to murder - this family must have made for a very awkward dinner party....

Why is the naked body of a life model more respected than a glamour model? Why has there been a resurgence in virtue policing? And why was Kate completely naked during the interview with today’s guest?! Today we’re casting off our clothes and slipping Betwixt the Sheets with academic, feminist, economist and naked protestor, Victoria Bateman. Hear about the cyclical nature of modesty culture in An...

How would a medieval woman achieve a Brazilian bikini line? Why can’t you trust a nun in the night time? And what were women doing at Medieval universities?  Kate is joined for the THIRD time by Eleanor Janega to talk about how women were expected to be in the medieval era, and how they actually were. From biology to appearance to careers, it’s time to shed light on this half of the medieval...

RuPaul. Lily Savage. Bianca Del Rio. Dame Edna Everage. These iconic drag queens are household names, but have you ever heard about Princess Seraphina? Or William Dorsey Swann, aka 'The Queen'? Today we're bringing you a very special mash-up episode for Comic Relief, all about the history of Drag Queens. Kate is joined by Gossip Gays hosts Danny Beard (winner of RuPaul's Race UK) and DJ Billy Andr...

From aristocratic rebels to Civil Rights activists, tens of thousands of people travelled to Spain during the Civil War - and not all of them were men... Whether they were fighting, nursing or reporting, in this episode of Betwixt the Sheets we are going to meet a few of the women who chose to risk their lives. Kate is joined by Sarah Watling, author of ‘Tomorrow Perhaps the Future’ to hear about...

Why might a woman have willingly confined herself to a cell for the rest of her life? Why have so many female authors in history published under aliases or initials? And what was Jane Austen’s dirtiest joke? In this episode of Betwixt the Sheets, Kate is joined by Anna Beer to discuss an alternative history of English literature. What prevented women from publishing their work, and how did they ge...