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

In the summer of 1889, a London police officer stopped and searched a telegraph boy, suspecting him of stealing from the Post Office he worked for. What he uncovered was not theft, but instead a network of male sex workers being frequented by some of the most respectable gentlemen in the country. Kate is joined by John Scott to discuss the scandal that ensued. John is Head of School in the School...

Did Catherine the Great really die having sex with a horse? Was she involved in her husband's death? And were her lovers selected for political reasons? In this episode, Kate speaks with Virginia Rounding about the real Catherine the Great. We find out why Catherine's sex life still intrigues so many, and what kind of ruler she was. Virginia is the author of 'Catherine the Great: Love, Sex and Pow...

As the Roman Empire grew, so did the importance of its army - the Roman Legion. But what was life on the march like? What happened on the encampments after dark? And why couldn't eunuchs join the Roman legion?! Joining Kate today to tell her all about this battle-hardened rabble, is Rome-based historian and tour guide Alex Meddings. Find out more about his work here: https://alexandermeddings.com/...

Behind the wild accusations of extra-marital affairs and a lavish lifestyle, who was the real Marie Antoinette? Why did her marriage to King Louis XVI go unconsummated for 7 years? And why did her life of luxury end in tragedy amidst the French Revolution? Joining Kate today for the second episode in our Royal Sex mini-series, is Professor of French literature, Catriona Seth, to help us get to kno...

People have always gossiped, but what did they gossip about in medieval times? How were women punished for gossiping? And where does the term 'gossip' come from? Joining Kate today to gossip about all things medieval gossip is the wonderful Eleanor Janega, co-host of our sister podcast Gone Medieval. This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Ch...

With NINE children, it can probably be assumed that Queen Victoria was no stranger to the sheets, but what do we actually know about her love (and sex) life? To examine Victoria's diaries, her passionate relationship and her society's attitude to sex, Kate is joined for this special episode by Royal Historian Kate Williams and journalist Robert Hardman. Kate and Robert are cohosts of 'Queens, King...

Have you ever been puzzled by proportions when looking at Ancient Greek statues? It can't just be us. From quarrying the stone to chipping away the final touches on your masterpiece - sculpting is a drawn out process. So why, after possibly years of work, did Ancient Greek artists make penises so small? Kate is joined by Professor Caroline Vout to find out what these sculptors meant by their statu...

What were the lives of women like who sold sex in the Victorian era? How did the law makers and moral crusaders of the time try to control it? How did sex workers create community in the 19th century? In the final part of our mini-series on sex work throughout history, Kate's joined by Dr. Julia Laite, historian, professor of history at Birkbeck University, to take us back to the Victorian era. Th...

Almost half of births in the UK are delivered via Cesarean section. But when was this operation first performed? Kate Lister is joined by Hannah Marsh, author of 'Thread, A Cesarean Story of Myth, Magic, and Medicine', to hear how this medical procedure developed, and how it has become safer. This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlott...

Early Modern Italy birthed artistic giants like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, saw architectural marvels like Florence's dome and St. Peter's Basilica, and pushed scientific frontiers in astronomy. This same vibrant era was also home to Bologna's uniquely regulated sex work industry. So what was life like for the sex workers of Renaissance Italy? Kate is joined in this episode by Dr Vanessa M...

How could recording people having sex be 'for science'? Same question for sleeping with your colleagues? Well, these were just two of the practices embraced by the subject of today's conversation. Donna Drucker is returning to the podcast to discuss pioneering sexologist, Alfred Kinsey. Donna, from Columbia University, is author of The Classification of Sex . This episode was edited by Nick Thomso...

Despite Christianity coming in hot and heavy in the medieval period, sex work was thriving. In many places it was legal, even. In this second episode in our mini-series exploring sex work through history, Kate is joined by the legend of sex worker history, Ruth Karras. What did a medieval brothel look like? How did sex workers dress? And why does the word 'spinster' mean sex worker? This episode w...

She wrote some of the most enduring romances in literature. But what did Jane Austen really know about love ... and sex? From longing looks and flirtation, to seduction and elopement, in this episode we're investigating how much of Jane Austen's works was based on experience. Kate is joined by John Mullan, Lord Northcliffe Professor of Modern English Literature at University College London and aut...

What did it look like inside a Roman brothel? Who was the sex worker involved in a murder plot to kill an Emperor? And why was the Pope getting sex workers to race chariots?! In this first episode of our brand new limited-series on sex work through history, Kate is joined by Professor Anise Strong, who takes us back to meet some of the amazing sex workers from Ancient Rome, including one who was i...

Childbirth isn't for the faint-hearted at the best of times, let alone in the medieval period.  What was a birthing room like at this time in history? Who would have been in there helping bring a new baby into the world? And how suspicious were the church of these all-women spaces? Joining Kate today is the always-fabulous Eleanor Janega, co-host of our sister podcast Gone Medieval, to take u...

Deep in an Ancient Greek labyrinth lurks the half bull half man monster: the Minotaur. What did this wild myth about a woman having a baby with a bull have to say about how humans understood our taboo desires? How did they even make it happen? And what happened when you found him in the labyrinth? Joining Kate today is historian and author, Jasmine Elmer, to help us get to the bottom of this myth...

Against the paranoid backdrop of the Scottish witch trials, a murder plot involving King James and some of his lovers took place. To make matters more juicy, it centres around the Bonnie Earl of Moray, who is said to be the most handsome man in Scotland. How does this situation create a conflict of interests for King James VI & I? Joining Kate today is the wonderful Gareth Russell, author of Queen...

Why did Victorians value pale skin so highly? And how were black bodies viewed by Victorian society? In this episode Kate is joined by author and historian Dr Rochelle Rowe of the University of Edinburgh. This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a ne...

At least 160 million people worldwide take some form of the contraceptive pill. So where did it come from? Who invented it and why? And how has it changed the world? Kate is joined by Donna Drucker, author of 'Contraception: A Concise History' and historian from Columbia University. Together they discuss whether the contraceptive pill has been a force for liberation. This episode was edited by To...

Why did royalty have worse teeth than commoners? How would the Tudor court have smelt? And when even the Queen of England can be accused of being a witch for a random mole, what hope did the rest of us have? In this new mini-series, we'll be exploring the beauty standards - and ideas of ugliness - throughout time periods in history. In this third episode Kate is joined by historian and author Nico...

He cuts a fine figure, walking down the street. Whether it's a bow tie and a sharp suit, perfectly curated clashing colours, or a moustache with every hair strictly held in place - this is a person who spends hours on their look. But why? In this episode of Betwixt the Sheets, Kate is joined by Peter K. Andersson, author of ‘The Dandy” A People’s History of Sartorial Splendour’. Together they disc...

Beauty fads come and go - remember super low-rise jeans in the 90s? IYKYK. What was considered cool and beautiful in the medieval period? What skincare routines were medieval people doing? And how did the Black Death affect how people dressed and presented themselves? In this new mini-series, we'll be exploring the beauty standards - and ideas of ugliness - throughout time periods in history. In t...

Imagine an executioner. Are they big, strong, cloaked and masked? Are they male? Probably - because most executioners in history have been. Today, though, we're meeting a woman who broke the mould. Journalist and writer Clodagh Finn joins Kate to explore the life of Lady Betty, the Irish executioner of the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as some other Irish women who have defied the boundaries of...

What was a Roman skincare routine like? Why did the beard make a comeback under Emperor Hadrian? And what did it mean to be ugly in this time? In this new mini-series, we'll be exploring the beauty standards - and ideas of ugliness - throughout time periods in history. Starting today with Ancient Rome, Kate is joined by historian and author Emma Southon to find out why Romans would have loved the...

You could be forgiven for thinking the Greek myth of Medusa has zero relevance to us today. Snake for hair?! But as you'll hear in today's episode, she's a woman who was vilified for her femininity and sexuality. She was literally cast out of society for it - into a cave, of all places. Joining Kate to help us get to know this mythical woman and her story is author and historian Jasmine Elmer. Thi...