It's no secret that many alleged "grown-ups" are supplementing their haphazard history educations with CBBC's Horrible Histories, back for its fifth series with lovely, daft input from The League of Gentlemen. Tiny, mighty Sarah Hadland from Miranda and funny, clever Alice Lowe, writer of Sightseers are regular faces too. To adult eyes, Horrible Histories has the distinct feel of a group of bright, young, erudite, writery-actory sparks having a tremendously good time. One that they probably wouldn't be permitted to have anywhere else on telly.

Kids love them as they are the most peculiar sort of grown-ups. The sort of wonky uncles and aunties who turn up to tea with mild hangovers, scant regard for etiquette and a host of stories about idiot highway men, Second World War bat bombs (bombs attached to bats, prone to exploding before they left the American base) and an imaginary CD compilation called Now That's What I Call Spartan Warrior Music.

There's something about the Horrible Histories gang I find terrifically, stupidly, funny. They're the best bits of Monty Python, Roald Dahl, Tiswas, BBC2's The Tudors and The Young Ones all shoved into a bin and bashed with a stick. "Divorced, beheaded and Died! Divorced, Beheaded, Survived!" is the song that carousels in my mind whenever anyone mentions Henry VIII. Horrible Histories drummed the order of Henry's wives and their fates into my mind where A-level cramming failed forlornly. If only Mathew Baynton and Ben Willbond had shown up at my school in the Nineties and sung a few songs about the fall of the Holy Roman Empire, I could have a proper job now. Not just writing down stuff I think, drinking Earl Grey and taking Yodel deliveries in for neighbours.

Black Sabbath listened to Monty Python

Rock band Black Sabbath listen to Monty Python soundtracks while warming up for their gigs it has been revealed.

Monty Python, everything you need to know - infographic

A graphic look at some interesting things concerning Monty Python.

Monty Python stars reunite for film Absolutely Anything

The original stars of cult comedy Monty Python look set to reunite once more for a new movie. John Cleese, Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin are all said to be voicing characters of a group of aliens in the film who grant wishes to humans for laughs.

Monty Python: The Beatles of Comedy

Monty Python's genius was to respect nothing.

The making of Monty Python's Life Of Brian

It was the simple story of a very naughty boy who gets mistaken for the Messiah. Somewhere along the line Monty Python's magnum opus was mistaken for a blasphemous parody of the Gospels. Hmmm, wonder why...

Monty Python sued over Spamalot royalties

The surviving members of Monty Python are being sued by one of the producers of cult film Monty Python and the Holy Grail over royalty rights to Spamalot.

Monty Python's Terry Jones on Graham Chapman's biopic

We talked to original Python Terry Jones about Graham Chapman's drinking, his mum's influence, and Terry Gilliam's bossiness.

Jon Culshaw on starring in Monty Python's Spamalot

Jon Culshaw's advice is to always look on the bright side of life. That's the song he sings on the West End stage in his role as King Arthur in Spamalot.

Spike Milligan accused Monty Python of plagiarism

Michael Palin has revealed Spike Milligan once accused Monty Python of "plagiarism".