Horrible Histories. Image shows from L to R: Gemma Whelan, Ryan Sampson, Tom Stourton
Horrible Histories

Horrible Histories

  • TV sketch show
  • CBBC / BBC One
  • 2009 - 2024
  • 140 episodes (10 series)

Hit sketch show based on surprising facts from world history, inspired by the hit children's book series. Stars Jim Howick, Simon Farnaby, Ben Willbond, Mathew Baynton, Martha Howe-Douglas and more.

Episode menu

Series 1, Episode 1

A pirate captain worries about early bedtime, a soldier from the First World War struggles to cook with fake food and the four King Georges form a boy band and sing Born To Rule - a musical journey through 18th-century British History, sung in the style of a Westlife ballad.

Further details

Horrible Histories. Jim Howick. Copyright: Lion Television / Citrus Television

A rather unsavoury liquid that was used to clean clothes in the Middle Ages is revealed in this week's edition of the comedy sketch show which takes a humorous look at all things historical.

Historical Hospital sees a stone-age doctor try to cure a terrified modern patient's headache and My Stuart Family are amused when they feast their eyes on their first banana.

King Pepi II, a pharaoh, discovers a novel way to combat flies and Meera Syal reads the Ancient Egyptian version of The Princess And The Pea.

King Henry VIII is reminded of all the people he beheaded in This Is Your Reign and the Tudor monarch rounds off the show with Divorced, Beheaded And Died, a witty ditty detailing the lives of his six wives.

Broadcast details

Date
Thursday 16th April 2009
Time
4:35pm
Channel
BBC One
Length
30 minutes

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Thursday 7th January 2010 4:05pm BBC1
Saturday 28th May 2011 2:05pm CBBC
Friday 3rd June 2011 10:00am CBBC
Monday 29th August 2011 6:25pm CBBC
Saturday 10th December 2011 9:30am BBC2
Friday 6th January 2012 4:30pm BBC1
Wednesday 15th February 2012 10:00am CBBC
Monday 9th April 2012 10:30am CBBC
Sunday 7th October 2012 9:00am CBBC
Friday 12th July 2013 10:30am CBBC
Monday 2nd September 2013 7:45am CBBC
Sunday 5th January 2014 6:20pm CBBC
Monday 25th May 2015 1:45pm CBBC
Monday 11th April 2016 7:00pm CBBC
Friday 29th July 2016 7:00pm CBBC
Sunday 11th September 2016 2:20pm CBBC
Monday 5th December 2016 7:00pm CBBC
Sunday 2nd April 2017 9:30am CBBC
Sunday 19th November 2017 8:30pm CBBC
Friday 23rd March 2018 7:00pm CBBC
Monday 23rd July 2018 1:45pm CBBC
Monday 23rd July 2018 7:00pm CBBC
Monday 3rd September 2018 7:00pm CBBC
Tuesday 27th November 2018 7:00pm CBBC
Wednesday 6th March 2019 12:40pm CBBC
Thursday 20th June 2019 10:00pm CBBC
Saturday 14th September 2019 1:50pm CBBC
Friday 10th January 2020 5:30pm CBBC
Tuesday 7th December 2021 6:25pm CBBC
Thursday 28th April 2022 10:30am CBBC
Sunday 1st January 2023 6:25pm CBBC
Monday 2nd October 2023 10:25am CBBC
Monday 15th April 2024 6:00pm CBBC

Cast & crew

Cast
Jim Howick Various
Simon Farnaby Various
Ben Willbond Various
Mathew Baynton Various
Martha Howe-Douglas Various
Laurence Rickard Various
Sarah Hadland Various
Jon Culshaw Various (Voice)
Jess Robinson Various (Voice)
Meera Syal Self
Lisa Devlin Ensemble Actor
Javone Prince Ensemble Actor
John Eccleston Rattus Rattus
Writing team
Ben Ward Writer
Dave Cohen Writer
Lucy Clarke Writer
Jon Holmes Writer
Susie Donkin Writer
Production team
Steve Connelly Director
Chloe Thomas Director
Caroline Norris Series Producer
Giles Pilbrow Producer
Dominic Brigstocke Producer
Richard Bradley Executive Producer
Kim Shillinglaw Executive Producer
Charlie Fawcett Editor
Michelle Turkington Editor
Miranda Jones Production Designer
Richie Webb Composer
Matt Katz Composer

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