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 2

A stone-age doctor tries to help a modern patient, a whining Pharaoh invents the pyramid, and Henry VIII meets his dead friends.

Further details

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 23rd April 2009
Time
4:35pm
Channel
BBC One
Length
30 minutes

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Thursday 14th January 2010 4:05pm BBC1
Saturday 28th May 2011 2:35pm CBBC
Sunday 29th May 2011 9:30am CBBC
Friday 3rd June 2011 10:30am CBBC
Tuesday 6th March 2012 6:15pm CBBC
Monday 2nd April 2012 3:05pm BBC1
Monday 9th April 2012 11:00am CBBC
Sunday 14th October 2012 9:00am CBBC
Monday 15th July 2013 10:30am CBBC
Tuesday 3rd September 2013 7:45am CBBC
Sunday 12th January 2014 6:20pm CBBC
Tuesday 12th April 2016 7:00pm CBBC
Monday 1st August 2016 7:00pm CBBC
Wednesday 7th September 2016 7:00pm CBBC
Tuesday 6th December 2016 7:00pm CBBC
Sunday 2nd April 2017 10:00am CBBC
Sunday 26th November 2017 8:30pm CBBC
Monday 26th March 2018 12:00pm CBBC
Monday 26th March 2018 2:45pm CBBC
Monday 26th March 2018 7:00pm CBBC
Tuesday 24th July 2018 1:45pm CBBC
Tuesday 24th July 2018 7:00pm CBBC
Tuesday 4th September 2018 7:00pm CBBC
Wednesday 28th November 2018 6:55pm CBBC
Thursday 7th March 2019 12:40pm CBBC
Friday 21st June 2019 7:00pm CBBC
Tuesday 27th August 2019 7:00pm CBBC
Friday 17th January 2020 5:30pm CBBC
Wednesday 8th December 2021 6:25pm CBBC
Sunday 8th January 2023 6:30pm CBBC
Tuesday 3rd October 2023 10:25am 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
Giles Terera Ensemble Actor
Lisa Devlin Ensemble Actor
Javone Prince Ensemble Actor
John Eccleston Rattus Rattus
Writing team
Ben Ward Writer
Lucy Clarke Writer
Steve Punt Writer
George Sawyer Writer
Marc Blakewill Writer
James Harris Writer
George Poles 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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