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 5

A priest makes a piano from live pigs, Emperor Caligula declares war on the sea, and we discover disgusting beauty tips from Ancient Egypt.

Further details

Strange Egyptian beauty secrets, a Saxon musical instrument made from pigs and details about William the Conqueror's shambolic funeral form a selection of the fascinating and funny facts featured in this week's edition of the historical comedy sketch series.

Adverts for Pharaoh Fashion magazine and Mouse Fresh Max show how Egyptians stayed up to date by wearing wax cones in their hair and sheep wool wigs and how they kept their breath fresh by putting half a hot dead mouse in their mouths.

Bob Hale romps through the origins of man in two minutes in the Stone Age Report and the series imagines a dinner party between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens.

Meera Syal reads the Saxon version of Goldilocks And The Three Bears and Saxon King Ethelred the Unready reveals some of the ordeals he created to detect if a person is guilty, including ordeal by cake.

A Georgian doctor reports for duty in Historical Hospital, prescribing an unpalatable cure consisting of urine, ground woodlice, sugar and nutmeg.

Broadcast details

Date
Thursday 14th May 2009
Time
4:35pm
Channel
BBC One
Length
30 minutes

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Thursday 4th February 2010 4:05pm BBC1
Friday 15th October 2010 4:30pm BBC1
Saturday 21st May 2011 2:10pm CBBC
Saturday 28th May 2011 4:00pm CBBC
Friday 3rd June 2011 12:00pm CBBC
Saturday 17th September 2011 11:00am CBBC
Monday 19th March 2012 6:15pm CBBC
Monday 9th April 2012 12:30pm CBBC
Sunday 11th November 2012 9:00am CBBC
Thursday 18th July 2013 10:30am CBBC
Friday 6th September 2013 7:45am CBBC
Sunday 2nd February 2014 6:30pm CBBC
Friday 15th April 2016 7:00pm CBBC
Thursday 4th August 2016 7:00pm CBBC
Monday 9th January 2017 7:30pm CBBC
Sunday 16th April 2017 9:30am CBBC
Sunday 17th December 2017 8:30pm CBBC
Thursday 29th March 2018 12:00pm CBBC
Thursday 29th March 2018 2:45pm CBBC
Thursday 29th March 2018 7:00pm CBBC
Friday 27th July 2018 1:45pm CBBC
Friday 27th July 2018 7:00pm CBBC
Friday 7th September 2018 7:00pm CBBC
Monday 3rd December 2018 7:00pm CBBC
Sunday 31st March 2019 11:25am CBBC
Thursday 27th June 2019 7:00pm CBBC
Friday 7th February 2020 5:30pm CBBC
Tuesday 14th December 2021 6:20pm CBBC
Thursday 5th May 2022 10:30am CBBC
Monday 30th January 2023 8:35am CBBC
Friday 6th 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
Katy Wix Ensemble Actor
Lisa Devlin Ensemble Actor
Javone Prince Ensemble Actor
John Eccleston Rattus Rattus
Writing team
Steve Punt Writer
Jon Holmes Writer
Arnold Widdowson 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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