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
  • 136 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.

  • Due to return for Series 11
  • 2016 Specials repeated Sunday at 1:15pm on CBBC
  • JustWatch Streaming rank this week: 990

Press clippings Page 5

For Auntie's #LovetoRead campaign, HH returns with a one-off special telling tales stretching back to the stone age when "CGI; cave-generated imagery" was all the rage. The jokes don't get any less silly (and why would they?) as we're treated to DH Lawrence naked, up a tree; George Eliot being manly; and a visit to William Caxton's bookshop circa 1475: "Do you have any biographies? Thrillers? Teen vampire fiction?"

Jonathan Wright, The Guardian, 11th July 2016

Horrible Histories: Staggering Storytellers review

The award-winning TV series returns with a special episode on famous writers and their origin stories. And when we say 'origin', we mean dawn-of-mankind origin. The episode shows how storytelling evolved through the eras, from storytelling in caves to printed books. At the same time, it lets us in on little secrets (and weird habits) of acclaimed writers and poets.

Katerina Perdikaki, On The Box, 11th July 2016

With the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death approaching, the HH team gather their best bard jokes and return to the Tudor days, when theatre was huge. "It had to be, there wasn't any telly." Ben Jonson, Christopher Marlowe and Gabriel Spenser delight as bad-boy rappers, while a Gene Kelly-spoofing turn from Miles Jupp centres on an era when people emptied chamber pots out of upstairs windows: "I'm singing in urine."

Jonathan Wright, The Guardian, 19th April 2016

Horrible Histories: Incredible Invaders, live review

With performers changing costumes and characters every few minutes they certainly work their socks off as they wittily enact how the Romans, Celts, Saxons, Angles, Vikings and Normans have all added into our melting pot.

Jay Nuttall, The Reviews Hub, 7th April 2016

Horrible Histories leads BAFTA Children's nominations

Horrible Histories could be heading to success at this year's British Academy Children's Awards after being nominated in three categories.

Harry Fletcher, Digital Spy, 22nd October 2015

Terry Deary: 'I don't really like historians'

The Horrible Histories author on how the bestselling series began and what West End audiences can expect from Barmy Britain Part Three.

Emily Cole, What's On Stage, 20th July 2015

One of the all-time great kids' shows returns for series six, adjusting to the loss of the original cast by organising itself into special episodes focusing on a single historical figure. Tom Rosenthal is the perfect choice to play crap-haired milquetoast Alfred the Great, thrust on to the throne after the deaths of all four of his elder brothers. He fights a constant battle against both the Vikings and haemorrhoids, and we learn that he didn't burn any cakes and that the Scandinavians brought sarcasm to England.

Jack Seale, The Guardian, 25th May 2015

Ben Miller: pushing myself into different comedy forms

Ben Miller is bringing one of Britain's most loathsome monarchs back to life in Horrible Histories: King John And The Magna Carta.

Vicki Power, The Daily Express, 31st January 2015

Rowan Atkinson to star in Horrible Histories

Blackadder and Mr Bean star Rowan Atkinson is to return to television comedy this year with a guest starring role in CBBC sketch show Horrible Histories.

British Comedy Guide, 5th January 2015

BBC rapped over Florence Nightingale sketch

The BBC Trust has criticised Horrible Histories for giving the impression that Florence Nightingale was racist.

BBC News, 30th September 2014

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