Evil Genius with Russell Kane

BBC

4.0 (299)
Comedy

It's good, bad, ugly - and very very funny. Changing the way we see heroes and villains in history.

Dec 2 · Subscriber Early Access

Crocodiles

Join Russell Kane as he places another critter into the moral spotlight and asks: is it genius? Or a bitey bastard? Long of snout and short of leg, this giant terror is more snappy than a hungover politician and has a taste for flesh. It can sneakily swim right up to you without you knowing, but also makes a great parent. Today we're putting Swim Shady - aka the Crocodile - in the dock. Russell's joined by top comedian Peter Rethinasamy and the Natural History Museum's brilliant Merit Researcher, Dr. Natalie Cooper. Will they deem Bite Tyson a submerged menace? Or a Swamp Superhero? You and your ears will have to listen to find out. Written by: Eve Delaney, Ruth Huskisson and Christina Riggs. Additional material: Angela Channell, Adrian Gray and Catherine Beazley. Researcher: Catherine Beazley Sound Recordist: Dom Boucher Digital Editor: Jerry Peal Production Coordinator: Liz Tuohy Executive Producer: Paul Smith Producer: Simon Nicholls Evil Animals with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds.
Nov 25 · Subscriber Early Access

Rabbits

Join Russell Kane as he places another animal before the court of public opinion and asks: is this animal a genius? Or an animal git? This animal is a professional escape artist, an obsessive digger, and its sex life makes Love Island look like Songs of Praise. That’s right - today we're putting rabbits in the dock. Helping Russell separate the furry facts from the bunny bollocks are international superstar comedian Felicity Ward and esteemed zoologist, vet and best-selling author, Dr. Jess French. Will they deem Robert Hop-penenheimer a fluffy destroyer of worlds? Or a Burrowing Beauty? You’ll have to listen to find out. Written by: Eve Delaney, Ruth Huskisson and Christina Riggs. Additional material: Angela Channell and Catherine Beazley. Researcher: Catherine Beazley Sound Recordist: Gareth Wood Digital Editor: Jerry Peal Production Coordinator: Liz Tuohy Executive Producer: Paul Smith Producer: Simon Nicholls Evil Animals with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds.
Nov 18 · Subscriber Early Access

Crows

Join Russell Kane as he rummages through nature’s police files, potentially exposing that glossy sinister feathered felon: the Crow. Let’s face it, Gwyneth Pal-crows have one of the worst reps of all birds. Think about it: Penguins? Lovely. Puffins? Legends! Crows? DEATH. Helping Russell sort the caw-caws from the jackdaws, are comedian Desiree Burch and the Natural History Museum’s Principal Curator of Birds, Dr. Alex Bond. Are Crows ‘Bad News with Wings’ or ‘Feathered Fantastics’? Listen with your ears to find out. Written by: Eve Delaney, Ruth Huskisson and Christina Riggs. Additional material: Angela Channell and Catherine Beazley. Researcher: Catherine Beazley Sound Recordist: Gareth Wood Digital Editor: Jerry Peal Production Coordinator: Liz Tuohy Executive Producer: Paul Smith Producer: Simon Nicholls Evil Animals with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios Production for BBC Sounds.
1d ago

How Houdini Made Magic

For a century, Harry Houdini has been safely filed away in the public imagination as a nostalgic variety act: a man in monochrome film escaping handcuffs, water tanks, and straightjackets. This series smashes that myth. Hosted by "psychological illusionist" Derren Brown, How Houdini Made Magic reframes a penniless immigrant refugee named Erik Weisz as a prophetic, hyper-modern visionary. Long before the birth of Silicon Valley, modern political spin rooms, or algorithmic social media, Houdini cracked the code of modern fame. He didn't just escape physical boxes; he manipulated suspense, pioneered viral guerrilla marketing, employed the legal system to protect his brand, and mastered the dark arts of post-truth media. He created magic in far more ways than you think. Against a backdrop of vaudeville and societal revolution, Derren explores the lesser-known identities of a magician who continues to inspire him and countless other magicians: Houdini as an advertising guru, a new media innovator, a sceptic... a spy? We'll come to realise that today's world actually closely mirrors the 'sepia-tinted' world Houdini operated in: a time of rapid industrialisation, intense social change, massive wealth inequality, widespread social activism, global conflict, cultural revolutions, and immense technological advancement. We are living in an attention economy running on the exact behavioural hacks, artificial friction, and narrative illusions engineered by Harry Houdini over a century ago.
3d ago

Series 13: Sean Connery

He won the hearts of a nation for his suave, sexy James Bond, but will Kane, Russell Kane and his panel say (Dr) No to the Hollywood heartthrob? Featuring highly in the priorities of Katie Norris, Bella Hull and Rosie Holt: chest hair, Scotland, bloody-mindedness, and dry-humping pillows. Featuring less highly: feminism. Was Sean Connery the best Bond? Is Russell being bullied? Will this episode pass the Bechdel Test? Yes, yes, no, in that order. Additional material: Christina Riggs, Angela Channell and Katie Sayer Researcher: Christina Riggs Recording Engineer: Dom Boucher Sound Editor: Kate Mac Production Coordinator: Liz Tuohy Executive Producer: Paul Smith The producer was Katie Sayer. Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds.
Oct 28

Series 13: Founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard

L Ron Hubbard was a writer of science fiction and an inventor of fictional worlds. He also founded Scientology. Helping Russell decide whether Hubbard himself was a champion or a charlatan are disciples Stephen Bailey, Hasan Al Habib and Lindsey Kane, asking important questions like: does Buffy count as sci-fi? Should doctors be hot? And can you be fired from a job for incompetent licking? Additional material: Miriam O’Byrne, Angela Channell and Katie Sayer Researcher: Miriam O’Byrne Recording Engineer: Dom Boucher Sound Editor: Kate Mac Production Coordinator: Liz Tuohy Executive Producer: Paul Smith The producer was Katie Sayer. Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds.
Oct 21

Series 13: Catherine de' Medici

Catherine de' Medici, the legendary queen of France, was known across Europe for her murderous ways. The so-called ‘serpent queen’ rarely saw her husband’s anaconda - but she did carve a role for herself as the OG momager; Catherine de' Medici walked so Kris Jenner could run. Russell Kane and guests Kate Cheka, Ian Smith and Kazeem Jamal talk poison, throuples, and medieval IVF. Additional material: Christina Riggs and Katie Sayer Researcher: Christina Riggs Recording Engineer: Dom Boucher Sound Editor: Kate Mac Production Coordinator: Liz Tuohy Executive Producer: Paul Smith The producer was Katie Sayer. Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds.
Oct 14

Series 13: Princess Diana

Diana Spencer is one of the most famous women who ever lived. But behind closed doors, was the people’s princess really anything more just a pouting poser? Russell Kane is joined by Stephen Bailey, Hasan Al Habib and Lindsey Kane to discuss whether the doe-eyed drama queen was a royal pain - or the queen of hearts. Additional material: Christina Riggs and Katie Sayer Researcher: Christina Riggs Recording Engineer: Dom Boucher Sound Editor: Kate Mac Production Coordinator: Liz Tuohy Executive Producer: Paul Smith The producer was Katie Sayer. Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds.

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Russell Kane

Host
Peter Rethinasamy

Guest
Natalie Cooper

Guest
Felicity Ward

Guest
Jess French

Guest
Desiree Burch

Guest
Alex Bond

Guest
Lindsey Kane

Guest
Stephen Bailey

Guest
Hasan Al-Habib

Guest

4

out of 5

299 Ratings

Groan

Oct 7

Fluffy 97

I was hoping this was going to be funny but it’s all about the people on the panel and their background. How is this even a show, it’s just pretentious snobs airing the obvious. It’s a hard no from me.
hacky and wokey

Sep 27

SpongeBobbyHil589

interesting concept, terrible execution. the standard episdoe of 30 minutes isn't enough time to give a full or fair picture on these figures. The "comedians" devote more time talking about their personal backstories, retite: Dull Dunces. Congrats, you used a theaurse for notes. Is this thought of as British witticism? Standard BBC, diversity quotas guests, yet they all occupy the same liberal echo chamber. Live shows have that cannned,dead laughter. BBC is in a strange state of propaganda of late, canceling historical figures, mostly for the wrong reasons. The "comedians'" judge based on modern sesnibilites rather than historical context. And can't grasp that modern sesnibilites may actaully be evil. Maybe if you are going to be discussing a certain person, that guest have some knowledge or understanding on the subject. Too often the panel doesn't seem to know basic facts.
Fun, Funny, and you learn a little!

Jul 25

smds2012

Love this podcast. Just came across it and started from the beginning. It’s like being in a dinner conversation with your mates and talking about interesting characters from history. One of my biggest takeaways is that we Americans are the ones who have been pronouncing Adidas incorrectly all this time!
Tired format. Tired host

Mar 18

RIT KENDALL

Like the whole idea of contrasting the yin and yang of historical figures even through a more tenuous extension to animals. I don’t like the luke warm and humorless narrative from the host who hasn’t yet earned the right for us to be vaguely interested in his private life. Unabashed we’re repeatedly exposed to vanilla anecdotes from his seemingly dull existence . Being extra sweary doesn’t make any of this any funnier. His snarky introduction to his guests at the beginning of the episode on sea otters was disingenuous in the extreme. He sounded like some sloppy D lister giving a lecture to some poor E listers.