Spill the Mead

Madi Gervais & CoHosts

Spill the Mead delivers research‑driven storytelling that makes history feel alive, immersive, and wildly entertaining. Host Madi and her Batch of Bards dig deep into the archives—cross‑checking sources, comparing accounts, and pulling from global scholarship—to bring you stories that feel less like a lecture and more like swapping unbelievable tales with friends. Real history meets real entertainment. This is history with personality. This is Spill the Mead.

  1. 6d ago ·  Bonus

    Henry VIII the Athlete | The Injury That Changed Everything: Uncorked with Jackson Van Uden

    When you hear “Henry VIII” a few key words may come to mind, and “athlete” may not be one of them. In this episode of Spill the Mead: Uncorked, I’m joined by Jackson Van Uden to look at this key aspect of Henry’s personality that often gets overlooked. Sport wasn’t simply something Henry did for fun. It was a huge part of his identity, until one day it was all suddenly ripped away. We explore what that loss may have meant for Henry, the impact of living with chronic pain, and whether those two things together can help us better understand some of the changes we see in him later in life. Jackson also brings his own experience with serious sports injuries to the conversation, giving us a unique perspective on what it can feel like when injury takes away not only what you love doing, but a piece of who you understand yourself to be. This is NOT about excusing Henry VIII, just looking deeper into why he was the way that so famously was. For more from Jacskson Van Uden, visit historywithjackson.co.uk Follow him on instagram and TikTok @historywithjackson AD‑FREE LISTENING on Patreon + tons of extra content! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/spillthemead Merch: https://linkpop.com/spillthemeadpodcast/ Find us on Instagram & Facebook: @spillthemeadpodcast Credits Host & Producer: Madi Gervais Featuring rotating cohosts from the Spill the Mead team © 2026 Spill the Mead LLC. All rights reserved.

    Henry VIII the Athlete | The Injury That Changed Everything: Uncorked with Jackson Van Uden

  2. Jul 24

    Jane Seymour | Part 3b: The Pacificator

    In Part B of the Pacificator, Mary is alive, but still absent from court. It feels like the moment to pay her a visit, so we open this episode with Jane and Henry doing exactly that. Jane (and the rest of us) hold our breath to see whether Henry will finally invite her back. What if we told you that none of what has happened so far has been considered by historians the greatest political crisis of Henry’s reign? Not Catherine. Not Anne. Not Mary. But the events of this episode. Buckle up for the conclusion of Part 3. It is intense. It is stressful. It is uncertain. It is Jane’s reign. AD‑FREE LISTENING on Patreon + tons of extra content! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/spillthemead Merch: https://linkpop.com/spillthemeadpodcast/ Find us on Instagram & Facebook: @spillthemeadpodcast Credits Host & Producer: Madi Gervais Featuring rotating cohosts from the Spill the Mead team © 2026 Spill the Mead LLC. All rights reserved.

    Jane Seymour | Part 3b: The Pacificator

  3. Jul 15

    Jane Seymour | Part 3a: The Pacificator

    Anne Boleyn is dead. Jane Seymour is queen. And everyone expects England's problems to disappear. Whoops. As plans for Jane's coronation move forward, Henry VIII grows increasingly unpredictable, his health deteriorates, and the future of the Tudor dynasty remains uncertain. Meanwhile, Jane is tasked with an impossible mission: helping to reconcile Princess Mary with the father who declared her illegitimate. With imperial ambassadors watching, political factions maneuvering, and whispers that Mary's very life may be in danger, Jane finds herself carrying the burden of a peace that is fragile beyond all belief. In Part A of The Pacificator, we explore the chaos, uncertainty, and high-stakes politics of Jane Seymour's first months as queen—and the fragile reconciliation that would define her legacy. AD‑FREE LISTENING on Patreon + tons of extra content! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/spillthemead Merch: https://linkpop.com/spillthemeadpodcast/ Find us on Instagram & Facebook: @spillthemeadpodcast Credits Host & Producer: Madi Gervais Featuring rotating cohosts from the Spill the Mead team © 2026 Spill the Mead LLC. All rights reserved.

    Jane Seymour | Part 3a: The Pacificator

  4. Jun 17

    Jane Seymour | Part 2: The Scheme

    Was Jane Seymour trapped? Was she used? Or was she playing the game all along? In Part Two of our Jane Seymour series, we follow Jane from Anne Boleyn's household to the threshold of queenship. Along the way, we explore the role of Elizabeth Seymour, trace the royal progress of 1535, examine Henry VIII's life-changing injury, and uncover what Jane's place at court may have really looked like. Then we turn to the question at the heart of the episode: the scheme. Was Jane a pawn in someone else's game, a woman caught in impossible circumstances, or an active participant in one of the most dramatic shifts in Tudor history? As Anne Boleyn's world begins to collapse, Jane Seymour's rise is only just beginning. AD‑FREE LISTENING on Patreon + tons of extra content! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/spillthemead Merch: https://linkpop.com/spillthemeadpodcast/ Find us on Instagram & Facebook: @spillthemeadpodcast Credits Host & Producer: Madi Gervais Featuring rotating cohosts from the Spill the Mead team © 2026 Spill the Mead LLC. All rights reserved.

    Jane Seymour | Part 2: The Scheme

  5. Jun 3

    Jane Seymour | Part 1: The Country

    Before the court, there was the country. Episode 1/5 begins at Wolfhall, where ongoing archaeological excavations are still uncovering the world that Jane would have known. We talk about the fascinating (and not to be dramatic - but groundbreaking) finds they have uncovered as we attempt to understand the elusive Jane Seymour. Meanwhile at court, Catherine of Aragon’s marriage begins to fracture under the growing influence of Anne Boleyn. Jane will eventually arrive to a household increasingly defined by tension, uncertainty, and divided loyalties. Themes that would prove to be ongoing in her life. We will watch through Jane's eyes as Catherine’s household collapses around her, ultimately ending Jane's brief court career. Before she knows it, she will find herself back in the country once more, just waiting for her life to begin. AD‑FREE LISTENING on Patreon + tons of extra content! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/spillthemead Merch: https://linkpop.com/spillthemeadpodcast/ Find us on Instagram & Facebook: @spillthemeadpodcast Credits Host & Producer: Madi Gervais Featuring rotating cohosts from the Spill the Mead team © 2026 Spill the Mead LLC. All rights reserved.

    Jane Seymour | Part 1: The Country

  6. May 13 ·  Bonus

    Anne Boleyn Exhibit | What He Couldn't Say: Uncorked with Dr. Owen Emmerson

    In this episode, Dr. Emerson returns to Spill the Mead to revisit the captivating Capturing a Queen exhibit at Hever castle and discuss some of the details he couldn’t fully speak on during our first conversation. We talk more about the exhibit itself, the portraits on display, and the stories surrounding Anne Boleyn. Then, naturally, things descend slightly into chaos as we play a game assigning personalities to different Anne Boleyn portraits — including which Anne would have ACTUALLY worn yellow that day (IYKYK), and which Anne would be the most fun to get a drink with. Part historical discussion, part portrait analysis, and part tavern chaos, this episode is a deeper and much more relaxed follow-up conversation exploring the many faces of Anne Boleyn. Be sure to check out Hever Castle & Gardens for more information on this amazing, once in a lifetime exhibit. Also check out Dr. Emmerson's website for more on his research, books, and upcoming events: Dr Owen Emmerson – Dr Owen Emmerson AD FREE LISTENING on Patreon as well as tons of extra content! Please consider supporting us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/spillthemead You can purchase Spill the Mead merchandise here https://linkpop.com/spillthemeadpodcast/ Find us on Instagram, and Facebook @spillthemeadpodcast Find Madi @myladygervais on Instagram Find Dr. Emmerson @drowenemmerson Music is composed by Nicholas Leigh nicholasleighmusic.com

    Anne Boleyn Exhibit | What He Couldn't Say: Uncorked with Dr. Owen Emmerson

  7. Apr 8 ·  Bonus

    Uncorked: "Mad Whimsy" & the Quaker Glow-Up with Dr. Erica Canela

    This week on Uncorked, Dr. Erica Canela joins us to dive into the wild, weird, and unexpectedly chaotic world of Quaker history. Yes, the Quakers were unhinged, and yes, they’ve had a major glow up. We break down the evolution from radical early Quaker antics to the modern-day Friends, some of whom are kind of attractive. Naturally, this leads to a very serious scholarly exercise we call “Quaker Hot or Not.” And don’t miss the story of the MOST unhinged Quaker woman of them all... a legend of pure, unfiltered “mad whimsy.” If you thought you knew the Quakers, think again. Make sure you catch the visual of this episode on our YouTube channel! For more from Dr. Erica Canela, check out her website for more on her upcoming classes and events, as well as how to access her book! Visit her site here: Dr Erica Canela | Public Historian, Copywriter & Editor AD FREE LISTENING on Patreon as well as tons of extra content! https://www.patreon.com/c/spillthemead You can purchase Spill the Mead merchandise here https://linkpop.com/spillthemeadpodcast/ Find us on Instagram, and Facebook @spillthemeadpodcast Find Madi @myladygervais on Instagram Music is composed by Nicholas Leigh nicholasleighmusic.com

    Uncorked: "Mad Whimsy" & the Quaker Glow-Up with Dr. Erica Canela

  8. Mar 25

    Past Meets Pigskin | Drafting Historical Figures into the NFL

    Ok, yes, it's a football episode BUT DISCLAIMER: you do NOT have to be familiar with or like football for this episode! As long as you like a WIDE range of historical figures, people fighting for their lives to make a case over an imaginary scenario, and Nicholas Cage... you're in the right place. Madi & Chris choose their historical dream team with potential "legends of the line" like Julius Caesar, Elizabeth I, Genghis Khan, and an absolute legendary woman with a cooking pot on her head (cheers to you if you know based off of just that!) Buckle up, the Historical 2026 Draft is NOW OPEN! AD FREE LISTENING on Patreon as well as tons of extra content! https://www.patreon.com/c/spillthemead You can purchase Spill the Mead merchandise here https://linkpop.com/spillthemeadpodcast/ Find us on Instagram, and Facebook @spillthemeadpodcast Find Madi @myladygervais on Instagram Find Chris @chrisrileyhistory on Instagram Music is composed by Nicholas Leigh nicholasleighmusic.com

    Past Meets Pigskin | Drafting Historical Figures into the NFL
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5
out of 5
22 Ratings

About

Spill the Mead delivers research‑driven storytelling that makes history feel alive, immersive, and wildly entertaining. Host Madi and her Batch of Bards dig deep into the archives—cross‑checking sources, comparing accounts, and pulling from global scholarship—to bring you stories that feel less like a lecture and more like swapping unbelievable tales with friends. Real history meets real entertainment. This is history with personality. This is Spill the Mead.

Information

  • Creator
    Madi Gervais & CoHosts
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    72
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Madi Gervais 2022
  • Show Website
    Spill the Mead

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