The History Hour

BBC World Service

4.3 (557)
HISTORY
UPDATED BIWEEKLY

A compilation of the latest Witness History programmes.

3D AGO

The birth of the modern fitted kitchen and the creation of Cluedo

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is food historian Dr Annie Gray. She discusses the impact of the first modern, fitted kitchen - the Frankfurt Kitchen - on the kitchens of today. It all goes back to 1926 and the reluctant Austrian architect Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky who said she wanted to be remembered for more than designing a "damned" kitchen. Sorry Margarete. Next is the invention of the board game Cluedo, or Clue in the United States, which stemmed from playing the piano at murder mystery parties in English country houses and hotels in the 1930s. Then, we enter the murky world of computer viruses. The first one to affect personal computers in 1986 became known as 'Brain'. We hear from a survivor of the deadly mudslides which affected Venezuela in December 1999. A Lotus mechanic gives his account of Brazilian racing star Ayrton Senna's first Formula 1 win in 1985. And finally, a glimpse into a period of freedom in Afghanistan from 2005 when a TV musical talent contest called Afghan Star gripped audiences. Contributors: Christine Zwingl - architect. Marcia Lewis - daughter of the creators of Cluedo. Amjad Farooq Alvi - founder of Brain Computers. Leydys Crespo - survivor of Venezuelan mudslides in 1999. Chris Dinnage - Ayrton Senna's mechanic. Jahid Mohseni - the development producer for Afghan Star. (Picture: A 1950s fitted kitchen. Credit: Getty Images)

1 hr
JAN 10

The House of the Spirits and Tracey Emin's unmade bed

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. This programme contains distressing details. Our guest is Bárbara Fernández Melleda, Assistant Professor in Latin American Studies at the University of Hong Kong. We start with Chilean author Isabel Allende on her debut novel, The House of the Spirits, in 1982 which reflects Chile’s 20th century history. Then, we hear the memories of a soldier injured in the Battle of Gallipoli. The recollections of a mother who lost both her daughters in a crowd crush at Hillsborough stadium in 1989 - the UK's worst sporting disaster. How a British artist's unmade bed was nominated for a prestigious art prize in 1999. Next the swimsuit made ahead of the Beijing Olympic games in 2008 that was so good it had to be banned. Finally, we learn about the world's longest running animated TV series that began in 1969. Contributors: Isabel Allende - a Chilean author. Rupert Westmacott - a soldier (from archive). Jenni Hicks - a mother who lost her two daughters in the Hillsborough tragedy. Dame Tracey Emin - an artist. Jason Rance - former head of Speedo's global research and development team. Sunishi Yukimuro - an animated cartoon writer. (Image: Chilean author Isabel Allende. Credit: Felipe Amilibia/AFP via Getty Images)

1h 1m
JAN 3

The American Freedom Train and the invention of text messaging

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Professor Barbara Keys, a specialist in US history at Durham University. We start with a celebration of the American Freedom Train, as the US prepares to mark 250 years of independence. Then, the South African railway enthusiast who created one of the most luxurious train services in the world. We hear about the invention of text messaging and how it changed the way we communicate. Plus, 75 years of Radio Free Europe broadcasting news to audiences behind the Iron Curtain. The thousand-year-long musical composition that's due to end in 2999. And our Sporting Witness looks at how a British teenager won a six-month contract to play for Italian champions Inter Milan. Contributors: Lou Nelson - former security guard on the American Freedom Train 1975-76. Rohan Vos - founder and CEO of Rovos Rail. Friedhelm "Fred" Hillebrand - inventor of SMS and text messaging. Arch Puddington - former deputy director Radio Free Europe. Jem Finer - musician and composer of Longplayer. Ben Greenhalgh - Margate player-manager and winner of reality show "Football's Next Star". (Photo: American Freedom Train, 1976. Credit: NARA/DVIDS)

1h 1m
12/27/2025

The history of toys

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week’s Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service. We learn about how Play-Doh evolved from a cleaning product to a childhood favourite and the creation of one of the best-selling board games of all time, Catan. Our guest is the editor of Toy World Magazine, Caroline Tonks, who takes us through the history of toy crazes. We also hear about the invention of the hoverboard, and how the Tamagotchi allowed people to have their own virtual pet. Plus, how the family favourite game, Jenga, was born in 1970s Ghana. And our Sporting Witness looks at how a piece of software revolutionised the game of football through data analysis. Contributors: Peg Roberts – daughter of Kay Zufall Benjamin Teuber – son of Catan inventor Klaus Teuber Caroline Tonks – editor of Toy World Magazine Shane Chen – the inventor of the hoverboard Akihiro Yokoi – the inventor of the Tamgotchi Leslie Scott – the creator of the game Jenga Ramm Mylavaganam – inventor of ProZone (Photo: The Tamagotchi was introduced in 1996 and is one of the best-selling toys in history. Credit: Reuters)

1h 1m
12/20/2025

Norway’s sushi contribution and Laurel and Hardy’s Christmas

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. We learn about how a Norwegian businessman brought salmon sushi to Japan in the 1980s. Our guest is cookbook author Nancy Singleton Hachisu, who tells us more about the history of sushi in Japan and around the world. We hear about the first opera written for TV in 1950s America and how U.S Marshalls used fake NFL tickets to capture some of Washington DC’s most wanted. Plus, how disability rights campaigners in India led to a change in the law in 1995 and when Scotland played hockey in Germany during the cold war. Finally, the story of when Laurel and Hardy spent Christmas at an English country pub. Contributors: Bjørn-Eirik – Norwegian businessman who brought salmon sushi to Japan Nancy Singleton Hachisu – cookbook author Archive of Gian Carlo Menotti – Italian composer Stacia Hylton – former U.S Marshall Javed Abidi – Indian disability rights campaigner Archive of customers at The Bull Inn – the pub that Laurel and Hardy visited in 1953 Valerie Sinclair – member of Scotland's hockey team who played West Germany in 1961 (Photo: Japanese demonstration to Norwegian royal family. Credit: Bjørn-Eirik Olson)

1h 1m
12/13/2025

Banky's 'Dismaland' and the Paris climate agreement

We start with the street artist Banksy, and his 2015 dystopian 'bemusement park'. Then, we talk to roller coaster enthusiast Megan MacCausland, from the European Coaster Club. Plus, we go back through the BBC archives to tell the story of the coelacanth, a fish believed to have been extinct for 65 million years. Next, South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, set up after the abolishment of apartheid in the 1990s. This programme contains contains harrowing testimony and graphic descriptions of human rights violations throughout. Also, the six-day IRA siege on London's Balcombe Street in 1975, where a couple were taken hostage. Finally, it's been 10 years since 193 countries and the European Union adopted the Paris climate agreement, in December 2015. Our Sporting Witness programme this week looks at how an international skiing scene developed in the mountains of Bamiyan province, Afghanistan, in 2011. Contributors: Kurtis Young - steward at Dismaland. Megan MacCausland - European Coaster Club. Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer - South African museum curator (from archive). Sisi Khampepe - served on the Amnesty Committee. Steven Moysey - saw the Balcombe Street siege unfold. Christiana Figueres - head of climate negotiations at 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris. Alishah Farhang - Afghanistan skier. (Photo: Dismaland in Weston Super-Mare. Credit: Kristian Buus/Getty Images)

1h 1m
12/06/2025

Nigerian history

Max Pearson presents a collection of Witness History and Sporting Witness episodes, all with a Nigerian theme. We hear two personal stories of the Biafra war, which began in 1967, including the writer Wole Soyinka who was jailed for trying to stop it. Plus, we hear from Patricia Ngozi Ebigwe about escaping the conflict. She's now better known as TV and music star Patti Boulaye. We speak to Dr Louisa Egbunike, who is an Associate Professor in African Literature at Durham University in England. Also, a retired Brigadier General speaks about West African countries fighting back against the jihadist militant group Boko Haram in 2015. Then, the opening of the New Afrika Shrine in 2000, by Fela Kuti's children to honour his legacy. Finally, we hear from Omoyemi Akerele who founded Lagos Fashion Week in 2011. Our Sporting Witness programme this week looks at Nigeria becoming the first team to represent Africa at the first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup in 1991. This is a Made in Manchester Production. Contributors: Wole Soyinka - Nobel Prize-winning poet and playwright. Patricia Ngozi Ebigwe - TV and music star. Dr Louisa Egbunike - Associate Professor in African Literature at Durham University. Sani Kukasheka Usman - retired Brigadier General. Omoyeni Anikulapo-Kuti, also known as Yeni Kuti - the eldest daughter of Fela Kuti. Omoyemi Akerele - founder of Lagos Fashion Week. Nkiri Okosieme – captained Nigeria women's national football team. (Photo: Biafran national army soldiers. Credit: AFP via Getty Images)

1 hr
11/29/2025

Literary hoaxes and an underground cathedral

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is literature lecturer Dr Hetta Howes on major literary hoaxes around the world. We hear about Howard Hughes' fake autobiography, the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá in Colombia and how the Indian musician Ravi Shankar taught George Harrison the sitar. Plus, the Indian woman who led her country's first delegation to the United Nations, the Premier League's first female photographer and how Toy Story revolutionised animation. Contributors: Clifford Irving - American author who faked an autobiography of Howard Hughes. Dr Hetta Howes - a senior lecturer in English Literature at City St George’s, at the University of London. Jorge Enrique Castelblanco - Colombian engineer behind the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá. Ravi Shankar - Indian sitar maestro. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit - led India's first delegation to the United Nations in 1946. Magi Haroun - the Premier League's first female photographer. Doug Sweetland - animator on Toy Story. (Photo: Clifford Irving leaving the Chelsea Hotel in New York City, followed by news crews in 1972. Credit: Bettmann Archive / Getty Images) This programme has been updated since the original broadcast, with concert dates and song writing credits corrected.

1h 1m

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4.3

out of 5

557 Ratings

Black boohoo PC stories

10/09/2021

wolfie/wolf

Ya we have heard more, poor me boohoo stories. Especially I’m so rich but a victim success story. Enough of the PC radical race theory. Everyone is so mean because I’m black as they laugh all the way to the bank.
Insulting review

11/29/2024

Vote26

Well that’s just rude!
Ever a boring segment

03/31/2024

LoganDylan

I look forward to the new episodes that come out, however, why is it that some won’t play? i.e. 10/16/2021 Pakistani law that jails rape victims and 12/25/2021 Right to Drive in Saudi Arabia. As for a review, your program is wonderful, but I just would like an answer to my question.
Good history podcast

03/09/2023

Andrei braescu

I enjoy the vast variety of topics brought up by this podcast but I also find myself fed up with the huge amount of episodes/sections in the episodes about LGBTQ stuff. There’s too much emphasis on the topic, considering the fact this is a history podcast, not a propaganda/brainwashing thing.