This is our last episode as we have now left our homes to go travelling for a while. For the last time, Lorna does a report. It's on Frida Kahlo, covering some little known facts about the Mexican artist and her relationship with Leon Trotsky. We start by struggling to say the word preparatory in true Idiots style and it doesn't get much better fro…

This week Matt tells the crazy story of Mark Hofmann, the forger who really had it out for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In the 1980's Hofmann made a fortune through his forgeries and counterfeiting. Then it all went wrong. Elsewhere we discuss how Jesus would invite disciples to the Last Supper and Lorna rants about teachers loo…

This week Matt reports on the film director that many regard as the greatest ever. Orson Welles led a fascinating life, working in radio, theatre and film. The work he never managed to complete is equally fascinating, from ambitious adaptations to passion projects. Also this week Lorna gets Shawshank Redemption, Green Mile and 8 Mile a little confu…

This week Lorna tells the origins of Paris Fashion, and the designers that have made it the capital of the fashion world. It’s a fascinating story and one of our longest episodes in quite a while! Matt gets side-tracked constantly by Rocha John Rocha and Twiggy. Make sure to look out for our new podcast On the Move, coming to a podcast app near you…

This week Matt is back with a report on French Queen Marie Antoinette. He tells the story of her role in the French Palaces entertainment, her unpopularity and her death. It's fascinating. There are a few blunders this week, which we hope you will enjoy despite Matt suggesting they will be cut out. Lorna also gets confused between Marie and Maria m…

This week Lorna struggles with her podcast report, but it's actually fascinating, all about the rise in popularity of mountaineering. There are a lot of peak names, but we brush over them, but you can find them on the Twitter so keep your eyes pealed. There are some interesting tales, including the creation of the Alpine Club and the women of the G…

Happy New Year! This week Dan returns to the podcast to do a report, and brings with him the longest introduction anyone has ever heard. After all the rambling he finally gets on with this week’s topic: The World Land Speed Record. Dan condenses a fascinating 100 year history into just half an hour. Elsewhere, Matt continues his streak of amazing g…

Lorna reports on the origins of Boxing Day as well as a quite amazing set of Boxing Day Football Fixtures from 1963. We chat a lot of nonsense this week. Matt shows off his magnificent guessing skills, and we end up just bragging quite a bit about our sporting achievements. Thanks for listening in 2018! Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Facebook: @IdiotsTa…

This is our very special Christmas episode! Matt reports on the creepiest of Christmas traditions: Krampus. Meanwhile, Lorna just really wants to do a Christmas jigsaw. We get distracted a lot this week, and get lost on a number of tangents, just like your least favourite uncle after a few eggnogs. We try and name some famous duos and even treat yo…

This week Lorna tells us all about the incredible Beryl Burton. In the mid-20th century Burton blew away all competition establishing herself as the greatest racing cyclist of her generation. In this episode, we get side-tracked early discussing old names (Barry is dying out, and Myrtle should never return). We also realise very quickly how little …

Over a couple of months late in 1888, Jack the Ripper terrorised Whitechapel in London, murdering 5 (or possibly 6) victims. This week Matt counts down the top suspects of the Ripper Case. Some could have done it, others definitely not, but we delve deep into the case, including looking at one suspect who said “I am Jack the…” before he died. We al…

This week's episode is a crazy one, focusing on Ken Kesey and The Merry Pranksters. Matt reports on Ken and his group of friends who were experimenting with LSD and bought a bus in 1964 to travel across the USA. Inspired by the Beat Generation and prior to the psychedelic generation of the later 1960s this group were just trying to create a life an…

This week Lorna talks us through the scramble for gold on America's west coast in the late 1840s. Thousands of Americans headed west to try their luck at striking gold. We discuss the main players, as well as the impact of immigration, the big winners of the rush, and even a new Californian delicacy. As always we are full of half remembered facts a…

It has been 100 years since the end of the First World War, so this week Lorna reports on a little known aspect of life on the frontline. We speak about the role of carrier pigeons and other animals during the battles of WWI. It’s an unusual topic, with pigeons named President Wilson and Cher Ami, and even a pig on a ship. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod…

The report this week focuses on Elizabeth “Lizzie” Magie and a truly hidden story from history. We all know the world-famous board game Monopoly, but do we really know the story behind it? The official story is a rags to riches story: Charles Darrow, unemployed and out of money, dreamt up the unique game that went on to be a mega hit. In reality, a…

Happy Halloween! This week we have a real treat for you, with an episode focused on the origins of Halloween. Specifically Lorna discusses the ancient Celtic Samhain Festival which marked the end of Summer and the harvest, and marked the beginning of Winter. At the time boundaries between this world and the underworld became thin and therefore Celt…

We're back this week with another episode on a pioneering woman. This week it's Mary Anning, an avid fossil collector, who lived in the 19th century. She was a revolutionary woman in palaeontology, and was the first to discover three huge dinosaurs. Her findings are truly fascinating! Listen out for Matt's terrible jokes which are back this episode…

This week the focus is on pioneering women of early cinema. Many female visionaries have been overlooked in the history books, including the two at the centre of our podcast today. Matt reports on the incredible Mabel Normand, an early comedy genius. She is accredited with many firsts in the history of cinema, and was a major force in comedy in Hol…

We turn our attention to two very different stories this week. Both however are linked via a common thread: humans’ interactions with animals. Lorna tells the tale of Old Tom, the orca who actually helped hunters catch whales in the port of Eden, Australia. Matt then reports on the so-called Wolfman of Sierra Morena. A young boy left in the wild to…

Lorna reports on the fascinating tale of the 220 year search for a treasure buried deep beneath the dirt of Oak Island. The tiny peanut-shaped isle off the shore of Nova Scotia has become the home to one of the great unsolved mysteries of our time. It’s a story that includes an American President, a French Queen, the Holy Grail and even a Secret So…

In the first of a series of episodes focused on mysteries, Matt reports on the Lost Colony of Roanoke. British settlers in North America disappeared in the late sixteenth century, leaving no trace of their settlement behind. For the past 400 years historians have tried to deduce what happened to the colony, and yet the answer remains elusive. Matt …

This week we focus on two Civil Wars that took place in Asia. Firstly, Lorna talks us through the Genpei War of the 12th Century. In late-Heian period Japan, two clans, the Taira and the Minamoto, fought for power. And second, Matt reports on the Secret War. During the Vietnam War, the US was secretly involved in a war in neighbouring Laos too. The…

This week we take a look at space! (Look out a window it’s there!) Matt focuses on the Space Race between the USA and the Soviet Union. Over the course of twenty years the two superpowers battled over dominance of space, leading to a ton of new and impressive firsts. We look at the First Space Station, the Salyut 1, as well as the tragic Soviet mis…

We follow on from last week with another dissection of famous photographs and the stories behind them. Lorna reports on the unique image of Salvador Dali known as Dali Atomicus which has inspired millions of people to jump in photos (perhaps not). The photographer Philippe Halsman behind the image also had a fascinating life! Then Matt reports on t…

This week we report on two of the most famous photos of all time. Matt delves into the story behind a photo of the Revolutionary Che Guevara. Photographer Alberto Korda saw little reward for his now iconic shot of Che throughout much of his life. The photo is now recognised the world over and we discuss how the constant reproduction of the image ma…

Lorna reports on the lives of four of the first female Disney artists. They had a significant influence on the early Disney films impacting the course of the company’s history. Matt weaves in fascinating facts about the history of the Disney World Theme Park. Elsewhere we try to figure out where the best place is to put a bin in a theme park. Check…

The focus this week is on two pioneers of running. Both Kathrine Switzer and Bobbi Gibb took part in the Boston Marathon in the 1960s changing the future of women’s long distance running forever. In between reports, Lorna provides us with a whole bunch of fascinating facts about the history of running. Matt also shares his story about getting sunbu…

It's the first episode of the second year of Idiots Talk History! And with that anniversary we have decided to make use of a new beginning. Now instead of a long report on a single topic, we will each report on a topic linked by a key word. This first episode focuses on Presidents. Lorna is up first, reporting on Edith Wilson. Many believe that whe…

Matt reports this week on two pioneers of early aviation history. First up is Otto Lilienthal, a man who popularised the art of flight through 2000 tests. As these were watched by the masses he became known as the Glider King. Soon after a man named Franz Reichelt decided he was going to create a new, safer parachute. His subsequent trials and erro…

In 1966 Paddy Roy Bates and his family took to an old army fort in the middle of the North Sea, and the next year decided to declare it as a nation, called the Principality of Sealand. This is a challenge for Matt who constantly mixes it up with Seaworld, however this has nothing to do with the marine parks and instead Sealand has a history you won…

It’s our 50th birthday this week!! To celebrate Matt brings us a fantastic report on a moment from history 50 years ago. The focus is on Paris in 1968 and its period of civil unrest. Listen out for Matt’s attempts at French when reciting a famous saying of the time and also his bad ‘bless you’ joke. Also another exciting moment this week is Matt’s …

This week its Lorna’s turn to report, and she focuses on James Holman, who at the time of his death was arguably the most travelled man in the world. He zig zagged across the globe, all this despite the fact that he went blind early in his life. James Holman also went on to write travel books, and as a result we attempt to shorten the name of his f…

Matt reports this week on the poet and author of the first novel, Murasaki Shikibu. She lived in 10th Century Japan, and today she holds an incredible legacy. Lorna makes some very poor guesses early on, and we work out what our surnames would have been. And as always, another episode, another existential crisis for Lorna. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod…

Lorna tells us all about our hometown, Oldham, in WWII. It was struck by the Last Flying Bomb of the war and was also home to the Prisoner of War Camp named Glen Mill. There are personal stories about the POW's and their interaction with locals. Lorna wrote her dissertation on the topic and is full of interesting titbits! Elsewhere, Matt creates hi…

Lorna reports on the author Zelda Fitzgerald, an iconic figure of the Roaring Twenties in America and in Europe. Not only did she write but she also painted and was an accomplished ballet dancer. Zelda was one half of the first celebrity couple, with her partner being Lost Generation writer, and author of The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald. To s…

Lorna begins by detailing in quick fashion her disastrous day. Then Matt jumps in to his tragedy-ridden report on the Kennedy Family Curse. Throughout the 20th Century numerous members of the famous family died in horrific ways. Also this week, Lorna worryingly wants to become the first member of the 23 Club, and your hosts realise a shared love of…

This week Lorna reports on 3 incredible peace walks that took place in the second half of the twentieth century. It encompasses the creation of the peace symbol, and two men giving teabags to world leaders on the brink of nuclear war. There’s other important developments too as Matt learns (and is immediately disgusted by) what crimped hair is, and…

Matt fills us in on the life and times of Russian Tsar Peter the Great. Credited as the man who modernised Russia, Peter won a few wars, rebuilt the government structure and founded the future capital St Petersburg. He also really really hated long beards. Elsewhere we name our own cities, talk Disney princesses and create our own days of the week …

This week Lorna talks us through the Japanese invasion of China in 1937 and the subsequent war. We also delve into the life of the spy Bianca Tam who had her own fascinating tale in the midst of it all. Elsewhere, we get our Abyssinian and Manchurian Crises mixed up a bit and Lorna has a revelation live on air about the realities of war. We also ha…

This week our report focuses on the deeply unpleasant tale of the Golden State Killer from the 70s and 80s, which has actually been in the news very recently. Be warned it gets quite icky! As usual, we get immediately distracted and fly off topic. Who knew the nicknames of American states could be so confusing? In fact we get distracted by a hell o…

This week Innes tells us all about the Dance Plague which swept across Europe. It made people burst into uncontrollable dance for days on end! We float a ton of theories about the dancing, which range from the unlikely (it’s a ploy to get off work for a week) to the plausible (it’s all about them toxins). In the Big Question we discuss which popula…

Lorna reports on the fascinating tale of a slave called Benkos Bioho who escaped captivity in late 16th century Colombia. He and other escaped slaves founded a city that still stands today. These outlaw slaves would braid maps into their hair to help others escape. We also go off topic talking about the potential of seeds growing into people’s head…

There’s a lot to take in this week as Matt reports on the life and death of rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Buddy Holly. Innes starts the episode as he means to go on by saying “Sneezelize on air”. There’s a nice rendition of a Buddy Holly song and we debate the decision making of the young singer in proposing five hours into a first date. There’s also talk …

Innes this week tells the story of American long jumper Bob Beamon and his Olympic journey. In discussing Olympic victory we all have a good brag about our own insignificant achievements. Also, Lorna learns she would make a great Premier League football centre-back, and Innes gets all confused about hunting and shooting sports. Twitter: @IdiotHisto…

This week Lorna focuses on the origins of feminism after Mexico’s revolution in Yucatan, mainly focusing on Elvia and Felipe Carillo Puerto. There are a lot of Spanish names this week so it’s a bit complicated. Also apologies as we had a lot of problems with the audio, and you may only hear Innes and Dan coming through your left earphone. We’re wor…

As this week was a bit of a rush, Matt gives you a little background before the music hits. Then we dive right into a very unpleasant story about the Beat generation. The focus is on the relationship between Lucien Carr and David Kammerer. What transpired has been called the moment that ignited the Beat Generation and it inspired some of the 20th c…

Innes returns this week with a report on one of his favourite things: vegetables. Lorna has an update on her relationship to James Barry and Innes tells us about his burn. Also Innes has some interesting diet tips and your hosts take part in an impromptu pub quiz. Play along! Finally, be scared of pigs, they’ll eat ya. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Ema…

Special guest Faye Barry joins Lorna Barry this week and there’s a report on Doctor Barry! So many Barry’s! In other news, Matt gets very distracted by giant tortoises and we learn an interesting fact about a South African President. In the Big Question Faye has some great advice for those visiting New York. Twitter: @IdiotHistoryPod Email: IdiotHi…

This week, after a bit of a false start when he thought he was doing a report on the Black Dahlia, Matt tells us all about the tragic life and death of Peg Entwistle. It’s quite a sombre episode this week so not really a barrel of laughs, but still interesting stuff! In other news, Lorna is really into knitting at the moment and won’t shut up about…

Sometime around 120AD the Ninth Legion of the Roman Army disappeared without a trace. What happened to the Legion? Were they ambushed? Did they migrate? Who knows, but we give it a good go this week as Lorna reports on the mystery. It’s not all smooth sailing though as Lorna stumbles over her big reveal of the podcast topic and gets confused about …