Witness History Podcast
History told by the people who were there. For nine minutes every weekday, Witness History takes you back to moments which have shaped our world.
Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.
For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.
Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.
We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher.
You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest, the disastrous D-Day rehearsal, and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.
Episodes to download
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Dismaland: Banksy's dystopian theme park
Sunday
In 2015, the street artist transformed a derelict pool into a dystopian ‘bemusement park’.
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The discovery of the coelacanth
Today
In 1938, a fish was found that was believed to have been extinct for 65 million years
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The Balcombe Street IRA siege
Monday
In December 1975, four IRA gunmen took a couple hostage leading to a six-day siege
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Wole Soyinka: Imprisoned during Nigeria’s Biafra war
Last Thursday
In 1967, Nigerian writer Wole Soyinka was jailed following his efforts to avert civil war
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Escaping Nigeria's Biafra war
Last Wednesday
In 1967, the south-east region of Nigeria declared itself the independent state of Biafra
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Building the New Afrika Shrine in Nigeria
Last Tuesday
The opening of the 'spiritual home of Afrobeat' in 2000
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West Africa fights back against Boko Haram
Mon 1 Dec 2025
In 2015, a coalition of West African countries fought back against a caliphate in Nigeria
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Ravi and George
Fri 28 Nov 2025
In 1967, Ravi Shankar taught the ‘quiet Beatle’ George Harrison how to play the sitar.
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India goes to the UN
Thu 27 Nov 2025
Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit led India’s first delegation to the United Nations
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The Howard Hughes literary hoax
Wed 26 Nov 2025
In 1971 a conman fooled publishers with a fake autobiography of billionaire Howard Hughes
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Colombia's Salt Cathedral
Tue 25 Nov 2025
In 1995, a cathedral was built 180m underground in the Zipaquirá Salt Mine
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Toy Story: the first digitally-animated feature film
Mon 24 Nov 2025
The box-office hit started a shift away from hand-drawn cartoons
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The Spanish king reclaims his throne
Thu 20 Nov 2025
In 1975 Juan Carlos reclaimed the Spanish throne after 36 years of Franco’s dictatorship
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The death of Franco
Wed 19 Nov 2025
In 1975, General Francisco Franco died, ending 36 years of dictatorship over Spain
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Angela Merkel suspends EU asylum rules in 2015
Tue 18 Nov 2025
In August 2015, Germany suspended asylum rules amid a steep rise in migration to Europe
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Reagan and Gorbachev: The Geneva Summit
Mon 17 Nov 2025
In 1985, US President Ronald Reagan met Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in Switzerland
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When Maldives' ministers met underwater
Fri 14 Nov 2025
In 2009, ministers from the Maldives held the first underwater cabinet meeting
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Bataclan attack in Paris
Thu 13 Nov 2025
On 13 November 2015, 90 people were shot dead at the Bataclan theatre in France
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Prosecuting Nazis at the Nuremberg Trials
Wed 12 Nov 2025
Eighty years ago, in the aftermath of World War Two, a major war crimes trial took place
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Birth of the G7
Tue 11 Nov 2025
In November 1975, leaders of six nations met in France to solve an economic crisis
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Breaking the sound barrier
Mon 10 Nov 2025
In 1947, Chuck Yeager became the first pilot to fly faster than the speed of sound
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Discovering the largest dinosaur ever
Fri 7 Nov 2025
In 2012, a shepherd uncovered a bone belonging to a new dinosaur in Argentina
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The ‘father of e-books’
Thu 6 Nov 2025
In 1971, there was a key moment in the digital revolution of e-books
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The creation of Miffy
Wed 5 Nov 2025
The children's book character Miffy was created by Dick Bruna in 1955
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President Clinton is impeached
Tue 4 Nov 2025
In 1999, US President Clinton was impeached over a relationship with a White House intern
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The brains behind Thunderbirds
Mon 3 Nov 2025
It's 60 years since Thunderbirds first blast onto TV screens
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Emerante de Pradines: Haiti’s musical trailblazer
Fri 31 Oct 2025
The singer, dancer and folklorist who became the first Haitian to sign a record deal
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Orson Welles broadcasts The War of the Worlds
Thu 30 Oct 2025
In 1938, Orson Welles terrified radio listeners with The War of the Worlds