Watch Horrible Histories

Horrible Histories is a British television program that aired on BBC One from 2009 to 2013, and then continued on CBBC until 2019. The show was aimed at children and young audiences, and it aimed to teach them about history through a mix of comedy, music, and sketches.

The show featured a main cast of five actors, who played various roles throughout the series - Ben Willbond, Alice Lowe, Alexei Sayle, Mathew Baynton, and Martha Howe-Douglas. Each episode was themed around a particular period of history or event, such as the Ancient Greeks, the Dark Ages, or the Second World War.

One of the show's most popular segments was the "Song of..." sketches, which saw the cast performing a musical number that taught viewers about a particular historical figure or event. These songs were often catchy and humorous, while still being informative and accurate.

Another popular segment was "Stupid Deaths", which poked fun at the various bizarre and unusual ways in which historical figures met their demise. This segment was narrated by Death himself, played by actor Jim Howick.

The show also featured recurring characters, such as the "Historical Paramedics", who would try and treat historical figures with modern medicine, often with disastrous results. The show also had recurring sketches about the Tudors, with Willbond playing a variety of characters such as King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I.

Throughout its run, Horrible Histories received critical acclaim for its approach to teaching children about history. The show was praised for its ability to make often-dry historical subjects engaging and entertaining, while still being educational. It also tackled subjects that were not often covered in children's entertainment, such as the often gruesome realities of life in the ancient world.

Horrible Histories also spawned a number of spin-offs and adaptations, including a series of books, a stage show, and a movie. The movie, which was released in 2019, adapted the show's approach to history into a narrative format, following a young Roman boy who is transported through time to various periods of history.

Overall, Horrible Histories was a groundbreaking show that managed to mix comedy and education in a way that appealed to both children and adults. Its legacy has continued long after its run ended, and it remains a beloved part of British television history.

Horrible Histories is a series that is currently running and has 6 seasons (105 episodes). The series first aired on April 16, 2009.