Almost half of births in the UK are delivered via Cesarean section. But when was this operation first performed? Kate Lister is joined by Hannah Marsh, author of 'Thread, A Cesarean Story of Myth, Magic, and Medicine', to hear how this medical procedure developed, and how it has become safer. This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release e...
Jun 24, 2025•54 min•Ep. 332
Early Modern Italy birthed artistic giants like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, saw architectural marvels like Florence's dome and St. Peter's Basilica, and pushed scientific frontiers in astronomy. This same vibrant era was also home to Bologna's uniquely regulated sex work industry. So what was life like for the sex workers of Renaissance Italy? Kate is joined in this episode by Dr Vanessa McCarthy, historian of gender, sex, and sexuality in the early modern world at the University of Toro...
Jun 20, 2025•46 min•Ep. 331
How could recording people having sex be 'for science'? Same question for sleeping with your colleagues? Well, these were just two of the practices embraced by the subject of today's conversation. Donna Drucker is returning to the podcast to discuss pioneering sexologist, Alfred Kinsey. Donna, from Columbia University, is author of The Classification of Sex . This episode was edited by Nick Thomson. The producer was Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Charlotte Long. Sign up to History Hit for h...
Jun 17, 2025•44 min•Ep. 330
Despite Christianity coming in hot and heavy in the medieval period, sex work was thriving. In many places it was legal, even. In this second episode in our mini-series exploring sex work through history, Kate is joined by the legend of sex worker history, Ruth Karras. What did a medieval brothel look like? How did sex workers dress? And why does the word 'spinster' mean sex worker? This episode was edited and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long. Sign up to Histor...
Jun 13, 2025•35 min•Ep. 329
She wrote some of the most enduring romances in literature. But what did Jane Austen really know about love ... and sex? From longing looks and flirtation, to seduction and elopement, in this episode we're investigating how much of Jane Austen's works was based on experience. Kate is joined by John Mullan, Lord Northcliffe Professor of Modern English Literature at University College London and author of 'What Matters in Jane Austen?' Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original docum...
Jun 10, 2025•49 min•Ep. 328
What did it look like inside a Roman brothel? Who was the sex worker involved in a murder plot to kill an Emperor? And why was the Pope getting sex workers to race chariots?! In this first episode of our brand new limited-series on sex work through history, Kate is joined by Professor Anise Strong, who takes us back to meet some of the amazing sex workers from Ancient Rome, including one who was involved in a murder plot to kill Emperor Commodus. This episode was edited by Tim Arstall. The produ...
Jun 06, 2025•43 min•Ep. 327
Childbirth isn't for the faint-hearted at the best of times, let alone in the medieval period. What was a birthing room like at this time in history? Who would have been in there helping bring a new baby into the world? And how suspicious were the church of these all-women spaces? Joining Kate today is the always-fabulous Eleanor Janega, co-host of our sister podcast Gone Medieval, to take us back to this time and place. This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. T...
Jun 03, 2025•37 min•Ep. 326
Deep in an Ancient Greek labyrinth lurks the half bull half man monster: the Minotaur. What did this wild myth about a woman having a baby with a bull have to say about how humans understood our taboo desires? How did they even make it happen? And what happened when you found him in the labyrinth? Joining Kate today is historian and author, Jasmine Elmer, to help us get to the bottom of this myth and find out the truth behind the Minotaur. This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was...
May 30, 2025•30 min•Ep. 325
Against the paranoid backdrop of the Scottish witch trials, a murder plot involving King James and some of his lovers took place. To make matters more juicy, it centres around the Bonnie Earl of Moray, who is said to be the most handsome man in Scotland. How does this situation create a conflict of interests for King James VI & I? Joining Kate today is the wonderful Gareth Russell, author of Queen James: A New History About the Life and Loves of Britain’s First King, James Stuart , to help u...
May 27, 2025•52 min•Ep. 324
Why did Victorians value pale skin so highly? And how were black bodies viewed by Victorian society? In this episode Kate is joined by author and historian Dr Rochelle Rowe of the University of Edinburgh. This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can ...
May 23, 2025•38 min•Ep. 323
At least 160 million people worldwide take some form of the contraceptive pill. So where did it come from? Who invented it and why? And how has it changed the world? Kate is joined by Donna Drucker, author of 'Contraception: A Concise History' and historian from Columbia University. Together they discuss whether the contraceptive pill has been a force for liberation. This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Charlotte Long. Sign up to History Hi...
May 20, 2025•44 min•Ep. 322
Why did royalty have worse teeth than commoners? How would the Tudor court have smelt? And when even the Queen of England can be accused of being a witch for a random mole, what hope did the rest of us have? In this new mini-series, we'll be exploring the beauty standards - and ideas of ugliness - throughout time periods in history. In this third episode Kate is joined by historian and author Nicola Tallis, to find out how both royalty and commoners achieved the desired looks of Tudor times. Thi...
May 16, 2025•45 min•Ep. 321
He cuts a fine figure, walking down the street. Whether it's a bow tie and a sharp suit, perfectly curated clashing colours, or a moustache with every hair strictly held in place - this is a person who spends hours on their look. But why? In this episode of Betwixt the Sheets, Kate is joined by Peter K. Andersson, author of ‘The Dandy” A People’s History of Sartorial Splendour’. Together they discuss the motivations for the dapper dress of the dandy. This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The p...
May 13, 2025•38 min•Ep. 320
Beauty fads come and go - remember super low-rise jeans in the 90s? IYKYK. What was considered cool and beautiful in the medieval period? What skincare routines were medieval people doing? And how did the Black Death affect how people dressed and presented themselves? In this new mini-series, we'll be exploring the beauty standards - and ideas of ugliness - throughout time periods in history. In this second episode Kate is joined by historian and author Dr. Eleanor Janega, co-host of our sister ...
May 09, 2025•45 min•Ep. 319
Imagine an executioner. Are they big, strong, cloaked and masked? Are they male? Probably - because most executioners in history have been. Today, though, we're meeting a woman who broke the mould. Journalist and writer Clodagh Finn joins Kate to explore the life of Lady Betty, the Irish executioner of the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as some other Irish women who have defied the boundaries of their gender for obscure reasons. Clodagh writes ‘An Irish Woman’s Diary’ for the Irish Examiner an...
May 06, 2025•41 min•Ep. 318
What was a Roman skincare routine like? Why did the beard make a comeback under Emperor Hadrian? And what did it mean to be ugly in this time? In this new mini-series, we'll be exploring the beauty standards - and ideas of ugliness - throughout time periods in history. Starting today with Ancient Rome, Kate is joined by historian and author Emma Southon to find out why Romans would have loved the recent bushy eyebrow trend. Find out more about Emma's work here: https://www.emmasouthon.com/ This ...
May 02, 2025•48 min•Ep. 317
You could be forgiven for thinking the Greek myth of Medusa has zero relevance to us today. Snake for hair?! But as you'll hear in today's episode, she's a woman who was vilified for her femininity and sexuality. She was literally cast out of society for it - into a cave, of all places. Joining Kate to help us get to know this mythical woman and her story is author and historian Jasmine Elmer. This episode was edited by Tom Delargy. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charl...
Apr 29, 2025•32 min•Ep. 316
Charismatic, passionate, insatiable - Henry VIII is known across the world as the king who had 6 wives, and a few mistresses on the side. But was Henry a romantic or a scoundrel? Kate is joined by Natalie Grueninger, host of 'Talking Tudors', to find out just how badly behaved Henry was. This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Charlotte Long. If you'd like to get in touch with the show you can contact us at [email protected] . Sign up to Hi...
Apr 25, 2025•50 min•Ep. 315
We've been tying the knot for thousands of years in one way or another, but what did a medieval wedding look like? The church had very strict ideas around monogamy and sex in this period, which affected the rituals of a wedding day, AND night. What happened in the bed chambers of the newlyweds? Why was pleasure so important? And why were divorce courts so humiliating? Joining Kate today is author and historian Jacqueline Murray, to take us back to the Middle Ages. This episode was edited by Tom ...
Apr 22, 2025•43 min•Ep. 314
Can you imagine being SO smooth-talking and seductive your surname becomes an actual noun in the dictionary to describe someone who has a reputation for being an expert at in the sack? Well today we’re going to be talking about a man who was just that…Giacamo Casanova. But is his legacy as a f*ckboy accurate? Was he really a prolific ladies man? And did he do anything else in his life other than seduce women…and if he did, why do we only remember him for that reason? Today we’re bringing you a v...
Apr 17, 2025•29 min•Ep. 313
How did a working class illiterate woman become King Charles II's favourite mistress? Nell Gwyn was an incredibly talented comedy actor who came from a working class background, and was part of a group of pioneering women who were the first allowed to take to the stage to play women's roles. Her personality was huge, audiences loved her ability to swear, and she was described as "the wildest creature to ever be seen at court." No wonder Charles loved her! What was the wild world of 17th century ...
Apr 15, 2025•43 min•Ep. 312
Have you ever heard of the Emperor who made his horse a senator? Seems like a top bloke, right? Today on Betwixt the Sheets we’re going to meet (possibly) the most debauched Roman Emperor. From stealing brides from their wedding days to an unhealthy obsession with his sister, who was Caligula and was he a f*ckboy? Kate is joined by historian Alexander Meddings to find out. Alexander is a Rome-based historian and travel writer. He leads tours of the Appian Way - one of the most important roads of...
Apr 10, 2025•46 min•Ep. 311
Today, it is one of the most commonly performed surgeries. But when was the hysterectomy, the removal of the uterus, first performed? How has this procedure interacted with ideas such as femininity and eugenics? And WHY would a very brave woman perform this surgery on herself? Kate is joined Betwixt the Sheets with returning guest, Dr Elinor Cleghorn. Elinor is the author of 'Unwell Women: A Journey Through Medicine and Myth in a Man-Made World'. This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produc...
Apr 08, 2025•48 min•Ep. 310
How 'mad, bad and dangerous to know' was Lord Byron really? We know the Romantic poet had a bit of a reputation, but how true was it? And how unusual would his behaviour have been? In the first episode of our series on the worst f*ckboys in history, we're digging into Byron's relationships with Andrew Stauffer, President of the Byron Society of America, professor and chair of the Department of English at the University of Virginia, and author of 'Byron: A Life in Ten Letters'. This episode was e...
Apr 04, 2025•43 min•Ep. 309
Possibly the first recorded sexually transmitted disease, gonorrhoea is still one of the most common. We're back on the itchier side of history today to find out more about the story of this difficult-to-spell affliction. Kate is back with Cat Irving, Human Remains Conservator for Surgeons’ Hall in Edinburgh. Together they discuss the odd and off-putting treatments offered for gonorrhoea over the centuries. This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Sophie Gee. The senior producer wa...
Apr 01, 2025•32 min•Ep. 308
For better or (mostly) worse, Jiang Qing left her mark on the 20th century. Even before she was married to Chairman Mao, Jiang was a charismatic actor, and her passion for culture helped her spearhead the Cultural Revolution as part of the Communist Party in China, later in life. Joining Kate for this fourth and final episode of our limited series, Real Wives of Dictators , is Linda Jaivin, author of Shortest History of China and the upcoming Bombard the Headquarters! The Cultural Revolution in ...
Mar 28, 2025•43 min•Ep. 307
When the music hall dancer, Belle Ellmore, disappeared in January 1910, it was her performing colleagues who raised the alarm. Her murder by Dr. Crippen became a media sensation, and he became the star of the story. Why was Belle Ellmore murdered? Why did it cause such a sensation at its time? And what role did her friends and colleagues in the music hall industry play in bringing justice? Joining Kate today is historian and author, Hallie Rubenhold, whose feminist lens on this story, in Story o...
Mar 25, 2025•50 min•Ep. 306
Nadezhda Alliluyeva was born into a revolutionary family, but was it always her fate to marry Joseph Stalin? She was independent, intelligent and highly politicised. Indeed, Stalin was a hero of hers growing up. What was it like to be so heavily involved in the Communist Party and the Soviet Union? What was Stalin like as a husband to her? And was her death as suspicious as some made out? Joining Kate for this third episode of our limited series, Real Wives of Dictators , is Sheila Fitzpatrick, ...
Mar 21, 2025•40 min•Ep. 305
In this episode, we're well and truly going down a rabbit hole. To unpick the controversies surrounding the author of Alice in Wonderland, Kate is joined by author and Professor of Film and Cultural Studies, Will Brooker. Will introduces us to Charles Dodgson, pseudonym Lewis Carroll, and his life, relationships and photography. Will is a professor at Kingston University and author of 'Alice's Adventures: Lewis Carroll in Popular Culture'. This episode was edited by Tomos Delargy and produced by...
Mar 18, 2025•41 min•Ep. 304
What was life like as Adolf Hitler's other half? Although their marriage came (very) late in their lives, Eva Braun was with Hitler from the earlier days in his political career, and was a confidant to him through the rise (and fall) of the Nazi Party. How complicit was she in the evil ideologies Hitler set out? Was she in any way a victim? And what was it like to be part of the inner circle? Joining Kate in the second episode of our limited series, Real Wives of Dictators , is Clare Mulley, his...
Mar 14, 2025•41 min•Ep. 303
