Loading...

PODCAST

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal

This is After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds and the Paranormal. The podcast that takes you to the shadiest corners of the past, unpicking history’s spookiest, strangest, and most sinister stories.Join historians Anthony Delaney and Maddy Pelling, every Monday and Thursday to take a look at the darker side of history. From haunted pubs and Houdini, to witch trials and weird UFO sightings.After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds and the Paranormal - a podcast by History Hit, the world"s best history channel and creators

history

All Episodes

47:57

Murder In The Medici Court

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal ·

2026/07/27

In Medici Florence there were two ways of maintaining power - one was money and the other was murder. Isabella de’ Medici was the believed daughter of the Medici patriarch, a patron of the arts and a sparkling wit. But that meant nothing to her own husband, who murdered her, or her own brother, who turned a blind eye.Maddy and Anthony are joined by Estelle Paranque author of numerous books, including most recently Thorns, Lust and Glory: the Betrayal of Anne Boleyn.This episode was edited by Amy

en

49:04

The Most Disastrous Voyage in Navy History

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal ·

2026/07/23

It's hard to wrap your head around all the disasters that befell Captain Anson's Royal Navy voyage around the world in the 1740s. Rampant scurvy, horrendous storms, marooning and mutiny to name but a few. 90% of the original crew never returned. Those who made it back to Britain were hailed as heroes for surviving!The one and only Dan Snow joins Anthony Delaney and Maddy Pelling for this unbelievable tale of naval adventure and endurance.This episode was edited by Anna Brant. The producer was Tomos

en

50:02

Britain's Worst Airship Disaster

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal ·

2026/07/20

"It's like the Titanic, except you've never heard of it. And in a way, it's even weirder."So says today's guest, Cautionary Tales' host, Tim Harford, about the disastrous story he's taking Anthony and Maddy through.Airships were the ocean liners of the skies, and in the 1920s, Britain had ambitions to connect the Empire in this way. Until it all went tragically wrong.Listen to more of Tim's Cautionary Tales here: https://timharford.com/etc/more-or-less/Voting is now open for the Listener's Choice

en

47:58

Would You Rather Be On The Titanic Or In Pompeii?

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal ·

2026/07/16

Sound the trumpets! The day has finally arrived: Maddy Pelling is back on After Dark!To welcome her back into the coven, we're playing a game of historical 'Would You Rather?'. Listen on to hear Anthony and Maddy decide between the many awful scenarios in history they would rather find themselves in.If you've also asked yourself, 'Would you rather be a 17th century plague doctor or an 19th century body snatcher?', then you've come to the right place.This episode was edited by Anna Brant. The

en

43:21

The Story of England's First Drag Queen

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal ·

2026/07/13

Born John Cooper, "Princess Seraphina" was one of the first English Drag Queens. Princess Seraphina was an 18th-century gentleman’s servant who openly embraced her feminine drag persona. Butin May 1732, a man named Thomas Gordon robbed her of her clothes and money. The court case that followed was astounding.Today Anthony Delaney takes Kate Lister back to the riotous streets of 18th century London.Anthony's book Queer Georgians is out now in paperback.Edited by Tim Arstall. Senior Producer is Freddy

en

49:21

The Woman Who Had Sex With Ghosts

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal ·

2026/07/09

Ida Craddock is a name that should be much, much better known. She was a maverick sex educator who fought violent censorship in turn of the century America. She also loudly announced to the world that she was married to a ghost and that their sex life was great, thank you very much.Dr Kate Lister tells this story taken from her new book Flick: The Story of Female Pleasure, available everywhere.Edited by Hannah Feodorov. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of

en

47:02

The Tragic Execution of a Victorian Murderess

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal ·

2026/07/06

In 1856, Martha Brown was led to the scaffold and hanged for the murder of her abusive husband. Her execution was clearly an injustice, even at the time. While Martha was condemned, multiple other female killers were spared the noose. In this episode, Anthony talks with Dr Rose Wallis from the University of West England Bristol about the societal implications of Martha's fate.Edited by Hannah Feodorov. Produced by Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer was Freddy Chick.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of

en

45:48

The Witch Men of Iceland

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal ·

2026/07/02

When we think of the great witch trials of history, we usually picture innocent women accused of impossible crimes... but that wasn't always the case.In the frozen, windswept landscapes of 17th-century Iceland, a wave of witch trials led to the persecution and execution of men accused of practising dark magic.Why were male witches feared more than female ones? And what happens when ancient Norse magic, strict Lutheran beliefs, and one of Europe's most isolated landscapes collide?Edited by Anna

en

54:25

The Secret Lesbian Affair under Mary Queen of Scots

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal ·

2026/06/29

16th century Scotland was a hard time to be a woman, far harder if you happened to be a woman who loved women. Yet from this dark time a dazzling lightness has survived - the secret lesbian love poetry of Marie Maitland. Marie's story is groundbreaking, uplifting and heartbreaking and is being shared with the world for the first time by our guest today Ashley Douglas whose new book With My Own Hand will be out on July 16th.Edited by Hannah Feodorov. Produced by Freddy Chick.Sign up to History Hit

en

45:54

The Murder Network That Terrified Versailles

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal ·

2026/06/25

In 17th century France, Louis XIV's court sparkled with luxury. It also teemed with poison, occult rituals and aristocrats trying to murder their way up the social ladder.What started with one poisoned Easter pie uncovered a criminal network stretching from the backstreets of Paris to the bedchamber of the Sun King himself.Joining Anthony to uncover this criminal underworld is special guest co-host, and host of our sister podcast Betwixt the Sheets, Dr. Kate Lister!Thanks so much to

en

53:34

History's Greatest Ghosts with Uncanny's Danny Robins

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal ·

2026/06/22

In this special episode of After Dark. Anthony and Uncanny’s Danny Robins delve into historical ghost stories and explore why our obsession with death and the paranormal remains an integral part of the human experience.Danny will be at the Crossed Wires podcast festival, which takes place between 2nd-5th July in Sheffield. All tickets, including Danny’s headline show of Uncanny Cold Cases and his free Uncanny Uncovered show, are available at CrossedWires.Live.Edited by Hannah Feodorov. Produced by

en

1:03:49

Most Famous Murder In Ancient Egypt

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal ·

2026/06/18

Millenia ago, a plot was hatched within the highest echelons of Egyptian society which ended with royal blood being spilt. This assassination, known as the Harem Conspiracy, and the following trial would fascinate historians for the next three thousand years... Who was behind the plot? How close did they come to seizing the throne? And what can archaeology tell us about Egyptian society as a whole?Our guest today is Dr. Campbell Price, Curator of Egypt and Sudan at Manchester Museum and honorary

en

55:34

The Dark History of the Quakers

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal ·

2026/06/15

17th century England was a world turned upside down.A civil war resulted in King Charles I being executed, and from this moment a religious movement called the Quakers grew rapidly.Far from the pacifists we think of them as today, Quaker leaders shocked the country with their radical approach, including attempts to resurrect the dead.Taking us back to the 17th century today is Dr Erica Canela, historian and author of Zealous: A Darker Side of the Early Quakers.Edited by Hannah Feodorov. Produced by

en

51:41

The Sicilian Catacombs of the Living Dead

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal ·

2026/06/11

*Warning: this episode contains discussions of child death*Deep beneath the sunny streets of Palermo Sicily, the Capuchin Catacombs are home to over a thousand people, most of them still standing in their Sunday best.Why did the residents of the catacombs want to be buried standing up? And how have their remains survived centuries?Joining Anthony today as a special guest co-host is Cat Irving, Human Remains Conservator at Surgeons’ Hall in Edinburgh, to take us back through this fascinating

en

58:54

How Boudica Took On The Roman Empire

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal ·

2026/06/08

Ancient Britain was occupied by the Romans, and tension was building with local tribes.Their brutal occupation reached a breaking point.So what happened when Queen Boudica stood up to the might of the Roman Empire? Bloody battles followed and Roman occupation in Britain changed forever. Her incredible life and story will shock and surprise you.Taking you back to Iron Age Britain is the incredible historian and author Kate Williams, who joins Anthony to immerse us in Boudica's world.Edited by Hannah

en

1:03:45

The Gruesome History of Sexual Disease

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal ·

2026/06/04

*Warning: this episode contains discussions of puss*Gonorrhea and syphilis are no laughing matter, especially in a time before antibiotics.How were symptoms first recorded and what were the disturbing treatments people endured?Joining Anthony today as a special guest co-host is Cat Irving, Human Remains Conservator at Surgeons’ Hall in Edinburgh, to take us back through this gruesome history.Edited by Anna Brant and Hannah Feodorov. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick.Sign

en

45:46

Who tried to kill Queen Victoria?

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal ·

2026/06/01

Queen Victorian was an icon of Britain at the zenith of its power... but that didn't mean she was invulnerable to attack. In today’s episode, we’ll be exploring some of the many assassination attempts on Victoria's life. We’ll be discussing the massive changes Britain was experiencing during this time and how this might have motivated these attackers… Some of them are pretty wild.Our guest today is Professor Kate Williams, historian and author whose new book ‘Regina: A New History of Women and

en

52:02

Burke & Hare's Serial Killing Dissection Business

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal ·

2026/05/28

What did Ancient Egyptians discover while dissecting bodies? What did the first medieval dissecting manual say? Who were the serial killers who supplied 19th century surgeons with bodies in Edinburgh?Joining Anthony today as a special guest co-host is Cat Irving, Human Remains Conservator at Surgeons’ Hall in Edinburgh, to take us back through this bloody history.Edited by Anna Brant and Tim Arstall. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of

en

37:23

Ancient Rome's Bloodiest Murders

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal ·

2026/05/26

Today we're delving back to an early episode of After Dark, where Anthony and Maddy explore the goriest murders of Ancient Rome.From flesh-eating fish and humiliating deaths inside sacks, to a deadly re-enactment of the Icarus myth. For a culture that is seen as an emblem of civilisation (whatever that means), the Romans expended a lot of creative energy on inventing new ways to kill people. And our guest today knows them all!Anthony Delaney and Maddy Pelling are joined by the one and only Emma

en

42:19

The Doctor Who Shocked Victorian Britain

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal ·

2026/05/21

What lurks behind the door of Dr. Kahn's Grand Anatomical Museum in Victorian London?Step inside and find out what shocked the public (and medical establishment) of the 19th century Britain so much, that it was eventually forced to close.To take you there today, Anthony is joined by guest co-host Cat Irving, Human Remains Conservator at Surgeons’ Hall in Edinburgh.Edited by Anna Brant and Tim Arstall. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Freddy Chick.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of

en

319 results

Similar Podcasts

Today In History with The Retrospectors

The Retrospectors

pplpod

pplpod

The Old Front Line

Paul Reed

This Day in Disney History

ATIS Products

Blues Moments in Time...

The Blues Hotel Collective