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PODCAST

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

Join sex historian Dr Kate Lister on Betwixt the Sheets as she gets intimate with the stories that would make your history teacher blush.What were the Victorians really like behind closed (bedroom) doors? How did the Black Death favour women in medieval England? And what was Caesar like in the sack?Join Kate as she bed-hops around different time periods; from ancient civilisations, to the middle ages, to renaissance and early modern...right up to now.You’ll laugh, you’ll wince, and you’ll ask

history

All Episodes

32:16

Inside the Icelandic Witch Trials

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2025/10/31

Picture a witch. Chances are, you're thinking of a woman.But in 17th century Iceland, over 90% of the people killed for being a witch, were men.Why were more men being accused than women for being a witch? And what happened inside their trials?Today we're revisiting an episode from 2024 to take you back inside the Icelandic Witch Trials. Kate is joined by Dr. Ólína Kjerulf Þorvarðardóttir, Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Bifröst.You can also watch Kate explore Icelandic witch

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38:54

Wife-Swapping Magician of the Tudor Court

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2025/10/17

The 16th century was a dangerous time to be talking about magic and hidden forces, so how did John Dee end up being invited into Elizabeth I's court?He was an astronomer, occultist and alchemist who dedicated his life to understanding how celestial activity influenced life on earth.What happened when he thought angels told him to swap wives with another mystic? How did his influence impact the Tudor court? And why was he never accused of witchcraft?Joining Kate today is Rachel Morris, author of The

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42:40

The Boleyn Who Betrayed Henry VIII

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2025/10/10

She was executed on Henry VIII's orders alongside Catherine Howard, and was sister-in-law to Anne Boleyn and the King. She lived in the heart of the Tudor court, and almost made it out alive.It was a time of huge danger, and such high stakes. But who was Jane Boleyn? Traitor, spy, a woman trying to surive?In today's episode Kate's joined by the fantastic historian and author Philippa Gregory, author of Boleyn Traitor, to help us get to know this fascinating woman.This episode was edited by Tim

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29:05

History's Worst F*ckboys: Rasputin

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2025/09/26

Rasputin presented himself as a mystic healer, and preached that the only way to salvation was through sin — which sometimes, if rumour is to be believed, manifested in orgies.It's definitely giving f*ckboy behaviour.How did he make his way from poverty to the Russian royalty inner circle? What mystical powers did he claim to have? And did he really have a 13" penis?Helping Kate get to know this charismatic - and problematic - figure, is Frances Welch, author of Rasputin: A Short Life.*TW: This

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42:11

Why Are We Scared Of Single Women?

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2025/09/23

Where did the idea of the bunny boiler come from?In this episode we're exploring how single women got such a bad rap in popular culture. From Miss Havisham to Bridget Jones, Caroline Young joins Kate once again.Caroline is the author of 'Single and Psycho: How Pop Culture Created the Unstable Single Woman'.This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release

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53:44

Queer Georgians

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2025/09/12

How did the Georgians discuss sexuality? And how, and why, did they regulate it? In this episode, Kate talks to Dr Anthony Delaney about his new book 'Queer Georgians: A hidden history of lovers, lawbreakers and homemakers'.Listen to find out the truth about the Chevalier D'Eon: soldier, spy ... and transgender trailblazer?Anthony hosts our sister podcast, After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds and the Paranormal, with Dr Maddy Pelling.This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Sophie Gee. The

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34:39

History's Worst F*ckboys: Raphael

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2025/09/09

The Renaissance is known for its heady combination of sex, art and exciting new ideas about the world.Was Raphael, one of the superstar painters of the period, a Renaissance top shagger? Were sex workers essential to the artistic process of painting nudes? Why did historians think he died from having too much sex?Joining Kate today is the wonderful professor and author, Jill Burke, to help us get to know this man better.This episode was edited by Tim Arstall and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The

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1:01:13

Alexander the Great's Mummy Issues: Olympias

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2025/09/05

They say behind every great man is a great woman. In this episode, we meet the woman behind Alexander the Great's success. From securing his status, to influencing his succession, Olympias was a force to be reckoned with.Kate is joined for this episode by Tristan Hughes, host of our sister podcast, The Ancients.Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link - https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/voting - and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you!Sign

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49:18

Origins of Virginity

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2025/08/26

From luring in unicorns to protecting the Roman Empire, myths have surrounded virginity for centuries. But is virginity itself a myth?In this episode from the archive, Kate speaks to Anke Bernau about where the so-called cherry comes from, what it stands for and why it has been important throughout history.*WARNING there are mentions of sexual assault in this episode*Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Mixed by Peter Dennis.Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast

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40:17

How Wild Were The Last Days Of Rome?

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2025/08/15

As Rome fell, was it really non-stop orgies and parties?That's become a popular connotation, and in today's episode Kate is joined by historian and friend of the show Emma Southon (https://www.emmasouthon.com) to find out what was happening on the ground as the Roman empire crumbled.This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t forget to

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37:29

How Incestuous Were The Habsburgs?

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2025/07/29

People will do crazy things to keep hold of power.The Habsburgs - one of the most powerful families in European history - were a prime example of this. To keep hold of their power, they decided they would keep their gene pool as small as possible.What were the disastrous consequences of this incest? How common was incest in royal families? And how did it all end for this dynasty, which included Charles II of Spain and Marie Antoinette?Helping Kate get to know them is historian, Associate Professor

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46:49

Royal Sex: Catherine the Great

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2025/07/18

Did Catherine the Great really die having sex with a horse? Was she involved in her husband's death? And were her lovers selected for political reasons?In this episode, Kate speaks with Virginia Rounding about the real Catherine the Great. We find out why Catherine's sex life still intrigues so many, and what kind of ruler she was. Virginia is the author of 'Catherine the Great: Love, Sex and Power’.This episode was edited and produced by Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.Please

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34:25

The Power of Medieval Gossip

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2025/07/08

People have always gossiped, but what did they gossip about in medieval times? How were women punished for gossiping? And where does the term 'gossip' come from?Joining Kate today to gossip about all things medieval gossip is the wonderful Eleanor Janega, co-host of our sister podcast Gone Medieval. This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link,

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35:22

Why Were Ancient Dicks So Small?

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2025/07/01

Have you ever been puzzled by proportions when looking at Ancient Greek statues? It can't just be us.From quarrying the stone to chipping away the final touches on your masterpiece - sculpting is a drawn out process. So why, after possibly years of work, did Ancient Greek artists make penises so small?Kate is joined by Professor Caroline Vout to find out what these sculptors meant by their statues' modest members, and what this tells us about the Ancient world.This episode was edited by Tim Arstall

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54:01

The Bloody History of the C-section

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2025/06/24

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 every

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34:43

Medieval Sex Work

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2025/06/13

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 History Hit for

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48:56

What Did Jane Austen Know About Sex?

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2025/06/10

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

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37:26

Could You Survive Medieval Childbirth?

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2025/06/03

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. The

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30:01

The Truth About The Minotaur

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2025/05/30

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 Stuart

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52:03

The Murderous Affairs of King James

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &... ·

2025/05/27

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 us unravel

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