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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

53:49

Sex and Scandal of Medieval Royals

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

2025/11/14

What did Queen Isabella of France do to deserve the nickanem She-Wolf? What sex scandals happened in the 14th century? And why did the Black Death improve peoples' sex lives?!Joining Kate today is the fantastic author and historian, Helen Carr, to take us back to this time to find out.This episode was edited by Tim Arstall and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Freddy Chick.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and

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56:02

The Truth About Vincent Van Gogh

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

2025/11/11

However you pronounce his name, one thing is for certain: Van Gogh made made his mark on the world.But how did he interact with the world around him? From his relationship with a sex worker in the Hague to his time at the asylum in the south of France.Joining Kate today is Teio Meedendorp, Senior Researcher at the Van Gogh Museum, to help us get to know this complex man better.*TW: This episode contains references to self harm and suicide.*This episode was edited by Tim Arstall and produced by

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1:01:30

The Truth About Mary Shelley

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

2025/11/04

Frankenstein and his monster are household names - even if one is often confused for the other. But what of their creator?In this episode we are meeting Mary Shelley. Did she really lose her virginity on her mother's grave? Did she keep her husband's heart after his death? And where did the gothic novel 'Frankenstein' come from?Kate is joined by poet Fiona Sampson to explore Mary and her life. Fiona's biography of Mary Shelley is entitled ‘In Search of Mary Shelley: The Girl Who Wrote

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38:43

How Bloody Was 'Bloody Mary'?

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

2025/10/28

Before Mary I was Queen, no other woman had worn the crown of England.This made her a Tudor trailblazer, and a target.During her short reign she burned some 300+ people, earning her the nickname 'Bloody Mary'. Was this nickname justified or was it a case of bad press?Joining Kate today is the fantastic Anna Whitelock, historian and author of books including Mary Tudor: England’s First Queen, to help us get to know this woman.This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The

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41:43

How To Fake Virginity

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

2025/10/24

Why, just why, would one put a leech up their .. you know where? It's all in the name of virginity, or the faking of it.Kate is joined by Dr Julia Martins to find out why virginity was so necessary to Early Modern people, and how they went about faking it.Julia can be found at juliamartins.co.ukThis 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 every week

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45:06

Inside Concentration Camp Brothels

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

2025/10/21

Even among Holocaust researchers, this subject is taboo. Starting in 1942, the Nazis set up brothels inside some of the camps, not for the guards, but for the prisoners.What was the point of these brothels? Who were the women forced to work there? And who were the prisoners who visited them?In this episode we find out from Robert Sommer, author of 'The Concentration Camp Brothel: Forced Sexual Labor under Nazi Rule'. Over 10 years, Robert scoured 70 archives and spoke with 30 survivors to bridge

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42:19

Inside a Wild West Brothel

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

2025/10/14

Shoot outs, hard drinking and gambling. The Wild West is remembered for it's general lawlessness, but what might life have been like for the first women to join the American settlers as they moved west?**TW: This episode contains mentions of suicide**In this episode, we are investigating the lives of sex workers on the American frontier. Who were they? What were their living conditions like? And how were they treated by their contemporaries?Kate is joined for this episode by Hollie Marquess, Dr Leo

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50:34

Inside Imperial Japan's Brothels

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

2025/10/07

After the first licensed brothel opened in the 17th century, how was sex work thought of in Japan throughout the following centuries?From the brothels in the pleasure quarters, to the rise and popularity of male sex workers and where geishas fit into the picture, Kate is joined by Elizabeth Lublin to explore this world.This episode was edited by Tim Arstall and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries,

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37:45

The Scandalous Royal Mistress Who Ruled France

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

2025/10/03

Is this strangest threesome in royal history?!We're endlessly fascinated with the lives of royal mistresses, and this has to be one of the most notorious.It takes place in 16th century France between Henry II, his wife Catherine de Medici and his much older mistress, Diane de Poitiers.How does this three-way power dynamic play out, inside and outside the bedroom? And how does Diane claim more power than the Queen?Joining Kate is the fantastic historian and author, Estelle Paranque, to take us back

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37:33

Inside The 18th Century Brothel Ship

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

2025/09/30

Why did a British ship carry over 200 women to Australia in the late 18th century? In this episode, we are going inside the Lady Juliana, a convict transportation ship.What crimes were these women being punished for? What was life like on the ship? And why was it called a 'floating brothel'?Our guest, Siân Rees, is the author of ‘The Floating Brothel: The extraordinary true story of an 18th-century ship and its cargo of female convicts’.This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Sophie

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49:24

Who Was The Naughtiest Pope In History?

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

2025/09/19

Sex, scandal and ... the Sacraments? Renaissance Rome wasn't for the faint hearted. And the Vatican? For some that was the source of the drama.In this episode, Kate is joined by Catherine Fletcher to meet one of the Vatican's randiest residents - Pope Alexander VI. From saucy parties to the scandals of the Borgia family, why might this be the naughtiest pope in history?Catherine is the author of a number of books including ‘The Beauty and the Terror: An Alternative History of the Italian

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44:47

History's Worst F*ckboys: Emperor Nero

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

2025/09/16

Where does Emperor Nero fit in the pantheon of history's worst f*ckboys?Does he measure up against the likes of previous episodes on Charles II or Raphael? Is he the worst of the lot? And what strange sex games did he like to play?Helping Kate getting to know the awful Emperor Nero is returning guest, Rome-based historian and tour guide, Alex Meddings.This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.Please vote for us for Listeners'

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44:49

Histories Worst F*ckboys: Charles II

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

2025/09/02

Our mini-series exploring the worst f*ckboys in history is back!In today's episode, Kate is joined by Dr. David Taylor of Oxford University to get to know the so-called Merry Monarch and the many women in his life.Was it better to be married or be a mistress to Charles II? How many lovers did he really have? And was Restoration England as fun as it sounded?This episode was edited by Amy Haddow and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer is Charlotte Long.Please vote for us for Listeners'

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35:10

Shag, Marry, Kill: Roman Emperor Edition

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

2025/08/29

Which would be better for a fling, which would you not touch with a barge pole, and which is marriage material? There's only one way to find out.This episode was edited by Tim Arstall 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 - https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/voting - and don’t forget to confirm the email. Thank you!Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original

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45:27

How Hot Was Henry VIII?

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

2025/08/22

With SIX wives, Henry VIII must have had something going for him, right? Was he handsome? Charming? Intelligent? Just plain powerful?In this episode, Kate is joined by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb, host of our sister podcast Not Just the Tudors. They discuss the vanity of Henry VIII, his sporting prowess, and his injuries. Listen to discover just how terrible this Tudor king smelt.This episode was edited by Tim Arstall and produced by Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.Please vote for

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42:05

The Real Virgin Mary

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

2025/08/19

Why has the idea of the Virgin Mary’s virginity been so important?What does this tell us about the relationship between Christianity and sex? And what else do we know about this woman?Joining Kate today to help her get to know more about Mary, her life and her influence is author and historian Sir Diarmaid Macculloch.This episode was edited by Tim Arstall. The producer was Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards

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38:05

The Strangest Tudor & Stuart Aphrodisiacs

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

2025/08/12

Forget oysters, have you tried eating sparrows with a side of phallic vegetables to stir your lust?!Getting in the mood isn’t just a modern preoccupation, but the reasons behind it have definitely changed throughout the centuries.What aphrodisiacs were people using in the Early Modern period? Who were the authorities on this? And how was witch craft involved?!Joining Kate today is author and historian Dr. Jennifer Evans to help us find out.This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by

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48:08

Did Henry VI Have A Sex Coach?

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

2025/08/08

Henry VI didn't fit the medieval image of masculinity, or that much of a king, either.Who gave sex education to someone of this stature? How did his controversial marriage to the French Margaret of Anjou effect his reputation? And what problems were they facing in the bedroom?Joining Kate today is author and historian Lauren Johnson to help us get to know this misunderstood medieval monarch.This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Stuart Beckwith. The senior producer was Charlotte

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46:51

Who Were The Vestal Virgins?

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

2025/08/04

What happened if a Vestal Virgin broke their pledge of virginity? How would a woman be chosen for the role? And were there any benefits to taking it?Kate is finding out in this episode with Peta Greenfield, co-author of ‘Your Cheeky Guide to the Roman Empire’ and co-host of ‘The Partial Historians’, with her colleague Dr Fiona Radford.This episode was edited by Tom Delargy and produced by Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British

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47:28

Royal Sex: Cleopatra

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

2025/08/01

Did Cleopatra have a bee-powered vibrator? Why did she marry both of her brothers? And how serious were her relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony?Kate is joined by Egyptologist Sarah Parcak to find out where Cleopatra's seductress reputation came from, and whether she lived up to it.This episode was edited by Tim Arstall. The producer was Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Charlotte Long.Please vote for us for Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards! Follow this link, and don’t

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