Witness History Podcast
History told by the people who were there. For nine minutes every weekday, Witness History takes you back to moments which have shaped our world.
Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.
For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.
Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.
We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines’ life and Omar Sharif’s legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.
You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives’ ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.
Episodes to download
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The 'Jugroom Fort' rescue mission
Mon 2 Feb 2026
In 2007, British forces staged a daring rescue from a Taliban stronghold in Afghanistan
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Ötzi: The Iceman of Bolzano
Fri 30 Jan 2026
In September 1991, two German hikers found a 5,000-year-old mummy in a glacier
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The Kaohsiung Incident
Thu 29 Jan 2026
On 10 December 1979, pro-democracy activists clashed with police in Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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Chile's 'Penguin Revolution'
Wed 28 Jan 2026
In 2006, more than 600,000 school children in Chile began a nationwide protest
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The liberation of Auschwitz
Tue 27 Jan 2026
In 1945, General Vasily Petrenko freed prisoners at the Nazi death camp
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John Logie Baird invents television
Mon 26 Jan 2026
On 26 January 1926, John Logie Baird demonstrated the prototype for television
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Agatha Christie: best-selling novelist of all time
Fri 23 Jan 2026
In January 1976, author Agatha Christie died aged 85
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The Challenger space shuttle tragedy
Thu 22 Jan 2026
In January 1986, the launch of space shuttle Challenger ended in tragedy
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Operation Mincemeat
Wed 21 Jan 2026
In April 1943, the most audacious hoax of WWII began. It was codenamed Operation Mincemeat
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The Irish priest who built an airport
Tue 20 Jan 2026
In 1986, a priest raised millions to open an airport at Knock in Ireland.
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Exiled Ayatollah Khomeini returns to Iran
Mon 19 Jan 2026
In February 1979, religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini flew back to Tehran from Paris
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Afghan Star
Fri 16 Jan 2026
In 2005, a TV show to find new musical talent was launched in Afghanistan
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The deadly Vargas mudslides in Venezuela
Thu 15 Jan 2026
In December 1999, torrential rain in Venezuela led to deadly floods and mudslides
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Creating Cluedo
Wed 14 Jan 2026
Blackouts during World War II helped Anthony Pratt invent the popular family board game.
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The creation of the modern kitchen
Tue 13 Jan 2026
The modern kitchen was created by an Austrian architect in 1926
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Brain: PC virus
Mon 12 Jan 2026
In 1986, what’s thought to be the first computer virus spreads around the world
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Battle of Gallipoli
Fri 9 Jan 2026
A New Zealand soldier's account of surviving one of the worst battles of World War One
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Sazae-san: World's longest-running cartoon
Thu 8 Jan 2026
In 1969, a Japanese cartoon about a traditional family premiered on Fuji TV
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Tracey Emin’s unmade bed
Wed 7 Jan 2026
In 1999, Dame Tracey Emin’s unmade bed was nominated for the prestigious Turner art prize
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Isabel Allende: The House of the Spirits
Tue 6 Jan 2026
In 1982, Isabel Allende published her bestselling novel, The House of the Spirits
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The Hillsborough disaster
Mon 5 Jan 2026
On 15 April 1989, there was a crowd crush at a football match in Sheffield, England
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South Africa's luxury train
Fri 2 Jan 2026
In 1986, South African businessman Rohan Vos decided to launch a vintage railway business
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The American Freedom Train
New Year's Day 2026
In 1975, the train began a 21-month tour of the US celebrating 200 years of independence
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The longest musical composition
Wed 31 Dec 2025
In 1999, Longplayer started playing and it will continue, without repeating, until 2999
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Radio Free Europe
Tue 30 Dec 2025
Seventy-five years ago, RFE started broadcasting to audiences behind the Iron Curtain
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SMS: The invention of text messaging
Mon 29 Dec 2025
The invention of the Short Message Service changed how we communicate around the world
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Creating the board game Catan
Boxing Day 2025
In 1995, the game debuted and has since sold more than 40 million copies worldwide
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How the hoverboard was created
Christmas Eve 2025
In 2011, inventor Shane Chen created the motorised skateboard