Horrible Histories
- TV sketch show
- CBBC / BBC One
- 2009 - 2024
- 139 episodes (10 series)
Hit sketch show based on surprising facts from world history, inspired by the hit children's book series. Stars Jim Howick, Simon Farnaby, Ben Willbond, Mathew Baynton, Martha Howe-Douglas and more.
- Due to return for Series 11
- Series 9, Christmas Special repeated tomorrow at 1:45pm on CBBC
- Streaming rank this week: 577
Episode menu
Series 1, Episode 5
Further details
Strange Egyptian beauty secrets, a Saxon musical instrument made from pigs and details about William the Conqueror's shambolic funeral form a selection of the fascinating and funny facts featured in this week's edition of the historical comedy sketch series.
Adverts for Pharaoh Fashion magazine and Mouse Fresh Max show how Egyptians stayed up to date by wearing wax cones in their hair and sheep wool wigs and how they kept their breath fresh by putting half a hot dead mouse in their mouths.
Bob Hale romps through the origins of man in two minutes in the Stone Age Report and the series imagines a dinner party between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens.
Meera Syal reads the Saxon version of Goldilocks And The Three Bears and Saxon King Ethelred the Unready reveals some of the ordeals he created to detect if a person is guilty, including ordeal by cake.
A Georgian doctor reports for duty in Historical Hospital, prescribing an unpalatable cure consisting of urine, ground woodlice, sugar and nutmeg.
Broadcast details
- Date
- Thursday 14th May 2009
- Time
- 4:35pm
- Channel
- BBC One
- Length
- 30 minutes
Cast & crew
Jim Howick | Various |
Simon Farnaby | Various |
Ben Willbond | Various |
Mathew Baynton | Various |
Martha Howe-Douglas | Various |
Laurence Rickard | Various |
Sarah Hadland | Various |
Jon Culshaw | Various (Voice) |
Jess Robinson | Various (Voice) |
Meera Syal | Self |
Katy Wix | Ensemble Actor |
Lisa Devlin | Ensemble Actor |
Javone Prince | Ensemble Actor |
John Eccleston | Rattus Rattus |
Steve Punt | Writer |
Jon Holmes | Writer |
Arnold Widdowson | Writer |
Marc Blakewill | Writer |
James Harris | Writer |
George Poles | Writer |
Steve Connelly | Director |
Chloe Thomas | Director |
Caroline Norris | Series Producer |
Giles Pilbrow | Producer |
Dominic Brigstocke | Producer |
Richard Bradley | Executive Producer |
Kim Shillinglaw | Executive Producer |
Charlie Fawcett | Editor |
Michelle Turkington | Editor |
Miranda Jones | Production Designer |
Richie Webb | Composer |
Matt Katz | Composer |