Illness and disease were an unavoidable part of medieval life. With short life expectancies and deaths often hastened by infection, sickness shaped everyday existence. In this episode, archaeologists reveal how a skeleton uncovered in York, England offers insights into how people coped with disease in the Middle Ages. 

Cast List: 

Tim Sutherland: Archaeologist, University of York

Prof. Charlotte Roberts: Bioarcheologist, University of Durham

Prof. Don Brothwell: University of York

Dr. Piers D. Mitchell: University of Cambridge 

Malin Holst: Osteoarcheologist, University of York

Dr. Sarah Fiddyment: Bioarcheologist, University of York

Dr. Camilla Speller: Bioarcheologist, University of York

Helen Goodchild: Archaeologist, University of York

Eric Meyers: Narrator

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In this episode of the Forbidden History podcast we look at how a small stretch of railway changed everything, propelling mankind into the modern world. The Liverpool to Manchester line transformed travel, time itself, and reshaped society. Yet behind the triumph lay plenty of challenges, danger, and even death…

Cast List:

Claire Barratt: Industrial Heritage Engineer

Dr Susan Major: Railway Historian

Guy Walters: Author & Historian

Tim Dunn: Railway Historian

Dominic Selwood: Historian & Journalist

Bob Gwynne: Curator, National Railway Museum

Paul O’Donnell: Railway Trust, Liverpool to Manchester

Anthony Dawson: Railway Historian

Nigel Jones: Author & Historian

Mark Cozens: Ranger, Risley Moss

Dr Michael Bailey: Railway Historian

Simon Holroyd: Engineering Manager, National Railway Museum

Erin Beester: Researcher, Manchester Science & Industry Museum

Eric Meyers: Narrator

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In this episode of the Forbidden History podcast, we unravel the chilling legend of the Mothman. Was this winged creature whose creepy sightings shook Point Pleasant, West Virginia in the 1960s really a harbinger of doom, or simply folklore taking flight?

Cast List:

Guy Walters: Author & Historian 

Eric Meyers: Narrator 

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The fate of the small Mediterranean island of Malta hung by a thread during World War II. In this episode, we speak with experts as they explore the defences of Malta, the intricate underground tunnel network built by the Maltese people to shelter from the relentless bombing, and the incredible story of the vessel that saved the island from starvation.

Cast List:

Victoria Taylor: Aviation Historian

Katherine Sharp Landdeck: Author and Historian

Albert Dimech: Local Guide

Guy Walters: Author and Historian

Geoffrey Wawro: Military Historian

Timmy Gambin: Marine Archaeologist

James Corum: Military Historian

Robert M. Citino: Senior Historian, The National WWII

Matthew Balzan: Principal Curator Fortifications

Stephen Prince: Military Historian

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Often remembered as symbols of divine judgment, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah remain some of the most haunting stories in the Bible...

In this episode of the Forbidden History podcast, we explore their fall, the lessons they left behind, and the enduring question: what really happened?

Cast List:

Tony McMahon: Former BBC news producer, author, print journalist and historian 

Eric Meyers: Narrator

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In this episode of the Forbidden History podcast, we discover how over 100 years ago a remote railroad fought against impossible odds in order to transport the prospectors of the Klondike gold rush. From gangsters and gold miners to Donald Trump's grandfather, this is the story of how a remote railway changed the lives of those who came in search of the American dream.

Cast List:

Tim Dunn: Railway Historian

Karl Gurke: Historian & Archaeologist

Fiona Giardino: Parks Canada Ranger

Steve Hites: Former Railroad Employee

Brittany Masloski: Tour Guide

Guy Walters: Author & Historian

Dominic Selwood: Historian & Journalist

Claire Barratt: Industrial Engineer

Jonathan Baldwin: Artistic Director, The Days of ‘98

Carl Mulvihill: Local Historian

Eric Meyers: Narrator

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In this episode of the Forbidden History podcast, we follow a team of experts as they investigate the life and death of a medieval woman whose skeleton was found at Tadcaster Castle, North Yorkshire. Could her burial be part of a grave of plague victims?

Cast List:

Simon Richardson: Metal Detectorist

Dr Piers Mitchell: Biological Anthropology, University of Cambridge

Dr Michelle Mundee: Bioarcheologist, University of York

Tim Sutherland: Archaeologist, University of York

Malin Holst: Osteoarcheologist, University of York

Eric Meyers: Narrator 

Episode originally produced in 2013

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During the height of WW1, a ship once nicknamed ‘The Dutch Titanic’ became embroiled in a 24-hour long battle with a pack of German U-Boats. In this episode, we follow a group of underwater explorers as they discover a new wreck in the North Atlantic that could shed a whole new light on the events that took place that fateful day.

Cast List:

Guy Walters: Author & Historian 

Michael Barnette: Marine Biologist & Underwater Explorer

Dr. Tamas Balogh: Maritime Historian

Michael McVeigh: Dive Boat Skipper

James Sherwood: Author & Broadcaster

Tom McCluskie: Archive Manager at Harland & Wolff Shipping Company

Axel Niestle: WW2 Historian

Jean Kelly: Daughter of Clifford Young 

Barry McGill: Diver

Gareth O’Neill: Diver

Eric Meyers: Narrator 

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The Battle of the Bulge, or ‘Hitler’s last gamble’ was described by Winston Churchill as “the greatest American battle of the war”. Nearly 20,000 US soldiers were killed in the battle, some of whom were all too often forgotten African American front-line troops. In this episode of the Forbidden History podcast, we follow a team of conflict archaeologists as they retrace their paths, uncovering the overlooked stories of those who defied racism on two fronts: facing both the deadly advance of Nazi forces and the injustice of serving in a segregated army.

Cast List:

Dr. Birger Stichelbaut: Conflict Archaeologist

Edwin Popken: Military Historian

Robert Hudson Jr.: Son of 333rd Field Artillery

Dr. Peter Caddick-Adams: Author and Historian

Dr. Robert M. Citino: Senior Historian, The National

Dr. Peter Schrijvers: Military Historian

Eric Meyers: Narrator

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For centuries, Oak Island has held its secrets tightly, in the form of hidden chambers, mysterious symbols, and a trail of clues that lead to more questions than answers. In this episode of the Forbidden History podcast, we dig into the conspiracy theories surrounding the island’s most elusive legends… just who is keeping the treasured secret?

Cast List:

Guy Walters: Author & Historian 

Eric Meyers: Narrator 

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