The History Hour

Riots in Mauritius and the Queen 'jumping out of a helicopter'


Listen Later

Max Pearson presents a collection of this week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Philippe Sands, Professor of the Public Understanding of Law at University College London, who tells us about the history of ethnic tensions in Mauritius.

The programme begins with Kaya a Mauritian musician whose death sparked three days of rioting. Then, we hear from John Huckstep who was interned by the Japanese when living in China during World War Two.

In the second half of the programme, we tell the story of how Semtex was invented, and the debate about where the German capital should be after reunification.

Finally, the man who made the Queen appear to jump out of a helicopter tells us how he did it, with the help of corgis, a clothesline, the Queen's dresser and of course James Bond.

Contributors:

Veronique Topize - Kaya's widow.
Cassam Uteem - Former President of Mauritius.
Phillippe Sands - Professor of the Public Understanding of Law at University College London.
Jurgen Nimptsch - Former Mayor of Bonn.
Wolfgang Schauble - Member of German Bundestag.
John Huckstep - Held as a child at an interment camp in China.
Stanislav Brebera - Brother of chemist who invented Semtex.
Frank Cottrell-Boyce - Writer.

(Photo: Mural of Kaya. Credit: BBC)

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The History HourBy BBC World Service

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

556 ratings


More shows like The History Hour

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,608 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

375 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,047 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,480 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,796 Listeners

History Extra podcast by Immediate Media

History Extra podcast

3,208 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

957 Listeners

In Our Time: History by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time: History

1,880 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,754 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,043 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

2,097 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

484 Listeners

Lives Less Ordinary by BBC World Service

Lives Less Ordinary

593 Listeners

Dan Snow's History Hit by History Hit

Dan Snow's History Hit

4,789 Listeners

The Inquiry by BBC World Service

The Inquiry

746 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

847 Listeners

Unexpected Elements by BBC World Service

Unexpected Elements

351 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,156 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,009 Listeners

Empire by Goalhanger

Empire

2,493 Listeners

History's Heroes by BBC Radio 4

History's Heroes

508 Listeners