Who Did What Now

By Katie Charlwood

What's Who Did What Now about?

Whoever said history was boring obviously wasn’t paying attention. Each week, join Katie Charlwood, history harlot and reader of books, as she delves into the people, places and events that make history a bit more interesting!

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Who Did What Now episodes:

05.01.2024
105. The Sausage Factory Murder of Chicago
It’s historical true crime time! Louisa Luetgert went missing in May 1897, her husband - the Sausage King of Chicago claims that his beloved wife ran off with another man when she discovered that he was in debt. It wasn't...
04.16.2024
104. The Overbury Poisoning
It’s historical true crime time! The world’s obsession with true crime is nothing new, and this one really was the talk of the Stuart court. This 17th Century crime has everything, political scheming, a royal connection, a marriage scandal, jilted...
04.01.2024
103. George Villiers - 1st Duke of Buckingham
There's nothing typical about the King's favourite, George Villiers, the 1st Duke of Buckingham. A man so charming that a dukedom was created just for him, and so hated that the country celebrated his demise. The man made such an...
03.26.2024
102. Satanic Panic
Step into the shadows with us and delve into the perplexing phenomenon of the Satanic Panic. In the 1980s , communities were consumed by fears of occult rituals and devil worship, fuelled by media frenzy and societal anxieties. Join Katie...
03.19.2024
101. The Black Widows of Liverpool
Catherine Flanagan and Margaret Higgins, the Merseyside murderesses emigrated to Liverpool in order to escape and survive the famine, An Gorta Mór, but the Irish sisters would do more than just survive in the busting port city, they would thrive...at...
03.12.2024
100. Queen Medb - Warrior Queen of Ireland
Queen Medb, Queen of Connacht and downright vengeful woman whose beauty could rob men of two thirds of their valour oh and who may or may not have been a real person... A little lighter topic for this week. Hosted by...
03.08.2024
99. The Magdalene Laundries
In this special IWD24 episode Katie does a deep dive into the Magdalene Laundries, operating under the guise of reforming "fallen" and "wayward" women and girls, only to exploit and abuse those that were working and residing in them. Hosted by...
03.05.2024
98. Anne Bonny and Mary Read - Here Be Pirates
Anne Bonny and Mary Read were a deadly pirate duo who plundered, pilfered and pillaged their way to infamy to become legends from the golden age of privacy. Hosted by Katie Charlwood Part of the Airwave Media Network - www.airwavemedia.com I'm on Tour! Get...
02.27.2024
97. Marlene Dietrich - Hollywood's Femme Fatale
Embark on a journey through Marlene Dietrich's captivating life (and occasionally scandalous) life. Delve into the magnetic charm and rebellious spirit that defined this bisexual Hollywood legend. From groundbreaking films to defying societal norms, discover the enigma of an iconic...
02.21.2024
96. Anne Lister - Gentleman Jack
Ready for a wild ride through Anne Lister's diary confessions? Let's spill the tea on this 19th-century trailblazer who not only defied society but also documented every woman she ever charmed in her diary (with so many sordid secrets written...
02.13.2024
95. Pope Leo X - The Ultimate Nepo Baby
Pope Leo X was an interesting religious leader, he had a pet elephant, excommunicated Martin Luther and had his lover framed for murder, and that's only just the tip of the iceberg... Hosted by Katie Charlwood Part of the Airwave Media Network...
02.06.2024
94. William Dorsey Swann = Queen of Drag
William Dorsey Swann was a former slave who went on to become the very first drag queen. Swann took care of their community, held the most sensational soirees and fought for queer freedom nearly a century before Stonewall. It's LGBTQ+...
01.30.2024
93. Gland Larceny: The Testicle Thieves of Chicago
If you go down to the Windy City, the Windy City is mighty pretty, but you might have your nuts chopped, yes siree! During the roaring twenties there was a crime that was taking Chicago by storm and it wasn't...
01.23.2024
92. Marguerite de Valois - Queen of Navarre - Part II
We are diving into part II of the life of France's slandered queen, Marguerite de Valois, Queen of Navarre. A woman who's life was tainted with libel and rumour... Hosted by Katie Charlwood Part of the Airwave Media Network - www.airwavemedia.com Listen to...
01.16.2024
91. Marguerite de Valois - Queen of Navarre - Part I
Marguerite of Valois, Queen of Navarre (or Queen Margot to her friends) lived through a time of political upheaval in France, with a lifetime tainted by rumours, myths and propaganda. Labelled as a nymphomaniac, a vixen, a harlot... well, it...
01.05.2024
90. The Real Dick Whittington
The tale of Dick Whittington (and his cat) is one that has flowered through folklore and onto the stage, becoming a pantomime staple several centuries after London's most popular medieval mayor left his mark on the capital. The original rags...
12.13.2023
89. Lavinia Fisher - America's First Female Serial Killer
The name Lavinia Fisher is one that has haunts the true crime annals for centuries. She was accused of poisoning and murdering many guests who had the misfortune to choose the Six Mile Wayfarer's House as their lodgings as they...
12.06.2023
88. Charles Dickens - Great Expectations, Terrible Reality
Charles Dickens is one of the most popular writers ever to exist, he championed for the poor, he highlighted inequality and child labour laws, and he's even partly responsible for the wholesome concept of Christmas. However there is more to...
11.30.2023
87. The Theft of the Irish Crown Jewels
At the turn of the 20th Century, four days before the King and Queen are due to visit Ireland for the Great Expedition, the country is rocked by Ireland's most scandalous heist in one of its most fortified buildings. The...
11.28.2023
86. De Valera's Prison Break
Eamon De Valera, the long fellow, was to become the President and first Taoiseach of the Irish Republic, but before that he was locked up in an English prison while his fellow rebels fought for Irish independence and Home Rule....
11.14.2023
85. Mary Shelley - The Original Goth Girl
Mary Shelley was a force to be reckoned with, an intellectual mastermind, fuelled by passion and who lived a life rife with death and creativity. As a teenager Mary invented an entire genre, and as an adult somehow acquired forged...
10.18.2023
84. Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was the original goth boy, emo well before that G note made everyine with 45degree fringes and spray on trousers stop in their tracks. Poe was he master of the macabre, from his tragic beginnings to his...
10.10.2023
83. Elizabeth Bathory - The Blood Countess REDUX
Erzébet Báthori, history's most prolific female serial-killer, who exsanguinated her victims and the bathed in the blood of virgins, out of villainy? Sadism? Or a desperate attempt to regain her youth and beauty,,,? No, not at all, Erzébet Báthori was...
10.03.2023
82. Sawney Bean And His Cannibal Clan
In the 16th Century Sawney Bean and his bloodthirsty brood ambushed, killed and consumed weary travellers as they traversed the log, narrow roads of the Ayrshire coast for 25 years. Did this cave-dwelling cannibal clan get away with such depravity...
09.26.2023
81. Roald Dahl - Soldier, Writer, Cheater, Spy
Roald Dahl has created worlds within pages that live in the minds and hearts of children (and some grown-ups) worlds that are chaotic, complicated, dark, jaunty and oft macabre, not so different from the man himself. This week, join Katie...
09.22.2023
80. The Great Fire of London
Over 350 years ago, the City of London was razed when a tiny spark on Pudding Lane ignited a fire hotter than lava, that would ravage the city for four days. This week join Katie, history harlot and reader of...
09.12.2023
79. Princess Alice of Battenberg
Princess Alice of Battenberg had a far more interesting life than most royals in recent history, she was a princess, a wife, a mother, a nurse, a refugee, a nun, a prolific chain-smoker and of course, mother-in-law to the Queen...
09.05.2023
78. J. M. Barrie - The Man Behind Peter Pan
James Matthew Barrie, a Scottish novelist and playwright, best known for being the creator of Peter Pan, brought joy, childhood fantasies and the name Wendy to the world. However, it's not all St Bernards and pixie dust, in fact the...
08.31.2023
77. Diana - Princess of Wales
The late Diana, Princess of Wales, was the first wife of King Charles III and to many is the uncrowned queen whose life and tragic death have been steeped in controversy and conspiracy for decades. Listen now as we peel...
08.22.2023
76. Justice for Ellen Poe - A Forgotten Woman
Ellen Poe was the wife of a prosperous doctor in Tipperary during the Irish Famine, but their marriage was not a happy one. Ellen suffered at the hands of her husband, slandered, abused and condemned to death. She would receive...
08.16.2023
75. The Sydney Shark Arm Murder REDUX
In April 1935, Australia is sitting between two world wars and while celebrating ANZAC day a shark in a Sydney aquarium vomits up an entire human limb, and so begins the mysterious and suspicious case of the Shark Arm Murder Hosted...
08.10.2023
Bittisode 016: The Murder of Lord Darnley - Scotland's Oldest Cold Case
In this week's bittisode we discuss the mysterious death of Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, the King Consort to Mary, Queen of Scots. This unsolved murder is Scotland's Oldest Cold Case... Hosted by Katie Charlwood Part of the Airwave Media Network - www.airwavemedia.com Let's...
08.08.2023
74. Caterina Sforza - Renaissance Woman
Caterina Sforza was certainly a force to be reckoned with, the Countess of Forli and Lady of Imola, she fought off armies, husbands and even cardinals, so impressive was she that she was one of the only women for Machiavelli...
08.01.2023
73. Frank Abagnale Jr - Catch Him if You Can
Frank Abagnale Jr is known as a reformed conman, a criminal gone good, using his skills and expertise to protect big companies from fraudsters like he was. Frank is best known for his exploits detailed in his autobiography, and Spielberg...
07.25.2023
72. Mary Stuart - Queen of Scots
It's Who Did What Now's one-year anniversary with the Airwave Media Network, so why not celebrate it by talking about the most scandalous queen in Scottish history... So Mary Stuart became Queen of Scotland at only 6 days old, born...
07.17.2023
71 - Barbie - The Evolution of an Icon
In 1959, when Barbie was first introduced to the world, no-one could have expected that this little doll (of what some might call naughty origins) would become the most recognisable toy in the world or spearheading a toy company in...
07.11.2023
70. The Rise and Fall of the East India Company
For a historical example of just how incredibly devious, vile and downright evil a corporation can be, look no further than the East India Company's undisputed reign of terror. You may recognise these foes as the non-magical, mercantile, malevolent force...
07.04.2023
69. King Alfonso XIII - The Raunchiest Royal
Seeing as this is Episode 69 (nice) why not take find out the history of the only King to be both nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and for having a stake in the adult film industry. The Playboy King...
06.26.2023
68. Dr James Barry - the Medical Pioneer with a Secret!
Dr James Barry was the very first European doctor to perform a caesarean section in which both mother and baby survived, he was a pioneer in preventative medicine, befriended a revolutionary and had a spat with the lady with the...
06.19.2023
67. Mary Jane Kelly - The Ripper's Final Kill...?
Mary Jane Kelly has been an enigma of sorts for over a century, as well as being an exception to the rule. So much of Kelly's life is seeped in mystery, in fact we have known more about her death...
05.11.2023
Bittisode 015: Sex Worker Brides and the Creation of the Millionaire
France was in crippling debt and a Scotsman of all people had the ultimate plan to save the country, all he needed was a bank, some drunk soldiers and a prostitute or two... Hosted by Katie Charlwood Part of the Airwave Media...
05.09.2023
66. Catherine Eddowes - The Penultimate Victim
Catherine Eddowes is the penultimate victim of the so-called "canonical five" during the infamous Whitechapel Murders. Being moved from pillar to post for much of her life, she faced hardship from a young age, then through into womanhood, hardships that...
05.04.2023
Bittisode 014: King Charles' Disastrous Disguise
King Charles I of England was not the most efficient of monarchs and as a result plunged England into a Civil War that would lead to an odd situation involving a disguise, a haircut and deliberately heading for the enemy... Hosted...
05.03.2023
65. Elizabeth Stride - The Ripper's Third Victim?
Elizabeth Stride was a lot of things, from Nymphs Row to the Poplar Workhouse and the lodging house on Flower & Dean Street. Elizabeth Stride lived many lives, some her own, some others and some... an invention. Follow Katie as...
04.27.2023
Bittisode 013: The Chastity Belt Myth
A little bit of brevity never hurt anyone (well it did, but we won't talk about that...yet) in this week's bittisode Katie discusses the myths surrounding the medieval torture device in a well-needed Slap & Tickle episode! Discover the truth...
04.25.2023
64. Annie Chapman - The Ripper's Second Kill
Annie Chapman, also known as "Dark Annie" had everything going for her, she had a husband with a good job, a family and she was in a social sense, upwardly mobile. Everything that a Victorian lady desired... So what happened...
03.17.2023
63. Polly Nichols - The Ripper's First Victim
Mary Ann Nichols, known as Polly to friends, family and the law, was the first canonical victim of the serial killer known as Jack the Ripper. One of many women who would lose their lives in Whitechapel, London, whose existence...
02.28.2023
62. Gráinne O Malley - Ireland's Pirate Queen
An amazing woman from Irish history who once divorced her husband by shouting at him through a window, shocked the entirety of Queen Elizabeth I's court besieged more than one castle to avenge a loved one! Gráinne O Malley, went by...
02.21.2023
61. Let's Get Divorced
Getting married is all fine and well, but what happens when you (historically) want to dissolve your relationship, well my friends question no more as Katie takes you through Celtic Ireland, Medieval Germany Victorian England to find you the interesting...
02.07.2023
60. The Impotence Trials
In Medieval Europe, especially France and England, it was basically illegal not to have sex with your spouse! In order to ensure that a marriage could be dissolved the couple had to go through the Trials of Impotence or worse...

What's Who Did What Now about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Who Did What Now episodes:

105. The Sausage Factory Murder of Chicago

104. The Overbury Poisoning

103. George Villiers - 1st Duke of Buckingham

102. Satanic Panic

101. The Black Widows of Liverpool

100. Queen Medb - Warrior Queen of Ireland

99. The Magdalene Laundries

98. Anne Bonny and Mary Read - Here Be Pirates

97. Marlene Dietrich - Hollywood's Femme Fatale

96. Anne Lister - Gentleman Jack

95. Pope Leo X - The Ultimate Nepo Baby

94. William Dorsey Swann = Queen of Drag

93. Gland Larceny: The Testicle Thieves of Chicago

92. Marguerite de Valois - Queen of Navarre - Part II

91. Marguerite de Valois - Queen of Navarre - Part I

90. The Real Dick Whittington

89. Lavinia Fisher - America's First Female Serial Killer

88. Charles Dickens - Great Expectations, Terrible Reality

87. The Theft of the Irish Crown Jewels

86. De Valera's Prison Break

85. Mary Shelley - The Original Goth Girl

84. Edgar Allan Poe

83. Elizabeth Bathory - The Blood Countess REDUX

82. Sawney Bean And His Cannibal Clan

81. Roald Dahl - Soldier, Writer, Cheater, Spy

80. The Great Fire of London

79. Princess Alice of Battenberg

78. J. M. Barrie - The Man Behind Peter Pan

77. Diana - Princess of Wales

76. Justice for Ellen Poe - A Forgotten Woman

75. The Sydney Shark Arm Murder REDUX

Bittisode 016: The Murder of Lord Darnley - Scotland's Oldest Cold Case

74. Caterina Sforza - Renaissance Woman

73. Frank Abagnale Jr - Catch Him if You Can

72. Mary Stuart - Queen of Scots

71 - Barbie - The Evolution of an Icon

70. The Rise and Fall of the East India Company

69. King Alfonso XIII - The Raunchiest Royal

68. Dr James Barry - the Medical Pioneer with a Secret!

67. Mary Jane Kelly - The Ripper's Final Kill...?

Bittisode 015: Sex Worker Brides and the Creation of the Millionaire

66. Catherine Eddowes - The Penultimate Victim

Bittisode 014: King Charles' Disastrous Disguise

65. Elizabeth Stride - The Ripper's Third Victim?

Bittisode 013: The Chastity Belt Myth

64. Annie Chapman - The Ripper's Second Kill

63. Polly Nichols - The Ripper's First Victim

62. Gráinne O Malley - Ireland's Pirate Queen

61. Let's Get Divorced

60. The Impotence Trials

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