Episodes

Former actor and SAG President Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as Governor of California just after midnight on 2nd January, 1967: the end of the beginning of a hugely successful political career that would propel him all the way to the White House. Reagan’s used oratory to gain prominence, notably his 1964 speech ‘A Time for […]

Happy New Year! Our first episode of 2024 recalls Today In History in 1842 – the day P.T. Barnum opened his ‘American Museum’ in New York, replete with a flea circus, ‘Siamese’ twins, and a ‘mermaid’ skeleton. The ‘museum’ merged authentic specimens with audacious hoaxes, blurring the line between reality and fiction, exploiting many of

We’re back with new episodes on New Year’s Day, but, before we finally turn our backs on 2023 for good, here’s Olly’s choice for his favourite episode of the year – our story from 23rd May, the day in 1701 when sea captain William Kidd was executed for piracy and murder.  From the gallows, Kidd

Arion’s favourite episode from 2023 is this romp from May 12th, the day on which, in 1911, Richard the Lionheart finally got hitched. His Bride? Berengaria of Navarre, daughter of King Sancho VI – a key ally in extending his Kingdom across Europe. Sure, he may have already slept with her brother, but hey, that’s

This week we’re revisiting our favourite episodes of 2023, and Rebecca has chosen to replay our episode from 15th February, the day in 1969 when Mary Jane Jones – known professionally as Vickie Jones – was arrested on fraud charges after successfully impersonating soul legend Aretha Franklin during multiple sold-out shows across Florida. When her

It’s been a hell of a year at Retrospectors HQ – from Clyde Barrow’s first scrape with the law to the installation of Camp Snoopy at the Mall of America.  BUT when it comes to retaining trivia, who is the brainiest Retrospector of all?  There’s only one way to find out, as Olly challenges Arion

Rerun: All I Want For Christmas Is You has made Mariah Carey a fortune – but it took an astonishing 25 years for the song to finally reach Number One on the Billboard Hot 100; a feat it achieved on 21st December, 2019, becoming America’s first festive-themed chart-topper since The Chipmunk Song in 1958.  When

Victorian music hall star Dan Leno, creator of Widow Twankey and Mother Goose, was born on 20th December, 1860. A child prodigy of the stage, Leno kicked off his career as “Little George, the Infant Wonder,” winning the World Clog Dancing Championship in Leeds. Having become an esteemed character comedian, Leno was poached to play

England’s Puritan Parliament attempted to purge Christmas of Catholic influences on 19th December, 1644, by passing The Ordinance for the Better Observation of the Monthly Fast, an attempt in the legislature to solemnise the day and prevent the public from indulging in carnal and sensual delights. Essentially: to ban Christmas. The enforcement of these measures

In this episode we recall the premiere of Tchaikovsky’s seminal ballet ‘The Nutcracker’, on 18th December, 1892, at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg. It was NOT a hit. The composer, who thought the Alexander Dumas source material was slight and childish, only agreed to write the piece if it was shown in a double-bill