History's Secret Heroes
Hosted by Helena Bonham Carter and Alex von Tunzelmann · BBC Radio 4
4.9from 1,454 ratings
- 126
- Episodes
- 100
- Transcribed
- 1,454
- Ratings
- Weekly
- Cadence
- 2023
- First episode
About History's Secret Heroes
Helena Bonham Carter shines a light on extraordinary stories from World War Two. Join her for tales of deception, resistance and courage in History's Secret Heroes Series 4. History's Heroes: the BBC's breathtaking, high stakes, story-led history podcast feed that shines a light on extraordinary people from across history. Series include 'History's Heroes' with narration from Historian Alex von Tunzelmann, 'History's Toughest Heroes' with narration from Ray Winstone, 'History's Youngest Heroes' with narration from Nicola Coughlan and 'History's Secret Heroes' with narration from Helena Bonham Carter. In History's Heroes, Historian Alex von Tunzelmann (Radio 4's The History Podcast: The Lucan Obsession/writer of all the History's Heroes series) shines a light on the inspiring and unusual stories of courage, pioneering and people who used their voice to spark change. Heroes covered include groundbreaking surgeon Harold Gillies, composers Rodgers and Hammerstein and swimming champion Gertrude Ederle. Join Alex for stories of bold voices, with brave ideas and the courage to stand alone. In History's Toughest Heroes, Ray Winstone reveals wild, true stories of adventurers, rebels and survivors. Heroes covered include arctic explorer Peter Freuchen, Hollywood stunt woman Kitty O'Neil and medieval knight William Marshal. Join Ray for tales of fearsome heroes who lived life on the edge. In History's Youngest Heroes, actress Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton, Derry Girls) tells twelve true stories of rebellion, risk and the radical power of youth. Before she became a Hollywood star, how did the young Audrey Hepburn take on the Nazis during World War Two? As a young activist, how did Nelson Mandela attempt to overthrow the South African government to end apartheid? Did Queen of England, Lady Jane Grey give up her faith or face the executioner's axe? Why did Terry Fox, a young man with a prosthetic leg, set out to run the length of Canada? Join Nicola to hear inspiring tales of young heroes both famous and forgotten, whose bravery demonstrates how young people can change history. In History's Secret Heroes, Helena Bonham Carter recounts untold stories of heroes from World War Two whose acts of resistance, deception and courage helped defeat fascism. In each episode, Helena shines a light on the spies, Royal Air Force pilots, army officers, prisoners of war and double agents who risked their lives to save others. Learn all about forgotten stories of survival, bravery and espionage - from the opera singers who helped dozens of Jewish people escape Nazi Germany, to the woman that Winston Churchill would go on to call his favourite spy. Previous episodes have looked at the story of the American actor George Takei (Star Trek), who was imprisoned without trial along with 12,000 other Japanese Americans, and Bela Hazan, a young Jewish woman who went undercover at the Gestapo headquarters to fight against the Nazis. From secret missions behind enemy lines in occupied Europe, to underground resistance movements across Germany, France, Poland, Great Britain and beyond, History's Secret Heroes reveals how ordinary people can make an extraordinary impact. Join Alex, Ray, Nicola and Helena for tales of deception, rebellion, risk and courage.
- Publisher
- BBC Radio 4
- Category
- history · society & culture
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 24 May 2023
- Latest episode
- 3 Nov 2026
Latest episodes
100 of 126 episodes have a transcript.
3 Nov 2026TRANSCRIPT
History's Secret Heroes - Series 4: Fritz Bauer: Nazi Hunter
27 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT
History's Secret Heroes - Series 4: The Brothers Who Fought Mussolini
20 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT
History's Secret Heroes - Series 4: Sybil Kathigasu and the Price of Compassion
Inside a recent episode
History's Secret Heroes - Series 4: Fritz Bauer: Nazi Hunter
Published 3 Nov 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] Auschwitz wasn't the crime of a few. It had taken ordinary Germans, the camp doctors, the dentists, the guards, the orderlies, to allow mass murder to happen. And he saw in Eichmann a perfect... story, if you like, here was the case that would expose the workings of the system to mass murder. […]
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See plansWho has been a guest on History's Secret Heroes
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
- Jack Fairweather
- Marit Tiefenthal
- Liviana Davi
- Philip Cooke
- Tim Doughty
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
- Apple Podcasts (US)
- 4.8 / 5
- 489 ratings
- Spotify
- 4.9 / 5
- 965 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 41 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
- Quality
- 42
- Social presence
- 0
- YouTube
- 0
- Engagement
- 99
Contact History's Secret Heroes
- Guest appearances
- Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
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Questions about History's Secret Heroes
Who hosts History's Secret Heroes?
Helena Bonham Carter and Alex von Tunzelmann host the show. Published by BBC Radio 4.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does History's Secret Heroes take guests?
The show does not typically feature guests, based on episode analyses.
Where can I read transcripts?
100 of 126 episodes have a transcript on Pod Engine. Full transcripts are available with a Pod Engine plan.
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