Unusual Histories

About Unusual Histories

"History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." James Joyce. That was me at school as well. Ironically, I ended up becoming a historian. The Unusual Histories podcast is all about the history you don't learn at school, nor indeed anywhere else. Discover things that you didn't know that you didn't know; fascinating historical luminaries and their vices and addictions, the other numerous sides of every story... We start with the Monopoly Series, in which we explore how the game came to be, the real-life connection between the cheapest and most expensive properties, the history of each location, how proportionate the values were then and are today, what the hell a "community chest" is and whether free parking really does exist anywhere in London. If you love history; or indeed if you hate history, this is the podcast for you…

Publisher

Danny Hurst

Category

education · history · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

18 Jan 2024

Latest episode

17 Jul 2025

Latest episodes

83 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   17 Jul 2025

   Paul Ricketts and Steve Gribbin – Is Comedy Really the Hardest Job?

   For this episode, you get 2 stars for the price of 1. Danny is joined by comedians Paul Ricketts and Steve Gribbin, the co-hosts of “You Should´ve Been Here Last Week”, an irreverent show that pulls back the curtain on the world of professional comedy. This episode is packed with often funny, sometimes hair-raising, stories about gigs that took an unexpected turn, including coked up audiences, the police being called, flashers and a very saucy ping pong (wiff-waff) related story. Danny, Paul and Steve´s conversation provides a great insight into what it is really like to work on the modern comedy circuit. If you can´t get enough of these podcasts, head to https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access my exclusive, member-only, fun-filled and fact-packed history-related videos. KEY TAKEAWAYS Inspiration for the best comedy comes from some odd places e.g. Paul and Steve´s play about the origins of Monopoly. The comedy game has changed radically in the past couple of decades. The fact that comedians have a huge vocabulary for gigs not going well is a strong indicator of how hard stand-up can be. Going out and taking a look at your audience before a performance is an easy way to make yourself more nervous. The weirdness has gone out of the comedy circuit. These days, there are very few weird acts. Covid forced comics to learn new skills and do things differently. BEST MOMENTS “There were a lot of comic´s podcast that were just talking to each other, trying to wedge material into what sounded like a conversation, but wasn't.” “You don't leave comedy. Comedy leaves you, as in the older you get. There is a kind of prejudice against older comics.” “I go the other way; I lie about my age.” “They were coked out of their heads.” “The longer you stay in comedy, the less friends you are going to have.” “I was a Gorilla Gram.” “That's a good way to end with a lovely image of someone playing ping pong with their c**k.” EPISODE RESOURCES Comedians Theatre Company presents - Name Of The Game (Rehearsed Reading via Zoom, March 2021) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/you-shouldve-been-here-last-week/id1679451158 Danny´s Monopoly History Series episode 1 - https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/the-monopoly-series-the-board-games-surprising/id1723833083?i=1000642032881 HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurst facebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

2. 

   10 Jul 2025

   It´s Micro Stardom – But It´s Still Stardom - John Otway´s Fascinating Rock and Roll Odyssey

   For this episode, Danny is joined by the legendary cult singer-songwriter John Otway. John gained recognition in the 70s with his collaborations with Wild Willie Barrett, with whom he made his legendary appearance on The Old Grey Whistle Test, famously hurting himself rather dramatically in the process. He is known for his unpredictability on and off stage, his incredible relationship with his fan base and his famous double guitar. Over the course of 5,000+ gigs and TV appearances, he has worked with performers as diverse as Wild Willie Barrett, Attila the Stockbroker and Richard Holgarth. His autobiography - Cor Baby That's Really Me - Rock and Roll's Greatest Failure is available on Amazon and Otway - The Movie is also available to watch online. If you can´t get enough of these podcasts, head to https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access my exclusive, member-only, fun-filled and fact-packed history-related videos. KEY TAKEAWAYS John has played most of London´s rock venues, including The Roundhouse and The Rock Garden. As well as the London Palladium and The Albert Hall. Throughout his career he has continued to play pub gigs. Elton John introduced John on Top Of The Pops. Unlike many London performers, John “crossed the river”. Being left-handed is part of the reason John is able to play his unique double-necked guitar. John´s excruciatingly painful accident on The Old Grey Whistle Test led to overnight stardom. John appeared in Heartbeat. John had to wait 25 years for his 2nd hit single. John uses crowdfunding to do things no record label would pay for and to gig in some weird places. During Coid, his Facebook Live gig got 10,000 attendees. That gig´s T-shirt sales kept food on the table. BEST MOMENTS “My life or career has been gigging. In about 2022, I did my 5,000th gig.” “I celebrated my second hit at the London Palladium and headlined the Albert Hall.” “Being shocking and sounding awful became in vogue.” “By leaping on the amp and crushing my testicles on it, I also unplugged it, which basically ruined his (Willie´s) guitar.” “It's micro-stardom, but it is stardom.” EPISODE RESOURCES Movie - https://vimeopro.com/otwaythemovie/movie/video/403710383 Book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cor-Baby-Thats-Really-Me/dp/0956434304 HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurst facebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720 This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

3. 

   3 Jul 2025

   A Journey Through the Back Streets of Creativity with Mark Baxter

   Host Danny Hurst interviews Mark Baxter, author and producer, who shares how he transformed his working-class curiosity into a remarkable career chronicling underground culture, revealing the importance of adaptability.

Who has been a guest on Unusual Histories

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Mark Baxter
• Dave Thompson
• John Ryan
• Ronnie Le Drew
• Geoff Deane

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 67 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

79

Social presence

90

YouTube

0

Engagement

93

Contact Unusual Histories

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.