Witness History
Hosted by Gill Kearsley and Rachel Naylor and Reena Stanton-Sharma and Tim O’Callaghan · BBC World Service
4.5from 1,171 ratings
- 2,611
- Episodes
- 693
- Transcribed
- 1,171
- Ratings
- Daily
- Cadence
- 2016
- First episode
- 130K
- YouTube views
About Witness History
Witness History is a short BBC World Service podcast about history that takes you inside big moments from the past through first-hand testimony and archive. Each weekday, in around nine minutes, we revisit one moment that helped shape the world and hear it through the voice of someone who was there. Scientists, artists, campaigners, soldiers, leaders and everyday people tell their true stories. When you subscribe to Witness History, you’ll be taken inside turning points in world affairs, from West Africa’s fight back against Boko Haram in 2015, to the behind-closed-doors talks that led to the US-Cuba “thaw” and the surprise announcement of restored relations. You’ll discover what it was like to experience disasters and how people recovered from them, including the Tabasco floods in Mexico, Portugal's worst train disaster, and the huge clean-up after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. You’ll explore culture and ideas too: Sweden’s Expedition Robinson, often credited as the first modern reality TV game show; the friendship between The Beatles’ George Harrison and Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar; and the night a tiger attack brought Las Vegas superstars Siegfried and Roy’s show to a sudden end. And if you’re curious about inventions, we’ll tell you how air fryers, BlackBerry, YouTube, Alexa, GPS, superglue, the shopping cart (shopping trolley) and bubble tea were created. If you’re new to Witness History, the appeal is simple: real voices, one strong true story, and a fresh way to understand today through events from history – all in the time it takes to enjoy a cup of tea or a walk around the block. Join millions of BBC World Service podcast listeners around the globe and enjoy the insight, context and detail Witness History will bring you.
- Publisher
- BBC World Service
- Category
- history · society & culture
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 24 May 2016
- Latest episode
- 6 Nov 2026
Latest episodes
693 of 2,611 episodes have a transcript.
6 Nov 2026TRANSCRIPT
Robert Prevost in Peru: The Pope's 'compadre'
5 Nov 2026TRANSCRIPT
'I'm the father of stencil graffiti'
4 Nov 2026TRANSCRIPT
Brazil's Mariana dam disaster
Inside a recent episode
Robert Prevost in Peru: The Pope's 'compadre'
Published 6 Nov 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] It's 1985 and we're in a small remote town in northern Peru. It's called Chulucanas and it lies at the foot of the Andes, surrounded by vast plains and low hills. People here are still living with the aftermath of a weather pattern called El Niño. Torrential rains and floods swept away homes and crops. […]
Read the full transcript with a Pod Engine plan.
See plansWho has been a guest on Witness History
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
- Xavier Prou
- Blek le Rat
- Paula Geralda Alves
- Joanna Sustento
- Alejandra González Anaya
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
- YouTube views
- 129,849
- Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
- Apple Podcasts (US)
- 4.5 / 5
- 915 ratings
- Spotify
- 4.7 / 5
- 256 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 85 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
- Quality
- 98
- Social presence
- 0
- YouTube
- 82
- Engagement
- 100
Contact Witness History
- Guest appearances
- Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
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Questions about Witness History
Who hosts Witness History?
Gill Kearsley and Rachel Naylor and Reena Stanton-Sharma and Tim O’Callaghan host the show. Published by BBC World Service.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes daily, based on its RSS feed.
Does Witness History take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
Where can I read transcripts?
693 of 2,611 episodes have a transcript on Pod Engine. Full transcripts are available with a Pod Engine plan.
Host of Witness History?
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