Evil Genius with Russell Kane
It’s good, bad, ugly - and very very funny. Changing the way we see heroes and villains in history.
Episodes
You might not have heard of Joe Weider, but he was the man who invented modern bodybuilding. Formalised training, published magazines, birthed massive international competitions, and unearthed a megastar in Arnold Schwarzenegger. But was he a genius who built himself up from nothing to bring health and fitness mainstream? Or a charlatan who unleashed toxic masculinity on the world, who encouraged steroid use, and ripped people off ...
Was Robert Maxwell the defiant outsider who came from nothing to join Britain's elite? Or was he a bullying maniac whose power went unchecked? Was he a pioneer in business and politics who was ahead of his time? Or was he a fraud who nicked his employees pensions? And, did the man whose family tragically died in the holocaust actually commit a war crime himself? Tony Hawks, Janine Harouni and Hannah Platt join Russell Kane in the b...
Was she a tyrant in a tall hat — or the original girlboss, defying gravity and public opinion? Was she a product of her environment who experienced prejudice, and even if she was, does that allow her to terrorise Oz? Emmanuel Sonubi, Joe Sutherland and Jess Fostekew join the great and powerful Russell Kane to decide if Elphaba Thropp - The Wicked Witch of the West - is evil or genius.
Additional Material: Eve Delaney Researcher: Chr...
Napoleon Bonaparte. Was he a tiny tyrant who ruled with an iron first? Or a military mastermind who revolutionised warfare forever? Russell Kane reads from Napoleon's romantic fiction, tells of his battlefield exploits, and even shocking party trick that left women in tears. Celya AB, Glenn Moore and Johnny Cochrane join Russell Kane on the battlefield - who will win? Evil, or Genius?
Additional Material: Eve Delaney Researcher: Mir...
Christine Keeler - was she the genius who used what she had to bring down the government? Or did she play fast and loose with national security. Russell Kane is joined by Sara Barron, Rachel Fairburn and Michael Odewale to delve into the life of the woman at the centre of the Profumo affair. A story of sex, violence, espionage and cold war tensions. It's what Evil Genius is all about.
Additional Material: Eve Delaney Researcher: Mir...
Was Harper Lee a literary genius who helped spark the civil rights movement in America? Was she a selfish recluse who put her own interest above anyone else’s? And, in one of her last acts, did she tarnish her own legacy by betraying her most beloved character? Celya AB, Glenn Moore and Johnny Cochrane join Russell Kane in the courtroom of Evil Genius to find out.
Additional Material: Eve Delaney Researcher: Miriam O’Byrne Sound Edi...
Was OJ Simpson an inspiring American rags-to-riches story, or a fame-hungry abuser? Michael Odewale, Sara Barron and Rachel Fairburn take a sip of ‘The Juice’. Was he a murderer who got away with it all? Was a victim of systemic racism in the US justice system? Our guests dig into his life, and debate the legacy of Orenthal James Simpson.
Additional Material: Eve Delaney Researcher: Miriam O’Byrne Sound Editor: Kate Mac Production C...
Evil Genius is back soon with more good, bad, ugly - and very, very funny. Hear it first on BBC Sounds.
Did Lawrence of Arabia beautifully befriend the Arabs in WWI or savagely betray them? Should the king of guerrilla warfare be held accountable? What were his most surprising eccentricities? Our guests Susie McCabe, Desiree Burch and Ian Smith get stuck into the life of Thomas Edward Lawrence.
Producer: Sasha Bobak Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios Production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.
Was Lady Macbeth a cold-hearted killer or a grieving mother? Did she manipulate her husband or help him achieve his goals? Or was she simply in a very toxic relationship? Laura Smyth, Josh Jones and Johnny Cochrane decide... evil or genius.
Producer: Sasha Bobak Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios Production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.
Money makes the world go round... but does it make heroes or villains? Our guests Phil Wang, Lindsey Santoro and Katie Norris examine the life of the world's first-ever billionaire, weigh in on his ruthless tactics, and reflect on his motivations.
Producer: Sasha Bobak Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.
Oliver Cromwell is a highly controversial figure, not least because he banned Christmas (fun sponge alert). Our guests Kerry Godliman, Helen Bauer and Glenn Moore evaluate his powerful reign, argue over his policies, and realise the trouble they’d have run into under his regime.
Producer: Sasha Bobak Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.
Jim Morrison was a rock icon, a tortured poet and a leather-trouser addict. His outrageous performances on stage and dangerous behaviour behind closed doors cause quite the stir for guests Rachel Parris, Daliso Chaponda and Stephen Bailey.
Producer: Sasha Bobak Evil Genius is a BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds
Marlene Dietrich was undoubtedly an icon - with an impressive string of films, lovers and mic-drop quotes. Her work in the Second World War was inspiring but her relationship with her husband and daughter reveal a much darker side to the life of the dazzling movie star. Amy Gledhill, Ria Lina and Alasdair Beckett-King decide - diva or devil?
Producer: Sasha Bobak Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios production for BBC Radi...
The 'Prince of Darkness' Miles Davis was a jazz revolutionary with a famously husky voice and a passion for fashion. Musical genius? Yes. Deeply flawed character? Yes. Blew his own trumpet? Big time. Our guests Desiree Burch, Ian Smith and Susie McCabe uncover the darker side of a fascinating life and debate whether he was in fact evil... or genius.
Producer: Sasha Bobak Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios production for ...
Former First Lady of Argentina, Eva Perón, was idolised by her nation and is still worshipped to this day. Our guests Kerry Godliman, Glenn Moore and Helen Bauer expose her skeletons in the closet, question the sincerity of her deeds and give their passionate feedback on Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit musical 'Evita' based on the story of her incredible life.
Producer: Sasha Bobak Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios production...
Simone de Beauvoir was one of the first thinkers to call the concept of gender 'total bollocks' (not quite her words). Her feminist work was groundbreaking and shocking in equal measure.
In this episode, guests Phil Wang, Lindsey Santoro and Katie Norris put on their philosopher hats to examine her fascinating life and answer the big questions: Is polyamory like sharing your favourite spoon? Are ugly people deeper thinkers? Why did ...
John Edgar Hoover was an American icon who revolutionised crime-fighting and transformed the FBI into the powerhouse it is today. But do his problematic views, enormous vanity and controlling approach make him evil… or genius? Laura Smyth, Josh Jones and Johnny Cochrane expose the king of the FBI.
Producer: Sasha Bobak Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios Production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.
Was Anne Boleyn a cold-hearted killer or a badass feminist? What saucy activity did she allegedly import from France? And was this iconic queen the ultimate gay icon? Rachel Parris, Daliso Chaponda and Stephen Bailey join Russell to debate her life.
Producer: Sasha Bobak Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds
How did an illiterate peasant from Siberia find himself dining with an Emperor? Did Rasputin really have magical healing powers or was he a cunning fraud? And what exactly earned him his shocking nickname?
Producer: Sasha Bobak Evil Genius with Russell Kane is a BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds
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