Oh What A Time...

Oh What A Time...

It’s time to embark on a journey through history with "Oh What A Time…" a comedy history podcast hosted by renowned comedians Elis James and Tom Craine along with award winning podcaster Chris Scull. Tackling a brand new subject each week, (from ‘childhood’ to ‘a life at sea’, ‘marriage’ to ‘holidays’) your hosts will dive into the very weirdest and worst that history has to offer, in an effort to answer the question… "Was the past as awful as it sounds?" Listen to Oh What A Time... on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting https://wondery.com/links/oh-what-a-time/ You can get in touch with the show by emailing: hello@ohwhatatime.com.

Episodes

September 28, 2025 11 mins

Hey listeners,

As you may have seen, our podcasting host Wondery has closed its UK operations — which has left Oh What A Time a little homeless for the moment.

Wondery+ has been the home of our bonus content for the past year, so with those doors closing, our paid subscriber episodes also needed somewhere new to live.

The good news: as of today, we’ve found that new home — Patreon! 🎉

On our Patreon you’ll now find:

  • The ful...
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OWAT returns properly on Monday 29th September 2025, so to fill the gap over the next couple of weeks we're dropping a few old subscriber episodes onto the feed.

And today we have a Your Letters episode from September 2024. In this, we’ll hear from listeners with astounding relatives, we’ll ponder how awful a stag-do in Sparta may have been, plus we hear of the most practical one day time machines, possibly ever.


If you ...

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September 21, 2025 53 mins

OWAT returns properly on Monday 29th September 2025, so to fill the gap over the next couple of weeks we're dropping a few old subscriber episodes onto the feed.


Today we've got a Your Letters episode back from June 2024.


There will be hilarious emails, there will be things we never knew and YES there will be a healthy dose of corrections. Don’t forget if you’ve got anything to send in, you can send it in via: hello@...

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September 15, 2025 54 mins

OWAT returns properly on Monday 29th September 2025, so to fill the gap over the next couple of weeks we're dropping a few old subscriber episodes onto the feed.


And today with have a special little selection box of a few things we desperately wanted to talk about; there’s a bit more on gangs, a bit more on weather and (quite possibly the main event) a bear that joined the military.


Now would the Rolling Stones have ...

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September 14, 2025 55 mins

OWAT returns properly on Monday 29th September 2025, so to fill the gap over the next couple of weeks we're dropping a few old subscriber episodes onto the feed.

Today we've got the only episode ever recorded without Elis - with the marvellous Matthew Crosby sitting in for him.

This episode is Medieval S*x and yes, it’s worth pointing out that history’s horniest podcaster Tom Craine came up with this one.

Who would you go ba...

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September 8, 2025 30 mins

We wrap up Alexander’s legacy by looking at his cultural impact. On screen, everyone from Richard Burton to William Shatner (yes, really) takes a shot at bringing him to life. And in literature, from medieval romances to Mary Renault, Alexander refuses to stay in the past — his legend constantly rewritten for every age.


If you fancy a bunch of OWAT content you’ve never heard before, why not treat yourself and become an ...

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September 7, 2025 29 mins

We explore how Alexander’s story echoes through time. In history, his empire shapes Rome, Egypt, and the borders of knowledge itself.


Also - is it just us or were 80s and 90s playground not quite up to today’s health and safety standards? If you’ve got something to share on this, do email: hello@ohwhatatime.com


If you fancy a bunch of OWAT content you’ve never heard before (and the entirety of the mini-series right n...

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September 1, 2025 34 mins

In the Indus Valley, Alexander pushes into modern-day Pakistan and India, defeating warrior queens and kings before his men call time at the edge of the known world. Then, the long road home — a deadly desert march, political purges, and the loss of Hephaestion — sets the stage for Alexander’s final days.


If you fancy a bunch of OWAT content you’ve never heard before (and the entirety of the mini-series right now!), why...

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August 31, 2025 31 mins

We’re chasing Alexander into Central Asia, where Darius meets a grim fate and local satraps learn the cost of betrayal.


And what did people do in the pre-freezer age? The mind boggles. But if you’ve had something in your freezer for 30 years or more, please let us know: hello@ohwhatatime.com


If you fancy a bunch of OWAT content you’ve never heard before (and the entirety of the mini-series right now!), why not treat ...

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August 25, 2025 39 mins

Egypt rolls out the red carpet, hailing him as Pharaoh and even a living god. Finally, the titanic Battle of Gaugamela sees Alexander smash Darius’ massive army and claim the Persian Empire for himself.


If you fancy a bunch of OWAT content you’ve never heard before (and the entirety of the mini-series right now!), why not treat yourself and become an Oh What A Time: FULL TIMER?

Up for grabs is:

- two bonus episodes every ...

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August 24, 2025 35 mins

It’s Alexander vs. Darius in a showdown for the ages. First, the Battle of Issus turns the Persian king into a fugitive and Alexander into master of the Levant.


Elsewhere, we’re discussing terrible marketing strategies including the infamous ‘ten cent brawl’. Got another to share with us? hello@ohwhatatime.com


If you fancy a bunch of OWAT content you’ve never heard before (and the entirety of the mini-series right no...

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As a special summer treat in amongst our Alexander The Great mini-series, we thought we'd drop a subscriber episode onto the feed.

This episode was made available for subscribers on new year's eve 2024 and in it, Tom Craine has been exploring the reality of life in the navy; from being kidnapped on a night out and thrown aboard a ship, incredible rum rations, right through to sharing a ship with hundreds of rats - it’s all ...

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August 18, 2025 31 mins

Next, Alexander stamps his authority on Greece — crushing Thebes, securing the Balkans, and claiming Achilles as his role model. We end with the first clash with Persia at the River Granicus, as Alexander announces himself on the world stage.


If you fancy a bunch of OWAT content you’ve never heard before (and the entirety of the mini-series right now!), why not treat yourself and become an Oh What A Time: FULL TIMER?

Up ...

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August 17, 2025 36 mins

We’re diving into palace intrigue, starting with the assassination of Philip II at a wedding that makes Game of Thrones look tame.


Also, Tom has an idea for glasses innovation that sounds suspiciously like the glasses Dutch footballer Edgar David’s wore in the 90s. Please email in your criticism to: hello@ohwhatatime.com


If you fancy a bunch of OWAT content you’ve never heard before (and the entirety of the mini-seri...

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August 11, 2025 31 mins

We explore the young prince’s elite education under Aristotle, featuring wild horses, epic poetry, and geography lessons that fuelled global conquest. Finally, we take a look at the puzzle of Alexander’s early life — where the myths end, the history begins, and the truth gets slippery.


If you fancy a bunch of OWAT content you’ve never heard before (and the entirety of the mini-series right now!), why not treat yourself ...

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August 10, 2025 29 mins

It’s time to set the stage for one of history’s biggest names. We meet Alexander’s parents: Olympias (possibly sleeping with gods) and Philip II (definitely sleeping with everyone else).


Plus, is everything in Alexander the Great’s life explained by the fact he effectively lived in a branch of David Lloyd? If you’ve got more on this, please email: hello@ohwhatatime.com


If you fancy a bunch of OWAT content you’ve neve...

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August 4, 2025 34 mins

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed!


This week we’re talking about the great illusionists and conjurors of our times. We’ve got the man that pretty much invented the genre Jean-Eugene Robert, we’ve got the much-loved icon of British children’s TV Sooty and we’ve got the main man himself, Harry Houdini.


Plus, is trying to work out who won the dad’s race via mobile phone footage basically the same as trying to w...

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August 3, 2025 38 mins

This week we’re talking about the great illusionists and conjurors of our times. We’ve got the man that pretty much invented the genre Jean-Eugene Robert, we’ve got the much-loved icon of British children’s TV Sooty and we’ve got the main man himself, Harry Houdini.


Plus, is trying to work out who won the dad’s race via mobile phone footage basically the same as trying to work out who killed JFK from a single camera sho...

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July 28, 2025 25 mins

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed!


This week we’re discussing some of history’s most revolting peasants! Now no episode like this would be complete without rumoured West Ham fan Wat Tyler, plus we’ll have the New York story of Dr Smith Azer Broughton, and we’ll hear from the Kulaks that riled against Stalin’s rule in the 20th century.


And this week we’re talking about historical marketing offers that went wr...

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July 27, 2025 29 mins

This week we’re discussing some of history’s most revolting peasants! Now no episode like this would be complete without rumoured West Ham fan Wat Tyler, plus we’ll have the New York story of Dr Smith Azer Broughton, and we’ll hear from the Kulaks that riled against Stalin’s rule in the 20th century.


And this week we’re talking about historical marketing offers that went wrong. Sunny Delight turning you orange! McDonald...

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