Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society
Episodes
How Filthy Were The Romans?
02 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Some of the key remnants of the Roman Empire are their public baths - huge complexes, multiple different rooms, the basis of many of our modern spas. ...
How Sexy Was Shakespeare?
30 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There's a bit of interest around Shakespeare at the minute - can we call this the Paul Mescal effect?The Bard’s work featured many references to sex...
How Hot Was Lord Byron?
26 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How 'mad, bad and dangerous to know' was Lord Byron really?We know the Romantic poet had a bit of a reputation, but how true was it? And how unusual w...
How Has Porn Changed Through History?
23 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With Christmas around the corner and everything being oh-so wholesome, we thought we would offer an episode from the archives of something not-so whol...
Who Was The Virgin Mary
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Despite virginity being a myth, why has Mary’s virginity been considered so important?What does this tell us about the relationship between Christia...
The Truth About Sigmund Freud
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's the one we've all been waiting for!The Oedipus Complex; the oral, anal and phallic stages; penis envy; psychoanalysis - we've all heard of Sigmun...
Inside the Royal Harems of the Ottoman Empire
12 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You can't move for people talking about the Roman Empire or the British Empire, but what about the Ottoman Empire?It spanned a huge period of time and...
The Mother of All Tudors: Child Bride to Kingmaker
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever heard of Margaret Beaufort? Probably not. But whilst her name has been overshadowed by those of her son, grandson and great-grandchildren, her im...
Sex & Scandal in Ancient Egypt
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What did the Ancient Egyptians think about sex? Is there any truth to a rumoured royal sex scandal? What did they think of same-sex relationships?In t...
The Truth About Mythical Women
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Myths are incredibly powerful, especially when it comes to creating nations.Why are mythical women so central to how we think about our nations? When ...
Origins of Aphrodite: The Sex-Positive Goddess
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who was Aphrodite? She's often thought of as a goddess of sexuality, but there's so much more to this woman.Which ancient civilisation was she created...
The Truth About the Mitford Sisters
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Mitfords could rank as the strangest family of the 20th century.Unity and Diana were passionate fascists who became obsessed with Adolf Hitler, wh...
Did Henry VIII Have An Affair With Anne Boleyn's Sister?
21 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
She was 'the Other Boleyn Girl' - Anne's sister, Mary, who supposedly had an affair with King Henry VIII. Such drama!What evidence is there that the t...
The Truth About Roald Dahl
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Twits, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda. Roald Dahl wrote some of the world's most loved children's books.But what do we know about the ...
Sex and Scandal of Medieval Royals
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What did Queen Isabella of France do to deserve the nickanem She-Wolf? What sex scandals happened in the 14th century? And why did the Black Death imp...
The Truth About Vincent Van Gogh
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
However you pronounce his name, one thing is for certain: Van Gogh made made his mark on the world.But how did he interact with the world around him? ...
Who was the Husband Poisoner of Renaissance Italy?
07 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Odourless, tasteless, colourless, lethal. In the mid-17th century, men were dropping like flies in Italy. And this wasn't just the plague - it was the...
The Truth About Mary Shelley
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Frankenstein and his monster are household names - even if one is often confused for the other. But what of their creator?In this episode we are meeti...
Inside the Icelandic Witch Trials
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Picture a witch. Chances are, you're thinking of a woman.But in 17th century Iceland, over 90% of the people killed for being a witch, were men.Why we...
How Bloody Was 'Bloody Mary'?
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Before Mary I was Queen, no other woman had worn the crown of England.This made her a Tudor trailblazer, and a target.During her short reign she burne...
How To Fake Virginity
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why, just why, would one put a leech up their .. you know where? It's all in the name of virginity, or the faking of it.Kate is joined by Dr Julia Mar...
Inside Concentration Camp Brothels
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Even among Holocaust researchers, this subject is taboo. Starting in 1942, the Nazis set up brothels inside some of the camps, not for the guards, but...
Wife-Swapping Magician of the Tudor Court
17 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The 16th century was a dangerous time to be talking about magic and hidden forces, so how did John Dee end up being invited into Elizabeth I's court?H...
Inside a Wild West Brothel
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shoot outs, hard drinking and gambling. The Wild West is remembered for it's general lawlessness, but what might life have been like for the first wom...
The Boleyn Who Betrayed Henry VIII
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
She was executed on Henry VIII's orders alongside Catherine Howard, and was sister-in-law to Anne Boleyn and the King. She lived in the heart of the T...
Inside Imperial Japan's Brothels
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After the first licensed brothel opened in the 17th century, how was sex work thought of in Japan throughout the following centuries?From the brothels...
The Scandalous Royal Mistress Who Ruled France
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is this strangest threesome in royal history?!We're endlessly fascinated with the lives of royal mistresses, and this has to be one of the most notori...
Inside The 18th Century Brothel Ship
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why did a British ship carry over 200 women to Australia in the late 18th century? In this episode, we are going inside the Lady Juliana, a convict tr...
History's Worst F*ckboys: Rasputin
26 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Rasputin presented himself as a mystic healer, and preached that the only way to salvation was through sin — which sometimes, if rumour is to be bel...
Why Are We Scared Of Single Women?
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Where did the idea of the bunny boiler come from?In this episode we're exploring how single women got such a bad rap in popular culture. From Miss Hav...
Who Was The Naughtiest Pope In History?
19 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sex, scandal and ... the Sacraments? Renaissance Rome wasn't for the faint hearted. And the Vatican? For some that was the source of the drama.In this...
History's Worst F*ckboys: Emperor Nero
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Where does Emperor Nero fit in the pantheon of history's worst f*ckboys?Does he measure up against the likes of previous episodes on Charles II or Rap...
Queer Georgians
12 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did the Georgians discuss sexuality? And how, and why, did they regulate it? In this episode, Kate talks to Dr Anthony Delaney about his new book ...
History's Worst F*ckboys: Raphael
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Renaissance is known for its heady combination of sex, art and exciting new ideas about the world.Was Raphael, one of the superstar painters of th...
Alexander the Great's Mummy Issues: Olympias
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
They say behind every great man is a great woman. In this episode, we meet the woman behind Alexander the Great's success. From securing his status, t...
History's Worst F*ckboys: Charles II
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our mini-series exploring the worst f*ckboys in history is back!In today's episode, Kate is joined by Dr. David Taylor of Oxford University to get to ...
Shag, Marry, Kill: Roman Emperor Edition
29 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Which would be better for a fling, which would you not touch with a barge pole, and which is marriage material? There's only one way to find out.This ...
How Hot Was Henry VIII?
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With SIX wives, Henry VIII must have had something going for him, right? Was he handsome? Charming? Intelligent? Just plain powerful?In this episode, ...
The Real Virgin Mary
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why has the idea of the Virgin Mary’s virginity been so important?What does this tell us about the relationship between Christianity and sex? And wh...
How Wild Were The Last Days Of Rome?
15 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As Rome fell, was it really non-stop orgies and parties?That's become a popular connotation, and in today's episode Kate is joined by historian and fr...
The Strangest Tudor & Stuart Aphrodisiacs
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Forget oysters, have you tried eating sparrows with a side of phallic vegetables to stir your lust?!Getting in the mood isn’t just a modern preoccup...
Did Henry VI Have A Sex Coach?
08 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Henry VI didn't fit the medieval image of masculinity, or that much of a king, either.Who gave sex education to someone of this stature? How did his c...
Who Were The Vestal Virgins?
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happened if a Vestal Virgin broke their pledge of virginity? How would a woman be chosen for the role? And were there any benefits to taking it?K...
Royal Sex: Cleopatra
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Did Cleopatra have a bee-powered vibrator? Why did she marry both of her brothers? And how serious were her relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark ...
How Incestuous Were The Habsburgs?
29 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
People will do crazy things to keep hold of power.The Habsburgs - one of the most powerful families in European history - were a prime example of this...
Royal Sex: Elizabeth I
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Was Elizabeth I really a virgin? When we talk about queens being remembered for their sex lives, we absolutely have to mention the woman so often reme...
Victorian Sex Work Scandal: The Prince And The Telegraph Boys
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the summer of 1889, a London police officer stopped and searched a telegraph boy, suspecting him of stealing from the Post Office he worked for. Wh...
Royal Sex: Catherine the Great
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Did Catherine the Great really die having sex with a horse? Was she involved in her husband's death? And were her lovers selected for political reason...
Sex Lives of the Roman Legion
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As the Roman Empire grew, so did the importance of its army - the Roman Legion.But what was life on the march like? What happened on the encampments a...
Royal Sex: Marie Antoinette
11 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Behind the wild accusations of extra-marital affairs and a lavish lifestyle, who was the real Marie Antoinette? Why did her marriage to King Louis XVI...
The Power of Medieval Gossip
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
People have always gossiped, but what did they gossip about in medieval times? How were women punished for gossiping? And where does the term 'gossip'...
Royal Sex: Queen Victoria
04 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With NINE children, it can probably be assumed that Queen Victoria was no stranger to the sheets, but what do we actually know about her love (and sex...
Why Were Ancient Dicks So Small?
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever been puzzled by proportions when looking at Ancient Greek statues? It can't just be us.From quarrying the stone to chipping away the fin...
Sex Work in Victorian London
27 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What were the lives of women like who sold sex in the Victorian era? How did the law makers and moral crusaders of the time try to control it? How did...
The History of the C-section
24 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Almost half of births in the UK are delivered via Cesarean section. But when was this operation first performed?Kate Lister is joined by Hannah Marsh,...
Sex Work in the Renaissance
20 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Early Modern Italy birthed artistic giants like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, saw architectural marvels like Florence's dome and St. Peter's Bas...
Inside America's Famous Sex Study
17 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How could recording people having sex be 'for science'? Same question for sleeping with your colleagues? Well, these were just two of the practices em...
Medieval Sex Work
13 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Despite Christianity coming in hot and heavy in the medieval period, sex work was thriving.In many places it was legal, even.In this second episode in...
What Did Jane Austen Know About Sex?
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
She wrote some of the most enduring romances in literature. But what did Jane Austen really know about love ... and sex?From longing looks and flirtat...
Sex Work in Ancient Rome
06 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What did it look like inside a Roman brothel? Who was the sex worker involved in a murder plot to kill an Emperor? And why was the Pope getting sex wo...
Could You Survive Medieval Childbirth?
03 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Childbirth isn't for the faint-hearted at the best of times, let alone in the medieval period. What was a birthing room like at this time in hist...
The Truth About The Minotaur
30 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Deep in an Ancient Greek labyrinth lurks the half bull half man monster: the Minotaur.What did this wild myth about a woman having a baby with a bull ...
The Murderous Affairs of King James
27 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Against the paranoid backdrop of the Scottish witch trials, a murder plot involving King James and some of his lovers took place.To make matters more ...
Victorian Beauty Standards
23 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why did Victorians value pale skin so highly? And how were black bodies viewed by Victorian society?In this episode Kate is joined by author and histo...
The Pill: Sexual Liberation?
20 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At least 160 million people worldwide take some form of the contraceptive pill. So where did it come from? Who invented it and why? And how has it ...
What Made You Ugly In Tudor Times?
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why did royalty have worse teeth than commoners? How would the Tudor court have smelt? And when even the Queen of England can be accused of being a wi...
The Dandy: Dressing in Defiance
13 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
He cuts a fine figure, walking down the street. Whether it's a bow tie and a sharp suit, perfectly curated clashing colours, or a moustache with every...
What Made You Ugly In Medieval Times?
09 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Beauty fads come and go - remember super low-rise jeans in the 90s? IYKYK.What was considered cool and beautiful in the medieval period? What skincare...
The Hangwoman of 18th Century Ireland
06 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine an executioner. Are they big, strong, cloaked and masked? Are they male? Probably - because most executioners in history have been. Today, tho...
What Made You Ugly In Ancient Rome?
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What was a Roman skincare routine like? Why did the beard make a comeback under Emperor Hadrian? And what did it mean to be ugly in this time?In this ...
The Truth About Medusa
29 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You could be forgiven for thinking the Greek myth of Medusa has zero relevance to us today. Snake for hair?!But as you'll hear in today's episode, she...
History's Worst F*ckboys: Henry VIII
25 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Charismatic, passionate, insatiable - Henry VIII is known across the world as the king who had 6 wives, and a few mistresses on the side. But was Henr...
What Happened On A Medieval Wedding Night?
22 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We've been tying the knot for thousands of years in one way or another, but what did a medieval wedding look like?The church had very strict ideas aro...
History's Worst F*ckboys: Casanova
17 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Can you imagine being SO smooth-talking and seductive your surname becomes an actual noun in the dictionary to describe someone who has a reputation f...
Nell Gwyn: Celebrity Mistress of King Charles II
15 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How did a working class illiterate woman become King Charles II's favourite mistress?Nell Gwyn was an incredibly talented comedy actor who came from a...
History's Worst F*ckboys: Emperor Caligula
10 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever heard of the Emperor who made his horse a senator? Seems like a top bloke, right? Today on Betwixt the Sheets we’re going to meet (pos...
Hysterectomies: 2000 Years of Care & Coercion
08 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today, it is one of the most commonly performed surgeries. But when was the hysterectomy, the removal of the uterus, first performed? How has this pro...
History's Worst F*ckboys: Lord Byron
04 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How 'mad, bad and dangerous to know' was Lord Byron really?We know the Romantic poet had a bit of a reputation, but how true was it? And how unusual w...
The Horrible History of Gonorrhoea
01 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Possibly the first recorded sexually transmitted disease, gonorrhoea is still one of the most common.We're back on the itchier side of history today t...
Real Wives of Dictators | Jiang Qing, Chairman Mao's Wife
28 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For better or (mostly) worse, Jiang Qing left her mark on the 20th century.Even before she was married to Chairman Mao, Jiang was a charismatic actor,...
The Murder That Shook Edwardian Britain
25 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When the music hall dancer, Belle Ellmore, disappeared in January 1910, it was her performing colleagues who raised the alarm.Her murder by Dr. Crippe...
Real Wives of Dictators | Nadya Alliluyeva, Stalin's Wife
21 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nadezhda Alliluyeva was born into a revolutionary family, but was it always her fate to marry Joseph Stalin?She was independent, intelligent and highl...
The Truth About Alice in Wonderland
18 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we're well and truly going down a rabbit hole. To unpick the controversies surrounding the author of Alice in Wonderland, Kate is joi...
Real Wives of Dictators | Eva Braun, Adolf Hitler's Wife
14 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What was life like as Adolf Hitler's other half?Although their marriage came (very) late in their lives, Eva Braun was with Hitler from the earlier da...
The Dark History of London’s Drug World
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Travel back to post-WW1 London, when sex, drugs and music was exploding in Soho... causing a national moral panic.The drugs of choice? Cocaine and mor...
Real Wives of Dictators | Börte, wife of Genghis Khan
07 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What was life like to be married to Genghis Khan?In this new limited series, Real Wives of Dictators, we're finding out all about the women behind, or...
Beauty & Ugliness in the Ancient World
04 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When we think about Greek and Roman beauty, we think of marble statues of huge men with tiny...feet.But what did it mean to be a beautiful woman? What...
Sex Life of Michelangelo
28 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Michelangelo made religion sexy.That may not have been his initial aim, of course, but the way he portrayed the human form, and particularly the male ...
Sex & Scandal in 1920s Soho
25 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When and why did Soho become a hedonistic hotspot, the home of sex, drugs and music?Kate is Betwixt the Sheets with Dan Snow to talk about post-WW1 Lo...
Inside Europe's Biggest Red Light District
21 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Between 1860 and 1925, tens of thousands of women worked in Dublin's Monto, the largest red light district in Europe.It was a world of narrow alleyway...
The Dark History of BMI & Fatphobia
18 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dark ideas and stigma around different body sizes really took hold in the Enlightenment.Very unenlightened, if you ask us.This started all sorts of aw...
Inside the Magdalene Laundries
14 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Societies all throughout history have tried to control female sexuality.Ireland's Magdalene Laundries and Mother and Baby Homes are two examples of th...
Valentine's Day in Ancient Rome
11 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What are the origins of Valentine's Day?Perhaps the answer lies in a pagan festival that starts with a sacrifice in a cave above Ancient Rome.What con...
Goat Testicle Transplants: The Bizarre History
07 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Quack doctors have made some INCREDIBLE promises throughout history, but what good would a goat testicle transplant do for you?In the early 20th centu...
Sex Lives of Spartans
04 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When you hear the word Sparta, what do you picture?Well, put aside the images of the rippling six packs for just a moment, as there's a lot more to th...
Genghis Khan's Sex Life
31 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As historical figures go, Genghis Khan has something of a reputation.Is there any truth to the rumours of him fathering so many children? What was lif...
Who Was Lilith? The Semen-Stealing First Wife Of Adam
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Lilith's story goes back 4,000 years, and she's still making an impact today.She takes on different forms, depending on where you're looking, but a po...
Sex Lives of Dinosaurs
24 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What's the dinosaur equivalent of Netflix and chill? Were they capable of flirting?In today's episode, Kate speaks with Dr. David Hone, author of Unco...
Erotic Letters of Ancient Rome
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Long before phones allowed for sexting, how did the Ancient Romans exchange their illicit thoughts and desires? And what did a Roman dick pic look lik...
Medieval Lesbians
17 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do you begin to look for examples of lesbians in the medieval period?Even though it was deeply frowned upon by the powers that be, the clues are v...