Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

History of Red Lipstick

14 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Red lipstick has a unique feminine power to it.It's been on the lips of some of the most influential people in history, including Cleopatra and Elizab...

Inside the Brothel of Pompeii

10 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sex work was everywhere in the ancient world, but a known dedicated space for it (a brothel), is an extremely rare and important thing.Pompeii offers ...

Ancient Eroticism, Pagan Workouts & Body Ideals: History of the Gym

07 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's January and (reluctant) thoughts turn to gym memberships, but what are the ancient origins of this phenomena?From the naked workouts of Ancient G...

Medieval Sex Myths

03 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From medieval d*ck pics to sex with monks, how did people in medieval times think about sex and sexuality?It was a period that spanned roughly 1,000 y...

When Was The First Boob Job?

30 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Cosmetic procedures are a huge part of (most of our) worlds.With new ones seemingly cropping up all the time, the boob job feels like an old classic.W...

Did Ancient People Have Sex Toys?

27 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dating back some 30,000 years, sex toys have a long (no pun intended) and fascinating history.What were the earliest sex toys like? How did technology...

Sex Life & Scandal of Charles Dickens

24 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Like it or not, there's no escaping Charles Dickens at this time of year.But who was the man behind classics such as A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twis...

Kateryn Parr | Secret Lives of the Six Wives

20 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

At the time, surely Kateryn Parr had her reservations about being Henry VIII's sixth wife?Aside from being a tyrannical maniac who'd just beheaded his...

How Did People Smell in Medieval Times?

17 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Accessing stories from the past can be difficult, but how do we access smells from the past?In today's episode, Kate is joined by Eleanor Ja...

Catherine Howard | Secret Lives of the Six Wives

13 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Henry VIII called her his 'rose without a thorn', but the teenage Catherine Howard was to fall out of favour less than 18 months after becoming Queen ...

History (and Future) of Dating

10 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The history of lonely hearts ads might be a lot deeper than you'd expect.For as long as people have been printing newspapers, people (read: men) were ...

Anne of Cleves | Secret Lives of the Six Wives

06 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Anne of Cleves gets a pretty raw deal in the history books.She's often accused of being ugly, after Henry VIII claimed the painting he had made of her...

History of Celibacy

03 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What did Queen Elizabeth I gain from being thought of as celibate? Why was property so essential to the Christian church embracing celibacy? And what'...

Jane Seymour | Secret Lives of the Six Wives

29 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Meek and mild, or smart and scheming? Have we all been underestimating the third wife of Henry VIII?Was Jane Seymour the meek and mild lady she's ofte...

History of Pubic Hair

26 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We often think of the way we treat pubic hair as a relatively modern thing.But how did they manage pubic hair in Ancient Greece, or the Middle Ages? W...

Anne Boleyn | Secret Lives of the Six Wives

22 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How did Anne Boleyn go from being a commoner to being the Queen of England?As soon as she arrived in the Tudor court she stood out from the other beau...

Gladiator Women of Ancient Rome

19 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Evidence shows us that women gladiators fought in front of baying crowds in Ancient Rome.Who were these women? How would these fights have played out?...

Catherine of Aragon | Secret Lives of the Six Wives

15 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We know the fates of Henry VIII's wives, but what were these iconic women really like?In the first episode of this limited series, Secret Lives of the...

Gladiators' Sex Lives

12 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Who really were the gladiators of Ancient Rome?With them once again hitting the big screens this month, we wanted to take you back a couple of thousan...

The Real Sylvia Plath

08 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

** TW: This episode contains themes of suicide **Sylvia Plath was one of the most influential writers of the 20th century.During and since she died, s...

Sex Lives of Presidents

05 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With the US election happening, we wanted to take a look back at the presidents from the past what we know about their sex lives.Which president was w...

What Made You Ugly In The Ancient World?

01 Nov 2024

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...

Inside the Witch Trials: Salem | Fear In A New World

29 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We often think of the witch trials as something in the deep and distant past.But, as we'll hear in today's episode, the attitudes and behaviour that l...

18th Century Dating: From Booty Calls to 'Bundling'

25 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What was life like as a single person in the 18th century? What if you became pregnant out of wedlock?In today's episode, Kate talks to Angela Muir, a...

Inside the Witch Trials: Iceland | The Men Who Burned As Witches

22 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When we think of the witch trials, we often think of women being charged.Whilst misogyny was at the heart of many of the witch trials, this isn't the ...

Nefertiti: The Greatest Ancient Egyptian Queen?

17 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ancient Egyptian rulers, incest, the Nazis and female empowerment, all in one episode! 'But how?' You say. 'What story could possibly bring all of the...

Inside the Witch Trials: Pendle | The Child Who Condemned Her Family

15 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

People in the 17th century were at spiritual war with the devil. It was a time of huge upheaval. What became known as the witch trials soon ...

Orgasms & Skincare According to a Medieval Nun

11 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hildegard of Bingen, the 12th century nun, was a certified genius and a true polymath.From her many side hustles to her skincare recommendations, she ...

Sex & Scandal in Catherine of Aragon's Court

08 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When Henry VIII wanted a divorce from Catherine of Aragon, he needed to prove that she was not a virgin when they wed. One woman was key to proving th...

Illegitimacy: Sex & Secrecy in the 18th Century

04 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why were children punished for illegitimacy in the 18th century? And what does the word even mean?The truth is quite shocking, and probably still affe...

Medieval Chastity Belts: History Unlocked

01 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sexual purity was hugely importance in the medieval world, especially for women.How did chastity work in practice? Why was it so important? And was th...

Sex in Ancient Mesopotamia

27 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How sexually liberated were the people of Ancient Mesopotamia? In what is modern day Iraq and dates back to around 3000 BC.The answer may surprise you...

Underwear: Codpieces, Loin Cloths & Thongs

24 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Whatever your underwear preferences, have you ever wondered about their history?From the Tudor codpiece to Victorian bloomers, they've all got a story...

What Did The Vikings Really Look Like?

20 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Were the Vikings the original trendsetters?Even when they were raiding the poor monks in Lindsfarne in 793, they were passing on hairstyles that annoy...

Cruising & Cottaging: Sex in Public Places

17 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With privacy being a modern luxury, where did people in the past go to meet and hook up? Public toilets were (and can still be) a popular option.But w...

Ancient Goddesses: Rebellion, Magic & Sexual Liberation

13 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Struggling for role models in the modern world? We've got your back, looking way back to the ancient world.Join Kate and Jasmine Elmer, author of her ...

Pagan Ritual Nudity

10 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Rituals are a big part of this funny human experience, aren't they?Whether that's morning rituals like making your bed... or pagan rituals that involv...

What The Ancient Greeks Got Wrong About The Female Body

06 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why did the Ancient Greeks depict a womb as an octopus in their textbooks?Their writings and (mis)understandings of the female body might seem borderl...

Could You Survive Victorian Surgery?

03 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What was it really like inside a Victorian operating theatre? Did people really smoke cigars and eat oysters while they watched high risk surgery taki...

Medieval Life During Plague & War

30 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When so much of history is written by men, Margaret Paston's letters offer us a rare insight into the life of a woman and the world around her in 15th...

The Real Princess Diana

27 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

However you feel about the royal family, there's no denying, there was something about Princess Diana.From the clothes she wore to the causes she cham...

Life Lessons From Historical Women

23 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When women's stories aren't being flat-out ignored from the history books, they can often be sidelined.Well not here! Joining Kate today is the comedi...

Renaissance Beauty: Snails, Cat Poo & Fatal Make-Up

20 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why did Renaissance women say the Lord's prayer while removing pubic hair?If you're like us you definitely want to know the answer to this, and so muc...

Sex Work in 18th Century Paris

16 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Paris was a wild place in the 18th century.It was the Age of the Enlightenment, cafe culture was exploding along with the world of ballet and opera, a...

The Real Cleopatra

13 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Cleopatra. One of the most famous people from history, and remembered for her beauty, power and scandalous love affairs. But how accurate is her legac...

The Curious History of Beds

09 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sex and beds have a long, interwoven history. Here on Betwixt we often cover sex history, but we haven’t done a deep dive into the history of where ...

The Real Anne Boleyn: Sex, Scandal & Betrayal

06 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Anne Boleyn was smart, sophisticated and had SO much charisma.She kept Henry VIII waiting for SEVEN YEARS before they finally got together, and even t...

How Nudes Changed Britain

02 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why were nudes so significant in Victorian England? What role did painting them play in wider social change at that time? And why didn't men think tha...

The Dark History of Bearded Ladies & the Victorian Freak Show

30 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What would it have really been like to visit a Victorian freak show? Were "freak performers" exploited, or empowered in a world that would likely have...

History of Grief: Sky Burials & Victorian Death Photos

26 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why did the Victorians dress up their dead relatives for photo shoots?What are the origins of embalming? And why do most of us have such a separated r...

Flagellation Brothels: Georgian Spanking Houses

23 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

18th century London was a haven for kinky connoisseurs, and flagellation houses were at the heart of it.Whatever your preference to be spanked by - bi...

Incest & Royalty: House of the Dragon & Beyond

19 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With the House of the Dragon featuring *that* incest scene, we thought we'd look into the real history of sexual relations within families.Has it alwa...

Gaslighting to Woke: Origins of Modern Buzzwords

16 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to be 'woke'? What did the bluesman Leadbelly mean when he coined the phrase? And what does a story set in Victorian London have to ...

Surprising History of Redheads: From Prehistoric Gingers to Ed Sheeran

12 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Boudica. Elizabeth I. Ed Sheeran. The history of the redhead goes back thousands of years, and it fluctuates from prejudice in medieval Europe, to the...

Queer London & The Post-War Moral Panic

09 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the wake of the Second World War, a moral panic swept through Britain around a rise in homosexuality.London was the heart of this scare because of ...

Emperors & Scandals in Ancient Rome with Mary Beard

05 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What happens at a Roman emperor's dinner party? Why would you be lucky to get out alive? And how are emperors even chosen?Joining Kate today is the on...

Sex & Scandal in UK Politics

02 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With the UK election a mere few days away (at time of release), what better time to look back at some of the biggest scandals in our political history...

Origins of the Patriarchy

28 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Whose idea was the patriarchy? How long has it been a part of our lives? And how do we even define it?For something that's so prevalent in most of our...

Incest in Ancient Egypt

25 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

From recent research we know that the great boy king Tutankhamun was a result of incest.How did it effect him? And was incest in Ancient Egypt mostly ...

Sex Life of Henry VIII

20 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When we think of Henry VIII we think of a big, blood thirsty tyrant.But was there more to this caricature of a king then we give him credit for? Joini...

The REAL Bridgerton: Historians React To Season 3

18 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

*SPOILER ALERT: THIS EPISODE CONTAINS DETAILS OF SEASON 3 OF BRIDGERTON*With the second part of season 3 of Bridgerton dropping on Netflix in the last...

Tudor Lesbians

14 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Throughout history, it's mostly been queer men who were persecuted under the historical sodomy laws, but the Tudor period saw a spike in women being t...

The Betrayal of Mary Queen of Scots

11 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Mary Queen of Scots had a life that resembled a Game of Thrones plot: she had awful taste in men, and a cousin in Queen Elizabeth I of England, who - ...

Tudor Origins of the Condom

07 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What were condoms like in Tudor times? Before you were able to pop to the supermarket to pick some up, where did people buy them?Joining Kate today is...

Incest in Ancient Rome

04 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What's the worst thing you could accuse someone of in Ancient Rome? There are a few strong candidates, but incest is definitely up there.In today's ep...

The REAL Bridgerton: Georgian Drugs & Alcohol

31 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The third season of Bridgerton is out and we are back in sexy scandalous Georgian society. But while we watch, we're taking a step back to ask: how re...

Sex Work in Colonial Australia

28 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

From the first fleet of convict ships arriving in Australia in 1788, sex work was a central part of the new society British colonialists were building...

The REAL Bridgerton: Queen Charlotte, Lord Byron & Georgian Celebrity

24 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The third season of Bridgerton is out and we are back in sexy scandalous Georgian society. But while we watch, we're taking a step back to ask: how re...

History of Monogamy

21 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

From the earliest iterations on the plains of Africa, to 21st century reconsiderations of it: are humans meant to be monogamous?Joining Kate today is ...

The REAL Bridgerton: Georgian Sex

17 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The long-awaited third season of Bridgerton is here! And with it, we all become obsessed with a particularly sexy version of Regency-era history.Today...

Medieval Torture & Execution

14 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When you say ‘going medieval’ on someone, it brings up quite nasty connotations. But is this brutal suggestion a fair depiction of medieval t...

Menopause: History, ‘Hysteria’ & Hormone Revolutions

10 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When you look into the history of menopause it’s steeped in misogyny, fear and demonising women’s bodies. But what is the truth behind some o...

Sex & Scandal in Charles II's Court

07 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There are many privileges that come with being a royal, but where do mistresses lay amongst these? If you'll excuse the pun.Charles II was notorious f...

History of Geishas

03 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to be a geisha? How does someone become one? And how do they differ from sex workers?The geisha world is famously very secretive and...

Drunk Victorians: Moral Panic & Meat Wine

30 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Glass of meat wine, anyone? That's right, the Victorians loved a glass of meaty wine.They loved drinking so much that it became a moral panic, with wh...

Elvis Presley's Sex Life

26 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Elvis Presley embraced sexuality from the start. Rock n roll was not tame music, and neither were his early performances.So much so that he was nickna...

Ancient Greek Sexual Health: Wandering Wombs & Headless Beetles

23 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If there’s one thing you’ll find out from this episode, it’s that the Ancient Greeks were better at philosophy than gynaecology.Struggling to co...

Sex in the Aztec Empire

19 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Aztec Empire might conjure up images of human sacrifice.And whilst religious violence was part of their society, theirs was also a very egalitaria...

Fetishwear: A Kinky History

16 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What is the origin of the word fetish? How did the war play a part in shaping fetishwear? And what are some of the styles that are most enjoyed?Kink a...

The History of Drag Queens

11 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The word drag is synonymous with flamboyant, fun performances. But where does the term come from and what does it mean? This more modern sto...

Sex & Scandal in King James' Court

08 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

King James I was a man whose sexuality was known by people in France, let alone (the newly formed) Britain of the early 17th century.So it may come as...

Viking Royalty: Nicknames, Love Poems & Victorian Myths

05 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We think we know the Vikings, but how well do we really know them?From the insignia we think they wear, to the names they call themselves and the way ...

History of Sh*t: Aztec Poo Goblins to Viking Turds

02 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Of all the taboo topics covered on Betwixt the Sheets, this one might make you wince the most.But it cannot be denied that poo and our management of i...

Scandalous Sex Lives of Royalty

29 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We've been fascinated by royalty for hundreds of years, but what do we know about their sex lives? Quite a lot, it turns out.Today we're revisiting an...

The Dark History of Ballet

26 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Whilst ballet is undoubtedly one of the most graceful and elegant art forms, it also has a long and dark history of sexual exploitation.How did King L...

Abraham Lincoln's Sex Life

21 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Abraham Lincoln is often thought of as the most loved president in America's history, but how much do we know about his personal life?Furthermore, how...

The Celebrity Sex Worker of Ancient Greece

19 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This is the story of one of the most notorious women of the Ancient world.Phrynne was a sex worker in the 4th century BC who came from an impoverished...

Viking Sexuality

15 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Vikings have a fair claim to being the most overly-eroticised group of people in history. It's fair to say this is somewhat reductive.What forms d...

18th Century Graffiti: Sex, Murder & Rebellion

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Whether it's a declaration of love, anger or rebellion against the government, graffiti can give us incredible insight into the social history of ever...

The Real Joan of Arc

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How did a peasant girl go on to lead French armies at the age of 17?To mark International Women's Day on March 8th, Kate's joined by Eleanor Janega, c...

Kink in the Renaissance

05 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Come with us back to Renaissance England, when writers were playing with ideas of sexuality in interesting ways.How much of a filth bag was Shakespear...

History of Sex Work in America

01 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Despite lawmakers best efforts, sex work has been around for since record began...and will certainly go back even further.We often explore the history...

Who Really Was Boudica?

27 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

She's the warrior queen who took on the mighty Roman Empire, but who really was Boudica?Separating facts from the myths we've read can be tricky, but ...

The Sex Life of William 'Braveheart' Wallace

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you've seen the film Braveheart, you might have certain expectations about the real history of William Wallace.Separating fact from fiction can be ...

The Real History of Sex Dolls

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The origins of the modern sex doll are shrouded in myth.Some say they came from crafty sailors in the 18th century, a long way from home and in need o...

Sex Work in the Middle Ages

16 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Medieval England was not subtle.Take sex work, for example. You knew exactly where to go, because the streets were labelled accordingly. Cokkes Lane, ...

The Surprising History of 'Karens'

12 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What do Alexa, Adolf and Karen have in common?They're all names that have plummeted in popularity.The most recent, Karen, is largely due to the meme-p...

What Was Sex Like In Medieval Times?

08 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What happened when medieval monks were told by the church that they had to be celibate? And how did their wives react?On today's episode, we're joined...

The REAL Charles Dickens with Miriam Margolyes

05 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Joining us today is writer, actor and all-round Charles Dickens superfan Miriam Margolyes.You might be familiar with Dickens' hugely popular stories a...

Neanderthal Sex

01 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What comes to mind when you think of a neanderthal? Probably a hunched, hairy, grunting version of a man who’s shuffling around his cave some 4...