Elizabeth's New Show: History’s Greatest Fails
episodePreviously titled “Was Richard III a failure?” — renamed by the publisher on Aug 4, 2026
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I should have brought it, but I found a photograph. I was clearing out a box of photographs, which sounds like a task that only happens in novels, but I was actually doing it. I found a photograph of you in my parents' kitchen. Don't know what you were doing there. I do know. It was my 21st birthday party.
I remember that party.
Do you?
Yeah.
And when I was looking at the photos, I didn't really remember much, but I was like, fuck no, there's Elizabeth.
I don't think I really knew you that well up until that point. Because how we met, we were both at university together. And I was dating your friend.
You were.
But I remember you being the year below. And at that stage in life, it feels like a really big age gap. And I was like... Who's this young buck? And I don't think we ever really spoke that much, but I was just aware that you were in the vicinity. And Rick, my then boyfriend, referred to you as Dollar.
He did.
That was your name, as far as I was concerned. But then I was invited as Rick's plus one to your 21st. And it was really lovely because, as you say, it was in your family home. There was a marquee. I remember thinking, oh, that's grown up.
You're making me sound a bit posh.
And over the years, we've fallen in and out of contact because our friendship was only really established through podcasting. And that's when we reconnected. And I feel like that's when we had our first proper conversation. And during the course of that conversation, I remember Richard III coming up. I often find I'm strapped for time, running around recording this podcast, writing, catching up with friends, stroking the cat. There just isn't a time in the day to get all of the necessary admin done at home. That's why I am so grateful to TaskRabbit, the online and mobile marketplace that connects you with skilled, reliable local freelancers called Taskers who can help with everything from furniture assembly and home repairs to moving, gardening and more.
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So that, yes, I remember the conversation. There were two things that we spoke about. The first was Peloton.
Yes, our other obsession.
And my exercise bike radar went off. And the second was you, I think, admitted straight off the bat to being a Ricardian.
Yes. There's no admission to it, Dan. I don't need to confess it. I'm not ashamed of it.
Well, maybe you should be.
I know you think that because you are obsessed with the Tudors. You have such a hard-on for them that you've fallen for every single piece of Tudor propaganda you could do. And that's why I'm thrilled that we're having this conversation. Because not only have we bonded over the years as friends, but we're both history graduates.
Both history graduates, and as any history graduate will tell you, there are two sides to any argument, one right and one wrong. We will establish which side of those we rely on. Why don't we start? Hello, this is History's Greatest Fails with me, Dan Jones. I'm a medievalist broadcaster and author.
And I'm Elizabeth Day, a fellow author and podcaster.
We're old friends and fellow history graduates. And in this podcast, we're going to dig into failures of historical proportions.
To understand why failures make history.
Now, before we begin, some housekeeping.
Yes, if you were expecting how to fail, don't fret. My podcast hasn't changed. As this is our first collaboration, we're marking this very special moment by giving you the debut episode of History's Greatest Fails on both of our feeds.
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