Episode notes
Welcome back for Part 2 of our Clara Bow series where we unpack how this young girl from Brooklyn became the muse of Taylor Swift, Stevie Nicks and Margot Robbie! Looking at her relationship with the press, struggles with mental health, financial situation and final years, we're going to unpack Clara's impact on both culture and history. Because as it turns out, Hollywood and indeed society haven't really changed how we speak about or view women since Clara Bow! Shout out to our incredible researcher Grace McCamish for pulling this together, and if you're wanting more Hot History you can…
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Hot History
Hot History Production · History · English
The podcast covering all the things in history that you probably should know, but don't. ❤️🔥
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7 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 7 min
Salem Part 2: The Witch Trials
We're back, and we're ready today to chat about the drama, deceit and devilry involved in the Salem Witch Trials! From Abigail and Betty's affliction to the role of race and gender, the anatomy of hysteria, death by crushing and the accusation of a four-year-old baby who was chained up in prison, we're dissecting the anatomy of hysteria piece by piece. Plus, because this is Hot History, drawing parallels to the present digital witch hunts. I'm so excited to finish this series for you guys; please also find the hilarious Joe Hegyes here ! Shout out to our incredible researcher Gracie McCamish…
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3 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 3 min
Salem Part 1: The Origins of Witchcraft
Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble, my divas, because today we are unpacking the History of Witchcraft! From the ancient world right up to the events in Salem, we are unpacking the origins of the term witch, the difference between magic and miracles, the role of religion and the Church, and even taking a trip through space-time to the University of Melbourne to see a very rare copy of the Malleus Maleficarum! All this and so much more will give you the basic knowledge to understand exactly HOW the hysteria mounted in the Salem Witch trials, which we will cover in…
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27 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
Njinga Mbande: The Woman King
Hi divas! Strap in today because we are chatting about the Angolan warrior queen who fought off both the patriarchy and slavers through her wildly sharp wit AND wildly sharp weaponry. THIS is the story of Njinga Mbande, and I can't wait to share it with you!For more on Njinga, I recommend you watch the African Queens series on Netflix! Shout out to our incredible researcher Charlotte Wilkes for pulling this together. If you're wanting more Hot History you can follow along on Instagram , TikTok ,…
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20 Aug 2026 · 40 min
The Galloway Hoard
On today's show, we are chatting about three of my favourite things: Scotland, Vikings & Treasure! From the origins of Vikings in the British Isles to the discovery of the Galloway Hoard, which we were lucky enough to go and see first-hand, we're travelling through time today to look at the mix of cultures and religion which dominated Viking-era Scotland! Thank you so much to the Australian National Maritime Museum for making this episode of Hot History possible - head to sea.museum for 10% off your tickets to see the Galloway Hoard while it's in Sydney until October 11. Shout out to our…
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13 Aug 2026 · 54 min
Anna Pavlova: The Romanov Ballerina
Divas strap in, because we are going back to Imperial Russia with our deep dive on Anna Pavlova: the most famous ballerina in history! From the cold, damp streets of St Petersburg where she struggled with sickness and poverty, to the glittering stages of the world, Anna Pavlova became both the darling of Romanov High Society and the Russian Imperial Ballet Academy, going on to redefine what the term 'ballerina' meant for every single dancer who followed! Shout out to our incredible researcher Grace McCamish for pulling this together, and if you're wanting more Hot History you can follow…
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6 Aug 2026 · 56 min
Clara Bow: Part 1 - The original 'it' girl
You've been asking for her, so here we go. Today we're deep diving into the highs and lows of the original 'it' girl, Clara Bow. From her early years in Brooklyn tenements to the fame and fortune contest that changed her life, we're tracking just how the big-eyed Brooklyn beauty made it to the top of the box office AND the pinnacle of cultural influence. Then come back on Monday for part 2 where we look at her relationship with the press, struggles with mental health, financial situation and how Clara Bow became the muse of one Taylor Swift! Shout out to our incredible researcher Grace…
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30 Jul 2026 · 46 min
The Fabergé Eggs: Part 1
Hello divas! This week we're diving into one of my biggest Roman Empires... the Fabergé Eggs! From a tiny jewellery workshop in St Petersburg to the glittering halls of the Romanovs, this episode follows Peter Carl Fabergé's rise to become Imperial Jeweller and the creator of the most famous Easter gifts in history. We’ll also chat Tsars, Tsarinas, impeccable craftsmanship and of course, the very first Imperial Egg. This is also the perfect little warm-up for our four-part Romanov series coming this September, which I cannot wait to share with you all. Also as promised, here’s the Substack…
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30 Jul 2026 · 44 min
The Fabergé Eggs: Part 2
Two episodes in one day divas! Welcome back for part two of our Fabergé Eggs deep dive! We continue to deep dive some of the Romanovs' most extraordinary Easter gifts, uncovering the stories hidden inside each masterpiece and following the collection through revolution, exile and mystery. We'll also chat about where the eggs are today, why some are still missing, and how these tiny treasures became some of the most valuable objects in history. Enjoy this perfect little warm-up for our four-part Romanov series coming this September, which I cannot wait to share with you all. Also as promised,…
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23 Jul 2026 · 35 min
The Admiral: Artemisia I
Here we are at the end of our Ancient Greek series and today we're ditching the dudes and talking about the Greek Queen dubbed 'more man than men'. I can't wait for you all to meet Artemisia of Caria, one of my favourite women in antiquity! As promised, the Hot History Substack is also now live! If you'd like to support us there, you'd be very welcome! Shout out to our incredible researcher Grace McCamish for helping to pull this together, and if you're wanting more Hot History you can follow along on Instagram ,…
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16 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
THE ODYSSEY: WTF is it?
Divas its Odyssey day! I am so thrilled to bring this episode to you all as Christopher Nolan's film hits cinemas. We're covering as much as possible in summary form (there are 12,100 lines of this poem after all), from a tidbit on Homer to the end of the Trojan War and the King's return to Ithaca! As promised, the Hot History Substack is also now live! If you'd like to support us there, you'd be very welcome! Shout out to our incredible researcher Grace McCamish for helping to pull this together, and if you're wanting more Hot History you can follow along on…
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