Best Maddy Pelling Podcasts (2024)

1
Slenderman & Mothman: Origins of Internet Horror 34:50

1h ago34:50

34:50

"The internet is full of dark and wicked things" said a police chief after a shocking crime by two children claiming to be acolytes of the Slenderman. Today we unpick the origins of Slenderman - the internet's scariest creation - and link it back to the pre-internet urban legend of the Mothman. Strap in for a wild ride! Maddy Pelling and Anthony De…

1
Victorian Teen Who Murdered Her Baby Brother 54:21

30m ago54:21

54:21

In 1860 Britain was rocked by the brutal murder of 3-year-old Francis Kent inside his family home. Scotland Yard sent their finest but when a teenage sister, Constance Kent, was accused there was outcry. How could a well-mannered young lady be guilty of murder? It was a crime against class and gender to suggest such a thing. The detective was sent …

1
Real History of the Illuminati 40:50

30m ago40:50

40:50

There really was a secret society called the Illuminati that aimed to create a New World Order. This is true story of the Illuminati and how they were transformed into the world's first conspiracy theory by the French revolution. Maddy Pelling and Anthony Delaney are joined by Michael Taylor whose new book is called Impossible Monsters: Dinosaurs, …

1
Royal Murder: 1810 Death in St James's Palace 48:10

3d ago48:10

48:10

In 1810 a valet called Joseph Sellis was found dead in St James's Palace. All eyes turned to his master the Duke of Cumberland, fifth son of George III. The scandal that would follow hounded the Duke for decades. Maddy Pelling tells Anthony Delaney this story about royal scandals and the freedom of the press that rings a lot of bells today! Written…

1
Tutankhamun's Curse 57:26

3d ago57:26

57:26

Untimely deaths followed the opening of Tutankhamun's tomb by Howard Carter. Coincidence or ancient curse? When the tomb of King Tutankhamun was sealed more than 3000 years ago, it was rumoured to be protected by a curse, which would ruin the life of anyone who disturbed the pharaoh's final resting place. A mere two weeks after the tomb was discove…

1
Bell Witch of Tennessee: America's Greatest Ghost Story 34:10

7d ago34:10

34:10

It's America's greatest ghost story: the 1817-1821 haunting of a rural family by a mysterious entity—sometimes violent, sometimes mischievous, even offering marriage advice. Poltergeist? Witch? Hoax? Or pure legend from the beginning? Maddy Pelling tells Anthony Delaney the story this week. Edited by Tomos Delargy. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior …

1
Real Life Crime in Victorian London 33:21

10d ago33:21

33:21

"You've got to pick a pocket or two" says Fagan to Oliver Twist about the foggy streets of Victorian London where poverty and oppression abounded. Today we look at the every day crimes of Victorian London from pickpockets on omnibuses to the trauma of domestic violence with the help of Drew Gray, author of Nether World: Crime and the Police Courts …

1
Public Executions: A Day At London's Hanging Tree 37:24

23d ago37:24

37:24

Would you have gone? Would you have drunk with the condemned? Paid your way into their prison the night before? Public executions in London were big business with hundreds of thousands carousing through the streets alongside the condemned as they went from Newgate prison to Tyburn's infamous gallows. It was a grisly performance but one that many re…

1
Spooky Origins of the Ouija Board 48:14

18d ago48:14

48:14

Do you dare try? The Ouija board was invented in 1890. It was an idea lifted from Spiritualist devices for communicating with the dead. Find out the spooky origin story of the Ouija board and our attempts to pierce the veil between the worlds. Today's guest is Brandon Hodge - leading expert and collector of talking boards. https://www.mysteriouspla…

1
Ghost of Marie Antoinette 41:41

20d ago41:41

41:41

What if a leisurely visit to the Palace of Versailles transported you back to the court of Marie Antoinette — would you believe it or question your sanity? This is the story of two English women from St Hugh's College, Oxford University, who in 1901 believed that they slipped back in time to the 1790s and came face-to-face with one of the most famo…

1
Last Witches of England 43:32

25d ago43:32

43:32

This is the dark history of the last people to be executed for witchcraft in England. In 1682, Temperance Lloyd, Mary Trembles and Susannah Edwards, from the town of Bideford in the South-West of England, were tried and hanged as witches. They were convicted on the flimsiest of evidence under the cynical eye of uncaring authorities. Their fates enc…

1
The ‘Genius’ Killer: Murderer with Largest Brain in History 41:06

1M ago41:06

41:06

The so-called 'Genius' Killer was a murderer who seemed to be both philosopher and psychopath, whose brain was one of the largest ever recorded. But was Edward Rulloff really as smart as all that? Maddy tells Anthony the story of a husband who murdered his wife and child, killed an innocent shop clerk in a petty theft, and still somehow managed to …

1
Prison Hulks: Floating Hells for Convicts 38:10

1M ago38:10

38:10

Convicts, illegal dissections, disease, all taking place on ships described as "Wicked Noah's Arks" where conditions were even worse than in notorious prisons like Newgate. Transportation to Australia awaited those who survived, and they counted themselves the lucky ones. Today it's the dark history of the Prison Hulks. Our guest is Dr Anna McKay f…

1
Enfield Poltergeist: 1970's Suburban Horror 46:32

1M ago46:32

46:32

The Enfield Poltergeist is Britain's most infamous haunting - set in the late 1970s on the outskirts of London, it continues to be told and retold. Most famously in the film The Conjuring 2. But this is a real piece of history about a real family and a young girl, Janet, who became the focus of newspapers, paranormal investigators and - if we belie…

1
The Witch of New York: 1840's Murder Trials of Polly Bodine 41:59

1M ago41:59

41:59

On Christmas night 1843 a mother and child were found murdered inside their burned out home. Suspicion fell on one Polly Bodine. Over the next three years, Polly became the most infamous person in America in a blockbuster series of murder trials that gave birth to a monster - tabloid justice. Our guest today is author Alex Hortis whose book The Wit…

1
The Real Mutiny on the Bounty: Revenge in Paradise (Part 2) 44:20

2M ago44:20

44:20

Mutineers, manhunts, uninhabited tropical islands and...SHIPWRECKS! The second part of the story of the Mutiny of the Bounty is even wilder than the first. This time we follow HMS Pandora as it hunts down the mutineers, and uncover the incredible story of how a group of mutineers and Polynesians escaped to the uninhabited island of Pitcairn. Writte…

1
Real History of the Knights Templar 38:02

2M ago38:02

38:02

Why are the Knights Templar surrounded by myths and legends? Is there any truth to the tales of the Holy Grail or that the Knights survived? Why does this medieval order, which disappeared in the 14th century, continue to enthral us today? To uncover the real history of the Knights Templar we are joined by Dan Jones - historian, author, podcaster a…

1
Victorian Thames Torso Murders 36:18

2M ago36:18

36:18

At exactly the same time as Jack the Ripper, another serial killer terrorised London. Just like Jack the Ripper, all their victims were women - their dismembered bodies left floating in the Thames. This is the dark history of the Thames Torso Murders, a case which asks questions about what crimes we choose the remember and what ones we try our hard…

1
Hidden History of Garden Gnomes 32:33

2M ago32:33

32:33

Garden gnomes have a secret life all of their own. If you don't believe us, then go ask Paris Hilton. Today we discover the hidden history of garden gnomes and meet the eccentric aristocrat - Sir Charles Isham - who firmly believed that the mountains of the world really filled with little folk with pointy red hats and pickaxes. Our guest is Twigs W…

1
Great Irish Famine: Coffin Ships & the Dark Truth (Part 2) 41:01

2M ago41:01

41:01

1847 was the darkest year in the spiralling horror of the Great Irish Famine. It is known in Ireland as 'Black '47'. The British Government withdrew its support, leaving famine and disease to stalk the land. Those who could leave Ireland did, sailing on board 'Coffin Ships'. Today Anthony concludes his two-part history of the Great Irish Famine wit…

1
Oliver Cromwell's Decapitated Head & Charles II's Revenge 38:45

2M ago38:45

38:45

***Warning: today's episode contains graphic description of violence*** In 1661 Oliver Cromwell was hung and beheaded...the only problem was he'd been dead two years already. Charles II had returned and revenge was in the air. It took many strange and gruesome forms. Anthony and Maddy are joined again today by Ronald Hutton - one of Britain's forem…

1
The Great Famine: Ireland’s Darkest Chapter (Part 1) 36:33

2M ago36:33

36:33

One million people died. Two million emigrated. The Great Irish Famine was the world turned upside down. The darkest chapter in Ireland's past. It is not solely Ireland's history to bear. This is a piece of British history as well, one which needs to be faced. What really happened in the Great Irish Famine? Written by Anthony Delaney with special g…

1
Harry Potter Monsters: The Ancient Origins 41:31

2M ago41:31

41:31

***Spoiler Alert: this episode contains spoilers for the Harry Potter books and films*** Giant snakes, winged horses and hooded demons. The world of Harry Potter is full of bizarre and terrifying beasts... but what are the origins of these mythical creatures? To discuss this, Anthony and Maddy met with Ceri Houlbrook, folklorist and lecturer at the…

1
True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty (Part 1) 43:41

3M ago43:41

43:41

Violence, sex, betrayal, death and ... SHIPS! This is the story of how a voyage that began with scientific aims and a regimented daily routine ended in all this drama. This is the story of mutiny on the Bounty in 1789. Maddy tells Anthony the story this week. Written by Maddy Pelling. Edited by Tom Delargy. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer…

1
Execution of Charles I 39:01

3M ago39:01

39:01

In 1649, Charles I had his head chopped off for treason. It's a unique, divisive moment in English history. Was Charles a tyrant or a martyr? Was his trial justice or a kangaroo court? Did he deserve to die? Our guest to help tell this truly incredible piece of history is Ronald Hutton - one of Britain's foremost historians who is working on a thre…

1
1811 Ratcliffe Highway Murders: Birth of True Crime 40:32

3M ago40:32

40:32

Horror struck the East End of London twice in December 1811. Two brutal sets of murders within a few days of each other. It became ground zero for True Crime as for the first time ever the press helped turn this murder case into a nationwide sensation. The whole country was hysterical and hooked, who was the killer? Would they strike again? Maddy t…

1
Cannibalism in Scotland: Legend of Sawney Bean 32:28

3M ago32:28

32:28

According to legend, Sawney Bean and Agnes "Black" Douglas raised a clan of cannibals in a remote Scottish cave. They killed and ate unlucky travellers on lonely roads. This went on for decades with more than a thousand perishing. Who invented this gruesome story? Why? And why has Sawney Bean become a kind of cult hero in Scotland itself? Cat Byers…

1
What is the Yeti? 33:44

3M ago33:44

33:44

Did you know legendary mountaineer Edmund Hillary found evidence of the Yeti? Or that David Attenborough is on board with the idea it exists? Today we explore the history of the hunt for the Yeti. We're delighted to be joined by Pranaya Rana, a writer based in Kathmandu whose blog is at https://recordnepal.substack.com/ Written by Maddy Pelling. Ed…

1
The Georgian Husband with Fourteen Wives 38:21

3M ago38:21

38:21

Charles Hamilton allegedly had fourteen wives according to the newspapers, but the headline was that Charles used to be called Mary. In the 18th century newspaper stories about 'female husbands' were not uncommon; people assigned female at birth who assumed the legal, social and economic position reserved for men. Today we explore two stories with …

1
Bigfoot: the Origin Story 35:30

3M ago35:30

35:30

Our second episode examining the very real history of Bigfoot. This time we're looking at ancient Native American rock art and meeting the extinct (or is it?) giant ape Gigantopithecus. Our returning guest is the wonderful Dan Schreiber - host of We Can Be Weirdos and co-host of No Such Thing As a Fish. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is …

1
Deadly Dancing Plague of 1518 39:31

3M ago39:31

39:31

When people think of Medieval diseases, hysterical dancing is not usually what first comes to mind. Yet in 14th and 15th century Germany, dozens of ordinary people claimed to be infected by the ‘dancing plague’. What was this mysterious phenomenon? What caused it? And was it even a real disease? Anthony and Maddy are joined by Dr. Eleanor Janega, c…

1
Bigfoot: Hunt for the Truth 36:51

3M ago36:51

36:51

Does Bigfoot really walk among us? Today we start a three-part mini-series exploring the very real histories of Bigfoot and the Yeti. We begin with Bigfoot and the 1967 home-movie that lit the spark. Maddy & Anthony are joined by the one-and-only Dan Schreiber - host of podcast 'We Can Be Weirdos' and of co-host of 'No Such Thing As A Fish'. There …

1
Jack the Ripper 51:54

4M ago51:54

51:54

What is it about this case that holds the imagination after all these years? When did that fascination with it begin? How early on did the myths of Jack the Ripper evolve? Anthony and Maddy look at how the newspapers and showmen were quick to pounce on this case, turning these tragic murders into the most infamous true crime story of all. Written b…

1
Medieval Mass Murdering Monk: Malmesbury Abbey 27:51

4M ago27:51

27:51

Malmesbury Abbey in Wiltshire was an institution of national significance from the late seventh century until the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539. It was home to eminent writers and had strong royal connections. It housed the tomb of Æthelstan, first king of all England, and Queen Matilda, wife of Henry I, took a close interest in its affair…

1
The Murdering Midwife of Covent Garden 55:36

4M ago55:36

55:36

‘If only walls could talk’ is a phrase which feels particularly relevant to mysterious murder cases throughout history. And in today’s episode, walls do have a story to tell. To celebrate Maddy’s book about Eighteenth-Century graffiti coming out this week, she’s sharing two intriguing murder cases where graffiti played an integral role. First case …

1
Who is the Real Dracula? The Bloody History 38:03

4M ago38:03

38:03

This is the incredible history of Dracula, from medieval ruler Vlad the Impaler, to Bram Stoker and the Victorian theatre world. Get ready for a very bloody history indeed! Anthony tells Maddy the story this week. Written by Anthony Delargy. Edited by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original …

1
England's Worst Witch Trial: Pendle Witches 46:18

4M ago46:18

46:18

Inside the heavy walls of Lancaster Castle, the darkest & deadliest of English witch trials played out in 1612 - the Pendle Witch Trials. By the end ten people would be executed and many more lives ruined. At their heart was a little girl, Jennet Device, and a book, Daemonologie by King James VI & I. Maddy and Anthony's guest today is John Callow, …

1
St Patrick: Pirates, Snakes and Goatees 46:42

4M ago46:42

46:42

He wasn't Irish. He didn't wear green. There were no snakes. So who was the real St Patrick? How did his myth grow? And how did he invent the goatee? Podcaster and comedian Alison Spittle joins Maddy and Anthony today as we head back to 4th/5th century Ireland. Alison's tour dates (including Leake!) are here: http://alisonspittle.com/gigs/ Edited b…

1
Medieval Torture: The Dark History 42:26

5M ago42:26

42:26

This episode contains descriptions of execution and torture. To be Hanged, Drawn & Quartered. Put on the Rack. Impaled on a spike. This list paints a very dark picture. What was the reality of execution and torture in the Medieval world? Was it as bad as we think? Worse? Guiding us through this very grim history is Matt Lewis host of the History Hi…

1
'Black Widow': Serial Killer of Victorian England 54:17

5M ago54:17

54:17

Mary Ann Cotton is known as the first British female serial killer. A trail of bodies, many her own children, followed her through life. Bodies she happened to have insurance policies out on. Arsenic appears to have been her poison. How very Victorian. But Mary Ann Cotton was only proved to be guilty of killing one of her alleged victims. So was sh…

1
Pirate Queens: Mary Read & Anne Bonny 42:18

5M ago42:18

42:18

Mary Read and Anne Bonny are legendary female pirates from the golden age of piracy. Raised as boys, they sailed with captain Calico Jack and fought their enemies bare-breasted, if legends are to be believed. How much of it is true? How much piracy did they actually accomplish? And why do their breasts feature quite so often in this history? Anthon…

1
The First Alien Abduction 45:25

5M ago45:25

45:25

In 1961 Betty and Barney Hill became the first people ever to be abducted by aliens. Their story of being taken and examined by extraterrestrials on board a spaceship became the blueprint that others would follow. Whether you believe it or not, their account would go on to change our world... Maddy tells Anthony the story this week. Written by Madd…

1
The Paris Morgue's Dark Story 40:54

5M ago40:54

40:54

Citizens of Paris in the 19th century could stroll down to the Morgue to try to identify the unknown dead or to gawp at celebrity murder victims. Though its most famous resident of all was perhaps not dead at all... Our guest today is the marvellous Cat Byers, who is a writer, photographer and historian based in Paris. She’s currently finishing a P…

1
Do Mermaids Exist? Historical Sightings & Myths 41:52

5M ago41:52

41:52

Did you know Benjamin Franklin began his career reporting mermaid sightings? Or that there's a mermaid on every cup of Starbucks coffee? Join us as we search the oceans for history's greatest mermaid stories. Anthony tells Maddy this story with special help from children from year 5 of Harris Primary Academy Coleraine Park. Written by Anthony Delan…

1
The Earliest Evidence of Ghosts 39:05

5M ago39:05

39:05

The earliest evidence of human belief in ghosts comes from 5,000 years ago in Mesopotamia. Who were these first ghosts? What was the underworld they lived in like? What do these most ancient ghosts tell us about today? Maddy and Anthony's guest today, Irving Finkel, Assistant Keeper of Ancient Mesopotamian script, languages and cultures in the Depa…

1
The Real Hannibal Lecter 38:37

5M ago38:37

38:37

At the tender age of 23, Thomas Harris, author of The Silence of the Lambs, was sent to interview a convicted murderer inside a Mexican prison. What happened that day lived rent free in his mind for the rest of his life. Anthony tells Maddy this story of murder and of love that blurs the lines between truth and fiction. Written by Anthony Delaney. …

1
Murder in Henry VIII's England 34:53

5M ago34:53

34:53

In a world before police, what happened when someone was murdered? How were murderers caught? How did the wheels of justice turn? We talk to Steven Veerapen, author of Of Blood Descended, about murder under the bloodiest King of all, Henry VIII. Edited by Tom Delargy. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long. Enjoy unlimited acce…

1
The Mystery of the Medieval Green Children 34:35

6M ago34:35

34:35

Two green children walked into the village of Woolpit in Suffolk, England, sometime in the 12th century. They said they were from a magic land where everything was as green as they were. What on earth was going on? Maddy tells Anthony this story that has drawn in curious minds for hundreds of years. Written by Maddy Pelling. Produced by Freddy Chic…

1
Dragons: From the Ancient World to the Hobbit 41:25

6M ago41:25

41:25

Take dinosaur bones, snake poison, volcanic lava, fear of the unknown. Mix it all together and you have a dragon! Today we're finding out about the ancient origins of dragons and why there used to be a much wider variety of dragon types than we see today. Our guide is dragon expert Jasmine Elmer. Jasmine's new documentary "Dragons: Myth & Reality" …

1
The Fairy Hoax That Fooled the World 53:29

6M ago53:29

53:29

In 1920 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle published a story more explosive than any adventure of Sherlock Holmes. He claimed that photographic evidence had emerged that proved the existence of fairies. The photos were taken by two young girls, Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths, in Cottingley, North Yorkshire. How did their charming art project end up fooling…

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