rewind.
“Terrible Tudors, Gorgeous Georgians, Slimy Stuarts, Vile Victorians…”
When it comes to engaging an audience with the past, no one has ever quite done it like Horrible Histories. While promoting his latest work, A History of Britain in Ten Enemies, I was fortunate enough to meet Terry Deary himself and found that there was little I could say except, “Thank you” – for writing the books that first inspired my love of history, as well as inspiring the arguably even more beloved television adaptation. Many of us history students owe much to Deary’s gruesome, zany, and anti-authoritarian style of popular history. As the CBBC series celebrates its fifteenth anniversary with an honorary BAFTA Award, it seems the perfect time to reflect on how exactly this show found its place so firmly in our hearts.
Horrible Histories stands entirely apart from its contemporaries in children’s television. Yes, it’s gory, and it certainly introduced many of us to gouging and amputation far earlier than our parents might have liked, but above all, it’s unpatronising. In a sea of shows that talked down to children as lesser, unintelligent beings, Horrible Histories saw us for what we were – not stupid, but curious. Amongst the poo jokes and silly pop parodies are well-researched sketches designed to give us a rounded view of history beyond the often restrictive school curriculum.
For many of us, Horrible Histories was our first real introduction to topics such as empire, segregation, or the fight for women’s suffrage. While the show often relied on comedy to convey its messages, we absorbed them nevertheless. Deary’s disdain for the absolute authority of emperors and monarchs shone through, creating a space for us to consider issues otherwise deemed too mature, the show’s political nature softened through its goofy delivery. Horrible Histories did not talk down to its audience; it met us where we were and helped to lift us up.
A spiritual successor to adult programmes Monty Python and Blackadder, its format offered familiarity in the unfamiliar, with its original six cast members taking on every conceivable role and using the bonds they had forged with young audiences to engage us in a wide range of topics, spanning from Ancient Greece to the trenches of the First World War. Horrible Histories promised something for every budding history lover, and in reeling us in, it led us on a journey through civilisations we’d never even heard of, broadening our scope beyond the simple facts taught in classrooms.
Many of us who grew up watching the original cast of Horrible Histories feel a sense of disdain for the rebooted series, which has run since 2015. I’m not immune to this feeling, but I also believe it’s important for those of us who loved the original series to recognise the significance of continuing such an influential show and adapting it for the demographic it’s meant for. As difficult as it may be to admit, we are no longer the target audience for Horrible Histories, and any effort to keep history relevant and engaging for future generations is, I would argue, fundamentally positive.
The original series was not without its flaws, with the darkening of white actors’ skin to portray Aztecs and Egyptians being a major criticism. And while we may view the reboot as the original’s embarrassing, bastardised cousin, it deserves praise as well. Episodes like “British Black History” and “Precious Planet” highlight historical topics that weren’t in focus when we first watched the show, reflecting a conscious effort to keep children’s historical education current and relevant in a commendable way.
Horrible Histories’ upcoming BAFTA Award could not be more deserved. It’s phenomenal success has proved the importance of engaging with history outside academic circles – even Terry Deary himself never intended to be a historian, and his light-hearted, passionate voice as a children’s author is undoubtedly the key to the series’ success. Accessible, entertaining history is essential for engaging young audiences, providing a much-needed stepping stone for those of us whose intrigue was sparked by it. I’m still here, diving into the weirdest crevices of the past I can find, living proof that Horrible Histories has never lost its profound impact or diminished in importance after fifteen “horrible” years. Here’s to many more.
“…The past is no longer a mystery, welcome to Horrible Histories.”
Bibliography
Bailey, Matt, ‘Terry Deary on 15 Years of Horrible Histories’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0hr2bbn [accessed 10 November 2024]
Chi-Santorelli, Leisha, ‘Horrible Histories to Receive Special BAFTA Award’, 2024 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c98d45kxp9lo [accessed 10 November 2024]
Elton, Matt, ‘"It’s Rare That a Television Show Actually Changes People’s Lives"’, BBC History Magazine, 11 April 2024 https://gb.readly.com/magazines/bbc-history-magazine/2024-04-11/66069fb7222c8dac6e127f8a?srsltid=AfmBOoo2CvBCqiwb3ebNXB05vqSmWZjGgqxS9rGdN2TuHzW_ovo1wOUz [accessed 10 November 2024]
Hogan, Michael, ‘15 Years of Horrible Histories – Kids’ TV So Good It’s Getting a BAFTA’, 2024 https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/oct/24/15-years-of-horrible-histories-kids-tv-so-good-its-getting-a-bafta [accessed 10 November 2024]
Jeffries, Stuart, ‘How We Made Horrible Histories’, 2018 https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/dec/11/how-we-made-horrible-histories-jess-ransom [accessed 10 November 2024]