I have never been interested in the history of england. I stumbled upon this pod cast randomly and I can’t get enough. Also there needs be a Sweyn Godwinson movie played by Danny McBride

It’s a great podcast

I’ve been listening to this podcast for a number of years now and really enjoy it. I love British history and I find Jamie to be an engaging host.

Amazing and incredibly accurate

I just finished listening to every publicly available episode of the BHP to date. First I have to say how much I appreciate the level of detail, and what must be a monumental amount of research that’s gone into making this podcast. It has been a joy to listen through, and become acquainted with the more obscure history of the Islands that my paternal side hails from. I want to say thank you to the BHP for having embarked on this Herculean venture of relaying the history of Britannia. That said, I want to address the woke issue that pops up in the reviews. I think it is important to remember that history is not science. History is storytelling. As in any storytelling, the story takes on a bit of the nature of the storyteller. Mr. Jeffers himself is often ready to remind us of this fact even if in not so specific terms. Be it Gildas, or Orderic, or a host of other scribes, they all impart their own personal lenses on the stories they tell. One day, in the unlikely event that this body of work survives for a thousand plus years, another storyteller will say of Jamie Jeffers to keep in mind he was a product of the West Coast Liberalism that was so prevalent where he lived during his life, and to take that into account when examining his works. It will be said to keep in mind that he delivered history as the former lawyer he was, fully engaged in presentism, making the case for the backwards nature of our ancestors, which would often devolve into a case of the giggles when discussing some portion of the record we are so far removed from that is seemed alien to us. I personally try to employ my own filter when considering this content, and for the most part I can shrug it off. Though the dichotomy is an interesting one. It’s one part serious scholarly research, one part school yard snickering. In the end, if I had any bit of advice to give the BHP it would be to steer away from the heavy amount of pop culture references. Yes it is part of the BHP’s charm, and it does give a certain relatability to the current audience. However, in the long run it will shorten the shelf life of this body of work. Which is why I say in the unlikely event the BHP will make it as long as other historical content such as, for example, Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History. Fifty years from now we listeners will have to pause and explain this or that reference. One hundred or more years and people will be giggling at the BHP the way the BHP itself often does. I may yet sign up for the members feed, because I do legitimately enjoy the BHP despite some of its flaws. I hope they continue to grow and mature. There is an opportunity to do something truly great here, and I hope they succeed at it.

Jamie’s masterful use of humor, historical nicknames, musical ques, and modern language paraphrasing makes accessible and understandable some of the most difficult source material imaginable. Striking just the right balance between narrator and researcher, Jamie pulls back the curtain on the ambiguity in the source material, discloses academic controversy, and then moves forward with a coherent narrative explaining what he thinks happened, and why. Over the years this has become one of the best history podcasts out there right alongside the likes of Mike Duncan’s History of Rome and Revolutions. Keep up the excellent work Jamie, and thank you so much for the years of insights and entertainment.

So I began listening to this podcast years ago out of a desire to learn more of colonial British history. The Britain we all have heard legends of. I assumed this would include an accounting of early history for some period, but after something like 300 episodes were nowhere near colonial times. Not even close. I applaud the host for his good storytelling abilities. He’s a truly talented story teller and belongs in this space for sure. However I feel he gets too caught up in his storytelling to remember to keep the narrative moving… almost every episode covers a single year it seems… As a good contrast, the History of China podcast serves out roughly 2 episodes per month that are slightly longer than this show. And they’re around the 1500’s after less than 300 episodes… this one (at my last listen) was around the year 1000 for the same number of episodes… and I mean, cmon… it’s China… there aren’t many ancient civilizations that could warrant a long trudge thru history more than them. So if you’re taking a lot more time then that one, that should be telling… That and the podcast’s claim to be clean is a bit generous. With the host usually bleeping his at times very crass language consistently thru every episode and the music choices which are not censored at all, this isn’t a show I’d want my kids listening to… I have to listen in phases until I get too bored with the slow narrative and have to give it break until I can come back. Hoping the timeline speeds up and we can get to “the good parts”…

I’ve never had such a detailed exploration into English history! I’m enjoying learning the big picture and not simply the “ great man” approach. Having experienced this, I can’t go back to dumbed down history ever again! Thank you for this great journey!😀

I listen ever day so so good it’s not “woke”

This is, hands down, the absolute best history podcast on earth. I still don’t get why it’s called “woke”, it’s quite nonpolitical, unlike certain other history podcasts I shall not name. That said, I hope whoever just decided to read my review has a wonderful day!

This great podcast is excellent

Love the history, hate the modern political bias.

This podcast is well researched, well presented and very informative and entertaining. Jamie does an excellent job of explaining a confusing and confused period when written records are not plentiful and when they exist can be misleading or contradictory

Interesting facts+ but he wants to apply to much of modern morals.

I am really loving this podcast, and just finished episode 228, where Alfred is beginning to wage guerrilla warfare against the Danes. You may be thinking “228 episodes and you are STILL in the Dark Ages??” And you are right. This is one thing I’m loving about the show. Jamie is covering a lot of deep dive info on British history. This deep dive tells the backstory of a people that had great influences across the globe (both good and not). Although Jamie goes deep, he doesn’t appear to be drifting too far from shore - in that the story remains engaging from one episode to the next. Each episode is concise, well written, and often quite witty, which helps bring many of the stories to life. His story telling is spot on. I mostly listen to the show while running, and often find myself doing a few extra miles just to hear an episode’s conclusion.

Takes for ever to get to the point as if trying to buy time to make more episodes. Too much modern spin to take seriously. If you think opinions are facts you’ll love it. I’ve heard better on History Hit.

Remember when Netflix was disk only?? Yeah that’s when I was continuously ordering the episodes of Simon Schama’s History of Britain over and over and over. All of you Game of Throne fans will appreciate the real historical events that GRRM used to create his amazing series and so many other details as Jamie, the narrator and creator of this incredible podcast recreates history from multiple sources of documentation. It just keeps getting better and better!!! This podcast deserves awards‼️🏆🥳 Jamie, your storytelling is so much FUN for me😅 please continue the music and don’t ever listen to ridiculous criticism. #ShortPants💀😭 Of course I appreciate Z and the lil germ factory just as much🫶

No worries, Jamie has you covered. This podcast is awesome and I learned a ton about Britain while sitting in traffic.

This is one of my favorite podcasts. There are over 400 episodes and I’ve listened through three times. Jamie’s storytelling is all-encompassing and he really does his research. As someone with a degree in medieval history, I can endorse his scholarship as being top rate. I look forward to every new episode!

Jamie provides a wealth of historiography to go along with his great storytelling and gives us a look at parts of British history that are usually just skipped over. Some of the weirder reviews here don't seem to have been written by people who actually listened to the show-- it's just really great pop history with no ads! And the members' feed is totally worth it.

I have been listening to the BHP for 6 years, and I am excited for every episode. Jamie is an outstanding storyteller who takes the time to really provide context for the people and stories. With his work he is doing history the way it should be done with primary sources and an appropriate level of irreverence which humanizes his subjects. This is enhanced with the in-depth work that is presented in the members feed for subscribers. Don’t let the number of episodes intimidate you. Start at the beginning like I did or pick one and jump in but jump in, you won’t regret it. And I just love his humor!

I discovered this podcast probably 4 years ago and went back and listened to every episode. The detail, humor and music make this an easy to listen to history podcast. The way Jamie and Zee present the history of England is both entertaining and informative. It is clear that the series is exceedingly well researched and great pains are taken to keep his listeners engaged!! Appreciate it!! -Rick

Jamie writes and delivers this excellent podcast with both accuracy and humor. He & Z really do their research to make this an excellent listen.

I follow a great many history podcasts, but the BHP is the only one that will get me to find a reason to leave work immediately when a new episode drops. Jamie is an excellent storyteller, and I reckon even if you aren’t a history geek like me it’s still a fun listen. The attention to detail in the main feed, and the really excellent background you get in the members only feed are a quality you simply don’t find in other places.

I LOVE this podcast. As a fan of all things history this is one of the most well researched and entertaining podcasts. Jamie and Dr. Z do a fantastic job about taking something that some people yawn at and make it a worthwhile listen. Plus the themed music is always choice!

Jamie does an amazing amount of research and his command of and passion for the material is evident. As well as being incredibly informative it is also incredibly entertaining. I have recommended it to many of my history-buff friends and I’d recommend it to anyone broadly. My 9-year-old gets in the car after school and demands I play the BHP.

I absolutely adore this podcast. It took me almost two years to catch up binge listening, and now I can hardly wait for each next installment. If you want excruciatingly researched history of the UK told in an interesting fashion, this is for you.

I’ve just finished listening to the podcast for the second time all the way through. Although I have a degree in medieval studies, there is so much detail here that I never knew. Jamie does a wonderful job of exploring all of the primary sources and who writes them and for whom. My English husband is astounded at the details that he was never taught in school. Jamie is entertaining, helps us to understand the personalities behind the history, and how what happened to 1000 years ago is still affecting us today. If he seems down on the medieval church as an institution, I think it’s well-deserved. I am a Christian, but the money changers in the temple of Jerusalem would have nothing on the hierarchy of the Catholic Church during this period. Many of them were warriors first and men of the cloth second. They committed murder, torture, and all manner of atrocities in the name of Jesus. Helps you understand the Reformation’s roots. Can’t wait for the next installment!

My whole family has been avid listeners for years. We have standing jokes about how long it will be before we get to the wars of the roses or the revolution. But we love the level of detail and the focus on what was happening broadly in society, not just a series of battle recaps. Keep going, Jamie.

This is an amazing show which deep dives into the REAL details of history, and presents it in a way that is thoughtful, accurate, and thorough. I love that while the kings and queens and movers and shakers are discussed, Jaime talks about what it was like for honest to goodness real people. Such a good podcast! Oh! Also, the use of pop music to convey ideas is so cool!

The BHP has been going on for years now and I am a member listening to both feeds. It’s an outstanding chronological look at Britain, in serious detail. We are about 500 episodes in and just wrapping up the Norman invasion. What the host really gets right is the framing and perspective. He is constantly reminding everyone of context and the biases in his sources, and that often times in older history we will never know a true motivation. For me this is the best part of the show, a kind of intellectual humility and transparency that in my view everyone should adopt. If you have a very traditional view of history, which most people have, this podcast is GREAT for opening your eyes to a new view. Don’t look for any real lionizing of the great man here, with a very few exceptions where it really appears someone really deserves it. The host is definitely a very progressive person and at times he is dismissive of traditional views of history, and that can offend some. He’s also political but tries to keep that out of the podcast uh most of the time? It’s definitely a “woke” perspective, but I mean that only in the best sense of the word. Being aware of the context is the best thing the woke movement brings to the modern academic table, and MOST of the other problems with wokeness are not evident in this podcast or restrained so that it can be fair. Superb podcast for opening your mind to the complex practice of history.

I started listening in 2019 and have been hooked ever since. It’s informative without being dry. History is a story and this show ties together the bits & pieces learned throughout school, but with a much better soundtrack.

I regularly listen to a dozen history podcasts, many focused on English history, and this is by far the best. I appreciate the detail provided in each episode and the attention paid to using historical facts from contemporary primary sources. The addition of cultural context makes the show even more interesting. Each episode is so full of good content that I frequently listen to them multiple times to catch it all.

I love this podcast -- so much so that when Jamie went back and re-recorded the first group of episodes, I stopped right where I was and went all the way back to Episode 1 and started over. Who cares if he's not a PhD History professor or if he occasionally injects pop culture, music, or movie references into the podcast? It's all in fun, and keeps the material from being too dry. For example, I will never again think of Hadrian's Wall without thinking of Hipster Hadrian (and, yes, I bought the t-shirt!). I also really like the attention to details that are not usually covered in history podcasts. We don’t just get the basic facts, figures, and dates, we also get a ton of info on the social and political situation surrounding events. And as a member, I get to enjoy the special members only episodes, too!

This is one of my favorite podcasts. Jamie combines thorough research, incisive analysis, a gift for storytelling, and a wry sense of humor. He finds new avenues to explore and he makes the journey informative and entertaining.

This podcast starts with the Roman time period and does a fantastic job storytelling (to date) through to the battle of Hastings. This is a great podcast that is easy to listen to, will teach you a lot about British history in well researched and referenced episodes - with perspectives not often given when learning history on the society and not just the story of the rulers when possible. The BHP is supported though it’s subscription service that is 5 bucks a month. Since I’ve had hours of entertainment I signed up, and found I had an extra 118 episodes of content! Including ghost stories from the Anglo-Saxon time period. Mastery level story telling while having a laser focus on finding primary, secondary, or tertiary sources and letting us know which he is referencing. I started off a casual listener, then became a fan and subscriber because it’s worth it. Update: Jamie and Zee give truly powerful, amazingly meticulously researched work. The way they covered the conquest with amazing fairness. Conquest is hard to cover but their research and history telling is some of the best and well researched history podcast work in the world.

No joke, the BHP has been my favorite podcast since I started listening in 2013. Podcasts are often difficult for me because I’m such a visual learner, but Jamie paints this story SO well. It’s thoroughly researched with primary and secondary sources both cited throughout the podcast. Jamie makes it clear when he is presenting his own interpretation. The lens through which the show views and presents history is super refreshing, exactly how I hope the field progresses forward. Thank you for such a great show Jamie and Zee!

I’m very thankful for the last decade or two of history programs and books that shed light not only on the “great men”, but also regular people. What was life like for a serf / peasant / slave / minor noble / monk / etc.? TBHP is one of the shining examples of this. They bring critical thinking to the ancient and medieval sources, comparing different accounts and taking into consideration the motives of the authors. It’s also well written and enjoyable to listen to, not a slog or an infodump. One of the podcasts I look forward to most, and a good example for any public historians to follow. Thanks, Jamie and Dr Zee!

Extremely well researched and told with great story telling and humor.

This podcast is my favorite. I enjoy the relaxed, down-to-earth delivery and the content is so informative. I respect that Jamie freely acknowledges that he is expressing his opinion and backs that up with exceptional reasoning. Another strong point is that the listener is not just inundated with dates and names- Jamie fleshes out the characters and also offers episodes that center on what society was like for everyone not just the historically noted ones. If

To call this podcast thorough is an understatement. A deeeep dive into British history that covers the events AND asks good historiographical questions to put them in to context. Definitely would recommend to anyone with an interest in history.

Who knew there was so much known history in the “dark ages”, let alone that it could be told with so much fun? Aethelfaed! Hereward! I played the Hereward episodes on a long car ride with my 13 year old fully expecting to be shut down, but she LOVED it. I have even found new music to enjoy amongst Jamie’s excellent soundtracks. I hope they keep it going FOREVER.

Jaime is a frequent companion on my drives from Long Island to the Bronx. I always wished I could have studied Anglo Saxon history. The subject called to me. The old Anglo Saxon names! The places! The lore! I perused the subject on and off for 30+ years. It was t until I stumbled upon Jaime’s BHP that everything was fleshed out for me. Jaime’s excitement for these stories of forgotten folks is an emotional experience for me. I’m in my early 50s and I wonder about my legacy. Jaime does his best at keeping those names from long ago alive. He is quite funny, he has a pleasant voice. He’s a guy I’d like to have a beer with. I highly recommend The British History Podcast to any European history fans.

My favorite podcast. Thoroughly researched and engaging.

This podcast is amazing. So much intricate detail- more than anything I’ve listened to by far. Jamie adds intelligence and humor that makes every episode a long awaited gift (and yes- while waiting for new episodes I happily revisit older seasons). Members also get a special gift of Dr. Zee’s insight and genius. I cannot recommend this high enough. If you are curious about British history- this is IT.

This is my favorite podcast! I’ve listened to every episode and happily subscribe as a member. Jamie’s and Zee’s research is impeccable, and Jamie does a great job of presenting all of the information available in a way that is memorable and fun. I look forward to every new episode! Thank you, Jamie and Zee, for such a valuable resource for learning and entertainment!

One of my favorite podcasts due to all the research from primary sources. Jamie clearly conveys what is documented and what is speculation. I have sought out many of the sources he has listed, especially the Welsh sources. The Hereward saga episodes were also amazing!

One of the best shows around, been listening for almost 7-8 years. Do yourself a favor and start at episode 1!

The host does an excellent job providing context for his interpretations of the historical record and primary sources, and I love how dedicated he is to reminding everyone how historical events would have impacted the average person at the time they occurred. Great production quality, timely episode releases, super in depth look at British history. Wish I could give it more than 5 stars.

Thanks to Jamie and Zee I stayed sane enough to finish my undergrad in 2021! The vast amount of knowledge they have on the topic and the delivery just hit the best combo!