History Uncensored

If you want to understand world history, regional, Middle Eastern politics, and our world's broader contest between democracy and autocracy, you have to understand Iran. It is one of the world's oldest continuous civilizations and the first ancient superpower, the Achaemenid Empire under Cyrus, a state that has been repeatedly conquered by Greeks, Arabs, Mongols, yet its strong national identity rooted in Persian history has never been erased. Bianca Nobilo talks us through the history of the country that the whole world now has its eyes on, to help us understand what led the events we see unfolding today. Note from Bianca: You can look more closely and read the inscription on the Cyrus cylinder here: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1880-0617-1941

Kings once ruled by divine right... but now royals can be arrested by Thames Valley Police. But how did we get here? Bianca Nobilo gives us 1,000 years of royal scandal in just three minutes, before speaking to royal author Robert Hardman to discuss whether Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor can be removed from the line of succession and more.

How hard is it really to depose a Prime Minister? Can they be impeached like a US president? And can a monarch remove a PM? History Uncensored's Bianca Nobilo talks us through the ways in which to remove a leader in the UK - drawing on past examples of when a bid to oust someone has been successful... and when it has not.

An entire colony of 100 people gone - leaving a single word carved into wood. A man who parachuted from a plane into a storm, never to be seen again. A ship found sailing across the Atlantic, missing all of its passengers. All of them vanished, forever. Bianca Nobilo talks us through the five most mysterious disappearances - and explains how although they may be unsolved, there is still new evidence emerging...

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct while in public office on today, his 66th birthday. It's possibly the biggest royal scandal of our time - but there have, of course, been many throughout history. Bianca Nobilo speaks to royal author Tom Bower to discuss what today might mean for the former prince - and for the future of the monarchy as a whole.

Award-winning historian and best-selling author William Dalrymple joins History Uncensored host Bianca Nobilo to discuss life in India, the hidden cause of the American Revolution, ancient superpowers ... and the mystery of a deceased cockatoo.

The Olympics were not always a celebration of peace and unity. In the past, they were weaponised by dictators and marred by violence and corruption. They have however always been a recurring instrument of power, identity, and spectacle. Bianca Nobilo takes us on a journey from the ancient games to how the Olympics became a Cold War battlefield.

Following her deep-dive in our Samurai Uncensored episode, Bianca Nobilo finds out more about what the Japanese warriors were really like from specialist Dr Jonathan Lopez-Vera. Many of us have a preconceived notion of the samurai, thanks to the depiction of them in film and video games - but the truth is actually much different from the myth.

The myth of the samurai slices through the fog of history. The elite warriors and masters of the sword who are bound to live and die with honour are shrouded in myth. Where did the samurai actually come from? What did they really live by - and what was invented later? And were women ever part of the warrior class - or is that pure legend? Bianca Nobilo talks us through the history of the legendary fighters.

Deepfakes nudes have moved from fringe experiment to mass phenomenon. The creation and distribution of tampered-with images has affected hundreds of thousands of people, overwhelmingly women, without their consent. It's a problem that's only worsening today with the growth of AI - and history explains why this behaviour is happening. Bianca Nobilo delves into the past of deepfakes and nude images being used as a political weapon, far before modern technology even existed...

When President Trump first expressed interest in acquiring Greenland in 2019, the world was incredulous - but did you know he wasn’t the first? History Uncensored's Bianca Nobilo talks us through a brief history of world’s largest island… Deeper reading/ listening from Bianca: “I recommend ‘The Future History of the Arctic’ by Charles Emerson and ‘The Arctic: What Everyone Needs to Know’ by Klaus Dodds for a sense of the wider picture and ‘When the Ice Is GONE’ by Paul Bierman and ‘Greenland and the International Politics of a Changing Arctic’ by Kristian Søby Kristensen and Jon Rahbek-Clemmense for a deeper dive into Greenland's politics and climate. Lastly,  Spiralkampagnen is the podcast I reference, which you can find on Spotify.”

Bianca Nobilo uncovers the history of vampires, from the village in the 1700s who dug up their dead to make a grisly discovery, to how the bloodsuckers have been presented in film and literature, taking them from monsters to sex symbols. Plus, what does it take to be a modern-day vampire? Bianca speaks to Leibniz Institute research associate, Peter Kreuter, Prof Roger Luckhurst, who is editor of The Cambridge Companion to Dracula and Maven Lore, 'fangsmith' to today’s vampire community. A note from Bianca: “Would you have believed in vampires if you lived in the 18th Century? The roots of this myth has long been a fascination of mine and my recommendations are: Bram Stoker's Dracula - the version edited by Professor Luckhurst, of course. The classic, John Blair's Killing the Dead: Vampire Epidemics from Mesopotamia to the New World by John Blair & The History and Folklore of Vampires: The Stories and Legends Behind the Mythical Beings, Charles River Editors. Also, if you can ever get to Transylvania - I would. Off to get my fangs fitted. B x”

Bianca Nobilo delves into the wonderfully wicked world of magic, uncovering the real life wizards in Renaissance Europe, Isaac Newton’s secret search for the Philosopher’s Stone and more. Guests include author Rachel Morris, who tells the story of the golden age of alchemists, including John Dee, and Professor William R Newman, who has written what many consider to be the definitive work on Isaac Newton’s life as an alchemist. Plus, Bianca speaks to physicist Professor Michio Kaku about the magic of science. A note from Bianca: “Welcome wizards! To prep for this episode I read ‘The Years of the Wizard’ by Rachel Morris (ideal read on a cosy Sunday) and William M Newman's majestic ‘Newton the Alchemist’. Also recommend ‘The History of Alchemy: Influences on Culture, Science and Society’ edited by Georgiana Hedesan, Andreas Winkler and Salam Rassi. You too can attempt to decipher Newtons' alchemical manuscripts by visiting The Newton Project: https://www.newtonproject.ox.ac.uk/ Professor Newman has recreated 17th Century alchemical experiments which you can see here: https://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/newton/Lastly, If you discover the Philosopher’s Stone, hit me up. My red light mask can only go so far. B x"

Bianca Nobilo delves into the Nuremberg Trials of the 1940s, which saw high-ranking Nazi officers charged and punished for war crimes and crimes against peace and humanity. She dares to face the uncomfortable questions, such as: were the people who committed such atrocities 'normal' - and in some cases, even charismatic? Succession star Brian Cox, who depicted Hermann Göring in the 2000 series Nuremberg, speaks to Bianca about the experience of portraying such a complex notorious historical figure. She also speaks with 'East West Street' author Philippe Sands, and 'The Nazi and The Psychiatrist' author Jack el-Hai, whose book was the inspiration for the upcoming 'Nuremberg' movie, starring Russell Crowe. Plus, Professor Richard Cohen gives insight into the Nuremberg Archive and how it is 'essential' in refuting Holocaust denial. A note from Bianca: "Well hello! Thank you for watching :) If you'd like to learn more, here are the materials I used to prep for this episode: The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William L. Shirer, The Nazi & the Psychiatrist by Jack El-Hai & East West Street by Philippe Sands. I watched Nuremberg the 2025 movie & Nuremberg the 2000 miniseries with Brian Cox as Hermann Göring. You can search the archive I was talking to Professor Cohen about here: Virtual Tribunals - Spotlight Exhibits - and Home - The Wiener Holocaust Library helped me find documents related to my own family history. Bianca x"