Best CBW Productions | Wondery Podcasts (2025)

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#134 Alexander the Great (Part 5) 35:18

14h ago35:18

35:18

It’s Alexander vs. Darius in a showdown for the ages. First, the Battle of Issus turns the Persian king into a fugitive and Alexander into master of the Levant. Elsewhere, we’re discussing terrible marketing strategies including the infamous ‘ten cent brawl’. Got another to share with us? [email protected] If you fancy a bunch of OWAT content y…

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#86 In the Navy (Free subscriber episode!) 37:21

3d ago37:21

37:21

As a special summer treat in amongst our Alexander The Great mini-series, we thought we'd drop a subscriber episode onto the feed. This episode was made available for subscribers on new year's eve 2024 and in it, Tom Craine has been exploring the reality of life in the navy; from being kidnapped on a night out and thrown aboard a ship, incredible r…

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#133 Alexander the Great (Part 4) 31:34

7d ago31:34

31:34

Next, Alexander stamps his authority on Greece — crushing Thebes, securing the Balkans, and claiming Achilles as his role model. We end with the first clash with Persia at the River Granicus, as Alexander announces himself on the world stage. If you fancy a bunch of OWAT content you’ve never heard before (and the entirety of the mini-series right n…

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#132 Alexander the Great (Part 3) 36:29

8d ago36:29

36:29

We’re diving into palace intrigue, starting with the assassination of Philip II at a wedding that makes Game of Thrones look tame. Also, Tom has an idea for glasses innovation that sounds suspiciously like the glasses Dutch footballer Edgar David’s wore in the 90s. Please email in your criticism to: [email protected] If you fancy a bunch of OWA…

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#131 Alexander the Great (Part 2) 31:36

14d ago31:36

31:36

We explore the young prince’s elite education under Aristotle, featuring wild horses, epic poetry, and geography lessons that fuelled global conquest. Finally, we take a look at the puzzle of Alexander’s early life — where the myths end, the history begins, and the truth gets slippery. If you fancy a bunch of OWAT content you’ve never heard before …

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#130 Alexander the Great (Part 1) 29:22

15d ago29:22

29:22

It’s time to set the stage for one of history’s biggest names. We meet Alexander’s parents: Olympias (possibly sleeping with gods) and Philip II (definitely sleeping with everyone else). Plus, is everything in Alexander the Great’s life explained by the fact he effectively lived in a branch of David Lloyd? If you’ve got more on this, please email: …

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#128 Magic (Part 2) 34:17

20d ago34:17

34:17

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! This week we’re talking about the great illusionists and conjurors of our times. We’ve got the man that pretty much invented the genre Jean-Eugene Robert, we’ve got the much-loved icon of British children’s TV Sooty and we’ve got the main man himself, Harry Houdini. Plus, is trying to work out who won the…

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#128 Magic (Part 1) 38:08

21d ago38:08

38:08

This week we’re talking about the great illusionists and conjurors of our times. We’ve got the man that pretty much invented the genre Jean-Eugene Robert, we’ve got the much-loved icon of British children’s TV Sooty and we’ve got the main man himself, Harry Houdini. Plus, is trying to work out who won the dad’s race via mobile phone footage basical…

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#127 Revolting Peasants (Part 2) 25:39

27d ago25:39

25:39

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! This week we’re discussing some of history’s most revolting peasants! Now no episode like this would be complete without rumoured West Ham fan Wat Tyler, plus we’ll have the New York story of Dr Smith Azer Broughton, and we’ll hear from the Kulaks that riled against Stalin’s rule in the 20th century. And …

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#127 Revolting Peasants (Part 1) 29:29

28d ago29:29

29:29

This week we’re discussing some of history’s most revolting peasants! Now no episode like this would be complete without rumoured West Ham fan Wat Tyler, plus we’ll have the New York story of Dr Smith Azer Broughton, and we’ll hear from the Kulaks that riled against Stalin’s rule in the 20th century. And this week we’re talking about historical mar…

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#126 Journeys and Adventure (Part 2) 29:04

1M ago29:04

29:04

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! **PLEASE NOTE: This episode was recorded just before Leslie Lemon - the custard-loving WW2 hero that so many listeners emailed us about - died at the age of 106 years old, last week. In tribute to the great man, we’ve left in our celebration of his custard-guzzling ways.** This week we’re hitting the road…

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#126 Journeys and Adventure (Part 1) 40:43

1M ago40:43

40:43

**PLEASE NOTE: This episode was recorded just before Leslie Lemon - the custard-loving WW2 hero that so many listeners emailed us about - died at the age of 106 years old, last week. In tribute to the great man, we’ve left in our celebration of his custard-guzzling ways.** This week we’re hitting the road and exploring the incredible travels of the…

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#125 The Super Rich (Part 2) 25:29

1M ago25:29

25:29

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! Let’s have a look at some of the most interesting self-made millionaires that history has to offer! This week we have Sarah Breedlove and her lucrative beauty revolution, Richard Crawshay’s Welsh ironmongery bonanza and, more recently, let’s discuss Apple’s main man Steve Jobs. Elsewhere, haircuts come an…

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#125 The Super Rich (Part 1) 42:11

1M ago42:11

42:11

Let’s have a look at some of the most interesting self-made millionaires that history has to offer! This week we have Sarah Breedlove and her lucrative beauty revolution, Richard Crawshay’s Welsh ironmongery bonanza and, more recently, let’s discuss Apple’s main man Steve Jobs. Elsewhere, haircuts come and go - from center parting curtains to the m…

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#123 Music in Unexpected Places (Part 2) 29:26

2M ago29:26

29:26

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! This week we’re discussing various tunes and music genres which popped up in surprising circumstances. We’ve got North Africa’s blues inspired Tuareg Rock, western music behind the iron curtain and modern attempts to recreate that original Tudor sound! Tom’s joined the rechargeable nasal hair remover revo…

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#123 Music in Unexpected Places (Part 1) 36:50

2M ago36:50

36:50

This week we’re discussing various tunes and music genres which popped up in surprising circumstances. We’ve got North Africa’s blues inspired Tuareg Rock, western music behind the iron curtain and modern attempts to recreate that original Tudor sound! Tom’s joined the rechargeable nasal hair remover revolution and we’re talking hair removal throug…

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#121 Silent Films (Part 2) 27:42

2M ago27:42

27:42

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! Time to go back to the golden age of cinema; this week we’ll tell the story of how sport first burst onto the big screen, how the first silent films were soundtracked and how F Scott Fitzgerald fell in and out of love with Hollywood. And we’re also discussing the things that take us back in time (like the…

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#121 Silent Films (Part 1) 37:49

2M ago37:49

37:49

Time to go back to the golden age of cinema; this week we’ll tell the story of how sport first burst onto the big screen, how the first silent films were soundtracked and how F Scott Fitzgerald fell in and out of love with Hollywood. And we’re also discussing the things that take us back in time (like the theme tune to Going For Gold). What takes y…

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#120 Scandals (Part 2) 27:58

2M ago27:58

27:58

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! This week we are trawling the archives for scandals! (And let’s attempt this episode description in true tabloid fashion). Hear all about Lord Byron’s saucy behaviour! The blackmail of Alexander Hamilton! And (one of the all-time great scandals) you simply won’t believe the Profumo affair! And this week w…

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#120 Scandals (Part 1) 34:44

2M ago34:44

34:44

This week we are trawling the archives for scandals! (And let’s attempt this episode description in true tabloid fashion). Hear all about Lord Byron’s saucy behaviour! The blackmail of Alexander Hamilton! And (one of the all-time great scandals) you simply won’t believe the Profumo affair! And this week we’re asking: how on earth did anyone ever tr…

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#119 Daft Deaths (Part 2) 24:33

2M ago24:33

24:33

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! This week we’re turning to history to find people unfortunate enough to have had a really daft death. We’ve got sixteenth-century Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, Alexander Pushkin’s totally avoidable end and we’ll hear all about the sad but, in some respects, happy demise of Greek philosopher Chrysippus. P…

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#119 Daft Deaths (Part 1) 28:08

2M ago28:08

28:08

This week we’re turning to history to find people unfortunate enough to have had a really daft death. We’ve got sixteenth-century Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, Alexander Pushkin’s totally avoidable end and we’ll hear all about the sad but, in some respects, happy demise of Greek philosopher Chrysippus. Plus we’re chatting Stonehenge this week. Got…

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#118 Motoring (Part 2) 37:12

3M ago37:12

37:12

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! Let’s get behind the podcasting wheel and drive through a history of motoring. We’ll hear about the birth of the service station, the dawn of motorways and breakdown services and - and this really is a huge one - the rise and fall of Little Chef. And we’ve got a brand new feature which we’re calling ‘Coul…

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#118 Motoring (Part 1) 42:58

3M ago42:58

42:58

Let’s get behind the podcasting wheel and drive through a history of motoring. We’ll hear about the birth of the service station, the dawn of motorways and breakdown services and - and this really is a huge one - the rise and fall of Little Chef. And we’ve got a brand new feature which we’re calling ‘Could You Be Arsed Though?’.. Which job is easy …

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#115 Weird Wars (Part 2) 27:31

3M ago27:31

27:31

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! This week on the show we’re looking at wars that were, frankly, weird. We’ve got the Bulgarians and Greeks booting off over a dog, the great emu war in Australia, and how about Honduras and El Salvador kicking off on the football pitch and off it. And do you miss the days of ringing a mate’s landline to s…

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#115 Weird Wars (Part 1) 35:36

3M ago35:36

35:36

This week on the show we’re looking at wars that were, frankly, weird. We’ve got the Bulgarians and Greeks booting off over a dog, the great emu war in Australia, and how about Honduras and El Salvador kicking off on the football pitch and off it. And do you miss the days of ringing a mate’s landline to see if they wanted to do something? Or do you…

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#114 Inventions: The Sequel (Part 2) 33:35

3M ago33:35

33:35

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! It’s time to return to one of our favourite subjects: inventions! This week we’ve got the history of portable music, the various attempts at portable television, plus the emergence of air conditioning starting with - and get this - Ancient Rome! Elsewhere, we’re still struggling to believe we live in the …

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#114 Inventions: The Sequel (Part 1) 35:54

3M ago35:54

35:54

It’s time to return to one of our favourite subjects: inventions! This week we’ve got the history of portable music, the various attempts at portable television, plus the emergence of air conditioning starting with - and get this - Ancient Rome! Elsewhere, we’re still struggling to believe we live in the age of hair product innovation and no longer…

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#113 Unlikely Sports Stars (Part 2) 30:29

3M ago30:29

30:29

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! This week we’re examining the most unlikely sport stars that history has to offer! We’ve got Pope John Paul II, the goalie. Che Guevara: the rugby years. Plus, Albert Camus, the football obsessive. And Mr Brightside would be a far better national anthem for the United Kingdom, we know that now. But do you…

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#113 Unlikely Sports Stars (Part 1) 27:55

3M ago27:55

27:55

This week we’re examining the most unlikely sport stars that history has to offer! We’ve got Pope John Paul II, the goalie. Che Guevara: the rugby years. Plus, Albert Camus, the football obsessive. And Mr Brightside would be a far better national anthem for the United Kingdom, we know that now. But do you have a better suggestion? If yes: hello@ohw…

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#112 Liquids (Part 2) 36:57

3M ago36:57

36:57

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! Liquids, ay?! Where would we be without them!? This week we’re discussing coffee, drinks in Ancient Rome and.. drum roll please… custard. YES, CUSTARD. Get ready for the best custard facts you’ll ever hear. And what did we do before industrial production of clothing? Nothing at all? Is this why the loincl…

1
#112 Liquids (Part 1) 39:03

4M ago39:03

39:03

Liquids, ay?! Where would we be without them!? This week we’re discussing coffee, drinks in Ancient Rome and.. drum roll please… custard. YES, CUSTARD. Get ready for the best custard facts you’ll ever hear. And what did we do before industrial production of clothing? Nothing at all? Is this why the loincloth was such a hit in the past? Well, if you…

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#110 Vaults (Part 2) 29:28

4M ago29:28

29:28

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! It’s time to take a look at the most secure places history has to offer, from Scrooge McDuck to Colonel Sanders - let’s look at Vaults! We’ll be off to Ancient Rome, we’ll examine where secret recipes are kept and, naturally, we’re off to Fort Knox. If Tom were a medieval King, he would almost certainly h…

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#110 Vaults (Part 1) 41:02

4M ago41:02

41:02

It’s time to take a look at the most secure places history has to offer, from Scrooge McDuck to Colonel Sanders - let’s look at Vaults! We’ll be off to Ancient Rome, we’ll examine where secret recipes are kept and, naturally, we’re off to Fort Knox. If Tom were a medieval King, he would almost certainly have been Tom the Unready. Not sure the rest …

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#109 Collapse (Part 2) 24:57

4M ago24:57

24:57

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! This week we’re taking a look at the moments in history when things went to pot. Come with us to see Louis Napoleon’s self-coup in mid-19th century France, the frequent dynastic collapses in China, plus: how the Ottoman Empire bit the dust. And why exactly did people look so old and knackered in the past;…

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#109 Collapse (Part 1) 29:55

4M ago29:55

29:55

This week we’re taking a look at the moments in history when things went to pot. Come with us to see Louis Napoleon’s self-coup in mid-19th century France, the frequent dynastic collapses in China, plus: how the Ottoman Empire bit the dust. And why exactly did people look so old and knackered in the past; was everyone on a tough old paper round? Or…

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#108 Rules Based Order (Part 2) 32:53

4M ago32:53

32:53

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! This week we’re trawling through history to figure out how the international rules based order took shape. We’ve got The Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, the huge success that was The Concert of Europe plus the flurry of treaties, conferences, and international agreements, aimed at building a new, peaceful g…

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#108 Rules Based Order (Part 1) 36:55

4M ago36:55

36:55

This week we’re trawling through history to figure out how the international rules based order took shape. We’ve got The Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, the huge success that was The Concert of Europe plus the flurry of treaties, conferences, and international agreements, aimed at building a new, peaceful global order in the aftermath of WW2. And thi…

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#106 Games (Part 2) 31:33

4M ago31:33

31:33

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! Come with us, as we roll the dice and shoot a podcasting bullseye as today we’re discussing: games. We’ve got a brief history of chess, the game of life (as in, the board game) and.. the word gams dvlopd by a collction of Frnch xperimental writrs in tha 60s. And why on earth did we as a civilisation take …

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#106 Games (Part 1) 42:28

4M ago42:28

42:28

Come with us, as we roll the dice and shoot a podcasting bullseye as today we’re discussing: games. We’ve got a brief history of chess, the game of life (as in, the board game) and.. the word gams dvlopd by a collction of Frnch xperimental writrs in tha 60s. And why on earth did we as a civilisation take so long to get round to inventing the bicycl…

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#105 Forgeries (Part 2) 31:32

5M ago31:32

31:32

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! It’s time to trawl the historical archives for some of humanity’s great forgeries. We’ve got the infamous Dutch painter Han van Meegeren and the story of how he fooled Herman Goring. An incredible ruse concocted by ‘Iolo Morganwg’. Plus, we’ll be looking into the stories of those found guilty of ‘coin cli…

1
#105 Forgeries (Part 1) 32:26

5M ago32:26

32:26

It’s time to trawl the historical archives for some of humanity’s great forgeries. We’ve got the infamous Dutch painter Han van Meegeren and the story of how he fooled Herman Goring. An incredible ruse concocted by ‘Iolo Morganwg’. Plus, we’ll be looking into the stories of those found guilty of ‘coin clipping’ in the 1600s. And birthday cards… Do …

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#104 Lost Property (Part 2) 33:08

5M ago33:08

33:08

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! This week we’re trawling through history’s lost property bin to examine a bunch of famous things that went missing. We’ve got a load of Academy Awards, Lawrence of Arabia’s lost manuscript and Queen Victoria’s lost statue. Plus - did human happiness significantly degrade once jogging was invented? Althoug…

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#104 Lost Property (Part 1) 44:07

5M ago44:07

44:07

This week we’re trawling through history’s lost property bin to examine a bunch of famous things that went missing. We’ve got a load of Academy Awards, Lawrence of Arabia’s lost manuscript and Queen Victoria’s lost statue. Plus - did human happiness significantly degrade once jogging was invented? Although it does seem to have done wonders for a ce…

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#102 City Planning (Part 2) 33:39

5M ago33:39

33:39

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! Ever wondered how cities were planned? Then wonder no more with this week’s subject! We’re heading back to 100BC to check out the pre-Aztec city of Teotihuacan. We’ll see what kind of American city Robert Owen had planned in the early 1800s. PLUS let’s see what our old moustache’d mucker Josef Stalin plan…

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#102 City Planning (Part 1) 47:02

5M ago47:02

47:02

Ever wondered how cities were planned? Then wonder no more with this week’s subject! We’re heading back to 100BC to check out the pre-Aztec city of Teotihuacan. We’ll see what kind of American city Robert Owen had planned in the early 1800s. PLUS let’s see what our old moustache’d mucker Josef Stalin planned to do with Moscow. And how did we ever s…

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BONUS EPISODE! 4th Parts from #34 Health and Fitness and #36 Presidents 25:20

5M ago25:20

25:20

It’s another bonus episode! Featuring a couple of excerpts from our legendary 4th part megasode for OWAT: Full Timers - that famous episode which contains multiple never-heard-before on the main feed 4th parts to some of our earlier episodes. Today we’re delighted to present two 4th parts from: #34 Health and Fitness #36 Presidents And if you fancy…

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BONUS EPISODE! 4th Parts from #32 Escapes and #33 Conflict 38:37

5M ago38:37

38:37

Just when you thought it was safe to relax, we surprise you with a bonus episode featuring a couple of excerpts from our legendary 4th part megasode for OWAT: Full Timers - that famous episode which contains multiple never-heard-before on the main feed 4th parts to some of our earlier episodes. Today we’re delighted to present two 4th parts from: #…

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#101 Diarists (Part 2) 36:46

5M ago36:46

36:46

This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed! Grab your quill, a notebook and some candlelight, as this week we’re looking at some of the finest diarists history has to offer. We’ve got Einstein! We’ve got Anna Dostoevskaya along with Sofia Tolstaya and the diaries they wrote on their husbands. And no episode on diarists would be complete without the…

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#101 Diarists (Part 1) 31:56

5M ago31:56

31:56

Grab your quill, a notebook and some candlelight, as this week we’re looking at some of the finest diarists history has to offer. We’ve got Einstein! We’ve got Anna Dostoevskaya along with Sofia Tolstaya and the diaries they wrote on their husbands. And no episode on diarists would be complete without the man himself, Samuel Pepys. And this week we…

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