Jonathan Wright

Florence Pugh and Christopher Abbott in period clothing walk past a horse-drawn cart outdoors. She wears a blue plaid fitted suit with a rolled hat and holds a handbag, while he walks alongside carrying a carpet bag.

General History

Is East of Eden based on a true story? Inside the new Netflix adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel

Photo still from a period drama set in an overgrown grassy meadow. Two young women in early 19th-century dresses — one in gray with braided hair, the other in a lilac gown — stand close together, while a man in a green greatcoat, dark waistcoat, and tall brown top hat points off to the side, looking in that direction. Tall trees and hedgerows form the background under an overcast sky

Georgian

Is Sense and Sensibility a true reflection of life in Georgian Britain? The real history behind the new adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel

A collage of famous footballers from different eras shown in colour against a black‑and‑white stadium. Players appear in dynamic poses: one mid‑bicycle kick, one lifting the World Cup, another holding the Champions League trophy, and others in action wearing kits from Argentina, the Netherlands, England, and the United States.

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These are the 27 most important soccer players in history. You probably won't agree with our choices. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A small group of people in historical-style clothing gather outdoors around a campfire. One person plays a violin while others clap, dance, or sit watching. A simple canvas tent stands behind them in a grassy, wooded setting.

Victorian

Go west! Is Little House on the Prairie a true story? Here’s the real history behind the frontier drama reboot

An older man in a dark suit stands confidently at the centre of a dim pub, holding a pint of beer. Around him, several people sit or stand with drinks, watching him closely. A pool table with scattered billiard balls sits behind the group, lit by a stained‑glass lamp. Warm, vintage décor—framed pictures, dark wood, soft amber lighting—creates a classic bar atmosphere that suggests a tense or dramatic moment.

20th Century

"They caused a great deal of mayhem": The Westies creators on bringing the 1980s gangster drama to life

A dimly lit pub interior where four people sit around a worn wooden table. Several pint glasses filled with dark beer, a couple of shot glasses, an ashtray, and a packet of cigarettes are scattered across the tabletop. The group appears relaxed and deep in conversation; one person leans forward with their hands clasped, another rests an arm on the table, while the others sit back slightly. Behind them, framed pictures hang on the wall and a stained‑glass lamp casts warm, amber light over the scene, giving the space a cosy, intimate atmosphere.

20th Century

Is The Westies a true story? Here's the real history behind the Ronald Reagan-era gangster drama

A collage shows three figures against a blurred background of birds on posts. On the left, a drawn figure of Napoleon in military uniform points outward. In the centre, a modern FIFA referee in black gestures with one hand. On the right, a blue‑green statue of a young boy holding a ball stands facing forward.

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The World Cup has VAR – what if history did too? Seven moments where history could have played out differently. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A split image shows two portraits side by side. On the left is a colour photograph of a person wearing an eighteenth‑century British military uniform: a red coat with gold trim, brass buttons, and a white cravat, set against a softly lit indoor background. On the right is a black‑and‑white historical illustration of a person in similar period clothing, including a tricorne hat and a military‑style coat. The pairing contrasts a modern photographic depiction with an older engraved representation of figures from the same era.

Period

Is Young Washington a true story? Here's the real history behind the Founding Father

A stylised disco ball made of colourful square panels, each showing a portrait of a different musician. Radiating beams in bold patterns surround the ball.

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These 27 songs changed the world – how many have you listened to?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A person in a U.S. military uniform sits at a desk writing with a pencil, papers spread out in front of them as light falls through a nearby window.

Second World War

Who was the real Kay Summersby of Pressure?

A historical photo of soldiers landing on a beach is combined with an overlaid weather map featuring contour lines, grids, and numerical data. The composite blends a military scene with meteorological information.

Second World War

Is Pressure a true story? Here’s the real history behind the D-Day drama

A high‑ranking military officer in a dark uniform and cap stands outdoors, with a blurred field and trees behind them.

Second World War

Who was the real Dwight D Eisenhower of Pressure?

A person wearing a Royal Air Force uniform with brass buttons and a peaked cap sits outside a stone building with classical columns and arched windows. A military vehicle and decorative stone urns stand in the background.

Second World War

Who was the real James Stagg of Pressure?

A person in a suit sits at a desk holding a rolled sheet of paper, with documents and drawings spread out in front of them.

Second World War

Who was the real Irving P Krick of Pressure?

A bright red spherical Breitling Orbiter 3 balloon capsule sits inside a workshop. Two pilots in blue flight suits are visible through its circular hatch, surrounded by wooden beams and a yellow Breitling banner in the background.

Period

The Balloonists: the terrifying story of the first round-the-world balloon flight

Composite image of the damaged Chernobyl nuclear reactor alongside control room panels and workers monitoring instruments.

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40 years on from the world’s worst nuclear disaster, what's Chernobyl really like today?. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A low-angle photograph of a large rocket standing upright on a launch platform, framed by tall metal towers on either side. The rocket is white with a prominent orange central tank and is mounted on a mobile launcher above rail tracks. The sky is clear and bright blue, and small vehicles and structures around the base emphasise the scale of the launch site.

Cold War

8 weird stories from the Space Age: from hungry tortoises to gorilla suits

Two men sat outside a cafe with drinks on a table

First World War

How the work of American folk song collectors inspired The History of Sound

Jason Momoa as Ka'iana in Apple TV+ drama Chief of War (Photo via Apple TV+)

Georgian

Chief of War: the true story behind the creation of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi

Dorrigo Evans (Jacob Elordi) and Bonox Baker (Reagan Mannix) square off against Major Nakamura (Show Kasamatsu) in The Narrow Road to the Deep North

Second World War

The Narrow Road to the Deep North: the real story behind the construction of the Burma Railway

Several men stand around a table in a submarine

Cold War

Whiskey on the Rocks: the real story behind Soviet submarine S-363’s Cold War grounding

Jack O'Connell as Paddy Mayne in SAS Rogue Heroes season 2

Second World War

SAS Rogue Heroes season 2 preview: "They’re very much thumbing their noses at authority"

Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell in Wolf Hall: The Mirror & the Light

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“He’s making choices that we would perceive as ruthless” | Wolf Hall’s researcher on Thomas Cromwell. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Richard Nixon gives the thumbs-up after his resignation

General History

6 shocking presidential scandals that rocked the White House: from the Petticoat Affair to Clinton-Lewinsky

Arthur Hughes as Matthew Shardlake in Disney+ drama Shardlake

General Modern

Watch thisThe best historical movies and TV series streaming now

Oleg Gordievsky

Cold War

Oleg Gordievsky: the double agent who changed the course of the Cold War

Margaret Lockwood as Katherine Ferrers

Georgian

Q&AWere there any real highwaywomen, and did they dress up as men?

Jane Austen, c1790

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Becoming Jane Austen. This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Lucy Worsley. (Photo by BBC Studios)

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Lucy WorsleyThe love-hate relationship between Sherlock Holmes and his creator: "Conan Doyle felt upstaged by Holmes". This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

A 1948 photograph of the House of Epidius Rufus in Pompeii. The structure had to be rebuilt after being damaged by Allied bombs during WWII (Photo by SuperStock/Alamy Stock Photo)

Roman

How were Pompeii and Herculaneum discovered?

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