The History Diaries Podcast
Hosted by Katie Kennedy
A British podcast where host Katie Kennedy and comedian guests find the gossip, scandal, and humor in forgotten history.
This is a studio-based interview show that uses history as a launchpad for comedy. Host Katie Kennedy brings in guests—mostly UK comedians and influencers—to riff on historical oddities. The show is structured around playful segments like 'Who's the Biggest Dickhead?' and 'Law or Lore,' turning historical facts into prompts for games and humorous conversation rather than a dry academic discussion.
“Its primary distinction is the use of structured, game-like segments to guide conversations, turning history into a comedic playground. The show also stands out by blending academic knowledge with a modern, influencer-savvy presentation, complete with animated intros depicting historical figures on social media.”
Who hosts this show
The History Diaries is hosted by Katie Kennedy, a historian and content creator known online as @historygossip. Each week, she invites guests, often comedians and influencers, to explore the scandalous and lesser-known stories from the past, from royal misbehavior to bizarre historical cures. Kennedy holds a first-class degree in Ancient History and Archaeology from Durham University and is a Master's student at the University of Oxford, specializing in women's history. The show's approach is inspired by "Horrible Histories," aiming to make history accessible and entertaining through humor and a gossip-like framing.
Credentials & credits
- Master's student in History at the University of Oxford
- First-class degree in Ancient History and Archaeology from Durham University
- Author of "The History Gossip: A Slice of Ye Olde Scandal for Every Day of the Year"
- Nominated for TikTok's Educator of the Year
- Former BBC apprentice
- Host of a TV show on History UK
Other ventures
- The History Gossip (TikTok and social media persona)
- The Fellas Studios (Podcast Network)
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- uk
When new episodes drop
- 01Why Maia Beth LOVE'S being a DJ!Jun 22, 2026 · 1 min
- 02I'd never want to go down in history FOR THIS!Jun 20, 2026 · 46s
- 03Everyone like a bad boy ... especially one who's mean to Henry VIII 😂Jun 18, 2026 · 1 min
- 04Why Drag Race Is IMPORTANT!Jun 17, 2026 · 1 min
- 05
- 06
- 07
- 08
Notable episodes
- 01Kate Williams & Robert Hardman | Royals On ‘The Crown’?! David Attenborough's Past & Etiquette Rules
Features two genuine royal experts, blending the show's usual humor with deep subject-matter knowledge on topics like 'The Crown' and historical etiquette.
- 02Lady Clementine | Solving Regency Dating Dilemmas, ICK Hobbies of History & How To Prevent Rebellion
A high-concept episode where the guest, comedian Rosy Pendlebaby, stays in character as a Regency-era lady, creating a unique dynamic with the modern host.
- 03Megan Thorne | Dr Seuss’s Risque Book, Plots Against Elizabeth I & Weird Laws of History
A representative example of the show's standard format, featuring a content creator guest, discussions of obscure facts (Dr. Seuss's adult book), and historical games.
What you'll be asked on this show
Katie Kennedy's interview style is that of a comedic facilitator. She typically opens by establishing her guest's background before launching into a series of history-themed games and segments. Rather than probing with challenging questions, she provides funny or bizarre historical facts as a setup for her guests' comedic reactions. Her approach is collaborative and enthusiastic, often sharing her own anecdotes and laughing along. The conversations are guided by playful segments like 'Tudor Assassins' or reading from historical texts. She consistently closes interviews by asking guests for the one thing they've done that they wouldn't want to go down in history for.
The format is a highly informal, conversational interview. Kennedy acts as the enthusiastic and knowledgeable host, providing historical premises for her guests to react to. The show is built on recurring segments, games, and a signature closing question, creating a predictable yet funny structure for each episode.
Questions Katie Kennedy keeps coming back to
12 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Katie Kennedy reaches for it.
personal
6- Q.01
“What is one thing you've done that you would hate to go down in history for?”
This is her signature closing question, designed to elicit a final, embarrassing, and humorous personal anecdote from every guest.
- Q.02
“Do you have a favorite [dastardly monarch/history fact]?”
An open-ended question to encourage guests to share their own historical interests or a prepared anecdote.
- Q.03
“How would you cope at one of these historical parties?”
Asks for a personal reflection after sharing a story, grounding the historical anecdote in the guest's experience.
- Q.04
“Do you believe in ghosts?”
A question to explore a guest's personal beliefs, often asked after discussing a haunted historical location.
- Q.05
“If you hate your husband in 1820, what are you doing?”
A prompt for a comedic sketch, asking a guest to respond in character within a historical scenario.
- Q.06
“What would you love to be talked about for in the gossip columns?”
This question explores a guest's desire for fame and the kind of public persona they find amusing.
origin
1- Q.01
“How did you get into comedy/creating content?”
A standard opening question used to establish the background of her comedian and influencer guests.
trivia
1- Q.01
“Fact or fiction: [insert trivia about a historical figure]?”
Used as a recurring game segment to test guests' knowledge and introduce a series of surprising facts.
process
1- Q.01
“How would you improve this [historical assassination plot]?”
A creative prompt used in segments like 'Tudor Assassins' to get a hypothetical and comedic response.
controversy
1- Q.01
“Between these historical figures, who was the worst?”
This question frames a competitive game, prompting guests to make and defend a moral judgment.
industry
1- Q.01
“Which historical queen do you think would dominate modern media?”
A speculative question that connects history to contemporary pop culture and social media.
advice
1- Q.01
“What's your advice for someone dealing with [a bizarre historical problem]?”
This prompt, often based on old books, sets up a comedic advice segment from the guest's perspective.
Signature segments
- · Animated intro of historical figures using modern social media
- · Closing Question: 'What would you hate to go down in history for?'
- · Segment: 'Fact or Fiction'
- · Segment: 'Law or Lore'
- · Segment: 'Who's the Biggest Dickhead?'
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
The show primarily books UK-based comedians, content creators, and influencers (e.g., Megan Thorn, Rosy Pendlebaby). Occasionally, it features subject-matter experts like royal historians Kate Williams and Robert Hardman, but the light, comedic tone is always maintained.
- Maia Bethon Why Maia Beth LOVE'S being a DJ!
- Lady Clementine (Rosy Pendlebaby)on Lady Clementine | Solving Regency Dating Dilemmas, ICK Hobbies of History & How To Prevent Rebellion
- Kate Williamson Kate Williams & Robert Hardman | Royals On ‘The Crown’?! David Attenborough's Past & Etiquette Rules
- Robert Hardmanon Kate Williams & Robert Hardman | Royals On ‘The Crown’?! David Attenborough's Past & Etiquette Rules
- Megan Thornon Megan Thorne | Dr Seuss’s Risque Book, Plots Against Elizabeth I & Weird Laws of History
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
Based on the evidence, direct sponsorship seems minimal, though a logo for ITV7 Racing was spotted. The show is part of The Fellas Studios network, suggesting a professional production setup. Given the host's large social media following and the guest roster, the audience is likely young, UK-based, and engaged with online culture, making it attractive for brands targeting that demographic (estimated).
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who is the host of The History Diaries?
- The host is Katie Kennedy, a historian and content creator also known as @historygossip online. She has a degree from Durham University and is studying for her Master's at Oxford.
- Is this a serious academic history podcast?
- No. While hosted by a credentialed historian, the podcast's focus is on entertainment, humor, and gossip. It uses history as a starting point for comedy with guests.
- What is the format of the show?
- It's a weekly interview show where Katie Kennedy talks with a guest, usually a comedian or influencer. The conversation is structured with recurring games and segments based on historical facts.
- What kind of guests appear on the show?
- The guests are typically UK-based comedians, TikTok creators, and influencers, with occasional appearances by expert historians and biographers.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify, with new episodes released weekly.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Icon of the Week: 'The History Gossip', Katie Kennedy - The Isistheisiseditors.com
- [02]The History Diaries - The Fellas Studiosthefellasstudios.com
- [03]Katie Kennedy - Bio, Family | Famous Birthdaysfamousbirthdays.com
- [04]Why History Content Creator Katie Kennedy Is One To Watch - Influencer Intelligenceinfluencerintelligence.com
- [05]North-East woman becomes unlikely social media sensation as she makes history fun on TikTok | Teesside Livegazettelive.co.uk
- [06]The History Diaries - Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
- [07]The History Diaries Podcast - YouTubeyoutube.com
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