The final episode before a well-earned break takes us to a New Year’s Eve dinner at the Ingunandon, Crystal Palace, as the year closes where it began: talking nonsense with purpose. We reflect on a full year of daily episodes, unexpected stories, strange history, and the relentless grind of turning up every single day. Mungo delivers the usual boring old stuff - a fitting end.

Grigori Rasputin’s rise from Siberian mystic to royal powerbroker is explored as we trace how he gained influence over Russia’s last imperial family. This episode covers his reputation for healing, rumours of excess and manipulation, repeated assassination attempts, and the violent night that finally ended his grip on the Romanovs. A factual look at how Rasputin became one of history’s most notorious and misunderstood figures.

Michael Schumacher’s devastating skiing accident is revisited as we look at what happened in the French Alps in 2013, the severity of his head injuries, and how the crash abruptly ended one of the greatest careers in Formula One history. This episode covers the immediate aftermath, the medical response, the intense privacy surrounding his recovery, and how Schumacher’s legacy continues to shape F1 long after the accident that changed everything.

A bizarre case of 12 chickens found dead takes a strange scientific turn when the frozen bodies appeared to breathe fire. This episode explains what actually happened, how gases produced during decomposition can ignite, why freezing preserved the effect, and how the incident spread as a viral mystery. A grounded look at the science behind one of the internet’s strangest animal stories.

Mehmet Ali Ağca’s attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II is examined as we trace how the Turkish gunman opened fire in Vatican City in 1981. This episode looks at Ağca’s background, claims of militant training, the shooting in St Peter’s Square, and the international investigations that followed. A factual breakdown of one of the most shocking attacks on a religious leader in modern history, and the unanswered questions that still surround the man who pulled the trigger.

Boxing Day gets unpacked properly as we explore where the name actually comes from, the history behind the “boxes” of charity and gifts, and how the day evolved from Victorian Britain into a modern mix of traditions. This episode covers classic Boxing Day customs, from sporting fixtures to leftovers and sales, and why the day still sits so oddly between Christmas and normal life.

This Christmas special brings together Charlie Chaplin and the James Webb Space Telescope, linking silent-film genius with the sharpest eye humanity has ever sent into space. We explore Chaplin’s life, influence, and cultural legacy alongside how JWST is rewriting our understanding of the universe, from distant galaxies to the origins of light itself. A festive episode balancing cinema history with cosmic discovery.

Wow, it’s a Christmas miracle indeed. This new segment explores astonishing true events that happened against all odds, including the World War I Christmas Truce football match, the Apollo mission broadcast from space on Christmas Eve, and a devastating plane crash that somehow produced moments of survival and hope. A focused look at how humanity keeps finding light in history’s darkest winters.

A murder committed just before Christmas stunned investigators when the killer attempted to hide the body inside a pizza oven on 23 December. This episode breaks down the timeline of the crime, how the body was discovered, the forensic evidence that exposed the attempt to destroy it, and why the case became one of the most disturbing holiday-season murders on record. A factual look at a crime where heat, haste, and hubris failed to erase the truth.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s life took a dramatic turn when the author of Crime and Punishment was arrested, sentenced to death, and taken to a firing squad before receiving a last-minute reprieve from the Russian state. This episode covers the staged execution, his imprisonment and exile, and how the experience shaped his writing. Alongside this, we explore the history of Hanukkah, from the Maccabean Revolt to the story of the oil, tracing how the festival developed and why it remains central to Jewish identity and tradition.

A special episode recorded inside a church sets the scene as we explore Walt Disney’s life and the creation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This episode looks at how Disney risked everything on the first full-length animated feature, the technical innovations behind the film, its release in 1937, and how it permanently changed cinema, animation, and popular culture. A focused look at the film that built the Disney empire.

A retelling of The Robber Bridegroom unfolds entirely in Dan’s own words, revisiting the dark folk tale of courtship, deception, and violence. This episode explores the story’s origins, its unsettling themes, and how the tale changes when reshaped through a modern voice, keeping the menace intact while reframing the meaning for today.

The murder of a doctor in 1950s Eastbourne shocked a quiet seaside town and became one of Britain’s most unsettling post-war crime cases. This episode examines who the doctor was, how the killing unfolded, the police investigation that followed, and why the case captured national attention at the time. A factual look at a crime that shattered the illusion of calm in mid-century England.

The discovery of Saturn’s co-orbital moons Janus and Epimetheus revealed one of the strangest arrangements in the solar system. This episode explains how the two moons share the same orbit, periodically swapping places in a precise gravitational dance, how they were discovered decades apart, and why their motion puzzled astronomers for years. A clear look at the science behind Saturn’s “twin-track” moons and what they taught us about orbital mechanics.

The first episode of The Simpsons marked the unlikely beginning of what would become the longest-running scripted TV show in history. This episode explores the show’s rough early animation, its debut in 1989, audience reactions at the time, and how that first outing laid the groundwork for decades of cultural influence, satire, controversy, and iconic characters. A look at how a dysfunctional cartoon family reshaped television forever.

The controversy surrounding Saturday Night Fever is unpacked as we explore how the film’s gritty themes, violence, and portrayal of race and gender clashed with its disco-glamour reputation. This episode looks at the backlash, the cultural misunderstandings, and how a movie remembered for dancing and music sparked serious debate about what audiences missed beneath the soundtrack.

John Paul Getty’s life of extreme wealth and extreme control is examined as we explore how the oil tycoon became the richest man in the world, his ruthless business tactics, and the infamous kidnapping of his grandson. This episode covers Getty’s rise through the oil industry, his obsession with frugality, the ransom refusal that shocked the public, and the legacy of a billionaire whose fortune came at a very human cost.

The moment a shoe was hurled at George W. Bush during a press conference in Iraq became one of the most replayed political protests in modern history. This episode breaks down what happened in the room, who threw the shoe, why it resonated so strongly across the Middle East, and how the incident became a global symbol of public anger, protest, and political spectacle caught on camera.

Pope Celestine V’s brief and bizarre reign is unpacked as we explore how a reclusive hermit unexpectedly became pope in 1294, only to resign just months later. This episode covers his sudden rise, his struggle with power, the political chaos that followed, and how his abdication reshaped the papacy forever. A deep dive into one of history’s most reluctant leaders, Pope Celestine V, and the decision that made him unforgettable.

Dionne Warwick’s legendary career takes the spotlight as we explore her rise through the golden age of pop and soul, her long-running collaboration with Burt Bacharach, her chart-topping hits, and her lasting influence on modern music. This episode covers her Grammy wins, cultural impact, and how Dionne Warwick became one of the most recognisable voices of the 20th century.