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cover art for Willy Willy Harry Stee...the trailer.....!

Willy Willy Harry Stee...

Willy Willy Harry Stee...the trailer.....!

Season 1, Ep. 0
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This has been in Charlie Higson's head since the 1960's.....Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee, Harry, Dick, John, Harry Three, One, Two, Three Ned's, Richard Two, Henry Four, Five, Six, then who? Edward Four, Five, Dick the Bad, Harrys twain and Ned, the lad. Mary, Bessie, James the Vain, Charlie, Charlie, James again. William and Mary, Anne o'Gloria, Four Georges, William and Victoria. Edward, George and Edward Eighth, quickly goes and Abdicates. Then comes Georgy Six and Lizzie Two and Charlie next to see us through!


This is the story of every Monarch as told by Charlie Higson and some of his very clever historian friends.


Launches May 5th. Just before Charles the Third is crowned. Total co-incidence. Honest!

More episodes

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  • 11. The Invention of British Art

    48:14||Season 2, Ep. 11
    In this special episode, Charlie Higson indulges his fascination with British art. His guest is Bendor Grosvenor, the art historian, writer and former art dealer. As well as his sleuthing work discovering lost art treasures, he's also published a book called The Invention Of British Art.

  • 10. Harald Hardrada

    55:03||Season 2, Ep. 10
    To round off Series 2 and our delve into our Anglo-Saxon past, Charlie Higson looks at the extraordinary life of Harald Hardrada. King of Norway and if things had gone differently, he may have been King of England, but, as you will hear, he didn't quite make it.Helping Charlie to look into this fascinating character is Don Hollway, author of The Last Viking and Battle For The Island Kingdom

  • 9. Edward The Confessor

    55:36||Season 2, Ep. 9
    In this episode of Charlie Higson's canter through Anglo-Saxon England, he reaches the end of the Wessex dynasty.Edward The Confessor. He died without an heir, which triggered a real life Game of Thrones, although it was more like Musical Chairs.Ably assisting Charlie in understanding Edward's motives is David Woodman, author of the Penguin Monarch's edition on Edward The Confessor.

  • 8. Cnut

    55:01||Season 2, Ep. 8
    Yes, this episode in Charlie Higson's romp through the pre-Norman monarchs lands on another one we've kind of heard of. King Cnut, sometimes called 'The Great' due to his North Sea empire, also the one who sat on the beach and commanded the tide to stop coming in......or did he???Assisting Charlie in untangling the facts from the nonsense is

  • 7. Edmund Ironside

    48:53||Season 2, Ep. 7
    Egbert's name our list will head then Ethel's Wolf, Bold, Burt and Red. Alf the great and elder Ned, Athelstone. Edmund and Red, Edwig, Edgar, Martyred Ned, never ready Æthelred. Edmund Ironside and Swain and after them Canute the Dane.In this episode, Charlie Higson examines the mess that happened between the death of Æthelred and the reign of Canute. it was a short period of turmoil and carnage, but luckily Charlie has Justin Pollard on hand to help decipher it.

  • 100. BONUS EPISODE 100 - The British Empire

    51:09||Season 0, Ep. 100
    In this very special 100th edition of Willy Willy Harry Stee, Charlie Higson looks at a huge and hugely important topic in all our histories, The British Empire, and who better to join Charlie, on this special occasion, than historian and host of the Empire podcast, William Dalrymple. If you've ever wondered what the British Empire was all about, start here.

  • 6. Æthelred the Unready

    01:06:52||Season 2, Ep. 6
    Battling his way through the Anglo-Saxon monarchs, Charlie Higson arrives at one we're all familiar with, Æthelred the Unready.As with many monarchs of this period, we know his name and his amusing nickname, but not much else besides.Luckily for us Charlie and his guest Levi Roach author of Æthelred: the Unready are on hand to explain what turns out to be a hilarious medieval pun!

  • 5. The 5 Eds

    01:05:02||Season 2, Ep. 5
    In this episode we reach the point in Charlie Higson's history of the Anglo-Saxon monarchy where we come up against 5 Kings who weren't King very long. Yes, if Aldi sold Kings, it would be the best offer ever. Buy one, get 5 free! So settle back and enjoy the (short) stories of Eds – Mund & Red, Edwig, Edgar and Martyred Ned.And if that offer wasn't good enough, Charlie will throw in expert help from Marc Morris, author of The Anglo-Saxons: A History of The Beginnings Of Britain.

  • 4. Æthelstan

    01:08:20||Season 2, Ep. 4
    In this episode of Willy Willy Harry Stee, Charlie Higson continues to unpick the sometimes confusing world of the Anglo-Saxon Monarchs, helping you to understand your Ethel's from your Athel's. Here, he gets to grips with Æthelstan, the man often considered The First King Of England. Find out why with Charlie and his guest James Hawes, author of the brilliant Shortest History Of England.