Unholy Histories – new podcast from Humanists UK

Humanists UK has released a trailer promoting the upcoming launch of its new podcast, Unholy Histories, launching 29 April. 

Hosted by Andrew Copson and Madeleine Goodall, with new expert guests each week, the series uncovers the hidden history of the people, movements, and ideas that shaped humanism, secularism, and British society as a whole. 

The trailer for the series is available to listen to via all major podcast platforms , ahead of the first episode dropping on Wednesday 29 April to coincide with Humanists UK’s 130th anniversary. New episodes arrive on Wednesday morning each week, followed by video episodes on the Humanists UK YouTube channel every Friday.

For the season premiere, on ‘Heroines of Freethought’, Andrew and Madeleine will be joined by historian Nan Sloane, author of Uncontrollable Women, and Annie Laurie Gaylor, activist and editor of Women Without Superstition. Together, they cover the extraordinary stories of the suffragists, rationalists, and reformers who built the modern humanist movement, and who faced prosecution and imprisonment for their humanist views, or were otherwise written out of history. 

Every episode features two guest experts, including leading historians and authors, alongside Andrew and Madeleine. Upcoming season one episodes will cover a wide range of topics, including atheism in the ancient world, the origins of the animal rights movement, a history of LGBT+ activism, the humanists who fought for racial equality, and even the overlooked role of humanist writers in the development of sci-fi and fantasy ranging from H.G. Wells to Star Trek. And so much more.

Follow Unholy Histories and never miss an episode. From ancient atheism and pre-Enlightenment skeptics to radical reformers, forgotten dissenters, and 21st-century human rights campaigners, the podcast traces how generations of humanists and rationalists – advancing reason, empathy, and science – helped to shape our modern world. Follow now to discover it all.

Humanists UK Chief Executive Andrew Copson said:

‘British history is full of brilliant, brave humanists who’ve been written out of the story – Unholy Histories is our chance to finally give them the audience they deserve. From ancient atheists to Victorian reformers, these are the people whose ideas built the modern world, and I can’t wait for listeners everywhere to discover them.’

Humanist Heritage Manager Madeleine Goodall said:

‘What’s struck me during every episode of Unholy Histories is not just how influential these humanists were, but also how incredibly relevant so many of their messages still are – from Henry Salt’s intersectional ideals for reform to James Baldwin’s radical empathy. There’s so much to discover and so much to be inspired by, and that’s exactly what I hope listeners across the UK and beyond will feel when they tune in.’

Unholy Histories is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Amazon Music and all the major podcast platforms. Follow now so you never miss an episode.