Greg Jenner

Greg is the creator, presenter, and executive producer of BBC Sounds’ funny history podcast You’re Dead to Me which pairs up top comedians with expert historians to cover global history. It launched in 2019 as the number 1 show on Apple Podcasts, and has since grown to become a chart-topping, flagship show for BBC Sounds (82 million downloads and plays as of summer 2023), plus it attracts a regular Saturday morning audience on BBC Radio 4. In 2023, You’re Dead to Me recorded a live episode about Leonardo Da Vinci at the BBC Radio Theatre, where Greg was joined by Dara Ó Briain, Prof Catherine Fletcher, and the BBC Concert Orchestra.

Greg has recently focused on audio projects, and his other BBC Radio 4 projects have included the acclaimed children’s educational series Homeschool History (made during Covid lockdown), the 20-part archive series Past Forward: A Century of Sound (which marked the BBC’s Centenary year), and his role as resident historian on The Origin of Stuff with Katy Brand. In 2021, he wrote and presented the 8-part podcast series A Somewhat Complete History of Sitting Down for Audible Originals. Previously, he had written and presented the Radio 4 Extra programme Hilarious History: What’s so Funny About the Past?

Greg also works as a historical consultant to Film/TV/Interactive. He was recently the expert adviser for YouTube Kids’ animated educational comedy series Corpse Talk, which was nominated for a RTS award. Most notably, from 2008-2019, he was a key part of CBBC’s phenomenally successful comedy sketch show Horrible Histories, which has won over 50 international awards, as well as its BAFTA-nominated spinoff movie Horrible Histories: Rotten Romans.

In front of the camera, Greg co-presented two series of Inside Versailles – each a 10-part historical companion piece to BBC Two’s lavish drama series Versailles – and was a panellist on BBC Two’s The Great History Quiz. He has also been an expert interviewee on several historical documentaries and news programmes.

Greg is the author (and audiobook narrator) of four published books: A Million Years In A Day, Dead Famous, Ask A Historian, and his first children’s book, You are History. He is now writing a series of children’s books called Totally Chaotic History!

Greg studied at the University of York from 2001-5, and abandoned dreams of a PhD in Medieval Literature. He does guest teaching at both the University of York and Royal Holloway, University of London.