Greg Jenner

Greg Jenner FRHistS is a British public historian, author, and broadcaster with a particular interest in communicating history through humour. He is the host and creator of the chart-topping and award-winning BBC historical comedy podcast You’re Dead To Me (over 120 million downloads and plays), the author of several funny history books for adults and children, including the Totally Chaotic History series, and for 11 years he worked on the smash hit BBC TV series Horrible Histories. In 2025 he was made an Honorary Fellow of the University of York’s Institute for the Public Understanding of the Past (IPUP)

Greg’s books for adults are Ask A Historian: 50 Surprising Answers to Things You Always Wanted to Know (2021), which topped the Audible History charts and is being translated into 6 languages. Greg previously published the critically admired Dead Famous: An Unexpected History of Celebrity, From Bronze Age To Silver Screen (2020), and the bestselling A Million Years In A Day: A Curious History of Ordinary Life, From Stone Age To Phone Age (2015), which was an audiobook number 1 bestseller and has been translated into 12 languages around the world.

Greg’s children’s books include You Are History, a colourful and funny illustrated book about the global history of 50 objects children use every day, and in 2024 he launched a brand new non-fiction series called Totally Chaotic History co-written with experts. The first book, Ancient Egypt gets Unruly (co-written with Dr Campbell Price), was released in April and instantly became the number 1 bestselling book on Amazon in all categories. Totally Chaotic History: Roman Britain gets Rowdy (co-written with Dr Emma Southon) launched in October 2024. Book 3 in the series will be about the Stone Age (co-written with Dr Brenna Hassett), and book 4 will be about the Ancient Greeks (with Professor Michael Scott).

From 2008-2019, Greg was the Historical Consultant to nine series of CBBC’s Emmy & multiple BAFTA award-winning TV comedy series Horrible Histories, being solely responsible for the factual accuracy of over 2,000 sketches and 150+ comedy songs. In 2024, the series was given a Special Award by BAFTA to acknowledge 15 years of excellence. Greg also was a key member of the team on the BAFTA-nominated film Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans.

Greg’s previous audio hosting work includes  presenting two series of BBC Radio 4’s Past Forward: A Century of Sound, two series of the BBC’s award-nominated children’s podcast Homeschool History, the Audible podcast series A Somewhat Complete History of Sitting Down, the Radio 4 science series Origin Of Stuff, and the Radio 4 Extra documentary Hilarious Histories: What’s So Funny About The Past?  

Greg first graduated to TV appearances on BBC Two’s The Great History Quiz, and then as co-presenter on both series of Inside Versailles. In 2021, Greg appeared in two Channel 5 documentaries about the 19th century: Our Victorian Christmas & Victorian Britain On Film. In 2025, Greg was a guest judge on BBC cookery show The Great British Menu

ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS: Greg is a Honorary Fellow of the University of York’s Institute for the Public Understanding of the Past (IPUP), an elected fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and an Honorary Research Associate at Royal Holloway, University of London