Elizabeth's New Show: History’s Greatest Fails
From How To Fail With Elizabeth Day by Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment
April 7, 2026 · 34 min · Season 20 · Episode 157
About this episode
Elizabeth Day and Dan Jones explore the complexities of Richard III's legacy in the debut episode of History’s Greatest Fails.
In this debut preview episode of History’s Greatest Fails, Elizabeth Day and Dan Jones argue that the story of Richard’s rise and fall (and rise again) is much more modern that you’d first believe. Not least because of the reality-TV-style discovery of his remains under a Leicester council car park in 2022. To listen to the full mini-series, head to This is History: History’s Greatest Fails wherever you listen to podcasts and on YouTube. And more about this episode: In many ways, Richard’s alleged ‘failures’ — which include allegedly killing the Princes in the Tower and overseeing the demise of Plantagenet rule — overshadow Richard III as the reformer that also existed. He introduced trial by jury and translated many laws into English. But those facts are not often what’s associated with him. He’s more likely to be seen as the villainous caricature of Shakespeare’s Richard III. He died at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. And we haven’t been able to stop talking about him since. Yes, it’s time to consider the story of England’s last Plantagenet king, Richard III — a centuries-old tangle involving alleged murder, Shakespeare, vanquish and one mighty rediscovery. – A Sony Music…
People in this episode
Host: Elizabeth Day
Topics covered
- Richard III
- history
- failures
- reform
- Shakespeare
Keywords
- Plantagenet
- trial by jury
- murder
- rediscovery
Mentioned in this episode
Products: This is History: History’s Greatest Fails
Books & works: Elizabeth's New Show, History’s Greatest Fails, This is History: History’s Greatest Fails
Places: Leicester, England
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