‘Horrible Histories,’ British Historical Sketch Show for Kids, to Receive BAFTA Special Award

Children’s historical sketch show Horrible Histories will be presented with a BAFTA Special Award next month in recognition of its “extraordinary cultural and social impact and the joy, enrichment and hilarity it continues to bring to the nation’s screens on CBBC since its inception 15 years ago,” the British Academy unveiled on Thursday.

BAFTA’s board of trustees hands out a select number of special awards annually as part of the organization’s mission to showcase excellence in films, games, and television.

Lion Television, part of All3Media and the production company behind the kids series, will be presented with the honor during a special presentation at BAFTA’s London headquarters next month.

“The event will highlight Horrible Histories’ remarkable longevity, innovation and relevance, from addressing important, diverse and underrepresented areas of history, to its legacy as a springboard for British comedic talent and impact on the school curriculum,” BAFTA said.

Based on the best-selling books written by Terry Deary and published by Scholastic, Horrible Histories blends educational storytelling and comedy. The show first launched in 2009 on kids channel CBBC. “Taking audiences through the passages of history, from the Rotten Romans and Groovy Greeks, to the Terrible Tudors and Vile Victorians, the program is adored by children, parents and pensioners alike,” BAFTA touted.

Said BAFTA chair Sara Putt: “Horrible Histories has transformed traditional ideas of what educational television should be. It has captured the hearts and minds of people of all ages across the country for 15 years and counting, and importantly, has made us laugh.”

Added Richard Bradley, executive producer and co-founder of Lion Television: “Making the Horrible Histories series over 15 years has been a total joy. Creating TV for young audiences is unbelievably rewarding. Through comedy, hideous historical facts, and some banging tunes we hope we’ve brought joy, laughter and – maybe – inspired new generations of young historians.”

And fellow executive producer Simon Welton said: “This is such an honor for us. It is a lovely testament to all of the incredible industry and creativity that everybody who’s worked on the show, both behind and in front of the cameras, has poured into making it from day one to the present today. What Horrible fun?!”

Over the years, the show has featured a large cast, some of whose members went on to make names for themselves elsewhere. Current cast members include Tom Stourton, Jessica Ransom, Richard David-Caine, James McNicholas, Emily Lloyd-Saini Timmika Ramsay, Harrie Hayes, Inel Tomlinson, Ethan Lawrence, and Paul G Raymond. The original cast included Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Jim Howick, Martha Howe-Douglas, and Ben Willbond.

“Horrible Histories has also attracted an impressive list of celebrity guest stars, including Rowan Atkinson, Gemma Whelan, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Rob Delaney, Meera Syal, Rose Ayling-Ellis, The League of Gentlemen, Rosie Jones, David Baddiel, Rob Rinder, and Fred Sirieix,” BAFTA highlighted.