Multi award-winning children’s historical sketch show Horrible Histories will be presented with a BAFTA Special Award next month. The honour will be awarded in recognition of Horrible Histories’ extraordinary cultural and social impact and the joy, enrichment and hilarity it continues to bring to people of all ages since its inception fifteen years ago on CBBC.
BAFTA’s Board of Trustees gifts a select number of Special Awards annually to individuals and teams that have made a significant cultural and social impact, as part of BAFTA’s mission to showcase excellence in films, games, and television as the UK’s leading academy and charity for the screen arts.
Based on the best-selling books written by Terry Deary, published by Scholastic, Horrible Histories’ unique blend of educational storytelling and comedy have made the show a cult-favourite ever since the programme was first brought to the nation’s screens on CBBC in 2009. Taking audiences through the passages of history, from the Rotten Romans and Groovy Greeks, to the Terrible Tudors and Vile Victorians, the programme is adored by children, parents and pensioners alike.
Lion Television, part of All3Media, the production company behind the iconic series, will be presented the honour as part of a special presentation at BAFTA’s 195 Piccadilly HQ 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 Young Presenter Jeriah Kibusi stopped by Henry VIII’s dressing room on-set of Horrible Histories earlier today to share the news of this honour. A clip of their exchange is available on BAFTA’s social media channels here.
Sara Putt, BAFTA Chair, said: “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 fifteen years and counting, and importantly, has made us laugh. As Chair of BAFTA, it a great privilege to award Horrible Histories one of our academy’s highest honours. As Lion Television reinvents Horrible Histories for years to come, there is so much to be proud of from the last fifteen years – from their craft and technical achievements, to the series’ extraordinary social and cultural impact. We look forward to honouring Horrible Histories at BAFTA next month, as part of a special weekend that will also inspire and nurture the next generation of talent; a central part of our charitable mission.”
Richard Bradley, Executive Producer and Co-Founder of Lion Television said: “Making the Horrible Histories series over fifteen 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. Thank you BAFTA for acknowledging the work of the hundreds of creative people who have poured their talents into making Horrible Histories such a success. And thank you to our audiences – young and old. We are thrilled.”
Simon Welton, Executive Producer of Horrible Histories said: “This is such an honour 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?!”
In 2024, Horrible Histories marked an incredible 15 years on air, during which there have been 11 series, multiple specials and spin-offs, a feature film, two sold-out BBC Proms, as well as numerous accolades including nine BAFTAs, and a British Comedy Award - the only children’s show to win one to-date. Horrible Histories has also been awarded the Best TV Sketch Show at the Comedy.co.uk awards in 2020, 2021 and 2023. Internationally, the long-running programme has won a total of 38 awards including, two Rose d’Or for Best Children’s programme, the Prix Jeunesse Special Award for Best Children’s Show of the last 50 Years, an International Emmy for Best Kids Factual and this year was awarded a prestigious Banff Rockie Award.
Over the years, Horrible Histories has featured a large talented cast, which currently includes Tom Stourton, Jessica Ransom, Richard David-Caine, James McNicholas, Emily Lloyd-Saini Timmika Ramsay, Harrie Hayes, Inel Tomlinson, Ethan Lawrence and Paul G Raymond, among many others, with the original cast including 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.
The Young BAFTA Showcase, on Friday 29 and Saturday 30 November, will see BAFTA 195 Piccadilly throw open its doors to schools and families to highlight BAFTA’s initiatives inspiring children and young people, including BAFTA Young Presenters and BAFTA Young Game Designers. In addition to the Special Award presentation on the Friday evening, Horrible Histories will feature across the Showcase with masterclasses and make-up and costume workshops highlighting the craft behind the making of the series. Tickets will go on sale on Friday 1 November. Young BAFTA is supported by Cartoon Network, Moonbug Entertainment and Nickelodeon.
Last month, BAFTA announced new competitive BAFTA awards to profile the very best of films, games and television for children and families to global audiences. These plans were developed in consultation with sector peers and the recently formed cross-industry Young BAFTA Advisory Group, created to steer BAFTA’s year-round programmes for children and young people as well as its ongoing support for creatives and practitioners working in the children’s screen industries.
