BBC History Magazine Tudor Special

BBC History Magazine have asked me to highlight the fact that the April issue of BBC History Magazine is a Tudor special, celebrating the BBC’s upcoming season of programmes about England’s most fascinating royal dynasty.

On sale in the UK on 28 March, this special edition includes three features on the Tudor family and their era:

  • The trial of Anne Boleyn – Guilty as charged, or an innocent woman? Suzannah Lipscomb examines theories as to why Henry VIII sent Anne Boleyn to the scaffold in 1536.
  • The Spanish Armada – Elizabeth I’s England was ill-prepared for the attempted Spanish invasion of 1588, says Robert Hutchinson.
  • The Tudor breakfast revolution – Ian Mortimer discovers that breakfast hasn’t always been regarded as the most important meal of the day.

As you can see, Anne’s on the cover too!

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32 thoughts on “BBC History Magazine Tudor Special”
  1. Any news on when the BBC’s Tudor season starts? Do you think it will coincide with BBCs showing of Wolf Hall?

    I am looking forward to BBC Tudor season

    History is exciting at the moment

  2. Using the words, ‘BBC’, ‘History’ and ‘Tudor’ in the same sentence is a terrifying prospect.

  3. Any chance of a link to a UK link where we could pick up this magazine? I don’t think they sell it here in the US.

      1. I just checked on Amazon (U.S.) and it’s only available here on Kindle, iPad, etc. Hopefully, they may come out with the hard copy here at some point.

        1. Dee Ann, go to the top of this post nad log on to the link http://www.BBC History Magazine Tudor Special.com,I did and had know problem??? Baroness x

    1. I live in the US and usually can find copies at Barnes & Noble. I’m in the Charlotte, NC, area, if that helps anyone.

      1. Thank you Melissa – I will check there in a few days. Does it usually take a while to get to the U.S. I know the UK mail can move slow. I sent myself a postcard from there about 3 weeks ago and still have not received it.

  4. Well Claire,it’s high time there putting a person on that knows what there talking about! So proud of you Claire and all you have done,what you do for us is not a easy task.Don’t be nervous your going to be great! Regards Baroness x

  5. Totally plan on buying this issue when it comes out in NZ rather than getting it in any digital form. I love the cover btw!

  6. I live in Canada and I hear you can get this issue here at Chapters. Also can anybody tell me if there is another Tudor series coming to the BBC (not just Wolff Hall)? Someone mentioned it a few comments ago. Is it on Elizabeth?

  7. Louise, you made me laugh aloud, which is quite something as I have a rotten virus and my Dad is in hospital with a broken hip. Thank you for being so amusing.

  8. I’ve just read that article, by Suzannah Lipscomb. She believes in the ‘c*ck-up’ theory – ie. Anne was in a safe position, it was her fateful comments in April 1536 to Norris etc which convinced the king of her guilt. This seems to follow Walker’s article (2002).

    This is convincing, and it does dispute the accepted theory postulated by Ives – as Lipscomb suggests insightfully, would disputes over the monasteries and foreign policy really have convinced Cromwell Anne needed to be killed? And of course the deformed baby story and the notion that Anne was actually guilty are both quickly dismissed here.

  9. Haven’t rounded up my copy of BBC history mag, yet. Trip to WH Smith tomorrow should put that to rights.

    Agree with your assessment of AB’s situation, Conor Byrne. She had a heated discourse with HN, which, apparently, sent shivers down his spine…. Then she sends him oft to her Almoner, Skip, to avow AB to be “a good woman”

    These actions may have occurred because AB was under pressure BUT was it the pressure of differing views re monasteries to Cromwell, or down to her knowing Jane Seymour was the current apple of ole H8’s eye….and recognising her gameplan in Jane Seymour’s actions? That, and the tragic lost babes would put any woman under mind-wracking pressure.

    Kingston reports to H8, once AB is in the Tower, she has come out with other incriminating tales…what they may have been has been lost to us because the manuscripts were lost by fire, which, for us today, leaves even more to puzzle, discuss and argue over.

    1. BBC and history go together quite well. The problems really start with HBO or Showtime….then forget historical facts and settle for hysterical fabrication!!

      1. The BBC has produced many fine history programmes and series over the years and it is sad to see its name linked to ‘The Tudors’ which was, I believe, made by a Canadian company.

        Baroness, I think you have perhaps misunderstood my post. I wasn’t trying to be funny, just wondering what the earlier post was getting at.

        I bought the magazine today and it is a very good issue. There is also an article on the Pompeii exhibition that opened at the British Museum this week. I hope that everyone overseas who is trying to get hold of a copy will be successful.

        1. My comment was fairly tongue in cheek. But having said that, I’ve seen many BBC factual programmes about the Tudors which are terribly inaccurate. I get extremely nervous when I see the Beeb are putting out supposedly factual information regarding Tudor history.

  10. Eminent historians disagree as to what is fact, and what is dubious. No two historians will agree on everything. And there are historians and HISTORIANS. Admittedly the BEEN has been guilty of not thinking “substance” over “appearance” but, thankfully, these occasions are few and far between. (Unlike Ch4 drastically changing their “Time Team” and, due to loss of content, lost viewers and have now cancelled TT. ::Howwllll::)

    My earlier enthusiasm for the BBC dramatising “Wolf Hall” has been curtailed somewhat by the realisation of their “partner”….HBO. Remembering “Rome”, in particular, once you saw past the scantily clad actors-flashing pectorals as well as heaving bosoms-the facts were well watered down. I imagine Roman specialists pulling their hair out, ripping their clothes and scattering ashes to the four winds!

    I read an interview given, by Natalie Dormer, in which she said she had gone to the audition for Anne Boleyn. Miss Dormer claimed she doubted she would be successful ad her hair was blonde. She was successful, and dyed her hair an appropriate colour-only to be told to get blonde again! Thankfully, she stood her ground, explaining, for instance, the importance of NOT going blonde…Wolsey calling AB “night crow”, for instance.

    Hobby calls these collaborations “candy p*rn”….and with Catherine Howard’s segment……the description seems most apt.

  11. I was in Barnes & Noble yesterday (April 7) and they do carry BBC History Magazine. Unfortunately the April edition hadn’t arrived yet (there is a bit of a lag until it arrives in the States), but the March edition had articles about Henry V, Thomas Cromwell and Richard III and the discovery of his remains.

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