Past Tense
History isn't just dates and battles—it's weird, messy, and surprisingly human. In Past Tense, hosts James and Sophie pull back the curtain on the most bizarre, fascinating, and overlooked moments in the human story. Expect deep dives, dry wit, and the engaging dynamic of two friends uncovering history's best-kept secrets.
Hosted by James & Sophie
Meet the Hosts
James
The historian — brings the topic, knows the key facts, builds the narrative. Enthusiastic and deeply knowledgeable but never condescending. Master of the dramatic reveal: builds tension before dropping the most surprising fact. Loves tangents that turn out to be devastatingly relevant.
Expertise: Deep historical knowledge, especially the weird and human details that textbooks skip. Gets genuinely moved by stories of ordinary people in extraordinary times.
Humour: Self-deprecating when wrong. Pretends to be wounded by Sophie's teasing. Gets comically excited about absurd historical minutiae — 'This is my FAVOURITE bit!'
Sophie
The sharp mind who sees angles James misses — but she's not just a sceptic. She gets genuinely enthusiastic about the beautiful, the absurd, and the deeply human. Asks the questions the audience would ask, but also celebrates when James lands something incredible.
Expertise: Connecting historical events to modern life with alarming clarity. Spotting when James is too charitable to historical figures. Finding the human story inside the big event — what were the women doing? What did it smell like?
Humour: Dry wit, occasional absurd observations, affectionate teasing of James. Makes fun of his tendency to open with body counts. Deadpan delivery that cracks when she finds something genuinely hilarious.
