Helen Castor on Richard II

Today's great life is possibly more famous as a Shakespearean character - King Richard II who was deposed by his cousin Henry Bolingbroke in 1399. He's been chosen by historian Helen Castor, author of The Eagle and the Hart, who shines a light on what really happened towards the end of his reign. Also helping is Professor Emma Smith who explains why the play was a hit two hundred years later under Elizabeth I. With archive of John Hurt as Richard and David Suchet as his cousin and usurper, Henry Bolingbroke. The producer for BBC Studios Audio in Bristol is Miles Warde

You can listen to Helen Castor on Richard II online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Helen Castor on Richard II is an episode from Great Lives by BBC.

This episode is 27:37 long.

This episode was published on Sep 15, 2025.

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