Trapped History Season 6 Returns With Star Guests and Untold Stories
The award-winning history podcast Trapped History has officially returned with its sixth season, bringing with it a compelling new collection of overlooked figures, forgotten moments, and challenging historical truths. Known for dismantling traditional narratives and spotlighting stories rarely taught in classrooms, the podcast’s latest season promises to be its most ambitious yet.
Launching this week, the new series opens with broadcaster Michaela Strachan and welcomes back familiar voices including author and journalist Sathnam Sanghera, alongside historian and cultural commentator Madame Phuong.
Since its inception, Trapped History has carved out a unique space in the podcasting world by centring its episodes on people who shaped society but were sidelined, ignored, or deliberately excluded from mainstream historical narratives.
Rather than revisiting familiar names and over-told events, the podcast asks a deeper question: Who gets remembered, and who gets forgotten — and why?
Season six continues this mission with renewed urgency, connecting historical injustice, resistance, creativity, and courage to contemporary conversations around identity, power, colonialism, gender, and cultural memory.
Hosts Driving the Conversation Forward
The podcast is hosted by its founder Oswin Baker alongside co-host Carla Valentine, whose combined expertise brings academic rigour and accessible storytelling to each episode.
Together, they guide listeners through complex histories while ensuring the human stories remain front and centre.
“Today, I absolutely believe we need more inspiring stories of ordinary people making a difference,” Baker explains. “They weren’t perfect heroes — they were human, flawed, and resilient.”
Season Six Opens With a Conservation Pioneer
Episode 1: The Pride of the Peaks – Ethel Haythornthwaite
The first episode of the new season features Michaela Strachan discussing the life and legacy of Ethel Haythornthwaite, a key but often overlooked figure in the protection of Britain’s national parks.
Why Ethel Haythornthwaite Matters Today
She played a crucial role in preserving landscapes now enjoyed by millions
Her work laid foundations for environmental protection in the UK
Her contributions were long overshadowed by male contemporaries
The episode explores how conservation activism — often framed as a modern concern — was shaped by determined individuals decades earlier.
Returning Voices and Challenging Legacies
Sathnam Sanghera on Subhas Chandra Bose
Later in the season, Sathnam Sanghera returns to examine the deeply contested legacy of Subhas Chandra Bose, an Indian independence leader whose alliances and methods continue to provoke debate.
This episode does not seek easy answers. Instead, it confronts:
The discomfort around Bose’s political strategies
How colonial history is selectively remembered
Why some freedom fighters remain absent from mainstream narratives
The episode is set to air on 12 January, and is expected to spark conversation well beyond history circles.
A Global Lens on Forgotten Stories
Season six stretches far beyond Britain, embracing a truly international scope. Upcoming episodes explore:
The relationship between art and celebrity, examining how fame shapes creative legacy
The extraordinary life of Peg Plunkett, an Irish courtesan navigating power in a rigid society
Victorian London’s Chinatown, revealing a multicultural history often erased
A reassessment of the American War in Vietnam, told through the life of Madame Phuong
Each story is anchored by expert guests who bring historical depth and contemporary relevance.
Season Six Guest Line-Up
This season’s contributors include:
Habib Hajallie – cultural historian and writer
Dr Christina Wade – academic specialising in Irish history
Xuan Phuong – historian and family chronicler
Fiona Keating – journalist focusing on social history
Each guest plays an active role in unpacking context, challenging assumptions, and linking past experiences to present-day realities.
Why Trapped History Resonates With Modern Audiences
The podcast’s growing popularity reflects a wider cultural shift. Audiences today are increasingly questioning:
Whose stories dominate textbooks
How power influences historical memory
Why certain narratives are repeated while others vanish
Trapped History meets this demand by offering rigorous research, compelling storytelling, and emotional honesty — without sacrificing accessibility.
A Proven Track Record of Excellence
Over the years, the podcast has attracted a diverse range of high-profile voices, including:
Mishal Husain
Jeremy Corbyn
Nihal Arthanayake
Jet
Zippo the Clown
This wide guest range reflects the podcast’s belief that history belongs to everyone, not just academics.
Audience Growth and Global Recognition
The numbers behind the podcast underline its impact:
Over 46,000 Instagram followers
More than 9,000 newsletter subscribers
Ranking in the top 12% of podcasts globally on Spotify
Industry recognition has followed. The podcast was recently named:
Best British Indie Podcast at the Signal Awards
Best History Podcast at The Lovies, second only to The Rest Is History
Why This Season Matters in 2025
In an era shaped by debates around colonial legacy, representation, and cultural identity, season six arrives at a crucial moment. It invites listeners to reconsider:
How historical silence is created
Why discomfort often accompanies truth
How forgotten individuals continue to shape modern society
Rather than presenting history as fixed, the podcast treats it as living, contested, and deeply human.
Full Episode Release Schedule – Season Six
15 December – The Pride of the Peaks: Ethel Haythornthwaite (with Michaela Strachan)
29 December – Halls of Fame: Art and Celebrity (with Habib Hajallie)
12 January – Subhas Chandra Bose (with Sathnam Sanghera)
26 January – Peg Plunkett (with Dr Christina Wade)
9 February – Madame Phuong (with Xuan Phuong)
23 February – Victorian London’s Chinatown (with Fiona Keating)
Final Word
Season six of Trapped History reaffirms why the podcast continues to stand out in an increasingly crowded audio landscape. By centring marginalised voices and uncomfortable truths, it doesn’t just retell history — it reshapes how we understand it.
For listeners seeking depth, context, and storytelling that resonates beyond the past, this new season offers a timely and thought-provoking return.
