Mistresses with Jameela Jamil & Dr Kate Lister

From the bedrooms of powerful men, we’re bringing you the secret histories of their mistresses, concubines and courtesans.

In this funny, fascinating, and scandal-filled podcast, Jameela Jamil and historian Dr Kate Lister pore over the stories of six astonishing “other women”. Women who have been shamed, disparaged and underestimated. Some have been cheated out of the history books altogether. Now Jameela and Kate are placing their stories in the spotlight – to see what history looks like through the eyes of the so-called side-chick.

Jameela and Kate are also joined by Katie Kennedy, aka The History Gossip, to drop some extra historical knowledge in her own inimitable way…

Prepare for a wild, gossip-fuelled ride through real history – sex, scandal, murder, betrayal, poisoning, witchcraft and much more.

Ep 1: Madame de Montespan

Follow the rise and fall of King Louis XIV’s gilded era through the eyes of his outrageous maîtresse-en-titre (“official” mistress), Madame de Montespan. Quick, cunning and oh-so-extra, Montespan would stop at nothing to get to the top – including (if rumours are to be believed) poisoning any love rivals that got in her way.

Ep 2: Virginia Hill

Virginia Hill may be remembered as a “bit on the side” for mobster Bugsy Siegel – but her story is SO much bigger than that. We reveal how Virginia hustled her way into the heart of the Chicago mob, earning herself the nickname “the female Al Capone” and ending up on the run as the USA's most wanted.

Ep 3: Wu Zhao

The unbelievable story of a 7th-century concubine who elevated herself to become the first and only female Emperor of China. We chart Wu Zhao’s journey as she climbs the ranks of the royal harem, manipulates and murders her rivals, and leapfrogs over four of her own sons to ascend the Dragon Throne.

Ep 4: Marita Lorenz

A tangled web of life-and-death espionage, beginning in Cuba with a mission to poison her lover, Fidel Castro, and ending in Dallas on the eve of the JFK assassination. But how many of Marita Lorenz’s stories can we believe? We share all the dramatic details of a life lived in the shadows and debate why Marita’s words have so often been called into question.

Ep 5: Malintzin

A look at the controversial legacy of Malintzin: an enslaved Mesoamerican woman who changed the course of history when she became a translator for Spanish colonisers. We dive into the records that have been left behind about her life and analyse her so-called affair with famed conquistador Hernando Cortés.

Ep 6: Mary Boleyn

Before Anne Boleyn, there was Mary. And her scandalous affair with King Henry VIII offers a whole new perspective on “divorced, beheaded, died”. We dig into the story of the hidden Boleyn sister, including how she got caught up in a scandalous rumour that would come to define her reputation for centuries.

WARNING: CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE AND THEMES

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Surprise road trip listen!!!!

I follow Dr. Lister on Instagram and enjoy her posts. I learn a lot too. This podcast with Jameela is witty, educational, tongue in cheek, and tells it like it is. Please make this a regular podcast. The summaries by Katie are a delight.

excellent presentation of complex matetial

thank you for doing this series! I have enjoyed learning about these fascinating women. I appreciate that you have presented them as humans, not as saints. loved the car including reflections.

Excellent!

Loved hearing entertaining stories about women in history! The stories were kinda sad but told with some humor by the narrators.

Share with friends!

This is a wonderful mix for a history lesson - entertaining and informative. Thank you for sharing these stories, delivered in a witty and fun way.

Very fun listen!

Just found this little gem and it’s delicious! Some saucy history in its best possible presentation.