Horrible Histories consists of an ensemble cast of six actors. Each actor has one or more well-known characters. They became a particularly close-knit group both personally and professionally. Eventually, this led them to continue working together after the original Horrible Histories ceased full-time production, creating, writing and starring in the TV series Yonderland, the feature film comedy Bill and, most recently, the BBC comedy Ghosts.
In the 2015 revival series, most of the original cast didn't return, however, Jim Howick, Simon Farnaby, Lawry Lewin, Dominique Moore and Sarah Hadland did return in a limited number of roles. The new cast doesn't have an ensemble cast as such and actors come and go series by series, there are, however, a few core members that have remained through all series.
Horrible Histories (2009-2013)[]
L-R: Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Mathew Baynton, Laurence Rickard, Ben Willbond and Jim Howick
In the original Horrible Histories, the cast consisted of an ensemble cast of six actors each of which played the majority of characters. A seventh member, Sarah Hadland, left after the second series but returned with an "also starring" credit for the fourth and fifth. There was also a number of supporting actors who played minor roles. They each are talented actors who can play multiple roles
Where ever possible recurring characters were played by one cast member, for example, Simon Farnaby's Death, Ben Willbond's Henry VIII and Laurence Rickard's Bob Hale.
Several of the writers and researchers also occasionally appeared in Sketches, including Steve Punt, Greg Jenner, George Sawyer and Susie Donkin.
Main Cast[]
Mathew Baynton[]
Mathew Baynton as William Shakespeare
Main article Mathew Baynton
Mathew Baynton is one of the original cast and appeared in every episode of series 1-5. Baynton plays the drums, piano and the guitar. Baynton's real-life son, Bo, appeared in a sketch playing a baby Mary, Queen of Scots.
Baynton is known for the following recurring characters:
- Charles II of England
- William Shakespeare* (Series 1-5)
- Phillip II of Spain
- D.I. Bones
Simon Farnaby[]
Simon Farnaby as Caligula
Main article Simon Farnaby
Simon Farnaby is one of the original cast members and appeared in every episode of series 1-6. He is the tallest member of the cast. Farnaby's dog, Dottie, appeared in several episodes throughout the show.
Farnaby is known for the following recurring characters:
Martha Howe-Douglas[]
Howe-Douglas as Cleopatra
Main article Martha Howe-Douglas
Martha Howe-Douglas is one of the original cast members and appeared in every episode of series 1-5. She is the only female member of the main cast.
Howe-Douglas is known for playing the following recurring characters:
Jim Howick[]
Jim Howick as One-eyed Ned
Main article Jim Howick
Jim Howick is one of the original cast members and appeared in every episode of series 1-6. In 2010, Howick won the best performer award at the children's BAFTAs for his performance in Horrible Histories.
Howick is known for playing the following recurring characters:
- Shouty Man
- Napoleon Bonaparte (Series 1-6)
- Winston Churchill(Series1-6)
- George IV of Great Britain
- Richard III of England
Laurence Rickard[]
Laurence Rickard as Bob Hale
Main article Laurence Rickard
Laurence Rickard is one of the original cast members and appeared in every episode of series 1-5. Originally hired solely as a writer, Rickard became a member of the cast after creating the character of Bob Hale, whose extended, convoluted monologues proved impossible to hand over to anyone else.
Rickard is known for the following recurring characters:
- Bob Hale
- Duke of Wellington
- Draco
- William II of England
Ben Willbond[]
Ben Willbond as Henry VIII
Main article Ben Willbond
Ben Willbond is one of the original cast members and appeared in every episode of series 1-5. He plays a lot of historical characters of German and French origin. Willbond also hosted the Behind the Scene featurette. He is the oldest of the cast members.
Willbond is known for playing the following recurring characters:
- Henry VIII
- Alexander the Great (character)
- Mike Peabody
- Julius Caesar
Horrible Histories (2015 - Present)[]
2 years after the original 5 series ended in 2013, the BBC announced Horrible Histories' revival series. Along with this, a largely new cast was assembled.
Jalaal Hartley as Douglas Bader
Jalaal Hartley[]
- Main article: Jalaal Hartley
Jalaal Hartley was a cast member and appeared in every episode of series 6-8. Originally a series 4 supporting actor, he returned as a main actor in the Horrible Histories Revival Series. Outside of Horrible Histories, he is also a film director and screenwriter.
Hartley is known for playing the following recurring characters:
- Winston Churchill* (Series 7-8)
- Christopher Marlow
- Neil Armstrong (Series 8)
- James VI of Scotland* (2016 Specials - Series 7)
Jessica Ransom in Horrible Histories
Jessica Ransom[]
Jessica Ransom is one of the current cast members and has appeared in every episode of series 6-9. Similar to Jalaal Hartley, Ransom was also originally a supporting actor until she was reprised as a main actor in the revival series.
Ransom is well known for playing the following characters:
- Mary Queen of Scots
- Florence Nightingale
- Queen Victoria* (Series 9)
Tom Stourton as John F. Kennedy
Tom Stourton[]
- Main article: Tom Stourton
Tom Stourton is one of the current actors who started acting for Horrible Histories from Series 6-9. He also played in The Horrible Histories Movie, as a background character.
Stourton is known for playing the following recurring characters:
- Henry VIII (Series 7-9)
- John Davis
- Leonardo da Vinci
- George Washington
- Harold Godwinson (Series 6)
Richard David-Caine as Admiral Nelson.
Richard David-Caine[]
- Main article: Richard David-Caine
Richard David-Caine is a current actor from the series who started acting for Horrible Histories from Series 7-9. He is also known for playing Mr. Spray, Mark, and Mr. Cristopher in Class Dismissed.
Richard is known for playing the following recurring characters:
- The Neanderthal (Series 7)
- Abraham Lincoln
- John Cabot
- Tutankhamun
Gemma Whelan[]
Gemma Whelan is a current actor that started acting acting for Horrible Histories from the 2016 Specials - Series 9 as a main actor and a supporting actor in Series 8.
Gemma is known for playing the recurring characters:
- Mary I of England (Series 7)
- Agrippina
- TBA
- TBA
James McNicholas[]
TBA
Michael Abubakar[]
TBA
Harrie Hayes[]
TBA
Emily Lloyd-Saini[]
TBA
Supporting Cast[]
While not credited as part of the main cast (with the exception of Hadland, who was part of the main cast in series one and two she was absent from series three but then returned with a "Also Starring" credit) these actors appeared regularly over the series.
Sarah Hadland[]
Sarah Hadland was a member of the main cast between series 1 and 2 she left at the end of series 2 and returned in series 4 with an "also starring" credit. The characters she portrayed include:
- Victoria of Great Britain (Series 1 and 6 only)
- Host of Ready Steady Feast (Series 1 only)
- Nurse Mandy in Historical Dentist
- Nurse Saunders in Historical Hospital (Series 1 only)
Dominique Moore[]
Dominique Moore played various roles between series 2 and 5 the includes
- Mary Seacole
- Presenter of Ready Steady Feast (Series 2 only)
- Rosa Parks
- Nurse in Historical Hospital
Lawry Lewin[]
Lawry Lewin played various roles between series 2 and 5 these include:
- Oliver Cromwell (Series 2-6)
- Host of Wonders of the Historical Universe (A spoof of Brian Cox)
- Thomas Moore
- King George III of Great Britain (Series 2 only)
Alice Lowe[]
Alice Lowe played various roles in series 2, 3 and 5, these include:
- Lady Jane Grey
- Joan of Arc (Series 2 only)
- HHTV News Reporter Jessica Harvey-Smythe
- Matilda of Boulonge
Extras[]
In addition to the main and supporting cast there were also recurring, sometimes uncredited extras. These actors normally filled in minor or background roles.
Susie Donkin: Played various roles in series 1 -5 (Uncredited in Series 2 and 3, credited for Series 1, 4 and 5)
Rhashan Stone: Richard HHTV Sport reporter (Series 3)
Lisa Devlin: Shelley in Historical Hairdressers (Series 1)
Giles Terera: Presenter of HHTV Sport (Series 1-5)
Katy Wix: Played various in series 1-4
George Sawyer: Rebellious spartan warrior (Stupid Deaths)
Special Guests[]
Over the 5 series many famous face have appeared, some in a one-off role while others had a recurring role.
- Meera Syal (Series 1, Storyteller in Twisted Fairytales)
- Alexei Sayle (Series 2, Arabic healer, Historical Hospital)
- Tanni Grey-Thompson (Series 3, field reporter for "HHTV Sport)
- David Baddiel (Series 2 & 3, storyteller Vincenzo Larfoff, Scary Stories)
- Dave Lamb (Series 3 and 5, Narrator of Historical Come Dine with Me. Lamb also presented Gory Games along with Rattus Rattus
- Chris Addison (Series 4, two Historical Apprentice candidates)
- Amir Khan and Jermain Defoe (Series 4, as themselves in Sport Relief sketches)
- Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith (Series 4 and 5. Film executives in HH Movie Pitch)
- Al Murray (Series 5, various roles, notably the drummer for the Smiths-inspired Charles Dickens music video)