‘Horrible Histories’ on CBBC to receive special BAFTA award

Children’s historical sketch show Horrible stories will receive a BAFTA Special Award next month in recognition of its “extraordinary cultural and social impact and the joy, enrichment and hilarity it has continued to bring to the nation’s screens on CBBC since its inception 15 years ago”, the British Academy revealed in Thursday.

BAFTA’s board of directors hands out a select number of special awards annually as part of the organization’s mission to showcase excellence in film, games and television.

Lion Television, part of All3Media and producer of the children’s series, will receive the honor during a special presentation at BAFTA headquarters in London next month.

“The event will highlight Horrible stories‘remarkable longevity, innovation and relevance, from its approach to important, diverse and under-represented areas of history, to its legacy as a springboard for British comedy talent and impact on the school curriculum,” said BAFTA.

Based on the best-selling books written by Terry Deary and published by Scholastic, Horrible stories mixes educational narrative and comedy. The program first launched in 2009 on children’s channel CBBC. “Taking audiences through the passages of history, from the rotten Romans and cool Greeks, to the terrible Tudors and vile Victorians, the program is loved by children, parents and retirees,” praised BAFTA.

Said BAFTA president Sara Putt: “Horrible stories transformed traditional ideas about what educational television should be. He has captured the hearts and minds of people of all ages across the country for 15 years and counting, and most importantly, he has made us laugh.”

Added Richard Bradley, executive producer and co-founder of Lion Television: “Doing the Horrible stories series over 15 years has been a total joy. Creating TV for young audiences is incredibly rewarding. Through comedy, hideous historical facts and some thunderous music, we hope to have brought joy, laughter and – perhaps – inspired new generations of young historians.”

And fellow executive producer Simon Welton said: “It’s a huge honor for us. It’s a lovely testament to all the incredible industry and creativity that everyone who worked on the show, both behind and in front of the camera, dedicated to making it from day one to the present. What horrible fun?!”

Over the years, the show has featured a large cast, some of whose members have gone on to excel elsewhere. Current cast members include Tom Stourton, Jessica Ransom, Richard David-Caine, James McNicholas, Emily Lloyd-Saini Timmika Ramsay, Harrie Hayes, Inel Tomlinson, Ethan Lawrence and Paul G Raymond. The original cast included Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Jim Howick, Martha Howe-Douglas and Ben Willbond.

“Horrible stories also attracted an impressive list of celebrity guests, including Rowan Atkinson, Gemma Whelan, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Rob Delaney, Meera Syal, Rose Ayling-Ellis, The League of Gentlemen, Rosie Jones, David Baddiel, Rob Rinder and Fred Sirieix,” BAFTA highlighted .