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Today we hear from Emma Hindley of the UK’s Zinc Media Group about how traditional history programming is changing to gain wider appeal, and from Channel 5 commissioning editor Lucy Willis about how the genre has changed for buyers, plus the trends she predicts for it in future.

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Blakeway Productions is a specialist in historical content, with the UK’s Channel 5 (C5) commissioning two more series from the Zinc Media-owned production company in March.

Blakeway’s output falls under more traditional history programming, using talking heads and well-known presenters, but as global streamers invest in high-end docuseries about pirates and samurai with a heavy dramatic leaning, how can the company keep pace?

Creative director Emma Hindley spoke to Oli Hammett about how the international market is changing the history genre and how apparently traditional history content is being updated.

She also spoke about how C5’s vertical integration model can help stretch budgets, giving the example of Blakeway’s recent series Henry VIII: Man, Monarch, Monster, which aired on the network in 2020.

Meanwhile, C5 commissioning editor Lucy Willis spoke Oli about how to balance drama with fact, what she looks for in commissions and how there’s always a new angle on an aspect of history.

Historical content is crucial to C5’s slate, which regularly features well-known historical presenters like Dan Jones and Tony Robinson. Recently, however, the channel has wanted to move away from presenter-led programming and explore social history lived by real people, using some reconstructions and dramatic elements.

C21FM is live 24/7, with a block of interviews starting at 10am BST every day at c21fmradio.com. You can download the audio from the C21 Podcast by CLICKING HERE.