Mr Dilly’s History Live – Free Curriculum-Based History Streams for Schools
Step into the past with Mr Dilly’s History Live! Join Mr Dilly as your guide for thrilling history adventures streamed direct to your classroom.
Each episode blends on-location filming at world-class museums and heritage sites, curator insights, and in-studio conversations with special guests — all linked to the KS2 and early KS3 curriculum. Some episodes also include short film excerpts of Mr Dilly in character, bringing people of the past to life in fun and memorable ways.
It’s free, flexible, and designed for schools — making history vivid, fun, and accessible for ages 7–13.
What Did the Romans Do for Britain? | Greg Jenner | Fishbourne Roman Palace | Mr Dilly’s History Live
Ages 7–13 / UK: Years 3–8 / US: Grades 2–8
Running time: 60 minutes
Travel back nearly 2,000 years with Mr Dilly to Fishbourne Roman Palace, the largest Roman residence in Britain. Explore mosaics, artefacts, and the remains of a luxurious villa as we uncover how the Romans transformed life in Britain — from roads and towns to culture, technology and governance — with insights from the palace’s own experts.
Back in the studio, Mr Dilly is joined by public historian Greg Jenner (author of Chaotic History: Romans and host of BBC’s You’re Dead To Me) for a lively, accessible discussion on Rome’s lasting impact on Britain — perfect for curriculum links.
📽️ Plus: Meet figures from the past in Mr Dilly’s in-character film clips, including Caratacus and a warrior of Boudicca’s tribe, bringing the drama of Roman Britain to life.
Ancient Egypt: Life, Death & the Afterlife | Iszi Lawrence | Petrie Museum | Mr Dilly's History Live
Ages 7–13 / UK: Years 3–8 / US: Grades 2–8
Running time: 50 minutes
Step into the world of Ancient Egypt with Mr Dilly at the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology, home to an extraordinary collection of artefacts. Discover how religion and belief shaped life and death — from gods and temples to mummification and the afterlife — with insights guided by the museum’s expertise.
Back in the studio, Mr Dilly is joined by historian and author Iszi Lawrence (BBC Radio 4 presenter and author of The Cursed Tomb) for a lively, accessible conversation about the rituals, traditions and stories that made Ancient Egypt so fascinating.
📽️ Plus: Watch Mr Dilly in a funny, slightly gruesome character short film as “Eddie the Embalmer”, demonstrating the mummification process.
D-Day & WW2: Why We Remember | Tom Palmer | D-Day Story Museum | Mr Dilly’s History Live
Ages 8–13 / UK: Years 4–9 / US: Grades 3–8
Running time: 75 minutes (approx.)
Join Mr Dilly at The D-Day Story, Portsmouth, for a powerful, curriculum-linked exploration of the Second World War. With a curator-led guided tour, pupils will discover compelling artefacts and personal stories connected to D-Day and the wider war — and reflect on why remembrance still matters today.
Back in the studio, Mr Dilly is joined by award-winning author Tom Palmer (After the War, Arctic Star, D-Day Dog) for an engaging discussion about remembrance and how these stories continue to inspire us.
📽️ Plus: See Mr Dilly’s celebrated short film marking VE Day 80 — a creative retelling of the war featuring Mr Dilly in multiple roles from the period.
