History podcast Half-Arsed History celebrates seven years of storytelling success

Australia’s hit history podcast Half-Arsed History is celebrating its seventh birthday with the announcement of a bonus mini-series and an upcoming book.

Hosted and created by Riley Knight, the thrice-weekly show launched in 2018 as a solo passion project recorded at home. Armed only with a microphone and history degree, Riley started Half-Arsed History as a grassroots effort to make history fun and accessible. What began as a side hobby has grown into a chart-topping podcast, known for its witty, irreverent yet thoroughly researched retellings of some of history’s most ridiculous and entertaining stories.

With more than 9.6 million total downloads, Half-Arsed History is the most-listened-to Australian History podcast of 2025. The podcast has performed sold-out live shows, toured across Australia and cultivated a loyal fanbase with its uniquely Australian take on historical storytelling.

Riley is marking the anniversary with a much-anticipated mini-series exploring the French Revolution – a subject fans have long requested.

Riley says:“Over the last seven years, the show has grown from a little hobby tinpot history podcast I did on weekends to a full-blown, full-time and very serious tinpot history podcast. Live shows, tours, books – I never imagined my useless history degree would ever pay off like this.”

The milestone comes ahead of Riley’s debut book, History’s Strangest Deaths, which will be published by Allen & Unwin on 5 August. The book dives deep into the absurd and unexpected ways people have met their end throughout history – from a classical Greek playwright killed by a tortoise dropping out of the sky, to an ancient Chinese duke falling into a toilet – with Riley’s signature dry wit and storytelling charm.

Half-Arsed History has been part of the Acast Creator Network since 2021, with Acast as the exclusive hosting, distribution and monetisation partner.

Guy Scott-Wilson, Content Director for Acast ANZ, says: 

“History podcasts are popular with listeners because they offer so much more than just a list of dates and names – they bring the past to life through powerful storytelling. Riley’s nailed that with Half-Arsed History. It’s smart, funny and quintessentially Aussie – the kind of show that takes complex historical moments and makes them feel like stories you’d hear at the pub. The blend of in-depth research and Riley’s entertaining delivery is exactly why it’s such a hit.”

Globally, history podcasts are seeing unprecedented popularity, with shows like The Rest is History filling venues like London’s Royal Albert Hall and History Hit, Empire and Hardcore History consistently high in the charts.

In Australia, Half-Arsed History leads the charge, showing that listeners are hungry for compelling, offbeat takes on the past. The show’s back catalogue of more than 500 episodes is a valuable asset for advertisers, with the evergreen nature of history podcasts ensuring high engagement across backlist content.

New episodes of Half-Arsed History are released every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and are available on all podcast platforms. Contact the Acast sales team to discuss advertising opportunities.