High heels have been around since as early as the 10th century. Today we see them as a cornerstone of footwear fashion, with models strutting their stuff on the catwalk in heels of varying colours and styles. But how has this impractical, even masochistic piece of design become so gender-specific and has it always been this way? Greg Jenner discusses the history of high-heeled shoes with Dr Elizabeth Semmelhack from the Bata Shoe Museum and with returning comedian Lauren Pattison. See photos of the shoes discussed: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09w4wgl/ Produced by Cornelius Mendez Script by Emma Nagouse, Harry Prance and Greg Jenner Research by Harry Prance
I'm Cardiff born, Cardiff Bred, and when.
I dies, I'll be Cardiff dead.
I'm Charlotte Church and this is my family.
As we get to the pub, your nana falls into the bush.
Terry's going, morning.
This photographer's run.
Get up.
Listen in on intimate and special conversations.
When you were three months old, I probably had a slice of bread a day.
I got through it because of you.
With the people I love the most.
Tomorrow never comes, yesterday's past.
The only time you actually got is today.
Kicking back with the cards if I.
Listen on BBC sounds.
Hello, Greg here just to say we are showing our comedian Lauren Patterson some lovely photos of shoes from history from various museum collections.
Her descriptions are great, of course, but if you want to see them for yourself, go to the BBC your dead to me website and look for the history of high Heels page.
BBC Sounds Music Radio podcasts hello and welcome to you're dead to me, a BBC Radio four comedy podcast that takes history, horrible history seriously.
My name is Greg Jenner.
I'm a public historian, author and broadcaster.