Greg Jenner is joined in the eleventh century by Dr Eleanor Barraclough and actor Kiell Smith-Bynoe to learn about legendary Viking explorer Leif Erikson. Leif was possibly the first European to reach the Americas, nearly half a millennium before Christopher Columbus landed in the Caribbean. According to the stories told about him, he was a lucky explorer with a murderer for a father and a fearsome warrior for a sister, who travelled in his longship across the Atlantic to the coast of North America. But we only know about him from two Norse sagas, written in the centuries after his death – so did he exist at all? This episode explores the saga narrative before delving into the archaeological evidence for a Viking presence in Canada, to discover what we can know for sure about this legendary adventurer. You’re Dead To Me is the comedy podcast that takes history seriously. Every episode, Greg Jenner brings together the best names in history and comedy to learn and laugh about the past. Hosted by: Greg Jenner Research by: Jon Norman Mason Written by: Jon Norman Mason, Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Emma Nagouse, and Greg Jenner Produced by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg Jenner Audio Producer: Steve Hankey Production Coordinator: Ben Hollands Senior Producer: Emma Nagouse Executive Editor: James Cook
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Hello and welcome to you're dead to me, the radio four comedy podcast that takes history seriously.
My name is Greg Jenner.
I'm a public historian, author and broadcaster.
And today we are braving the briska waters of the North Atlantic and following in the wake of Leif Erikson, the medieval norseman who might have been the first European to visit America.
He probably was.
And to help us, we have two very special guests in history corner.
She's a historian, writer and broadcaster based at Baths Bar University where she's senior lecturer in environmental history.
Her research focuses on the cultures, literatures and languages of the medieval north, particularly viking history and the old norse sagas.
She's the author of various books, including a new one, embers of the Hands, hidden histories of the Viking Age.
It's doctor Elena Barraclough.
Welcome, Elena.