Comedy

The History of the World Backwards

The History of the World Backwards is a comedy sketch show written and starring Rob Newman. It is a mock history programme set in an alternative world, where time flows forwards, but history flows backwards. It was shown on BBC Four, starting on 30 October 2007, and later shown on BBC Two. It was Newman's first television project for 14 years.

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Created By

Status

Ended

Original Name

The History of the World Backwards

First Air Date

October 30, 2007

Last Air Date

December 4, 2007

Seasons

1

Episodes

6

Language

English

Production Companies

Networks

BBC Four

S01E06

Episode 6

Viewers are taken back to the sunset of recorded time in this final instalment of The History Of The World Backwards, as Rob Newman's comic reverse history lesson fuses comedy sketches, history, archive and music. Buddha begins to find spiritual life hard going and, once more, we join Jesus, losing more crowds with his carpentry-themed parables. In Ethiopia, King David, the Lion of Judah and head of the Rastafarian religion, suffers from target-obsessed Rasta clergy. In Britain, a Dacian motivational speaker tries to reverse the catastrophic loss of confidence which has seen Celtic stonemasons and architects limit themselves to building nothing but Stone Circles. Moses delivers 10 commandments to God – but with conditions. In Egypt, King Tutankamen has regression therapy and finds that in a past life he was an aromatherapist in Hebden Bridge. And, in an epic finale, the programme explores the Creation Myth of the Neanderthals.

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