Public historian Greg Jenner talks about the history of celebrity and how fame shapes memory, using the memorials and graves in Westminster Abbey's nave.
Greg Jenner is coming to Westminster Abbey on Thursday 12 November for a talk on celebrity and memory. He's a British public historian, author and broadcaster who makes a living communicating history through comedy, and this one is built around his 2020 book Dead Famous, which looks at the history of celebrity.
The setting does a lot of the heavy lifting here. The talk takes place in the Nave, the central aisle of the Abbey, which is lined with the memorials and graves of some of the most famous people in British history. Jenner uses those names and monuments as a starting point to think about how celebrity, fame and posthumous glory shape who we choose to remember and how we remember them. He also touches on the evolution of 'necrotourism' and the history of celebrity pilgrimage — the way people travel to visit the graves of the famous.
If you're not familiar with his work, you've probably come across it without realising. He's the host and creator of the award-winning BBC historical comedy You're Dead to Me, and he spent eleven years on the BBC series Horrible Histories. Both are built on the same idea as this talk: taking history and making it accessible and funny rather than dry and distant.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in London and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
The session runs for an hour, with the talk followed by an audience Q&A from 7:15pm. It's worth noting that the rest of the Abbey is closed during the event, so you'll be in the Nave and nowhere else. Doors open at 6:15pm, and the talk itself runs from 6:30pm to 7:30pm. Tickets are £16.96, which includes a £1.96 booking fee, and the meeting point is by the Great West Door at 20 Deans Yd, London SW1P 3PA.
