EXCLUSIVE: We Have Ways Of Making You Talk podcast host Al Murray thinks there is only one show worth watching to learn about World War 2

Al Murray, who, along with James Holland, hosts the popular World War 2 podcast We Have Ways Of Making You Talk, has revealed the best World War 2 show of all time for those hoping to understand the conflict better. The epic 1973 series is 26 episodes long and narrated by acting legend Sir Laurence Olivier. Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, the comedian recommended The World At War as his personal pick.

“I would say, rather than reading books, the thing to do is watch The World at War TV series from the 1970s, which is epic. It’s narrated by Laurence Olivier. It covers pretty much every aspect of the war, and all the talking heads in it are people who were there. Even to the point of people like, extraordinarily, Albert Speer, who was Hitler’s armaments minister and architect, and sort of one of his, one of his heirs presumptive –  those people are in it, talking about it.

Close up of Al Murray speaking over zoom. He is sitting in an office and there are books on shelves behind him

“I think if you’re going to start anywhere, that’s probably the best entry point. It still stands up, and it’s and it completely conveys the drama and the sort of horror of the event. That’s what I would recommend every time I think someone’s coming at the subject fresh,” he said.

The show cost around £880,000 to make in 1973, which is equivalent to £13,400,000 in 2023, making it the most expensive factual series ever made at the time. Mark Arnold-Forster wrote the accompanying book, The World at War, published the same year.

Al was speaking as he and James took a break from planning this year’s We Have Ways Fest, which is the UK’s premier festival dedicated to the Second World War.

The weekend is packed with top historians, demonstrations, iconic military vehicles, living history, wargaming, traders, live music, and much more.

The festival is going from strength to strength, and James believes that it is all down to simple human connections.

“If the out of all the pain and misery of the Second World War, you’ve got people who have emerged out of deep depression, have got married, have created friendships for life, have created camaraderie of an intensity which has possibly only ever been experienced before in combating units in the Second World War. What’s not to like? I mean, that’s a great thing.

“And whilst at the same time learning about history, learning about our past, and learning some of those lessons, I mean, I just think that’s a tremendous thing,” he said.