Christmas Quacks: the making of BBC2’s ‘Quacks’

Meet the team behind BBC TV's hit series 'Quacks' over mince pies and mulled wine to discover how they brought the gruesome realities of Dickensian medicine to the screen.

How do you make the history of Victorian medicine funny?

From dead moles to modesty dolls, ether and mesmerism, Quacks is an hilarious romp through nineteenth century London’s medical world. Created and written by James Woods(also writer and creator of Rev), produced by Imogen Cooper(maker of Horrible Histories) and with history consulting by Richard Barnett (author of the The Sick Rose and many more).

The series follows a physician, a surgeon, a dentist and an 'alienist' as they navigate a time of incredible change in medicine.

Join us to come face to face with the show's creators, ask the panel your questions about making history into television and hear how the Royal College of Physician’s own archives and remarkable collections inspired the programme.

Spaces for this event are limited, visit the event website to book your place now.

James Wood is the Bafta winning writer and creator of Rev, Ambassadors and Quacks (all for BBC2). He adapted Evelyn Waugh’s ‘Decline & Fall’ recently for BBC1 and also written The Gamechangers, a BBC single film about Grand Theft Auto for the BBC.

Richard Barnett is a writer, teacher and broadcaster on the history of science and medicine. He studied medicine in London before becoming a historian, and has taught at Cambridge and UCL. In 2011 he received one of the first Wellcome Trust Engagement Fellowships. He has made many appearances on British and American TV & radio, and is the author of six widely-praised books.

Imogen Cooper is a TV drama & comedy producer, whose credits include the BAFTA award winning comedy Horrible Histories, Channel 4’s Noel Fielding’s Luxury Comedy, ITV’s The Job Lot, Yonderland for Sky One and Quacks written by James Wood for BBC2. She is currently producing the four part drama ‘Hatton Garden’ for ITV written by Jeff Pope.

The evening will be presented by Kristin Hussey, medical historian and curator of the Royal College of Physicians. She has previously worked in collections roles at the Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons, the Francis Crick Institute and the Science Museum. She has recently completed her PhD on the history of medicine and empire in the late Victorian London.