A new three-part BBC Local and BBC Radio York podcast will be challenging the pivotal events in British history - the gunpowder plot of 1605 featuring Harry Potter actor Matthew Lewis.

This new three-part podcast on BBC Sounds - Gunpowder and Treason: The Real Guy Fawkes - will be available to watch from Friday, October 30, 2026.

It will explore the events of 1605 from a fresh perspective, examining new evidence, hidden family histories and the lasting legacy of one of Britain’s most infamous conspiracies.

The podcast questions how well we really know the famous story of Bonfire night, asking was Guy Fawkes really the mastermind behind it all, or was he, in fact, set up all along?

placeholder image — Matthew Lewis. | Leon Neal / AFP via Getty Images

Presented by Leeds-born actor Matthew Lewis, known for his role as Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter films, the podcast invites listeners to look beyond the traditional account of a lone religious fanatic and reconsider the role Fawkes played in the plot.

Matthew said: “I’ve always been fascinated by history and felt that I already knew as much as there was to know about the Gunpowder Plot.

“Working on this series I discovered so many new elements, particularly with regard to the Yorkshire roots of the conspiracy.

“Much of which is still visible in the county today, if you know where to look. For those unaware of the story, this should be a rollercoaster of a ride, and for those that think themselves familiar with it, I’m sure there’ll be more than a few surprises.

“From desperate and audacious adventure to macabre and gruesome reality. As they say, it’s a story we should remember.”

The podcast - which can be found in the Secret North Yorkshire menu on BBC Sounds - investigates the theory that Fawkes was used by the plotters for his military skills, before becoming the face of a conspiracy that involved many others.

While history remembers only one name, the series explores the powerful figures operating behind the scenes and the stories that may have reignited interest in the case.

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More than 400 years after the failed plot, new developments have reignited interest in the case.

At the heart of the story is Yorkshire itself and the series visits several historic locations across the region. Guy Fawkes was born in York, and nearby Ripley Castle has connections to the conspiracy.

Its owner, Sir Thomas Ingilby, investigates his family’s historic links to the plot, while Tony Beacock, a descendant of Gunpowder Plotters John and Christopher Wright, explores the brothers’ role in the conspiracy.

An actor (Bill Hurst) dressed as Guy Fawkes carries a fake barrel of gunpowder into the Houses of Parliament. | Odd Andersen / AFP via Getty Images

At the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, the series examines Fawkes’ military experience whilst a visit to York’s Bar Convent uncovers a grizzly tail that gives a glimpse into the religious persecution of the time.

The podcast will bring together historians, descendants of the conspirators and the places at the heart of the story, the series offers a rare chance to revisit the Gunpowder Plot through the voices of those with a personal connection to its history.

Gunpowder and Treason: The Real Guy Fawkes asks us to look beyond the effigies and fireworks to reconsider the man behind the mask as well the people whose roles in one of Britain’s most enduring conspiracies.

Head of local audio commissioning, Chris Burns, said: “This is exactly what BBC Local does best, uncovering remarkable stories hidden within our communities and bringing them to life through the voices of the people most closely connected to them.

“This podcast offers a fresh perspective on one of the most famous events in British history.”