Culture

Award-winning historian to bring Ancient Egypt to Wales

09 Aug 2026 3 minute read

Bettany Hughes. Image: by Portable Antiquities Scheme is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Nation.Cymru Staff

One of Britain’s best-known historians is bringing a new live tour exploring the world of Ancient Egypt to Wales this autumn.

Award-winning historian, author and broadcaster Bettany Hughes will appear at Cardiff’s New Theatre on 30 October on the opening night of her first UK tour.

The author and broadcaster specialises in ancient and medieval history and culture, and has taught at Swansea University as well as Cambridge, Bristol, and UCL, and in 2011 was made a Fellow of Cardiff University.

As well as five non-fiction books, including a New York Times bestseller and two Sunday Times bestsellers, Bettany is known for her TV presenting work across the BBC, Channel 4, Netflix and National Geographic.

Stephen Fry has previously praised Bettany’s “Boundless enthusiasm, clarity and learning”, and her “matchless gift for storytelling.”

Hughes has received numerous awards for her contribution to history and broadcasting, including the European Helena Vaz de Silva Prize for promoting Public Awareness of Cultural Heritage, as well as an OBE in 2019.

Alongside her books and television work, she presents BBC Radio 4’s Ideas That Make Us, and is a patron of several educational and heritage organisations promoting the study of the ancient world and cultural history.

Now through her tour, Uncovering Ancient Egypt with Bettany Hughes, audiences can step back in time as she “brings the land of pharaohs vividly to life.”

The show will run for 110 minutes and tickets are expected to sell out quickly, with the Chester and London shows already booked up.

Announcing the tour, Fane shared: “With over 50 documentaries seen by 250 million viewers worldwide and bestselling books including The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and Venus & Aphrodite, [Bettany] has devoted 25 years to transform ancient history into captivating storytelling.

“Bettany will reveal how Ancient Egypt’s innovations in medicine, mathematics, engineering, and governance laid foundations for our modern world. She’ll explore how Egyptian concepts of the afterlife, justice, and leadership continue to influence us today, and why this ancient civilization remains so compelling to contemporary audiences.

“From the sands of the Sahara to the secrets of the Valley of the Kings, don’t miss this chance to experience Ancient Egypt through the eyes of one of our finest historians. Whether you’re fascinated by ancient mysteries or curious about how the past connects to our present, this evening promises to be an indelible journey down the Nile and through time.”

Tickets for the show on 30 October 2026 at the New Theatre are on sale now from £33.50.

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