Freak Show Capitalism: How Victorian Britain Turned Curiosity into Commerce

The episode examines how 19th‑century sideshows turned people with unusual bodies into marketable attractions, tracing the rise of figures like Joseph Merrick and the Bunker twins. It explores the clash between public fascination, medical curiosity and moral debate, while highlighting how these shows both exploited and offered agency to their performers. The discussion considers contemporary sources, later mythmaking and the legacy of spectacle in Victorian Britain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices