Michael O'Mara scoops TikToker Katie Kennedy's 'modern take on the juicy bits of history'

Michael O’Mara Books has scooped the debut book from content creator Katie Kennedy, known on TikTok as @thehistorygossip. 

Editorial director Nicki Crossley acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Emily Barrett at the Blair Partnership. The History Gossip: Was Anne of Cleves a Minger? and 365 Other Historical Curiosities will be published in hardback on 7th November. 

The History Gossip combines Kennedy’s "infectious humour" and "sharp historical insight" in a collection that offers "a witty and irreverent take on history". The short entries are characterised by the author’s "trademark blend of pop culture references and contemporary slang". 

Since launching her TikTok channel in January 2024, Kennedy has amassed more than 500,000 followers. She commented: "I really hope The History Gossip scratches that history itch that readers didn’t even know they had. Inspired by the digestible lessons on my TikTok, across 365 days I slate (and sometimes praise) everyone from the past, from Henry VIII tearing apart the Church to marry the ‘woman of his dreams’, to Victorians going on drunken benders in the British Museum and smashing up artefacts. There’s a whole range of history in there.”

Crossley added: “Outrageously funny and packed full of fascinating facts for every day of the year, Katie Kennedy spills the tea in this hilarious romp through the history books. Bringing you the best and worst of our past, The History Gossip is a modern take on the mad, bad and utterly juicy bits of history, as you’ve never heard them before.”