Empire of Tea

Exciting and enterprising, bloody and brutal. Sathnam Sanghera tells the story of our national drink and its imperial past.

Episodes (10 available)

Empire of Tea

10. Tea or Coffee?

Why did tea take off when coffee didn’t?

15 Dec 2023

14 mins

Empire of Tea

9. A Nice Cup Of Tea

How did a foreign plant become so British?

14 Dec 2023

14 mins

Empire of Tea

8. One For Each Person and None For The Pot

Did imperial tea really help Britain win the war?

13 Dec 2023

13 mins

Empire of Tea

7. Punjabi Cha and Masala Chai

How tea, in various forms, became India’s national drink.

12 Dec 2023

14 mins

Empire of Tea

6. Tough, Tiring, Difficult

Are modern-day problems of tea workers a legacy of British imperialism?

11 Dec 2023

13 mins

Empire of Tea

5. Innovation, Espionage and Propaganda

How did the introduction of tea plantations to India change the trade forever?

8 Dec 2023

13 mins

Empire of Tea

4. The Tea Wars

How did Britain’s sale of opium to buy tea change China’s view of the West?

7 Dec 2023

14 mins

Empire of Tea

3. The Tea in Boston Harbour

How did imperial tea help shape Britain’s relationship with two superpowers?

6 Dec 2023

14 mins

Empire of Tea

2. Tea At Work

From fuelling the industrial revolution to the mid-morning break.

5 Dec 2023

14 mins

Empire of Tea

1. Cosy With A Kick

Tea arrives in Britain as an exotic drink for the elite. But its tale is just beginning.

4 Dec 2023

14 mins