Horrible Histories (TV Series)

Episode #1.4 (2009)

Jim Howick: Various

Quotes 

• Grim Reaper : Name?

  Matthew Webb : Matthew Webb.

  Grim Reaper : Mm. Year of death?

  Matthew Webb : 1883.

  Grim Reaper : Profession?

  Matthew Webb : Professional swimmer.

  Grim Reaper : I'll just put 'Unemployed'.

  [Webb chuckles] 

  Grim Reaper : Method of death?

  Matthew Webb : Well, I was the first man to swim the English Channel in 1875, and I became quite the Victorian celebrity, participating in exhibition swimming matches and floating in a tank of water for 128 hours. I even wrote a book. The Art of Swimming.

  Grim Reaper : Hmm. So, method of death... water related, perchance?

  Matthew Webb : Aha. Well, I thought I'd go one better than swimming the Channel, so I... I tried to swim across some rapids.

  Grim Reaper : Mmm. And where were these rapids exactly?

  Matthew Webb : Underneath Niagara Falls.

  Grim Reaper : [Stifling laughter]  Niagara Falls?

  Matthew Webb : It wasn't pretty.

  Grim Reaper : [laughing]  I bet it wasn't! You plonker!