{{Short description|British art historian (born 1990s)}} {{Infobox person | honorific_suffix = FRHistS | image = Madeleine pelling 2019 1 (cropped).jpg | caption = A screenshot of Pelling giving a lecture at the Society of Antiquaries, 2019 | birth_name = Madeleine Lucy Pelling | birth_date = 1990s | birth_place = | other_names = Maddy Pelling | alma_mater = {{Plainlist| * University of York }} | occupation = | employer = | website = {{url|madeleinepelling.com/}} }} '''Madeleine Lucy Pelling''' {{postnominals|country=GBR|FRHistS}} (born 1990s), also credited as '''Maddy Pelling''', is an English cultural and art historian. As of 2023, she co-hosts the History Hit podcast ''After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal'' with Anthony Delaney. She authored the books ''Writing on the Wall: Graffiti, Rebellion and the Making of Eighteenth-century Britain'' (2024) and ''Hoax: Truth and Lies in the Age of Enlightenment'' (2026).
==Early life and education== Pelling grew up in Leek, Staffordshire.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0l6hy9w|title=England's Darkest Folklore|work=After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal|publisher=BBC|first1=Anthony|last1=Delaney|first2=Maddy|last2=Pelling|date=28 April 2025|accessdate=1 September 2025}}</ref> Pelling graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English from the University of York in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/11343652.university-of-york-degree-results-day-1/|title=University of York degree results - Day 1|work=York Press|date=16 July 2014|accessdate=1 September 2025}}</ref> On a History of Art Department scholarship, she completed a PhD there in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.york.ac.uk/eighteenth-century-studies/research/research-associates/|title=Research associates: Madeleine Pelling|work=University of York|accessdate=1 September 2025}}</ref>
==Career== After completing her PhD, Pelling held Postdoctoral Fellowships at institutions including the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, the University of Birmingham's Eighteenth Century Centre,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/centres-institutes/eighteenth-century/fellowship|title=BECC-BSECS Postgraduate Fellowship|work=University of Birmingham|accessdate=1 September 2025}}</ref> and the University of Edinburgh's Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH).<ref name="edi fellowship">{{Cite web|url=https://www.iash.ed.ac.uk/profile/dr-madeleine-pelling|title=Dr Madeleine Pelling|work=University of Edinburgh - IASH|accessdate=1 September 2025}}</ref>
Through the Georgian Papers Programme, Pelling co-curated the 2019 virtual exhibition ''Women and History: Power, Politics and Historical Thinking in Queen Charlotte's Court'' with Karin Wulf.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://georgianpapers.com/explore-the-collections/virtual-exhibits/women-and-history-power-politics-and-historical-thinking-in-queen-charlottes-court/|title=Women and History: Power, Politics and Historical Thinking in Queen Charlotte's Court: A Virtual Exhibition by Madeleine Pelling and Karin Wulf|work=Georgian Papers|date=10 September 2019|accessdate=1 September 2025}}</ref> From 2021 to 2022, Pelling co-hosted podcast ''Travelling Sisterhood of Art Historians'' with fellow art historians Freya Gowrley, Serena Dyer and Caroline McCaffrey-Howarth.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/fine-art/news/article/1790/a-journey-through-art-history-with-the-travelling-sisterhood-of-art-historians|title=A journey through art history with the Travelling Sisterhood of Art Historians|work=School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies|publisher=University of Leeds|date=22 April 2021|accessdate=1 September 2025}}</ref> She also co-hosted ''Coffee House Perspectives'' with Adam J Smith for the British Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies (BSECS).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bsecs.org.uk/news-and-events/new-release-bsecs-podcast-coffee-house-perspectives/|title=NEW RELEASE: BSECS podcast Coffee House Perspectives|work=BSECS|date=19 March 2022|accessdate=1 September 2025}}</ref>
In October 2023, History Hit launched the podcast ''After Dark'', which Pelling co-hosts with Irish historian Anthony Delaney.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://podnews.net/press-release/after-dark-podcast|title=History Hit Launches Myths, Misdeeds and Paranormal Podcast|work=PodNews|date=13 October 2023|accessdate=1 September 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://retrospectjournal.com/2024/03/03/after-dark-myths-misdeeds-the-paranormal/|title=After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal|work=Retrospect|first=Ellie|last=Whitehead|date=3 March 2024|accessdate=1 September 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://podcastrex.com/reviews/after-dark-myths-misdeeds-and-the-paranormal|title=Podcast reviews: After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds and the Paranormal|work=Podcast Rex|first=Scott|last=Bryan|date=22 October 2023|accessdate=1 September 2025}}</ref> Pelling and Delaney were jointly nominated for Best New Presenter at the 2024 Audio and Radio Industry Awards (ARIAs),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2024/03/bbc-dominates-shortlist-for-2024-audio-and-radio-industry-awards/|title=BBC dominates shortlist for 2024 Audio and Radio Industry Awards|work=Radio Today|first=Roy|last=Martin|date=27 March 2024|accessdate=3 September 2025}}</ref> while ''After Dark'' won Rookie of the Year at the 2024 True Crime Awards<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://podnews.net/press-release/true-crime-awards-uk-24|title=True Crime Awards recognises top creators from across the true crime industry|work=PodNews|date=24 April 2024|accessdate=3 September 2025}}</ref> and was shortlisted for the Listeners' Choice Award at the 2025 British Podcast Awards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://podcastingtoday.co.uk/british-podcast-awards-unveils-spotlight-and-specialist-shortlists/|title=British Podcast Awards unveils Spotlight and Specialist shortlists|work=Podcasting Today|date=27 August 2025|accessdate=2 October 2025}}</ref>
Pelling also featured in the Channel 4 docuseries ''The Queens Who Changed the World'' (2023)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.whattowatch.com/watching-guides/queens-that-changed-the-world-release-date-episode-guide-featured-queens-and-everything-you-need-to-know|title=Queens That Changed the World: next episode, queens and everything we know|work=What to Watch|first=Elaine|last=Reilly|date=2 August 2023|accessdate=7 May 2024}}</ref> and ''Titanic in Colour'' (2024), as well as the Sky History docuseries ''Mayhem! Secret Lives of the Georgian Kings'' (2024).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/international/mayhem-secret-lives-of-the-georgian-kings/5190850.article|title=Hot Picks: Mayhem! Secret Lives Of The Georgian Kings|work=Broadcast|date=22 February 2024|accessdate=1 September 2025}}</ref>
Via Profile Books, Pelling's debut book ''Writing on the Wall: Graffiti, Rebellion and the Making of Eighteenth-century Britain'' was published in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/books/article/writing-on-the-wall-madeleine-pelling-review-067tshmjc|title=Writing on the Wall by Madeleine Pelling review — a guide to Georgian graffiti|work=The Times|first=Paula|last=Byrne|date=16 March 2024|accessdate=1 September 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://literaryreview.co.uk/scribblers-with-a-cause|title= Scribblers with a Cause – Writing on the Wall: Graffiti, Rebellion and the Making of Eighteenth-Century Britain by Madeleine Pelling|work=Literary Review|first=Ben|last=Wilson|date=April 2024|accessdate=1 September 2025}}</ref> Alice Loxton selected ''Writing on the Wall'' for the ''BBC History'' Best History Books of 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.historyextra.com/magazine/history-books-year-2019-christmas-gift-guide/|title=Best history books 2024: BBC History Magazine's Books of the Year|work=History Hit|first=Matt|last=Elton|date=13 December 2024|accessdate=1 September 2025}}</ref>
==Bibliography== ===Books=== * ''Writing on the Wall: Graffiti, Rebellion and the Making of Eighteenth-century Britain'' (2024) * ''Hoax: Truth and Lies in the Age of Enlightenment'' (2026)
===Edited volumes=== * ''The 18th Century Today: Literature and Media from Beauty and the Beast to Bridgerton'' (2025), co-edited with Emrys Jones
===Select chapters=== * "'I made memorandums': Mary Hamilton, Sociability, and Antiquarianism in the Eighteenth-Century Collection" in ''Women and the Art and Science of Collecting in Eighteenth-Century Europe'' (2020), edited by Arlene Leis and Kacie L. Wills<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tfurj.com/2020/12/07/women-and-the-art-and-science-of-collecting-in-eighteenth-century-europe/|title=Women and the Art and Science of Collecting in Eighteenth-Century Europe|work=The Fordham University Review Journal|first=Jessica|last=Lovett|date=7 December 2020|accessdate=1 September 2025}}</ref> * "Theme Parks and Seaside Resorts: Rethinking Material and Visual Culture in Austenland (2013) and Sanditon (2019)" in ''The Edinburgh Companion to Jane Austen and the Arts'' (2024), edited by Hannah Moss and Joe Bray
===Select articles=== * "Collecting the World: Female Friendship and Domestic Craft at Bulstrode Park" in ''Journal for Eighteenth-Century Studies'' (2018) * "Crafting Friendship: Mary Delany's Album of Découpage and Queen Charlotte’s Pocketbook" in ''Journal18'' (2018) * "Selling the Duchess: Narratives of Celebrity in A Catalogue of the Portland Museum (1786)" in ''Early Modern Women: An Interdisciplinary Journal'' (2019) * "Reimagining Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots: Women’s Antiquarianism and Domestic Identities, c. 1750 – 1800" in ''Women's History Review'' (2019)
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pelling, Madeleine}} Category:Living people Category:1990s births Category:Academics of the University of Edinburgh Category:Academics of the University of York Category:Alumni of the University of York Category:British women art historians Category:British women podcasters Category:English podcasters Category:British cultural historians Category:Fellows of the Royal Historical Society Category:Historians from London Category:Historians of the early modern period Category:People from Leek, Staffordshire Category:Writers from Staffordshire