Morbid tales of murder and intrigue have fascinated humanity for centuries. The TV guide reveals an array of detective dramas, and bookshops are chock-full of crime novels, painting a clear picture of our avid interest in the most gruesome of tales. Dr Lucy Worsley, historian, television presenter and chief curator at the Historic Royal Palaces, talks to Hannah Worrall about death, storytelling and Queen Victoria’s enormous pants.

Tell me about your upcoming show, Afternoon of Murder, what’s it about?

I’m going to give an illustrated talk about the history of murder – well, really, about how the idea of ’murder’ was enjoyed by the Victorians, and how it formed a theme of their drama, journalism, fiction. It appeared in many art forms. It’s something that emerges in British society in the early 19th Century, as people moved from the countryside to the cities, and which continues until the present day.

Can you remember when you first became interested in the topic of murder?

I’ve always enjoyed detective fiction. Maybe it’s because detectives, like historians (like me!), have to work from clues and bits of evidence to paint a picture. So when I had the chance to explore the history of the genre I jumped at it.

As morbid as it sounds, do you have a favourite historic murder – or one you find the most intriguing? Which one, and why?

One really interesting real-life murder was the so-called ’Road Hill House’ case, in a country mansion in Wiltshire, in 1860. It was the original real-life ’country house murder mystery’, and because the house was locked up, it had to be one of the 12 people inside that night. It inspired novelists such as Wilkie Collins.

Why did you think this topic needed to be explored?

I think it’s a really interesting topic because the history of detective fiction is also the history of justice, of gender, of literature and of literary. It’s a fun way into a wealth of social history. Also, detective fiction has always been hugely popular. Some people might be sniffy about it, but if you want to know what the Victorians really read (as opposed to what they thought they ought to read) detective fiction is the answer. Also, who doesn’t love a good Agatha Christie or Dorothy L Sayers? I’m going to talk about some writers from the golden age of detective fiction, between the two World Wars, as well.

What do you enjoy about performing live?

Well, I’m really a museum curator, that’s my day job, and any museum curator has to give guided tours, talks to groups in the evening, talks to school kids in the daytime. Talking about history goes with the territory.

How did you get started in presenting historical programmes for television?

It really grew out of my day job. Every time we open a new exhibition, someone has to talk about it on the local evening news, for example, and that person was often me because I found I enjoyed it and it just grew.

What did it feel like to be nominated twice for a Royal Television Society award this year?

Really super! I was nominated for a series called The First Georgians, which was about our first German kings George I and George II. Know much about them? No, I thought not! It was fun to tell some relatively unknown stories.

Why did you become a curator?

I became a curator because history was the topic at school that to me seemed more like play than work. I found a job relatively easy: it’s much more competitive these days for young people starting out, I’m afraid. That’s why we do offer some paid internships at Historic Royal Palaces, to give people a foothold.

What’s the best bit about your job as chief curator at the Historic Royal Palaces?

I really like handling the items we keep in the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection – a 10,000 piece collection of historic dress from the 16th Century to the present day. It contains wonderful things such as Queen Victoria’s enormous drawers, and a hat which very possibly was worn by Henry VIII.

Afternoon of Murder with Dr Lucy Worsley is at Wyllyotts Theatre, Wyllyotts Place, Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, on Saturday, April 11, 5pm. Details: 01707 645005, wyllyottstheatre.co.uk