Melanie Backe-Hansen is an independent historian, writer, and speaker, specialising in the social history of houses across the United Kingdom. The main focus of Melanie’s work involves original research for homeowners and corporate clients to provide bespoke house history books and research reports. Melanie is a research consultant for A House Through Time (BBC Two) and to accompany the popular series, Melanie has co-written A House Through Time (Picador, 2020) with historian David Olusoga. She was series historical consultant and on-screen expert for Phil Spencer’s History of Britain in 100 Homes (More4). She is also the author of House Histories: The Secrets Behind Your Front Door (The History Press, updated edition 2019), and Historic Streets and Squares: The Secrets on Your Doorstep (The History Press, 2013).

Melanie regularly contributes to national media, including The Times, The Telegraph, and The Daily Mail, as well as several lifestyle magazines, and appears regularly on television, radio and online media. She is also a regular speaker at events and festivals, as well as universities and history groups. Melanie is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and is a Member of the Royal Historical Society, The Society of Authors, and the Historical Writers’ Association. She is also an Honorary Teaching Fellow at the University of Dundee, tutoring a house history module. Formerly, Melanie was the first and only historian to be employed by a UK estate agent to research the history of houses and streets.