The BBC has incorporated Guy Fawkes into its educational materials as an "astonishing activist," placing him alongside well-known civil rights figures such as Nelson Mandela, Rosa Parks, and Emmeline Pankhurst. This portrayal appears in a new interactive game designed for primary school students, which is part of the BBC Bitesize history resources.
The game, titled “Back in time with... Astonishing Activists,” invites children to engage with historical figures who campaigned for social change. Alongside Fawkes, players can experience the lives and achievements of other activists including Mandela, the anti-apartheid leader; Parks, a key figure in the American civil rights movement; and Pankhurst, a prominent suffragette.
Within the game, players take on the role of Fawkes, exploring his involvement in the failed 1605 Gunpowder Plot, an attempt to blow up Parliament during its state opening. The plot aimed to assassinate King James I and many members of the government as a means to challenge the king’s refusal to grant concessions to Catholics. Fawkes was captured, tortured, and executed, while his co-conspirators were killed or apprehended. In the game, children help Fawkes evade capture in Parliament’s basement and complete tasks such as “killing rats” while imprisoned in the Tower of London. The game also incorporates an explanation of Bonfire Night on November 5, the annual commemoration marking the plot’s failure, allowing players to build digital bonfires.
Other segments of the resource let children experience key moments in the lives of Mandela, Parks, and Pankhurst. Players assume Mandela’s role by posting campaign materials, enduring years of imprisonment, and appointing members of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which aimed to address human rights abuses after apartheid. The Parks section allows users to simulate the Montgomery bus boycott by helping people find seats in a desegregated bus system following her refusal to give up her seat. The Pankhurst portion focuses on mobilizing support for women’s suffrage and creating campaign banners.
The BBC has developed other educational games on Bitesize featuring historical explorers such as Neil Armstrong, Amelia Earhart, and Ibn Battuta, aiming to provide interactive learning across different subjects.
The BBC’s educational content has attracted scrutiny previously. In 2023, a section of its GCSE history revision site was removed after criticism that it overstated migration narratives within Britain. Similarly, a 2021 controversial claim in a children’s program suggested early Britons were black before the islands became Britain. A request for comment from the BBC regarding the latest material was not immediately responded to.