# Ian Smith: Effie Gray & John Ruskin (A Very Victorian Scandal)

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-way-they-were-6655435/ian-smith-effie-gray-john-ruskin-a-very-victorian-scandal
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-way-they-were-6655435/ian-smith-effie-gray-john-ruskin-a-very-victorian-scandal.md
Podcast: [The Way They Were](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-way-they-were-6655435)
Published: 2025-11-25T04:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://prefix.up.audio/s/pscrb.fm/rss/p/rss.art19.com/episodes/12ece4f9-22f3-4b3e-953c-248cbbe30575.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIgtDaHJvbWUGOgZFVA%3D%3D--d05363d83ce333c74f32188013892b2863ad051c
Audio file: https://prefix.up.audio/s/pscrb.fm/rss/p/rss.art19.com/episodes/12ece4f9-22f3-4b3e-953c-248cbbe30575.mp3?rss_browser=BAhJIgtDaHJvbWUGOgZFVA%3D%3D--d05363d83ce333c74f32188013892b2863ad051c
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Duration seconds: 5164

## Resource

Effie Gray and John Ruskin looked like the perfect Victorian power couple: she, bright and brilliant; he, the era’s leading art critic. But behind the portraits was one of history’s strangest age-gap marriages. Unconsummated, uncomfortable, and the sort of story that would make Gen Z turn away in horror. This week on The Way They Were , Gráinne and Chantal team up with one of Britain’s best stand-ups, Ian Smith , to look at the grottiest couples we've ever looked at on the show. To get episodes ad free and early, join us our Patreon: ⁠⁠patreon.com/TheWayTheyWere⁠⁠ You can also access our exclusive bonus episodes every other week and take part in The Gossip our exclusive Patreon group chat! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

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## Transcript

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