{{Short description|British podcast company}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Use British English|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox company | name = Goalhanger Podcasts Ltd | logo = Goalhanger_Logo.png | industry = Media | founder = Gary Lineker<br />Tony Pastor<br />Jack Davenport | products = Podcasts | location = Kennington, London, England | website = {{URL|https://goalhanger.com}} }}
'''Goalhanger Podcasts Ltd'''<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 January 2022 |title=Goalhanger Podcasts Ltd overview - Find and update company information - Gov.uk |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/13846551 |access-date=22 January 2026 |website=Companies House |language=en}}</ref> is a British podcast production and distribution company.
According to the company, its 15 main shows collectively receive more than 75 million full-episode streams per month.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ponsford |first=Dominic |date=2025-10-02 |title=UK's biggest podcast producer Goalhanger is now a video company |url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/podcasts/uks-biggest-podcast-producer-goalhanger-is-now-a-video-company/ |access-date=2025-10-09 |website=Press Gazette |language=en-US}}</ref>
==History==
Goalhanger is a British media company co-founded by sports broadcaster and former professional footballer Gary Lineker, along with Tony Pastor, former ITV controller of sport, and Jack Davenport, a former senior journalist at the BBC. Originally established as Goalhanger Films, the company initially focused on producing sports documentaries featuring figures such as Wayne Rooney.<ref>{{Cite web |last=White |first=Peter |date=2022-06-17 |title=Gary Lineker's Goalhanger To Expand Podcast Output After Signing With WME |url=https://deadline.com/2022/06/gary-lineker-goalhanger-expand-podcast-output-wme-1235032991/ |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2018, the company expanded into podcast production, beginning with ''Behind Closed Doors'', a football-focused series featuring Lineker and broadcaster Danny Baker. In April 2019, it launched ''We Have Ways of Making You Talk'', a podcast centered on World War II, co-hosted by historian James Holland and comedian Al Murray.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Inside Gary Lineker's Goalhanger podcast empire as host ends Match of the Day tenure |url=https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/tv/news/gary-lineker-goalhanger-podcasts-bbc-match-of-the-day-b2645612.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241220074254/https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/tv/news/gary-lineker-goalhanger-podcasts-bbc-match-of-the-day-b2645612.html |archive-date=20 December 2024 |access-date=2025-03-18 |work=The Independent |language=en-GB |url-status=live }}</ref>
Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Goalhanger increased its focus on podcasting. In November 2020, the company launched ''The Rest Is History'', hosted by historian Dominic Sandbrook and author Tom Holland.<ref>{{cite web |last=Parker |first=Robin |date=2024-11-04 |title=Goalhanger: the evolution of a podcast powerhouse |url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/magazine/goalhanger-the-evolution-of-a-podcast-powerhouse/5198802.article |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=Broadcast}}</ref>
The company has since launched several other podcasts, including ''The Rest Is Politics'' (first published in March 2022), hosted by Alastair Campbell — an advisor to former Labour prime minister Tony Blair {{mdash}} and Rory Stewart {{mdash}} a former Conservative MP who held various ministerial portfolios; ''Empire'' (first published in August 2022), presented by William Dalrymple and Anita Anand; and ''The Rest Is Football'' (first published in August 2023), co-hosted by Lineker, Alan Shearer, and Micah Richards. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.goalhanger.com/ |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=Goalhanger |language=en}}{{primary source inline|date=September 2025}}</ref>
During the 2024 United Kingdom general election campaign, ''The Rest Is Politics'' and ''Leading'' recorded over 21.6{{nbsp}}million downloads and full-episode views on YouTube.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2024-08-06 |title=Goalhanger Celebrates Record-Breaking Podcast Success |url=https://podnews.net/press-release/goalhanger-numbers |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=podnews.net |language=en}}</ref> During the 2024 UEFA European Championship, ''The Rest Is Football'' received a combined total of 19.6{{nbsp}}million downloads and full-episode views on platforms it was published on.<ref name=":0" />
Since 2023, the company has introduced a subscription-based model for some shows, providing early access, bonus material, and priority entry to live events - contributing to steady growth in their paying audiences. <ref>{{Cite web |title=How Goalhanger used video on Spotify to reach 50 million monthly plays and increase earnings |url=https://creators.spotify.com/resources/case-study/goal-hanger-spotify-partner-program,%20https://creators.spotify.com/resources/case-study/goal-hanger-spotify-partner-program |access-date=2025-08-06 |website=creators.spotify.com |language=en}}</ref> An interview with Davenport in 2025 revealed that Goalhanger has over 200,000 paying members.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ponsford |first=Dominic |date=2025-10-02 |title=UK's biggest podcast producer Goalhanger is now a video company |url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/podcasts/uks-biggest-podcast-producer-goalhanger-is-now-a-video-company/ |access-date=2025-10-02 |website=Press Gazette |language=en-US}}</ref>
In December 2025, Netflix signed a deal with Goalhanger to carry ''The Rest Is Football'' podcast during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-12-03 |title=Gary Lineker takes The Rest is Football podcast to Netflix for 2026 World Cup |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c14vxr0z3yxo |access-date=2025-12-12 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>
In January 2026, The Chernin Group (Peter Chernin’s investment group) took a minority stake in Goalhanger.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Goldbart |first=Max |date=2026-01-28 |title=The Chernin Group Takes Minority Stake in Gary Lineker’s ‘The Rest Is…’ Firm Goalhanger |url=https://deadline.com/2026/01/the-chernin-group-minority-stake-goalhanger-gary-lineker-1236699791/ |access-date=2026-02-05 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Programming== {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ ! Title ! Genre ! Hosts ! First released |- | ''We Have Ways of Making You Talk'' | History | Al Murray and James Holland | April 2, 2019 |- | ''The Rest Is History'' | History | Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook | November 2, 2020 |- | ''The Rest Is Politics'' | Politics | Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart | March 2, 2022 |- | ''Battleground'' | History | Patrick Bishop and Saul David | April 4, 2022 |- | ''Empire'' | History | William Dalrymple and Anita Anand | August 16, 2022 |- | ''The Rest Is Politics: Leading'' | Politics | Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart | January 16, 2023 |- | ''The Rest Is Football'' | Football | Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards | August 7, 2023 |- | ''The Rest Is Money'' | Economics | Steph McGovern and Robert Peston | August 30, 2023 |- | ''Sherlock & Co.'' | Scripted podcast | Paul Waggott as Doctor John Watson, Harry Attwell as Sherlock Holmes, and Marta da Silva as Mariana Ametxazurra | October 10, 2023 |- | ''Football Clichés'' | Football | Adam Hurrey, Charlie Eccleshare and David Walker | October 17, 2023 |- | ''The Rest Is Entertainment'' | Entertainment | Richard Osman and Marina Hyde | November 28, 2023 |- | ''Walking The Dog with Emily Dean'' | Interview series | Emily Dean | December 23, 2023 |- | ''The Rest Is Politics: US'' | Politics | Anthony Scaramucci and Katty Kay | May 24, 2024 |- | ''The Rest Is Classified'' | Intelligence | David McCloskey and Gordon Corera | November 27, 2024 |- | ''Journey Through Time'' | History | David Olusoga and Sarah Churchwell | March 20, 2025 |- | ''The Rest Is Football: Daly Brightness'' | Football | Millie Bright and Rachel Daly | April 15, 2025 |- | ''The Rest Is Football: LaLiga'' | Football | Gary Lineker and Alex Aljoe | August 19, 2025 |- | ''The Rest Is Science'' | Science | Michael Stevens and Hannah Fry | November 25, 2025 |- | ''The Book Club'' | Literature | Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett | February 17, 2026 |}
==References== {{reflist}} {{Goalhanger}} Category:Companies based in the London Borough of Lambeth Category:Entertainment companies of the United Kingdom Category:Kennington Category:British podcasting companies Category:Sports podcasting companies