Goalhanger to bring all ad-sales in-house from 2027

Goalhanger is bringing its advertising sales operation fully in-house from January 2027, as the podcast company continues to expand into a broader multi-platform media business.

The move will see brands and agencies offered partnerships spanning audio, video, social, newsletters, live events, branded editorial and bespoke branded content, rather than buying podcast advertising as a standalone line item.

Josh Akers, director of commercial operations at Goalhanger, said the company had reached the scale where taking full ownership of advertising sales was “the natural next step”.

“We’ve been building out our in-house commercial capabilities across partnerships, delivery and creative production over recent years to give us greater ownership of our revenue, building closer relationships with our media agency and client partners,” he said.

Goalhanger, which was ranked No.1 in the 2026 Sunday Times 100 of Britain’s fastest-growing private companies, generated more than 750m full-episode views and streams in 2025 and is on track to exceed 1bn in 2026.

The company reported £37.9m in sales in 2025, with average annual revenue growth of 321% over three years. It has also been ranked No.1 in media and telecoms in the Financial Time‘s UK’s Fastest-Growing Companies 2027 ranking.

Goalhanger on making subscriber revenue growth look as easy as tap ins

The business has increasingly moved beyond traditional podcast advertising, with brands using its shows, talent and audiences across multiple formats.

Its existing partnerships include Fuse Energy, presenting partner of The Rest Is Politics, and Guinesses’ sponsorship of The Rest Is Football, which spans across audio, branded content, and live activation.

More recently, NBCUniversal worked with Goalhanger on a multi-show campaign for Christopher’s Nolan’s The Odyssey. The campaign culminated in actor Tom Holland meeting historian and co-host of The Rest Is History for a special conversation ahead of the film’s release, which Goalhanger said generated significant cross-platform reach.

Charlotte Robbins, head of partnerships at Goalhanger, said the company’s approach was designed to bring commercial, production and talent teams together rather than treating them as separate functions.

“We’re very always-on and have a real startup mentality, so commercial, production and talent aren’t these separate silos – we all sit around the table and work out what’s actually going to work for the brand and, just as importantly, for our audience,” she said.

Goalhanger said its 2025 survey of more than 8,700 respondents found that 68% of listeners take action after hearing advertising, which it claims is more than double the industry standard.

Goalhanger has continued to build its business beyond podcasting. The Rest Is Football became a daily Netflix show during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the partnership was later extended through the 2027/28 domestic football season.

In September, Goalhanger sold 26,000 tickets across 22 shows for its inaugural The Rest Is Fest takeover of London’s Southbank Centre.

The company has also appointed former WME executive Tom Miceli as head of IP development, with responsibility for television and film development, licensing, co-productions and formats.

Goalhanger to expand TV and film footprint with IP development hire

Goalhanger clarified the change applies only to advertising representation. Its shows will continue to be distributed on Spotify alongside other major platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and YouTube.

The company will brief media agencies and clients throughout October on its 2027 commercial proposition, including plans for a Goalhanger Upfronts event that will bring together media buyers, clients, industry leaders and Goalhanger talent.