Goalhanger Podcasts Ltd 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. In September 2026, Goalhanger shows held 44 of the 1,800 top-100 chart slots across 18 Apple Podcasts storefronts, more than iHeartMedia's 19 and Spotify's 15 combined.
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 (no relation to the British actor). Originally established as Goalhanger Films, the company initially focused on producing sports documentaries featuring figures such as Wayne Rooney.
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.
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.
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 and Rory Stewart - 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.
During the 2024 United Kingdom general election campaign, The Rest Is Politics and Leading recorded over 21.6million downloads and full-episode views on YouTube. During the 2024 UEFA European Championship, The Rest Is Football received a combined total of 19.6million downloads and full-episode views on platforms it was published on.
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. An interview with Davenport in 2025 revealed that Goalhanger has over 200,000 paying members.
In December 2025, Netflix signed a deal with Goalhanger to carry The Rest Is Football podcast during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In January 2026, The Chernin Group (Peter Chernin’s investment group) took a minority stake in Goalhanger.
In May 2026, the company launched Goalhanger Ventures, an investment and partnerships division focused on creator-led media businesses. Its first deals included an equity investment in Invisible Media and a commercial partnership with Backyard Cricket.
In June 2026, Goalhanger was ranked first in The Sunday Times 100 list of Britain's fastest-growing private companies. The company recorded sales of £37.9 million in 2025, representing average annual revenue growth of approximately 321% over the preceding three years.
Programming + 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, 2026Bear HuntScripted podcastDonald Pirie as Sergeant Tom MacDuff, Thomas Mitchells as Prime Minister Alex Kernoway & Naomi Miller as Mel MurraySeptember 10, 2026
References