Goalhanger Podcasts
Corporate brand
UnclaimedBritish podcast production and distribution company known for history, politics, sport and current-affairs programming.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Goalhanger Podcasts is a British media company that produces and distributes podcasts across history, politics, sport, current affairs and related factual subjects. The business was co-founded by sports broadcaster and former professional footballer Gary Lineker, former ITV controller of sport Tony Pastor, and former BBC senior journalist Jack Davenport. Its earlier identity was Goalhanger Films, under which it concentrated on sports documentaries, including productions involving prominent football figures such as Wayne Rooney. The company moved into podcasting in 2018 with Behind Closed Doors, a football series associated with Lineker and broadcaster Danny Baker. It broadened its subject range in April 2019 with We Have Ways of Making You Talk, a Second World War podcast hosted by historian James Holland and comedian Al Murray. Podcasting became increasingly central to the business after the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020. In November of that year, Goalhanger launched The Rest Is History, hosted by historians and writers Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland. The programme helped establish the company's recurring format of pairing specialist presenters with accessible, conversational discussion. Goalhanger subsequently expanded its portfolio through a series of shows using the "The Rest Is" brand. The Rest Is Politics, first published in March 2022, brought together former Downing Street communications adviser Alastair Campbell and former Conservative politician Rory Stewart. Empire, launched in August 2022, focuses on the history and legacies of empires and is presented by historian William Dalrymple and broadcaster Anita Anand. The Rest Is Football, first published in August 2023, features Lineker, former England captain Alan Shearer and former professional footballer Micah Richards. The company combines podcast production with distribution, audience development, live events and subscription offerings. Since 2023, selected programmes have offered paid memberships that can provide earlier access to episodes, bonus material and priority access to live events. An interview with Davenport reported that the company had more than 200,000 paying members in 2025. Goalhanger has also used video distribution, particularly full-episode publication on YouTube, alongside conventional audio platforms. According to company information cited in the Wikipedia article, its 15 main shows collectively receive more than 75 million full-episode streams per month. During the 2024 United Kingdom general-election campaign, The Rest Is Politics and Leading together recorded more than 21.6 million downloads and full-episode YouTube views. During UEFA Euro 2024, The Rest Is Football recorded a combined 19.6 million downloads and full-episode views across its publishing platforms. These figures illustrate the company's strategy of building large, personality-led franchises around recurring hosts and topical events. In December 2025, Netflix agreed to carry The Rest Is Football during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In January 2026, The Chernin Group took a minority stake in Goalhanger. The company therefore combines an independent production identity with growing commercial relationships, paid audience products and distribution partnerships. Its principal competitive distinction is the development of long-running, host-driven factual franchises that can travel across audio, video, subscriptions and live experiences.
History
Goalhanger began as Goalhanger Films, a British production venture co-founded by Gary Lineker, Tony Pastor and Jack Davenport. Its initial work centred on sports documentaries and included projects connected with high-profile football personalities. The founders combined experience in professional football and sports broadcasting, television commissioning and journalism, giving the company an editorial base in factual sports media. In 2018, Goalhanger broadened its activities into podcasting. Its first reported podcast, Behind Closed Doors, focused on football and featured Lineker with broadcaster Danny Baker. The move allowed the company to develop lower-cost, serialised programming around recognisable presenters while reaching audiences directly through digital audio platforms. The company expanded beyond sport in April 2019 with We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Hosted by historian James Holland and comedian Al Murray, the show examines the Second World War through an informed but conversational format. This combination of specialist subject matter and accessible presentation became an important model for later Goalhanger programmes. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the company's emphasis on podcasting. In November 2020, Goalhanger launched The Rest Is History with historians Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland. The programme established a durable franchise identity and helped demonstrate the audience potential of long-form history discussion. Goalhanger then applied similar principles to other fields. The Rest Is Politics debuted in March 2022 with Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart, bringing together contrasting political backgrounds and perspectives. Empire followed in August 2022, presented by William Dalrymple and Anita Anand and devoted to the history of empires. The company returned strongly to sport with The Rest Is Football, launched in August 2023 by Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards. The show extended Goalhanger's football credentials while using the informal, personality-driven style associated with its history and politics franchises. Other programming, including Leading, broadened its current-affairs and interview-oriented output. From 2023 onward, Goalhanger introduced paid membership features for some shows. Subscribers could receive early access to episodes, additional material and priority access to live events. This represented a shift from a model based primarily on advertising and platform distribution toward a mixed model combining free audience reach with direct recurring revenue. A 2025 interview with Jack Davenport reported that the company had more than 200,000 paying members. Goalhanger's reach increased through major public events. During the 2024 United Kingdom general-election campaign, The Rest Is Politics and Leading together recorded more than 21.6 million downloads and full-episode YouTube views. During UEFA Euro 2024, The Rest Is Football recorded 19.6 million combined downloads and full-episode views across the platforms on which it was published. According to company information cited in the Wikipedia article, the company's 15 principal shows collectively receive more than 75 million full-episode streams per month. The business continued to pursue distribution and investment opportunities. In December 2025, Netflix agreed to carry The Rest Is Football during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In January 2026, The Chernin Group acquired a minority stake in Goalhanger. These developments point to an expanding media model in which Goalhanger's programmes can operate across podcast applications, video platforms, paid memberships, live events and major entertainment partnerships.
- 2026
Minority investment by The Chernin Group
[1]The Chernin Group took a minority stake in Goalhanger in January.
- 2025
Netflix distribution agreement
[1]Netflix agreed to carry The Rest Is Football during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- 2024
Major political and sporting event audiences
[1]Goalhanger reported substantial combined download and full-episode viewing figures around the United Kingdom general election and UEFA Euro 2024.
- 2023
Subscription model introduced
[1]Goalhanger began offering paid memberships for selected shows, including early access and bonus material.
- 2023
The Rest Is Football launches
[1]Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards launched the football franchise in August.
- 2022
The Rest Is Politics launches
[1]Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart launched the company's political discussion franchise in March.
- 2022
Empire launches
[1]Empire, presented by William Dalrymple and Anita Anand, launched in August.
- 2020
The Rest Is History launches
[1]Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland began presenting the history franchise in November.
- 2019
We Have Ways of Making You Talk launches
[1]The company launched its Second World War podcast hosted by James Holland and Al Murray.
- 2018
Entry into podcast production
[1]Goalhanger expanded from sports documentary production into podcasting with Behind Closed Doors.
Products and positioning
A British, personality-led factual podcast company that turns specialist knowledge, political experience and sporting authority into accessible recurring shows distributed through audio, video, subscriptions and live events.
Football podcast · 2018
Behind Closed Doors
Goalhanger's early football podcast, launched in 2018 and associated with Gary Lineker and broadcaster Danny Baker. It marked the company's transition from sports documentary production into recurring digital audio programming.
History podcast · 2019
We Have Ways of Making You Talk
A Second World War-focused podcast hosted by historian James Holland and comedian Al Murray. The show combines historical research with an informal conversational presentation and helped establish Goalhanger's non-sport factual programming.
History podcast · 2020
The Rest Is History
A long-form history programme presented by Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland. Launched in 2020, it became one of Goalhanger's central franchises and exemplifies the company's approach of pairing historians with a broad, conversational format.
Politics podcast · 2022
The Rest Is Politics
A political discussion podcast hosted by Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart. Its format draws on the presenters' different political experiences and addresses British and international political developments for a general audience.
History podcast · 2022
Empire
A history series hosted by William Dalrymple and Anita Anand that explores empires, imperial power and their continuing historical legacies. It extends Goalhanger's factual catalogue into global political and cultural history.
Football podcast · 2023
The Rest Is Football
A football programme hosted by Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards. The show combines analysis, personal experience and discussion of major football events, and became a major Goalhanger offering during Euro 2024.
Current-affairs podcast
Leading
A Goalhanger current-affairs offering that was distributed alongside The Rest Is Politics during the 2024 United Kingdom general-election campaign. The programme contributed to the company's political and interview-oriented output.
Marketing campaigns
- 2024United Kingdom general-election coverage
United Kingdom
The Rest Is Politics and Leading were promoted and consumed as election-period political programming, generating more than 21.6 million combined downloads and full-episode YouTube views during the campaign.
Outcome. The figures demonstrated strong audience demand for Goalhanger's political shows during a major national news cycle.
- 2024UEFA Euro 2024 coverage
United Kingdom · Global
The Rest Is Football used the European Championship as a major topical programming window, with episodes distributed across the show's publishing platforms.
Outcome. The programme recorded 19.6 million combined downloads and full-episode views during the tournament period.
Brand decisions
2026
Accept minority investment from The Chernin GroupM&ABackground
Goalhanger had developed a substantial portfolio of shows, paid memberships and distribution relationships.
Action taken
The Chernin Group took a minority stake in the company.
Aftermath
The investment gave Goalhanger a new institutional minority investor; the available source does not specify the transaction value or subsequent operating changes.
2025
Agree Netflix distribution for The Rest Is FootballProduct launchBackground
The company pursued expanded video distribution for one of its largest sports franchises ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Action taken
Netflix agreed to carry The Rest Is Football during the 2026 tournament.
Aftermath
The agreement broadened the programme's planned distribution beyond conventional podcast platforms.
2023
Introduce paid membershipsStrategyBackground
Goalhanger sought to complement broad free distribution with a direct paid-audience relationship for selected shows.
Action taken
The company introduced subscriptions offering benefits such as early episode access, bonus material and priority access to live events.
Aftermath
The paid audience grew steadily; a 2025 interview with Jack Davenport reported more than 200,000 paying members.
Sources2 sources
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