Goalhanger

We’re opening applications for the 2026 Goalhanger Traineeship. This is a full-time, paid trainee scheme based in our London office, designed to give people a proper 360° view of how a modern media business works. It’s not just about sitting in the back of a studio. Trainees will spend time across production, digital, community, technical production and commercial - learning how our shows are made, grown, monetised and turned into communities across audio, video, live, written and membership platforms. We’re looking for curious, ambitious and adaptable people who love long-form content, have already started making things in some form, and want to understand the full machinery behind shows like The Rest Is Politics, The Rest Is History, The Rest Is Football, The Rest Is Entertainment and more. Start date: September 2026 Location: Oval / Kennington, London Role: Full-time, paid trainee Please do share with anyone who might be a brilliant fit. More info here: https://lnkd.in/ekdJP6H3

Proud to see Goalhanger shortlisted at The Marketing Society 41st Global Awards 2026 in the Brand Transformation category. Our entry, "From Podcast Network to Cultural Powerhouse", reflects a journey that has involved every part of the company - from production and talent to commercial, marketing, social, video, live and memberships. What began as an audio-first podcast network is now a platform-agnostic media brand built around brilliant shows, loyal communities and stories that travel. Lovely to be recognised alongside brands including Wimbledon, Starbucks, Sainsbury's, the British Army, Haleon and more! More info here: https://lnkd.in/dy8VA7TG

🚨 New speaker alert! 🚨 We’re delighted to welcome Andy Hodgson, CFO of Goalhanger, to the stage at the SportsPro Investment Summit. As the UK’s largest independent podcast group, Goalhanger - co-founded by Gary Lineker - is entering an exciting new phase of growth. Following the launch of its startup incubator programme, The Accelerator, in January to support and mentor early-stage digital talent, the company is now launching its own venture capital arm focused on investing in creator-led media businesses. Join us at the Summit as Andy shares Goalhanger’s latest developments, investment strategy, and what’s next for the creator economy. 👉 https://lnkd.in/eNvUJMTA #SPInvest #Sports #Investment #Podcast #Capital

The Book Club, the books podcast from Goalhanger co-hosted by Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett, is launching a weekly newsletter designed to help listeners run their own book club at home, with launch week commencing 30th May 2026. 👇

The Rest Is Politics is moving into a new kind of storytelling. Produced by Goalhanger, and in partnership with The Observer UK, we’re launching our first-ever investigative collaboration: The Rest Is Politics: Who Funds Reform? This new four-part series examines the money, donors and power networks behind Reform UK - from its origins as the Brexit Party, through to its current position as one of Britain’s fastest-rising political movements. It brings together The Rest Is Politics’ political analysis, Goalhanger’s production expertise and The Observer’s investigative reporting to examine the money, donors and power networks behind Reform UK. The series explores how Reform was funded in its early years, Nigel Farage’s role at the centre of the party, the donors now gathering around the movement, its crypto links and pro-crypto policy shifts, international networks and overseas fundraising, and Farage’s own earnings, media work and wider business interests. Tom Whiter, General Manager, Politics & Current Affairs at Goalhanger said: “This is a bold new step for The Rest Is Politics as we broaden what the brand can do editorially, with Alastair and Rory as editors-in-chief. Partnering with The Observer allows us to develop original journalism that complements the core show, deepens our storytelling, and takes the trust we’ve built with audiences into more ambitious formats. Following the success of our Gen Z series, it’s another example of the bigger, broader stories we want to tell and we’re making the first episode free for everyone.” James Harding, Editor of The Observer, added: “With Reform leading in the polls, knowing who funds the party, and the interests and networks surrounding it has never been more important. This series will shine a much needed light on the financial forces driving one of Britain's most significant political movements today”. The series is reported by Catherine Neilan, with Poppy Bullard as series reporter/producer, Matt Russell as producer, and sound design by Dominic Delargy. It is produced for Goalhanger by India Dunkley, with Tom Whiter as executive producer for Goalhanger and Jasper Corbett as executive producer for The Observer. It launches on 29 May, with new episodes released weekly: https://lnkd.in/eJATvyEy

Lots of exciting things happening at Goalhanger this week, but wanted to highlight this role - the opportunity to be right in the middle of our growth strategy as we aim for one million members.

Very exciting to share the final programming for Goalhanger: The Rest Is Fest, taking place at the Southbank Centre from Friday 4 - Sunday 6 September 2026 as part of its 75th anniversary celebrations. The final events in the line-up include: 🎬 Stanley Tucci: Film, Food & Me Stanley Tucci joins Goalhanger co-founder Gary Lineker for a special live conversation spanning film, food, family and storytelling. 👑 The Real Housewives of Regency England Marina Hyde and Tom Holland come together to lift the lid on power, scandal and society in one of British history’s most fascinating eras. 🔬 The Rest Is Science: Live Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens (Vsauce) bring the first ever live edition of The Rest Is Science to the stage, wading into the deep end of some of science’s most fun questions. 🏛️ Ancient Myths: Mary Beard & Josephine Quinn Mary Beard and Josephine Quinn explore ancient power, legend and legacy. 🌍 The 3 Ayatollahs: An Unbreakable Dynasty? William Dalrymple, Anita Anand and Ali M. Ansari examine power, religion and politics in modern Iran. ⚽ Football Clichés: Live Football Clichés brings its cult take on the language, quirks and absurdities of the beautiful game to the festival stage, with the full crew - Adam Hurrey, Charlie Eccleshare and David Cameron Walker - joining. Across the weekend, the festival promises a live programme brimming with ideas, curiosity and conversation. Tickets for the newly announced events go on sale to Goalhanger and Southbank Centre Members on 28 May, and to the general public on 2 June. More info here: https://lnkd.in/eSAgQbJf

“What Goalhanger is testing, in the end, is whether the same structural thinking that built its own business can be handed down. Nicole believes it can.” Thank you, Net Influencer , for the chat last week. It was great to chat through the strategy behind our Accelerator programme and our wider commitment to the creator economy. Power to the creator! Really looking forward to revealing the final cohort soon! Full article here: https://lnkd.in/ezNU3MHY Thanks for arranging Sarah Jackson + Andy Neilson

Today, Goalhanger launches Goalhanger Ventures - a new investment and partnerships arm backing high-quality, creator-led media businesses with potential across video, social, audio, live and commercial platforms. We’re starting with an equity investment in Invisible Media Group, the company behind fast-growing digital media platform The Invisible Hand, and a new commercial partnership with Backyard Cricket, one of the UK’s most distinctive emerging sports creator brands. Charlie Tymon, Founder of Invisible Media Group, said: “Goalhanger has built a strong track record of bringing together audiences around intelligent, accessible conversation across politics, history and entertainment. With The Invisible Hand, we’ve already shown that younger UK audiences are engaging at scale with content about macroeconomics, business and geopolitics, proving there is a real appetite for serious ideas when they are delivered with clarity, energy and purpose. Through this investment, we’ll be able to draw on Goalhanger’s expertise in building, scaling and monetising industry-leading IP as we grow a brilliantly aligned, YouTube-first business with huge potential.” Navid Behroozi, Executive Producer at Backyard Cricket, said: “James and Mark have already done the hardest part: they have earned a huge amount of attention by making cricket feel fun, personal and culturally relevant online. Our job is to help turn that momentum into a more sustainable business around the content. By giving them more production support and helping open up new commercial opportunities, we can let them spend more time doing what their audience comes for - creating brilliant cricket entertainment.” James and Mark Wood, Co-Founders of Backyard Cricket, added: “Backyard Cricket started with us playing in the garden, arguing over close calls and sending decisions upstairs for DRS. It was never meant to be too serious, but we’ve always taken the cricket seriously. Recent years have been mad for the channel, and it’s been brilliant seeing how far the game travels. Working with Goalhanger gives us the chance to build on that and keep growing Backyard Cricket even further.” Goalhanger Ventures builds on our wider commitment to developing the next generation of digital media talent, following the launch of The Accelerator in January. Jack Davenport, Co-Founder of Goalhanger, said: “Goalhanger Ventures is about giving exceptional creator-led businesses the infrastructure to grow without losing what made them special in the first place. Invisible Media and Backyard Cricket are very different propositions, but they both have that rare combination of editorial clarity, audience trust and genuine momentum. Our role is to help them scale thoughtfully, commercially and creatively, while protecting the independence, personality and quality that their communities already respond to.” More here: https://lnkd.in/eFFTQwMc