Goalhanger
Goalhanger Podcasts Ltd is a British podcast production and distribution company. In 2024, its podcasts received over 400million downloads.
According to the company, its 13 main shows collectively receive more than 70 million full-episode streams per month.
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.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, 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, presented by William Dalrymple and Anita Anand; and The Rest Is Football, 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.