News and politics podcasts climbed the UK rankings in the first quarter of this year, according to new data from Edison Research at SSRS.
Edison Research said The Joe Rogan Experience, The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett and The Rest Is Politics remained the top three podcasts in the UK for Q1 2026. The rankings are based on reach among weekly podcast consumers aged 15 and over.
The top four podcasts stayed in the same positions as the previous quarter. Newscast moved into the top five for the first time, while Americast entered the top ten after covering stories including the Iran war, protests linked to ICE in the United States, and the reported capture of Nicolás Maduro.
Sports podcasts also recorded their highest rankings to date. The Overlap and Stick to Football both climbed during the quarter.
ZOE Science & Nutrition entered the UK top 25 for the first time after rising 86 places. The podcast received attention earlier this year after the Advertising Standards Authority upheld a complaint over a ZOE supplement advert that described the product as “just real food”. The show was also nominated for an iHeart best branded podcast award in 2026.
Mel Robbins also entered the top 25. Robbins was named one of TIME magazine’s Women of the Year in March.
Edison said at least 2,000 weekly podcast consumers in the UK are surveyed each quarter as part of its Edison Podcast Metrics research.
