The British Podcast Awards has announced its 2026 longlist nominees, recognising 409 entrants across 27 categories and showcasing the breadth of UK podcasting.
Nearly half of those longlisted are independent creators, reflecting the diversity and innovation within the sector as they stand alongside some of the most established names in British audio.
A panel of 200 industry experts reviewed this year’s submissions, with the longlist described as a special recognition of the “excellence, talent, passion, and originality” present in British podcasting.
This years’ awards will take place at indigo at The O2 on Thursday, 1 October.
Nominees for Best Host(s) include Bill Nighy, Louis Theroux, Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball, Jordan North and William Hanson, Katherine Ryan, Lily Allen, Miquita Oliver and Jordan Stephens, and Rylan.
The Best Interview Podcast category features How to Fail with Elizabeth Day, Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett, Great Company with Jamie Laing, Olivia Attwood’s Olivia’s House, and Mad, Sad, Bad with Paloma Faith.
In the Best Comedy Podcast category, From The Oasthouse: The Alan Partridge Podcast, Joe and James Fact Up with Joe Thomas and James Buckley, Sh**ged Married Annoyed with Chris and Rosie Ramsey, Elis James and John Robins, and Where There’s A Will There’s A Wake with Mel Giedroyc are among the nominees.
A new Food & Drink category sees Dish with Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett, Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware, and Ian Carr and Lee Peart’s Bottoms Up! on the longlist.
Other notable nominations include Wanging On with Graham Norton and Maria McErland for Best New Podcast, The Peter Crouch Podcast for Best Sport Podcast, What’s My Age Again? with Katherine Ryan and NewlyParents for Best Entertainment Podcast, The Teen Commandments with Sara Cox and Claire Hamilton for Best Parenting Podcast, and Joe Marler Will See You Now for Video Innovation.
The shortlist will be announced on Thursday, 23 July.
BRITISH PODCAST AWARDS – 2026 CATEGORIES
ARTS & CULTURE
Book Quest – Fun Kids
Books on the Beach – Independent Podcaster
Breaking Atoms – Breaking Atoms Limited
Folk on Foot – Potholder Productions Ltd
Girls On Film
Intersections: Silicon Valley – Rethink Audio
Jane Austen’s Paper Trail – The Conversation UK
Legend: The Bruce Springsteen Story – BBC Audio Wales and West of England
Mag Hags
Scarred For Life – Lock It In Studio
So, Hear Me Out – Reduced Listening Ltd
SOIL: Common Ground Series – Somerset House Trust
Soundtracking With Edith Bowman – Ebow Ltd
That’s Not How It Went Down
The Cockney Yiddish Podcast – Rhubarb Rhubarb
The Failing Writers Podcast
The Problematic Gaze
The Rise & Fall of Indie Sleaze – Peanut & Crumb
The Secret Life of Songs – London College of Contemporary Music
BEST HOST(S)
Anna Sinfield – Novel
Annie Kelly, Helen Pidd and Nosheen Iqbal, and Lucy Hough – The Guardian
Bill Nighy – EYEPOD Studios
Charlie Hedges & Holly Hagan-Blyth – Bite Your Tongue Productions
Deborah Frances-White – The Spontaneity Shop
Dr Jeff Foster -Voy
Edith Bowman – Ebow Ltd
Helen Zaltzman and Olly Mann – Answer Me This!
James Deacon – Sync Clap Limited
Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball – Persephonica Limited
Kate Moryoussef – ADHD Women’s Wellbeing
Katherine Ryan – Bauer Media
Lily Allen, Miquita Oliver, Jordan Stephens – Persephonica Limited
Louis Theroux – Mindhouse Productions
Rosie Moss – Widowed AF
Rylan Clark – Mindhouse Productions
Sara Davies & Helen Goddard
Wilfred Frost – Bird Lime Media
William Hanson and Jordan North – Audio Always
BUSINESS
Being Freelance – Foll&Co Ltd
Boss Class 3 – The Economist
Daybreak Europe – Bloomberg
Executive Decisions with Steve Sedgwick – CNBC
Failing Out Loud – Mikwabo
How To Own The Room
Jimmy’s Jobs of the Future – Boxlight Creative Studio
Make Planning Make Sense – Centro Planning Consultancy
Mind Your Business With Sara & Helen
Oxford+ – Kindling
Places She Shapes – JAC Project Management
Scam Detectors – Featurespace, A Visa Solution
Talk Auto – Cox Automotive
The Relentless Optimist – 18Sixty
The Factory Next Door
The Times Tech Podcast – The Times and The Sunday Times
Walking Out Loud – Tandem Productions
We Built This City: Greater Manchester – Purposeful Podcasts
What The Fraud? – Sumsub
Women’s Business – The Wilder Collective Ltd
COMEDY
Elis James and John Robins – Significant Productions Evil Animals – BBC Studios Audio
Fin vs History – Podmasters
Frank Off The Radio – Avalon
From The Oasthouse The Alan Partridge Podcast (Series 4) – Audible
Game’s Gone – The Steve Bracknall Podcast – Persephonica Limited
Joe and James Fact Up – Audio Always
Mel and Sue Should Know By Now – Audible
Pirate Material – Podomedy
Shagged Married Annoyed – Avalon
The Big Pitch – BBC Studios Audio
The Guilty Feminist – The Spontaneity Shop
The Last Laugh: The Last One Laughing Podcast – Audible
This Paranormal Life – This Paranormal Life
The Skewer – unusual
Where There’s a Will, There’s a Wake – Sony Music Entertainment
When The Cops Say No, We Say Yes – A Step Too Far Productions
DAILY
13 minutes presents: Artemis II – BBC
Daybreak Europe – Bloomberg
Newscast – BBC
Today In History with The Retrospectors – Rethink Audio
The Intelligence – The Economist
The Story – The Times and The Sunday Times
Today In Focus – The Guardian
Scotcast – BBC Scotland
Walk the Pod – Walk the Pod
DOCUMENTARY
Anatomy of a Cancellation, for Shadow World – BBC
Assume Nothing – The Stormont Spy Ring – BBC NI
Beware Book – Bauer Media
Death in Dubai (World of Secrets: Season 9) – BBC
Charlene: Somebody Knows Something – Daily Mail
Everything is Fake (And Nobody Cares) – Tempo & Talker productions
FOUNDLING – The Observer
Half-Life (The History Podcast) – Falling Tree Productions
Love and Radio: Blood Memory – Love and Radio
Made In China – BBC
Palestinians in Paraguay – Uncovering Roots
Pipeline: Left to Die – Daily Mail
The Toxic Waste Scandal – BBC
The Birth Keepers – The Guardian
The Girlfriends: Untouchable – Novel
The History Podcast: The Fort – BBC
The Smuggler – BBC
The Walkers: The real salt path – The Observer
The Wargame – Sky News
EDUCATION
A Little Bit Richer – Fresh Air
English Like A Native Podcast – English Like a Native
From Newcastle – Newcastle University
Fun Kids Science Quest – Fun Kids
Hold Or Fold – Prison Radio Association
Scam Detectors – Featurespace, A Visa Solution
Talking Rubbish – The Rubbish Collective
The Curve – The Curve Platform
The Pension Confident Podcast – PensionBee
The We Society – Whistledown Productions
ENTERTAINMENT
Boj & Kate Have A Lot On Their Plate – Podmasters
Dig It with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball – Persephonica Limited
Elis James and John Robins – Significant Productions
FolkLands – Seven Owls Ltd
Great Company – Jampot Productions
ill-advised by Bill Nighy – EYEPOD Studios
Lost in Translation – Bauer Media
Mad, Sad & Bad – Jampot Productions
NewlyParents – Jampot Productions
Olivia’s House with Olivia Attwood – Platform Media
Second Act with Ateh Jewel – HELLO! magazine
Shagged Married Annoyed – Avalon
The Buckleys Podcast – Platform Media
The Guilty Feminist – The Spontaneity Shop
The Louis Theroux Podcast – Mindhouse Productions
The Luxury Podcast – Audio Always
This Paranormal Life – This Paranormal Life
The Rise & Fall of Indie Sleaze – Peanut & Crumb
Topthree – Topthree Podcast
What’s My Age Again? – Bauer Media
FACTUAL
A Carnival of Animals – BBC
Babbage – The Economist
BatChat – Bat Conservation Trust
Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma – ReNew
Curious Cases – BBC Studios – Science Audio
Fun Kids Science Quest – Fun Kids
Future Tense with Richard Ayoade & Warwick Davies – Audible
Hold Or Fold – Prison Radio Association
How to Change the World: The History of Invention – How to Change the World
In Two Minds – Bengo Media
Making Tracks Railway Podcast – Making Tracks Railway Podcast – NB a collective of enthusiasts not a company
Tech Tonic – Financial Times
The Artificial Human – BBC NI
The Download – Yoto
The Story – The Times and The Sunday Times
The Wargame – Sky News
Top Comment – BBC
When Science Finds A Way – Rethink Audio
Wonderful Life – Audible
World of Sharks – Save Our Seas Foundation
FICTION
Broken Veil – Beard With Sauce Ltd T/A Cheese & Pickle Productions Ltd
Buzz: The Man & The Moon – Goldhawk Productions
Heathcliff – Audible
Leyline High Rewind – Leyline High Rewind
Limelight: The Dentist – BBC NI
Lost Terminal – Namtao Productions
Murder on Mars – BBC Studios Audio
O Now – BBC NI
Project Bläckfisk – Cipher Atlas
Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers – Fun Kids
Sherlock Holmes Short Stories – Noiser
Spores – Afonica
The Chronicles of Wild Hollow: Highperion Day (Vol. 1) – Shouting Is Funny
The Divide – Definitely Human
The Kingdom Sleeps – Cantrip Creative
The Wandsworth Way – Riverside Broadcasting CIC
Wolf Valley – Almost Tangible
NEW:FOOD & DRINK
Bottoms Up! with Alan Carr and Lee Peart – Goldhawk, Platform Media
Dish – Cold Glass Productions
Heard – Self Employed
Lunchbox Envy – QI
Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware – Balabusta Productions
The Nightcap – Shakespeare Creative Ltd
HEALTH & WELLBEING
Complex – Loftus Media
In Two Minds – Bengo Media
Is It Hot In Here? – 7X Content
It’s So Loud In Here! – BBC
Kind – Giant Ruby Limited
Momfessions – Mind Mommy Coaching
No Appointment Necessary with Dr Amir Khan and Cherry Healey – Made You Look Studios Ltd
Pete Wicks’ Man Made – Bauer Media
Real with Ric – Life after Loss – Real With Ric Podcast
Reset Your Health with Jamie Oliver – Audible
Science Weekly – The Guardian
Sliced Bread – BBC
Still Parents Podcast – The Lily Mae Foundation
The Dementia Perspective – OG Podcasts
The Oral Health Podcast – Oral Health Foundation
The Woman’s Hour Guide to Life – BBC
What’s My Age Again? – Bauer Media
When Science Finds A Way – Rethink Audio
HISTORY
After Dark – History Hit
Assume Nothing: The Radiation Holiday – BBC NI
Back When – National Trust
British Scandal – Audible
Dan Snow’s History Hit – History Hit
Dexplorers – Podomedy
FolkLands – Seven Owls Ltd
Geekstorians – Geektown.co.uk
Half-Life (The History Podcast) – Falling Tree Productions
How Did We Get Here? Israel and the Palestinians – BBC
Mistresses with Jameela Jamil & Dr Kate Lister – Audible
Postwar with David Runciman – BBC
The Ancients – History Hit
The Bomb: Kennedy and Khrushchev – BBC
The History Bureau: Putin and the Apartment Bombs – BBC Studios Audio
The House at Number 48 – BBC Long Form Audio
Titanic: Ship of Dreams – Noiser
War Hall: A Theatre of the Mind – Independent
Witness History – BBC Long Form Audio
IMPACT
A Question of Science – BBC Studios
Autism Unpacked – Options Autism
Black Earth – Black Earth Podcast
Crime Next Door: The Beast of Birkenhead – BBC
Inside Energy – Bengo Media
Living Histories – Heads On (Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s NHS Charity)
Missing In The Amazon – The Guardian
SEND in the Spotlight – BBC Woman’s Hour
SOIL: Common Ground Series – Somerset House Podcast – Somerset House Trust
Talking Rubbish – The Rubbish Collective
The International Care Collective – The International Care Collective
The Missing Sister – Free Turn
The Overturn – The Future Justice Project
The Wargame – Sky News
Trapped: The IPP Prisoner Scandal – Zinc Media
Untold: Toxic Legacy – Financial Times
Verandah Talk – Bengo Media
Wild Tales – National Trust
Women Beyond Walls – Women Beyond Walls C.I.C
INTERVIEW
Dish – Cold Glass Productions
Experience is Everything – Podmasters
How Do You Cope? … with John Robins (Richard Osman) – Significant Productions
How to Fail with Elizabeth Day – Sony Music Entertainment
Kind – Giant Ruby Limited
Lives Less Ordinary – BBC
Momfessions – Mind Mommy Coaching
On Hold – Storied Podcasts
Pete Wicks’ Man Made – Bauer Media
Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett – BBC Studios Audio
Rylan: How To Be In Love – Mindhouse Productions
Scarred For Life – Lock It In Studio
The Lede – New Lines Magazine
The Louis Theroux Podcast – Mindhouse Productions
The Master Investor Podcast with Wilfred Frost – Bird Lime Media
The Mishal Husain Show – Bloomberg
The Modern Mann – Rethink Audio
The Reading Cafe – The Reading Cafe
Y Podlediad Dysgu Cymraeg – Pont – Univeristy of South Wales
KIDS
Audiomoves in Space – Peut-Être Theatre
Dexplorers – Podomedy
Errol’s Garden Audio Musical – Golden Toad Theatre Company
Judge Bex – Fun Kids
Koala Moon: Kids Bedtime Stories & Sleep Stories for Kids Podcast – Happiest Ltd
Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers – National Trust / FunKids
Silly News with Samantha Baines – Samantha Baines
Snoop & Sniffy – GoKidGo
Supertato: The Tato Radio Show – BBC Studios Kids and Family
The Fourth Bookmark – The Fourth Bookmark
The Week Junior Show – Fun Kids
Today with tonies – tonies
Yoto Daily – Yoto
LIFESTYLE
As The Season Turns – Ffern
Dig It with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball – Persephonica Limited
Floating Space – Freelance
Get A Grip – Audio Always
Get Birding – Peanut & Crumb
Talking Rubbish – The Rubbish Collective
The Atlantic Canada Podcast – Atlantic Canada Agreement on Tourism / FINN Partners
The Outdoors Fix – The Outdoors Fix
This Was Always Me – Trickster Media Ltd
Travel Secrets by Tanya Rose – Travel Secrets
Your Aunties Could Never – YOUR AUNTIES COULD NEVER
We Talk To The Dead – Chloe Mediumship
NETWORK OR PUBLISHER
BBC World Service
Economist Podcasts+
Fresh Air
Fun Kids
Hamlin Studios
History Hit
JamPot Productions
Platform Media
Podomedy
Sony Music Podcasts
Unedited
NEW PODCAST
Bold Politics – Bold Politics
Do I detect a problem? – Sync Clap Limited
Fame Under Fire – BBC
Finding Your Pink – Emma Ledden
Kind – Giant Ruby Limited
On Hold – Storied Podcasts
Scotcast – BBC Scotland
Speed. Aggression. Surprise. The Untold Truth Behind the Story. – Dark Wave Film Ltd
The Art of Adventure – ILY Productions
The Jack & Ash Show – Audio Always
The Mishal Husain Show – Bloomberg
The State of Us: The Noah Donohoe Inquest – BBC
There’s A Lot I Haven’t Asked – There’s A Lot I Haven’t Asked
Top Comment – BBC
Visionaries
Wanging On with Graham Norton and Maria McErlane – Platform Media
When The Cops Say No, We Say Yes – A step too far productions
NEWS, POLITICS & CURRENT AFFAIRS
American Friction – Podmasters
Borderland – UK or United Ireland? – BBC Northern Ireland
Disorder – Freelance
Don’t Say A Word – 6Foot6 Productions
Electoral Dysfunction – Sky News
Flesh and Code – Audible
Holyrood Sources – Shortbread Media Ltd
Iran: the Latest – The Telegraph / Pod60 Ltd
Life of the Party – Ampersounds Productions
Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast – Rethink Audio
Palace Confidential – Daily Mail
Piers Morgan Uncensored – Piers Morgan Uncensored
Strong Message Here – BBC Studios Audio
The BelTel – Mediahuis
The Intelligence – The Economist
The Interface – BBC Studios Audio
The Tea with Myriam François – MPWR Productions
The Trial – Daily Mail
The Wargame – Sky News
Today In Focus – The Guardian
PARENTING
ADHD Women’s Wellbeing Podcast – ADHD Women’s Wellbeing
Adopters Anonymous – Freelance
Autism Unpacked – Options Autism
Bitesize Parenting Teens – Porcelina Productions Ltd
CBeebies Parenting Helpline – Bite Your Tongue Productions
I’m Not Judging, But… – Fin (West) Limited
Judged: A Mother’s Love – BBC
Momfessions – Mind Mommy Coaching
Parentline NI – Your Guide to Parenting – Children in Northern Ireland
Parent Unplugged – Parent Unplugged
Still Parents Podcast – The Lily Mae Foundation
The Teen Commandments – Audio Always
RISING STAR
Alex Berteanu – MMR Research
Anna Wolfe – Rethink Audio
Eva Brookes – Reduced Listening Ltd
Georgie Styles
Hugh Sheehan
Iona Bain – Fresh Air
Issey Walton – tiny pink dvd player productions
Katie Bridget Murphy – BBC NI
Linda Du – Moola Money
May, Marie & Mel – Dramax Sounds
Maya Raichoora – Audible
Naomi Bloomstein
SEX & RELATIONSHIPS
Atonement: The John Paulk Story – Goldhawk, Platform Media
Bisexual Brunch – Made in Manchester Ltd
The Divorce Podcast – amicable
Trans Crush – Trans Crush
Sex in Space – String Theory Ltd
SPORT
F1: Chequered Flag – IMG
Football Weekly – The Guardian
For The Love of Cricket – Crowd Network
Game’s Gone – The Steve Bracknall Podcast – Persephonica Limited
Golf Is Ruining My Life – Ruining My Life Productions ltd
Hospital Ball – York Hospital Radio
Pat Brown & Dave Allen Discuss… – Matchroom Boxing
RYA 150 Podcast – RYA
Stick to Cricket – The Overlap
Stick to Football – The Overlap
SwimOut – Swimoutpodcast
That Peter Crouch Podcast – Marvellous
The Climate of Sport – Sport Positive
The Good, The Bad & The Football – Platform Media
The Ruck – The Times and The Sunday Times
Whistleblowers – Daily Mail
Wild Swimming Wangers – Hector Productions
TRUE CRIME
Beware Book – Bauer Media
Codename Badger – Audio Always
Coining It – Free Turn
Crime Next Door: The Ballad of Big Mags – BBC
Crime Next Door: The Beast of Birkenhead – BBC NI
Cyber Hack: Evil Corp – BBC
Fraudacious – Novel
Love and Radio: Blood Memory – Love and Radio
Matched with a Predator – BBC
Murder in the Masai Mara – The Telegraph
Natalie McNally Murder: Youtuber on Trial – BBC News NI
Off Duty – The Guardian
Ransom Man – BBC Studios Audio
Seventeen Years: The Andrew Malkinson – The Times and The Sunday Times
The Darkest Web – BBC
The Girlfriends: Jailhouse Lawyer – Novel
The Missing Sister – Free Turn
The Mystic and the Mayor – Bite Your Tongue Productions
The Poppy Day Bomb – The Times and The Sunday Times
The Trial – Daily Mail
VIDEO INNOVATION
Bitesize Parenting Teens – Porcelina Productions Ltd
Dish – Cold Glass Productions
Do I detect a problem? – Sync Clap Limited
Game’s Gone – The Steve Bracknall Podcast – Persephonica Limited
Get Birding – Peanut & Crumb
Joe Marler Will See You Now – Platform Media
Reporting History – ITV News (ITN)
The Daily T – The Telegraph
The Girls Bathroom – Audio Always
The Mishal Husain Show – Bloomberg
This Paranormal Life – This Paranormal Life
Ukraine: the Latest – The Telegraph
WELSH LANGUAGE
Hanes Mawr Cymru – Terrier Productions
Rhaglen Cymru – Independent
Siarad Siop efo Mari a Meilir – Siarad Siop efo Mari a Meilir
Sgwrsio – Sgwrsio
Sut i Ddarllen – Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru | Books Council of Wales
Sŵntrack gyda Joe – sŵntrack
