Goalhanger’s emergency episodes drew more than three million views and downloads in two days.
In the immediate aftermath of confirmation that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, had been killed following US and Israeli strikes, the network released live episodes of The Rest Is Politics, The Rest Is Politics: US and The Rest Is Classified within hours.
Across Saturday and Sunday, four emergency episodes generated more than three million views, streams and downloads, including over 1.72 million YouTube views and 1.3 million podcast streams and downloads.
Each instalment was turned around rapidly and distributed across platforms as audiences tuned in live while events unfolded.
Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell examined the prospects for regime change in Iran, possible retaliation from Tehran and the wider implications for regional and global stability.
Katty Kay and Anthony Scaramucci focused on Donald Trump’s strategic objectives and the domestic political stakes in the United States.
Gordon Corera and David McCloskey provided an intelligence-led assessment of escalation risks and internal dynamics within Iran’s leadership.
The response extended beyond audio and video, with a cross-network long-read newsletter sent to subscribers featuring contributions from Anthony, Alastair and Gordon, alongside reporting from producer Becki Hills in Jordan.
Tony Pastor, Co-Founder at Goalhanger, said: “The scale of the response shows where audiences turn in moments of uncertainty. As events escalate, people look for clarity and authority, and they know they’ll find it with our hosts.
“Our teams mobilised within hours, going live across multiple programmes without compromising the editorial standards that underpin everything we do.”
Tony added that the ability to deliver analysis quickly across formats reflects changing distribution, with live video, online platforms and podcasting increasingly intertwined. He said the results build on the company’s position in last year’s Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism Digital News Report.
