The Rest Is Politics and its US spin-off have set new audience records after releasing emergency live episodes in the immediate aftermath of the US bombing of Iran.
The special broadcasts drew over 1.8 million views, streams and downloads across platforms in less than 24 hours.
Listeners and viewers flocked to YouTube, Spotify and other podcast platforms for instant reaction and analysis.
At its peak, more than 50,000 people watched live, with nearly a quarter of all YouTube views coming via smart TVs highlighting how podcasts and traditional broadcast are merging faster than ever.
In the UK episode, Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell discussed why the US intervened in Israel’s war with Iran, what it could mean for wider conflict in the region and how it might affect global stability.
Over on The Rest Is Politics: US, Katty Kay and Anthony Scaramucci explored Donald Trump’s motives for backing military action and whether it could split his support base.
Tony Pastor, Co-Founder of Goalhanger, said: “Once again, we’re seeing that in moments of fast-breaking news, audiences turn to podcasts for explanation and analysis.
“A recent Reuters Institute report confirmed The Rest Is Politics as the UK’s top-ranked news podcast and on Sunday, we saw clear evidence of why.
“Both our UK and US editions went live in the immediate aftermath of the bombing in Iran, offering timely insight and commentary.
“What’s particularly striking is how many people chose to watch these episodes on their television. The line between podcast and TV show is blurring – and it’s happening faster than ever.”
The figures come just days after Goalhanger was named the UK’s leading news podcast producer in the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism’s Digital News Report 2025, overtaking the BBC and Global.
