A London podcast and media company behind The Rest Is History, The Rest Is Politics and The Rest Is Football, named Britain's fastest-growing private company in 2026.
Goalhanger is a London-based podcast and media company. It makes and publishes a network of around fifteen shows, best known for the "The Rest Is..." series: The Rest Is History, The Rest Is Politics and The Rest Is Football. Its shows cover history, politics, sport and entertainment, and it also produces the Match of the Day: Top Ten podcast for BBC Sounds.
The company was founded in 2022 by former England footballer and presenter Gary Lineker, former ITV sport controller Tony Pastor and audio producer Jack Davenport. It began life with a television production arm, Goalhanger Films, which made programmes for the BBC and ITV, but later closed that arm to concentrate on podcasts. Pastor has described the move from relying on broadcaster commissions to "self-commissioning", which gives the team more control over what it makes. We did not find a formal mission statement, so we have described its approach rather than quoting one. Its 2024 figures, reported ahead of a 2025 industry talk, were over 400 million downloads and more than 85 million YouTube views, and its coverage of the November 2024 US election was broadcast from a temporary studio in New York to a reported audience of over two million people.
Goalhanger is headquartered in London. Press coverage in 2026 reports about 80 staff, which is small for a business of its size. The Sunday Times 100 ranking named it Britain's fastest-growing private company, reporting sales of £37.9 million in 2025. We did not find a street address or details of other UK sites, so check the company website for where teams work day to day. A 2026 report also says that when it took on a first outside partner, the stated aim was to speed up growth in the US and to develop new formats across television, film, written content and live experiences, which suggests more kinds of work will open up over time.
The business has grown step by step. It started with advertising and host-read sponsorships, then added a paid membership scheme with over 250,000 members, live shows and a festival, and merchandise. Its shows reported more than 750 million full-episode views and streams in 2025. In 2026 it also launched Goalhanger Ventures, a division that partners with other creator-led media businesses. Press coverage does not describe its culture in detail, so ask questions about team life at interview.
For anyone interested in media, the roles behind a podcast network go well beyond presenting. They include producing and editing audio and video, research and scripting, marketing and audience growth, advertising and partnerships, events, and running a membership business. A company this size works across all of these, so people tend to see how the whole operation fits together.
Website: goalhanger.com
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