Goalhanger confirms second series of Bear Hunt as hit audio thriller surpasses 1m downloads
Goalhanger’s original geopolitical thriller Bear Hunt has surpassed 1m downloads, with the company confirming that the acclaimed audio drama will return for a second series in 2027.
The announcement comes as the ten-part thriller concludes its debut run, having built significant momentum throughout its release. Each successive episode has outperformed the last, with growing word of mouth and anticipation around the unfolding story attracting new listeners with every release.
The second series will see lead character Duffy return for an entirely new mission, in a new environment and with a new target.
To mark the finale, Goalhanger has also released a special bonus debrief episode, hosted by Gordon Corera, co-host of The Rest Is Classified. The episode brings together the creative team behind Bear Hunt, including Goalhanger Co-Founder and Executive Producer Tony Pastor, directors Adam Jarrell and Joel Emery, and Technical Producer David Allen, to discuss the making of the series, from its development through to its explosive conclusion.
Speaking about the show’s success, Goalhanger Co-Founder and Executive Producer Tony Pastor said: “We’re incredibly proud of what the team has achieved with Bear Hunt. It’s been a fantastic production from start to finish, and the response from audiences has been extraordinary. This was completely new territory for us, so to see an original drama resonate in this way has been hugely rewarding. We’re delighted to be bringing Bear Hunt back for a second series next year, with Duffy returning for a new mission, a new environment and a new target.”
Billed as a “British Bourne”, Bear Hunt follows a fictional British mission to assassinate the President of Russia, with a story spanning Westminster, Washington and deep behind enemy lines.
The series has also received widespread critical acclaim. The Guardian described it as “an atmospheric listen that blurs the lines between fiction and present reality”, while Radio Times hailed it as “a fascinating Bourne-style thought experiment”.
The Telegraph called the series “a tense, sharply topical thriller”, with the Daily Mirror declaring that it “shrieks quality”. The Daily Express said it “should whip up a fresh appreciation of audio fiction”, while Podcast Delivery praised its “high-octane intrigue” and Podcast Review described it as “a cut above others in the genre”.
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About Goalhanger
Goalhanger is the home of curiosity - a new-generation cultural media brand built for people who want to make sense of the world and have fun doing it. We’re one of the fastest-growing media and production companies globally, creating chart-topping, story-first shows across history, politics, sport, business, entertainment, current affairs and audio drama. Our titles include The Rest Is History, The Rest Is Politics, Empire, The Rest Is Entertainment, The Rest Is Politics: US, Leading, The Rest Is Money, Journey Through Time, Doing It Anyway, The Rest Is Football, Sherlock & Co., The Rest Is Classified, The Rest Is Football: Daly Brightness, The Book Club, Bear Hunt, The Rest Is Science, and We Have Ways of Making You Talk. In 2025 alone, our programmes were streamed over 750 million times. But Goalhanger is more than a podcast network. We produce long-form, conversation-led digital media across video, live events, memberships and audio, reaching tens of millions each month and building communities - not just audiences. Everything we make is rooted in trust, talent and curiosity, reflecting our purpose and values. We’re shaping a world that’s switched on, not tuned out - one great conversation at a time. Read more: https://www.goalhanger.com
This is a press release which we link to from Podnews, our daily newsletter about podcasting and on-demand. We may make small edits for editorial reasons.