Fearne Cotton's Happy Place podcast signs with Acast

Acast, the creator-first podcast company, has signed Fearne Cotton’s much-loved and hugely popular podcast, Happy Place, to the Acast Creator Network. Acast will host, distribute and monetise the celebrated broadcaster and best-selling author’s chart-topping podcast, which heads into its 11th series today.

Acast’s partnership with Happy Place will amplify the reach of the podcast globally, with a key focus on the US market, and diversify the podcast’s revenue through premium ad products available through the Acast Marketplace — such as Sponsored Stories and branded content.

The exclusive partnership deal with Acast was delivered by YMU, the world’s leading integrated representation and management company.

Happy Place will also unlock fan-supported revenue with Acast’s podcast subscriptions service Acast+, creating deeper listener engagement and building on the devoted community Fearne has built.

Fearne’s Happy Place is the most-listened-to wellness podcast in the UK, and one of the country’s biggest independent shows — consistently topping the podcast charts with more than 40 million total listens to date.

In recognition of her contribution to podcasting and efforts in opening up conversations around mental health, Fearne was crowned Podcast Champion — one of the highest accolades in podcasting — at the 2021 British Podcast Awards.

In the podcast, Fearne sits down with incredible guests to converse about life, love, loss, and everything in-between, delving into what happiness means to them. Dawn French, Ian Wright, Hilary Clinton and Tom Daley are just a few of the inspiring individuals who have so far appeared on the show.

A leader for a new generation of wellness-conscious women, Fearne takes a relaxed and open-minded approach to health of both the body and mind. She is also a flagbearer for women-led podcasting, attracting the ears and loyalty of millions of listeners across the UK and around the world.

Fearne Cotton, host of Happy Place, said: “Our commitment to growing the Happy Place podcast and reaching more people has never been more important, as so many people face loneliness and mental health problems. And we chose Acast for this exact reason — we want to reach as many people as we can, all around the world.

“Acast’s position at the heart of the open podcasting ecosystem, and its global footprint, will help us continue to grow the Happy Place brand worldwide, giving us the potential to engage with millions of brand new listeners.”

Clarissa Pabi, Acast’s Senior Content Development Manager, UK, said: "We are long-time fans of Happy Place, and of Fearne’s ability to make people feel seen and heard. Fearne is a true trailblazer in podcasting, and Happy Place perfectly illustrates the potential of podcasting to create a brand that adds real value to people’s lives.

“In partnership with YMU — with whom we have an aligned mission to discover and amplify new and established voices in podcasting — we’re looking forward to supercharging the show’s growth globally, and monetising the brand on Fearne’s terms.”

Holly Bott, Managing Director, YMU Entertainment, said: “Working with Acast signals the next evolution of the Happy Place podcast. Our mission, from day one, has been to connect with as wide an audience as possible and include them in enlightening, challenging and hopefully positive conversations.

“Acast’s ability to authentically connect with a global audience will only help us to achieve that goal quicker and more effectively, and so we look forward to welcoming new listeners.”

Acast hosts 28,000 podcasts worldwide, offering growth support and monetisation for global smash hits including Sh*gged Married Annoyed, Katherine Ryan Telling Everybody Everything, and Doctor’s Kitchen with Dr Rupy — as well as podcasts from leading publishers including Today In Focus, Stories Of Our Times and FT News Briefing.

A pioneer in the open podcast ecosystem, Acast allows advertisers to target an engaged audience of listeners across any and every podcast listening platform — including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music and Spotify — through dynamic ad insertion. Acast also gives podcasters access to a range of monetisation opportunities and the necessary tools to expand their listener base.

For brands and advertisers looking to work with Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast and beyond, opportunities are available exclusively through the Acast Marketplace.