Entries Now Open for The Golden Lobes 2026

The Golden Lobes are back – the podcast awards celebrating the funnier side of podcasting.

Created by the team behind Cheerful Earful, the global festival of funny podcasts, the Lobes shine a light on the creators, moments, and shows that keep audiences laughing week after week.

They’re affordable (£25 all-in), accessible (5 mins max), and designed to be fun, not faff. Just show off your best bits, hit submit, and enjoy being part of the most joyful awards night in podcasting. From indie darlings to mainstream mainstays and first-time podcasters, the Golden Lobes give shows of all shapes and sizes the same spotlight. In 2025, global platforms, national broadcasters, and solo creators rubbed shoulders, proving it’s a truly level playing field.

And it’s not just for out-and-out comedy shows – The Lobes celebrate funny moments across every genre: tangents, bloopers, guest chaos, social clips, and everything in between. Whether it’s a laugh-out-loud blooper from a true-crime podcast or an off-the-cuff tangent in a history show, if it made your listeners snort-laugh on public transport, we’re here for it.

Creators can enter here:  https://podlifeawards.com/about/the-golden-lobes-2026

See 2025’s full list of winners and gallery here: https://www.cheerfulearful.co.uk/post/from-harry-hill-to-frank-skinner-2025-golden-lobes-crown-the-funniest-podcasts-in-audio 

What’s new for 2026?

After last year, we sent out a big ol’ feedback form and let podcasters have their say. As well as building an awards night that is more inclusive and welcoming to folks travelling from further afield and smaller podcasters, we have introduced a wider range of categories including: 

• Best New Show: The standout debut that hit the ground running and made an instant impact. 
• Best International Show: Celebrating the funniest show made outside the UK.
• Behind The Scenes Hero: Honouring the unsung genius who keeps the whole podcast running.
• Beyond The Feed: For the podcasts that built a whole universe outside the episodes, from mailing lists to Discords and everything in-between. 

Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner

The Golden Lobes don’t just hand out trophies – winners take home a bucket-load of giveaways and prizes worth over £5,000, including: 

• A bespoke Golden Lobes trophy 
• A hand-designed digital badge
• 20% off first Podshop studio session 
• Descript Creator discounts
• Audio UK Creator Membership for category nominees
• Free year’s membership to Podcast Crew 
• Free Subscription to Podcast Strategy Weekly 
• Free year’s membership to British Comedy Guide Pro
• Bottle of fizz from The Clapham Grand

Plus lots more in the pipeline. 

Quotes from folks:

Giles Gear (founder of Cheerful Earful): “Last year’s inaugural Lobes was astonishing, with over 380 entries spanning first-timers, indie favourites and household-name juggernauts. That melting pot of podcasters is what made it so special: accessible, inclusive, and proper knees-up awards night. We have tonnes of fun planned for this year – watch this space!”. 

Frank Skinner (Winner of the inaugural Lobes Legend award in 2025): “The Golden Lobes was a fun night out: none of the cheesy nonsense of more established Awards Ceremonies nor nowhere near as long”. 

Ally Wolf (Clapham Grand Manager): “I’ve never experienced as many emails regarding organising an event before. Luckily the awards itself was the opposite: short, snappy and free of all the normal over blown faff awards ceremonies are used to. It was also hilarious and full of wonderful humans. For just the right amount of time”. 

Key Dates:

Entries open / close: Wednesday February 4th – Wednesday March 4th 23:59
Awards Ceremony: Wednesday 6 May 2026 at The Clapham Grand, London

For entry info, category details, and FAQs, visit: https://podlifeawards.com/about/the-golden-lobes-2026 

Full List of 2025 Golden Lobes Winners & Highly Commended

Big Ears Award (Funniest Podcast)
Winner: This Paranormal Life
Highly Commended: Brainwash Me with Poppy Hillstead, Russell Howard’s Five Brilliant Things

Best Guest
Winner: Joe Marler’s Things People Do – featuring Josh, the Bristol chimney sweep
Highly Commended: Russell Howard’s Five Brilliant Things, I’m So Not Over It

Best Scripted Podcast
Winner: Harford: An Oral History
Highly Commended: Oz 9

Best Earworm
Winner: Harry Hill’s Are We There Yet?
Highly Commended: 101 Part Time Jobs with Giles Bidder, CheapShow

Best Artwork
Winner: Go Home, You’re Drunk!
Highly Commended: Rural Concerns, Dungeons & Dickheads

Best Blooper
Winner: I’ve Had A Rosé, Let’s Talk About Feelings with Sam Lake

Best Listener Moment
Winner: Single Ladies In Your Area
Highly Commended: 40ish

Best Live Show
Winner: Lateral with Tom Scott
Highly Commended: The Guilty Feminist, Crushed by Margaret Cabourn-Smith

Best Social
Winner: Thots TV
Highly Commended: PastMaster: Reshaping History With AI

Best Tangent
Winner: Ghastly Women

The Listener’s Lobe (Fan Favourite)
Winner: Legitimate Likes

Grower Not a Shower (Cult Favourite)
Winner: CheapShow

Lobes Legend (Services to Funny Audio)
Frank Skinner