The News Agents podcast hits 24 million downloads in seven months

The News Agents, the UK’s leading daily podcast, has surpassed 24 million downloads since launching seven months ago.

Hosted by Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall, The News Agents has consistently topped the podcast charts, while on social its clips and bespoke explainer videos reach over 25 million users every month across TikTok, Twitter and Instagram.

The podcast has quickly established itself as the go to source for listeners to make sense of the biggest stories of the day, featuring interviews with key players in news and current affairs including leader of the Labour Party Sir Keir Starmer, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, and Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt, who revealed that The News Agents episode on rising childcare costs provided him with ‘ammunition’ to expand free childcare hours in the spring budget. The News Agents has also attracted some of the most beloved names in entertainment including Happy Valley actor James Norton, celebrity cook Nigella Lawson and football commentator Gary Lineker.

Alongside the unmissable interviews, the podcast has covered the issues that matter the most to listeners including the state of British policing, the cost of rental housing and the ongoing public sector pay disputes.

Further afield the podcast has kept listeners up to date with the latest developments in the world of international affairs reporting on location from the World Economic Forum in Davos, and last week from the escalating protests in Paris.

The News Agents has continued to champion original journalism, breaking the story that the Culture Secretary intended to drop the plans to privatise Channel 4 and the podcast regularly generates front page news for its scoops and interviews, breaking the news as well as analysing it.

Speaking at Radiodays Europe in Prague, Vicky Etchells, Head of News and Factual Podcasts for Global Player, said:

“I am delighted to share that The News Agents has surpassed 24 million downloads since launching last year. I am incredibly proud of the world-class journalism the podcast provides listeners on a daily basis, and these phenomenal download figures are a testament to the exceptional hard work of the whole News Agents team!”

Dino Sofos, Founder CEO, Persephonica and Executive Producer of The News Agents, said:

“In just seven months, The News Agents has established itself as the UK’s biggest daily podcast. We’re over the moon that so many people are coming to Emily, Jon and Lewis every day for their news fix - not only via the podcast, but through our video content on social channels and Global Player. It’s clear that listeners want their news delivered with sharp and punchy analysis, and to hear what our expert hosts really think about the day’s events.”