Actor Sean Bean to host a podcast

• The actor Sean Bean is hosting a podcast for the first time. He has been announced as the new host of the Get Birding podcast. The two-time BAFTA TV & International Emmy-winning actor, who is globally recognised for his starring roles in The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, grew up as a keen birdwatcher.

• For the past few months, Libsyn has been unable to correctly offer “301 redirects” for all customers, meaning that it’s hard to switch away from the podcast host. Podnews has learnt that the issue, which started in October last year, is being fixed; in messages from support, Libsyn has been blaming other companies for the issue, behaviour that a company spokesperson tells Podnews “doesn’t meet our bar for customer support”.

• Earsay is another podcast app that claims to skip ads automatically: but this does it on your iPhone, using Apple’s AI model. “When an ad is detected, you can skip it, listen through it, or let earsay handle it automatically.” The company highlights that when earsay detects an ad, it extracts sponsor information — brand names, promo codes, special offers, website links — and shows them as visual cards instead; it also does full transcripts of every show. The developer claims that podcast creators won’t be harmed - it doesn’t cache or interfere with podcast downloads, though it does remove links for OP3 and other trackers.

• Podspace has launched enterprise video distribution. The tool starts with a direct YouTube integration. It “enables enterprise networks to manage multi-format content with the same efficiency and platform neutrality they expect from their audio business.”

• The Dan Bongino Show is coming back to podcasting. He spoke on FOX News; he starts Feb 2.

• Beamly now supports analytics prefixes from five new providers: OP3, Podtrac, Spotify Ad Analytics, Podscribe and Podcorn. The service also has integrated with Zapier.

• Substack has launched a TV app on Google TV and Apple TV, for video content from writers.

• Netflix announced it has acquired a further eight video podcasts. “We think about video podcasts like a modern talk show,” Ted Sarandos said.

• Further reading: Tom Webster wonders aloud: why do you podcast? … YouTube’s Neal Mohan writes a blog post with “What’s coming to YouTube in 2026” (podcasts gets one mention) … Cody McLoughlin wants you to use all the features that Apple Podcasts make available … Eric Nuzum shares ways to prep your guests so they sound and look great

  People News

• FlightStory has a new Guest and Research Director, Winnie Dunbar Nelson. She used to get guests for the Oprah Winfrey Show, as well as worked with CNN, ITV and NBC News. She lives in London; it’s reported that Steven Bartlett has moved to Los Angeles.

• Lower Street has announced the appointment of Alex Zingale Centner as its new Head of Audience Development.

Podcast News - with Airwave

With Airwave: Mysteries at Midnight s a Podcast exclusively dedicated to classic mystery stories featuring the likes of Agatha Christie’s Poirot, Sherlock Holmes and Father Brown - read in the style of a soothing bedtime story.

New from iHeart and Imagine Entertainment this week is The Secret World of Roald Dahl - you probably know him from Willy Wonka, Matilda, and the BFG. But did you know he was also a spy? How did this secret agent and struggling screenwriter wind up as the most successful children’s author ever? And what darkness from his covert past seeped into the stories we read as kids? A dark, twisty, fascinating true story.

iHeartPodcasts is teaming up with Daniel Alarcón, host of My Cultura Podcast Network’s “Radio Ambulante” and John Green, New York Times bestselling author, for new original podcast series “The Away End,” exploring the universal love for international football leading up to the 2026 World Cup in USA, Canada and Mexico. The Away End with Daniel Alarcón and John Green went live this week.

Some of the biggest British television stars are Ant and Dec - and Hanging Out With Ant & Dec is a new, relaxed, playful podcast with warmth, humour and audience-first content. The first episode was released yesterday. It’s made by Mitre Studios and Platform Media, and sounds better than the artwork.

In the Podnews Weekly Review this week, James and Sam look at the week’s news, but Sam leaves the biggest news until right at the end. We await the press release so we can report it properly next week.

Starting this week, Profiling Criminal Minds delves deep into Dexter, Showtime’s most successful production ever. Every week, Dan and Sheila dig into the motivations that drive the characters, analyzing how their stories unfold onscreen, and unashamedly share their thoughts and opinions about Dexter. Who is the most interesting killer? Which is the most disappointing plotline? Who is the best character on the show, and why is it Joey Quinn?

Chenjerai Kumanyika, host of the award-winning podcasts Empire City and Uncivil, is known for connecting history, politics, and powerful storytelling. Unruly Subjects is his new weekly podcast, created in partnership with Rowhome Productions, where Chenjerai brings all that energy to the present moment. Join Chenjerai, his family, and his community to think through the week’s politics, culture, and struggles together.

In French, Assurance en coulisses highlights business and careers in the insurance sector. The podcast interviews key players, from insurers, brokers, mutual insurers, insurtechs, and experts; and the major transformations shaping the insurance market.