ByGandhinagar: The inaugural Political Podcast Awards, sponsored by Google, took place last night in Westminster, celebrating the very best in UK political podcasting.
The ceremony, hosted by broadcaster and former MP Gyles Brandreth, saw a wide range of podcasts and individuals recognized for their contribution to the medium.
The awards, created by iNHouse Communications, has emphasised podcasts as a medium for political discussion and debate, and the awards demonstrated the high quality of content and insightful analysis being produced in the UK.
Design by Pod MirrorThe Rise of Political Podcasting
The event showcased the innovative ways podcasts are delivering information to the public and providing a platform for respectful and engaging debate.
According to Katie Perrior, Chair of iNHouse Communications and founder of the awards, there is a growing appetite for nuanced political discussion, with listeners keen to hear debate and disagreement conducted well.
Judging and Selection
The winners were chosen by an independent panel of judges chaired by Anne Alexander, Head of Politics at Good Morning Britain.
The panel also included Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons Caroline Nokes MP, Leader of Scottish Labour Anas Sarwar MSP, Deputy Mayor of London Mete Coban, former Minister Lord Ed Vaizey, Downing Street Political Director Claire Reynolds, Women2Win founder Baroness Anne Jenkin, and CPS Director and Sunday Times columnist, Robert Colvile.
The judges faced a difficult task in selecting the winners from a pool of “spectacular examples of creativity and editorial excellence”.
Design by Pod MirrorThe Winners🥇
Here is a full list of the winners of the Political Podcast Awards 2025:
Podcast of the Year:
The Rest Is Politics🏆😉🥂
Hosted by Alastair Campbell, former aide to Tony Blair, and ex-Tory MP Rory Stewart, this podcast is one of the UK’s most popular political podcasts. The judges said that this podcast has truly changed political podcasting in the UK, recognizing the huge audience and popularity of the show. The podcast typically releases two episodes a week, discussing UK news and politics on Wednesdays and answering questions from listeners on Thursdays.
Best Newcomer:
Electoral Dysfunction (Sky News)🏆
Hosted by Sky News’s Beth Rigby, Labour peer Baroness Harriet Harman, former leader of the Scottish Conservative party Ruth Davidson, and Jess Phillips, this podcast was praised for being “truly refreshing.” The judges noted that it quickly became a staple in the Westminster podcast world. The judges said that it appeals to a wide audience beyond the Westminster bubble, by being both fun and informative and by making news.
Other nominees
- Politics Weekly (The Guardian)
- The Daily T (The Daily Telegraph)
Comedy Moment of the Year:
Electoral Dysfunction (Sky News)🏆
The judges awarded the podcast for a “genuinely funny moment” where Jess Phillips commented on Boris Johnson forgetting to bring ID to a polling station, with Beth Rigby’s reaction making the moment even better.
Other nominees
- For The Many (LBC)
- The Political Party with Matt Forde (Avalon)
International Podcast of the Year:
The Rachman Review (The Financial Times)🏆
Hosted by the FT’s chief foreign affairs columnist Gideon Rachman, this podcast was praised as “truly international,” with the judges adding that it “shows there is room for serious, longer form interviews in podcasts.”
Other nominees
- Americano (The Spectator)
- The News Agents (Global)
Interview of the Year:
Political Currency (Persephonica)🏆
Hosted by former Labour MP Ed Balls and ex-Tory chancellor George Osborne, the podcast won for their interview with Michael Gove. The judges said it “felt different and refreshing” and delivered a “fascinating insight into a particularly dramatic moment in British political history”.
The judges further noted that it was compelling due to the knowledge and experience of the hosts as two huge political figures putting a seasoned media performer under pressure.
Other nominees
- Newscast (BBC) – Interview with Sir Keir Starmer
- The News Agents (Global) – Interview with Eylon Levy
Most Original Format:
The Simple Politics Podcast (Stripped Media)🏆
Founded by ex-teacher Tatton Spiller, this podcast was praised for its unique approach to political coverage. The judges said that this podcast reaches people who may not usually listen to a political podcast and that their “rough and ready ‘here is what you need to know’ approach is accessible and different to most other podcasts.”
Other nominees
- Politics at Jack and Sam’s (Sky News and Politico)
- Political Fourcast (Channel 4 News)
Presenter of the Year:
Jack Blanchard and Sam Coates – Politics at Jack and Sam’s (Politico and Sky News)🏆
This daily breakfast offering was recognized for providing “must-know political insight” to its listeners. The judges acknowledged the impact of Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart but ultimately concluded that “Politics at Jack and Sam’s” had become a “must-listen, which is perfectly timed for listeners to get their bite-sized chunk of must-know political news every morning”.
Other nomonees
- Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart – The Rest is Politics (Goalhanger)
- Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson, Harriet Harman, and Jess Phillips – Electoral Dysfunction (Sky)
- Chris Mason, Laura Kuenssberg, Adam Fleming, and Paddy O’Connell – Newscast (BBC)
- Hannah Barnes – The New Statesman
Producer of the Year:
Andrew Alexander – How to Win An Election (The Times)🏆
The judges praised this podcast for “incredible creativity” and said that Andrew Alexander “has a talent for compelling content.”
Other nominees
- The Channel 4 News Team: Political Fourcast
- Laura Fitzpatrick: Sky News
Rising Star:
Sascha O’Sullivan – Westminster Insider (Politico)🏆
The judges described O’Sullivan’s style as “intimate, engaging” and said she is “a natural broadcaster skilled at drawing the listener into her reports”. They added that she is “a new voice who appears to have a bright future”.
Other nominees
- Cindy Yu: Chinese Whispers (The Spectator)
- Kiran Stacey: Politics Weekly (The Guardian)
Scoop of the Year:
The News Agents: Paul Marshall story🏆
The judges said this was “a true podcast scoop” with the story broken on the podcast itself. This investigative report was produced by The News Agents in collaboration with the campaign group Hope Not Hate, and it looked into the social media activity of hedge fund millionaire Paul Marshall as he became a potential buyer for the Telegraph and Spectator.
Other nominees
- Tortoise: Frank Hester: Tory Northern Diamond story
- The News Agents: Paul Marshall story
- The Story (The Times): Chinese spies story
The People’s Choice, sponsored by YouTube:
Political Currency🏆
This award was voted for by the public, with thousands of people backing their favorite from the political podcast world.
Established Media Embracing Podcasts:
Many of the winning podcasts are produced by established news organizations like Sky News, The Financial Times and The Times, indicating that traditional media outlets are seeing the value of podcasts as a way to reach a wider audience.
Diverse Formats and Styles:
The awards recognized podcasts that adopt a wide range of formats, including interviews, comedy, and original formats. This demonstrates that there is room for diverse approaches to political podcasting.
Importance of Engaging Presenters and Interviews:
The “Presenter of the Year” and “Interview of the Year” categories show how important it is to have engaging conversations and strong hosts in order to be a successful podcast. The awards recognised well-known personalities from politics and journalism.
Originality and Impactful Stories:
The “Scoop of the Year” and “Most Original Format” awards highlight the importance of podcasts that can break original stories, present unique perspectives, and have an impact on the political landscape.
Public Engagement:
The “People’s Choice Award” underscores the value of engaging with the public in the political podcasting space, and the podcast that won was determined by public vote.
High Quality Content:
The judges were impressed by the quality, range of discussion, and journalism demonstrated by the entrants, showing that the podcasts are finding ways to deliver insightful content and analysis.
New and Rising Talent:
The awards also highlight and encourage new voices in the political podcasting world, through the “Best Newcomer” and “Rising Star” categories.
In the end
The inaugural Political Podcast Awards showcased the vibrant and evolving landscape of political podcasting in the UK. The awards celebrated the innovative and impactful ways that podcasts are delivering political content and fostering debate. As Katie Perrior noted, the awards demonstrate that “quality content and insightful analysis will always stand out, regardless of the format”.
