Lock It In, the podcast production company founded by Absolute Radio’s Andy Bush, has partnered with the UK’s leading independent podcast network Adelicious to bring comedy, history, and entertainment podcast portfolio, and any new future shows, to the network.

This includes quiz podcast Guestimators  – described as ‘Family Fortunes meets Only Connect; Scarred For Life, the TV and film podcast where celebrities confess three terrifying items or events from their childhood; DEADPOD, a comedy/history crossover that breaks taboos around death; and the A to Z series of podcasts documenting the most significant cultural moments of the 1980s and 1990s in alphabetical order.

Adelicious will work with Lock It In on audience growth strategies and commercialization, enabling growth for both existing shows and future productions in its portfolio.

This year, Adelicious welcomed Sh**ged. Married. Annoyed. – one of the UK’s most loved podcasts — to its network, as well as the full podcast portfolio with Immediate, the home to many of the UK’s favourite consumer brands. It also partnered with publishing Hearst UK to monetise its current slate of shows and future launches.

Craig Eastwood, Commercial Operations Director for Adelicious, said: “Lock it in are still fairly new, but they’re already stepping up and making their mark, creating the kind of audiences and brands that get people talking. Their entertaining, culturally tuned approach is exactly what audiences and brands are looking for, and we’re really pleased to be working with them at Adelicious as they build toward a bright future.”

Andy Bush, Co-Founder of Lock It In, added: “We were actively looking for a new partner to help take our podcast portfolio to the next level, and everyone we spoke to in the podcast world pointed us in the direction of Adelicious. The reputation they’ve built in such a short period of time is exceptional and we can’t wait to see what we can deliver together.”

Lock It In was founded in 2024 by Bush, the voice of Sometime for 2.2m weekly listeners, Will Nichols (former VP, Content Development at Universal Music) and Matt Cutter, the sports journalist behind breakthrough podcast documentary The Pirates vs the Premier League.

It focuses on podcasts that are inspired by the nuances of British culture, and works with platforms, talent and brands on everything from concepts and content strategy through production, monetization, and promotion. For more information, visit www.lockitin.studio.

Hearst UK has partnered with the UK’s leading independent podcast hosting platform Adelicious in a deal that will see both its current slate of shows, and future launches, monetized via the platform.

Publishing powerhouse Hearst UK is home to some of the best-loved and trusted media brands. It’s podcasting offering bring the same success to audio, with high-quality and entertaining content that listeners love. The collaboration with Adelicious will initially focused on on the Runner’s World UK and best’s Suddenly Single podcast, with additional currently in the planning stage.

Runner’s World UK podcast: A staple since February 2018, this weekly podcast enjoys a loyal audience of running enthusiasts. Hosted by Runner’s World UK editors Rick Pearson and Ben Hobson, the show offers an engaging mix of news, tips and interviews with notable figures in running. Previous guests include actor Stephen Mangan, marathon legend Paula Radcliffe, and trail running icon Kilian Jornet.

Best’s Suddenly Single: Presented by Tim Vincent and Editor-in-Chief of best magazine, Siobhan Wykes, this weekly podcast explores how it feels to be suddenly single — yet again. They chat with their celebrity mates about their dating disasters, share hilarious and heartfelt stories, and offer expert advice on finding “the one” in this entertaining guide to navigating single hood.

Adelicious will represent Hearst UK’s podcasts commercially, connecting their podcast content with advertisers and supporting the monetisation and growth of Hearst UK’s podcast portfolio.

Craig Eastwood, Commercial Operations Director at Adelicious, said: “Hearst’s UK roster of iconic brands has set the standard for quality journalism and journalism and storytelling for decades and their podcast offering is no exception. From the inspiring conversations on Runner’s World to the whitty and relatable insights of best’s Suddenly Single, this shows present unique opportunities for advertisers to reach passionate and dedicated audiences. We are proud to bring Hearst UK’s podcasts into the Adelicious network and look forward to working with them on both these shows and some exciting new launches coming soon.”

Anna Bickerton, Platform Partnerships Lead at Heart UK said: “Our aim is to deliver world-class audio content that engages, inspires, and entertains our audiences. Working with Adelicious allows us to scale up our ambitions for these podcasts, taping into their industry-leading expertise to both unlock and maximize commercial opportunities and deliver even greater value to our listeners.”

Immediate, home to trusted brands that people love including Radio Times and Good Food, has partnered with Adelicious, in a deal that brings its full podcast portfolio and any new future shows to the network.

Immediate is the UK’s leading UK publisher podcast producer. It’s portfolio, available on all major podcast platforms includes the HistoryExtra Podcast, the UK’s biggest history podcast which recently celebrated 270+ million all-time downloads, The Radio Times Podcast, BBC Gardners’ World Magazine Podcast, and The Good Food Podcast. In 2024, Immediate produced 600 podcast episodes across 16 ongoing series, achieving 3.5 million downloads per month.

Adelicious aims to build on this exceptional podcast portfolio by identifying new commercial opportunities for the brands and collaborating on audience growth strategies, enabling them to both grow existing shows and further expand their portfolio. Immediate’s podcast portfolio is also available in the Spotify Audience Network.

The Immediate podcast portfolio showcases expert voices, high-profile guests, and renowned personalities, catering to a wide audience of diverse taste.

The hugely popular HistoryExtra Podcast features interview with notable historians on topics spanning from ancient history through to historical conspiracies and events shaping our modern world. Episodes feature historical perspectives on everything from Tudor monarchs, the D-Day landings, to the 5,000-year history of tattoos.

Whilst The Radio Times Podcast attracts leading names for interviews from the world of entertainment, with previous guests including Matt Damon, Helen Fielding, KSI, Louis Theroux, and Stephen Fry.

Other highlights include Alan Titchmarsh, Monty Don, and Adam Frost on the BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Podcast and celebrity chef Tom Kerridge as a regular host of the Good Food Podcast.

Andrew Goldsmith, CEO of Adelicious said: “Immediate’s podcast portfolio is an extraordinary addition to our network, bringing millions of listens and an incredible diversity of shows. From history to entertainment and expert-led lifestyle content, this partnership ensures there’s truly something for everyone. We will now be working together to continue to support existing shows, alongside creating even more opportunities for listeners and advertiser alike.”

Immediate is home to some of the UK’s most loved consumer brands, including Radio Times, Good Food, Nutrcheck, HistoryExtra, and BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine, which collectively reach a UK audience of 21 million users every month across their media channels”

Cath Waller, Immediate’s Managing Director of Advertising, says: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Adelicious. Their commercial expertise in podcasting and experience within our sectors, alongside a clear understanding of the value of our premium editorial brands, make them an excellent fit. We’re confident that this partnership will help us achieve our podcasting ambitions, connecting our trusted content with many more listeners and brands, whilst continuing to bring joy to our audiences.”

Adelicious, the UK’s leading independent podcast hosting and monetization network, has more than doubled its average campaign spend and the number of brands advertising on the network since 2023, delivering its one-billionth ad impression this year. The network’s shows now attract a monthly listenership four times higher than the average on major global platforms, solidifying Adelicious’ position as a market leader.

These impressive figures have been driven by significant additions to the invite-only network in 2024. Among these is the full roster of podcasts from DMG, the most recognized and engaged news brand in the UK. Their shot now hosted by Adelicious include the true crime series The Trial, Soccer A-Z, which reunites former Soccer AM hosts Tim Lovejoy and Helen Chamberlain and Bryony Gordon’s Life of Bryony.

Adelicious also welcomed a range of top-tier talent from Avalon, including Russel Howard’s Five Wonderful Things and Frank Skinner’s Off the Radio following his departure from Absolute Radio, as well as his Poetry Podcast. Meanwhile, popular breakthrough acts including Shabaz Ali’s You’re Rich, I’m Poor also joined the network this year.

These additions highlight Adelicious’s commitment to supporting both established names and emerging voices in the comedy world, further exemplified in the company’s continue headline sponsorship of The Cheerful Earful Festival and sponsorship of the Independent Podcast Awards.

Other notable 2024 signings included new launch Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud, where renowned fashion designer Bella Freud invites guests to ‘lie on the couch’ to explore the connection between fashion and identity. The video-first podcast features fascinating conversations with figures like Kate Moss, Eric Cantona, and Courtney Cox, delving into how personal style reflects broader themes of self-expression and culture.

2024 has been a transformative year for Adelicious, achieving exceptional revenue growth and more than doubling its brand portfolio. High-profile clients, including Amex, Airbnb, Bupa, EE, Fever Tree, Marks & Spencer, Virgin Atlantic, Peloton, Slack, TNT, and many more, now rely on the Adelicious network to amplify their brand voices.

This summer, Adelicious also coordinated a six-month landmark partnership with Colgate and The Diary of a CEO, alongside the brand’s media agency, Wavemaker UK, a collaboration that is notable for being the brand’s first ever podcasting campaign.

Leadership milestones have also been a highlight of 2024. Andrew Goldsmith was promoted to CEO from his role as Managing Director and has used his role to champion the increasing problem of ageism in advertising, advocating for representation in the voices and stories we see and hear, as well as creating opportunities for people of all ages within the industry itself. This commitment reflects a positive vision for a more diverse and inclusive future in advertising.

Alongside Andrew’s promotion, Gemma O’Brian was promoted to Head of Sales, and Lora Elliott to Head of Campaigns, further strengthening Adelicious’s senior leadership team.

Andrew Goldsmith, CEO, Adelicious said: “2024 has been another landmark year for Adelicious. Delivering over one billion impressions and achieving a monthly listenership four times higher than the average on major global platforms are achievements we’re incredibly proud of. Our mission has always been to create success for our podcasters while delivering exceptional value to advertisers. This year’s achievements reflect that commitment, and we’re excited to build on this momentum as we look ahead to an even bigger 2025.”

Adelicious has appointed Andrew Goldsmith to the role of Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Previously serving as Managing Director since October 2021, Goldsmith’s promotion comes at a time of exceptional growth for the company, allowing them to accelerate their long-term growth plans.

By the end of 2023, Adelicious had a 314% year-on-year increase in network listens, marking a sevenfold increase over the past two years and establishing them as one of the world’s leading independent hosting and monetsation networks. This growth in listens led to their brand count more than doubling and both average campaign values and overall revenues increasing more than threefold.

Goldsmith’s tenure at Adelicious began with a mandate to expand the commercial and operations departments, alongside network growth and attracting senior talent to the business. His efforts have also been pivotal in fostering relationships with media planning and buying teams in the UK, US and globally. Goldsmith’s previous experience includes roles at Global Radio, Primesight and as Business Partner at The Guardian, where he was instrumental in returning the newspaper to profit for the first time since 1988.

The promotion of Goldsmith to CEO is part of the company’s wider growth strategy, allowing co-founders David McGuire and Pascal Hughes to move to the newly created roles of co-Chief Growth Officers, with the trio focusing on the on-going evolution and long-term vision of the business.

Andrew Goldsmith, CEO at Adelicious, said: “Stepping into the role of CEO at such a dynamic time for Ademicious is both an honor and an exciting challenge. Our impressive growth sine launch is a clear indication of our team’s hard work and the innovative strategies we’ve implemented. As CEO, I am committed to working with David, Pascal, and the team to bring our exciting plans to fruition and further reinforcing our position as a leader in the global podcasting market.”

In a joint statement, David McGuire and Pascal Hughes, co-Chief Growth Officers at Adelicious, added: “Our revenue and network growth has far exceeded our forecasts, made possible by Andy and his team and our fantastic partners whose amazing content they trusted us to look after. As a result, we’re able to accelerate our plans for growth and are delighted that Andy has accepted the position of CEO. Andy has already driven exceptional growth and opened up the door to some of the world’s biggest brands and we look forward to seeing our growth and our new projects come to fruition.”

Adelicious, founded in 2020, is home to a suite of popular commercial podcasts including Apple’s most popular podcast of 2023, The Diary of a CEO and the 2023 I’m a Celebrity ‘King of the Jungle’ Sam Thompson’s show Staying Relevant, alongside co-host Pete Wicks. The platform also features other notable shows such as Wellness Unpacked with Ella (Deliciously Ella), Short History Of, Socially Distant Sports Bar and The Motherkind Podcast.

Nicole Gardner has joined Adelicious as Agency Director, as the podcast ad platform grows to meet rising demand. Challenger ad platform Adelicious has been able to capitalize on the current boom in podcast ad spending. With more brands turning their attention to podcasts and more podcasters seeking to make authentic connections with brands, Adelicious’ bespoke approach is exactly what many in the industry have been looking for. With demand for its services expanding fast, Adelicious continues to build a team in support of rapid growth.

Nicole Gardner joins as Agency Director, looking to develop a commercial agency sales team and pursue new opportunities in podcasting, particularly around demand for host-read ads. She brings ten years of experience at Global Radio, and an extensive network of business contacts.

“I had heard about what Adelicious were doing, and it was something I wanted to be a part of,” says Gardner. “In moving from a large media organization to a start-up, I’m excited about the opportunity to make a difference, to build something from the ground up. And my clients are excited about it too. There is a real appetite for alternatives, for innovation, and for competition in podcast advertising.”

This demand for alternatives is the driver of Adelicious’ success. The platform was launched in the summer of 2020 by two podcast producers who wanted more flexibility in how they monetized their podcasts. Their ‘by podcasters, for podcasters’ philosophy has resonated with the industry, offering higher revenues, greater transparency and more options. The network already serves millions of listens every week, and continues to add high quality podcasts to its portfolio.

“We’re growing so quickly” says MD Andrew Goldsmith. “We need talented people with experience and who can hit the ground running, and that’s what we have with Nicole. I can’t wait to work with Nicole to deliver great campaigns for our clients and help us to continue to expand.”

Podcast ad platform Adelicious has appointed Andrew Goldsmith as Managing Director, as the business expands rapidly.

Adelicious is a premium podcast ad platform that connects brands to high quality podcasts and their audiences. The business was formed by two podcast producers who were frustrated by the lack of flexibility in podcast monetization. Confident that their frustrations would be shared by many other premium podcasters, they launched a more bespoke service that would offer higher revenues and a greater range of options than existing podcast ad providers.

Eighteen months later, their ‘by podcasters, for podcasters’ approach has led to a growing network of high-end podcasts, including the recently added portfolio of podcasts produced by Intelligence Squared. The appointment of Andrew Goldsmith as MD will capitalize on the demand and lead Adelicious into the next phase of growth.

Andrew Goldsmith joins with extensive experience in media sales, including as Agency Director at Global Radio and Sales Director at Primesight. As Business Partner at The Guardian, Goldsmith was part of the team that saw the newspaper return to profit for the first time since 1998. Commercialising and monetising audio content was a big part of that project, with Goldsmith delivering a successful commercial audio strategy and playing a key role in launching The Guardian’s flagship podcast Today in Focus.

“I can’t wait to get started with Adelicious” says Goldsmith. “This is a team with big and bold plans, and that have the talent and the structure to deliver on those ambitions. I’m also looking forward to working with podcasters. Podcasts are such a unique and specific sector of the media, managing to be highly personal while still reaching audiences of millions. They really capture people’s attention and imagination, and that gives them real power. Adelicious is the ad platform that podcasting deserves, and we want to drive ad spend levels to match the growing audiences that podcasts are delivering.”

Already serving millions of listens every week, Adelicious continues to add podcasts to its network. Among recently added clients are Intelligence Squared. “We’re delighted to be partnering with Adelicious as our podcast platform, says Commercial Director Chris Chapman. “The core team and the company’s relationship with Spotify make us confident that our growth as a podcast company producing premium shows will continue.”