The Shortlist For The Independent Podcast Awards 2026 Has Been Revealed
– It was a record year with nearly 550 entries submitted
– The list features 150 nominees across 28 categories
London, September 2026: The nominees for the Independent Podcast Awards 2026 have been revealed! With nearly 550 entries to choose from, the team of 85 judges has narrowed them down to 150 different shows across 28 categories.
The shortlist can be found here: https://independentpodcastawards.com/IPA26/en/page/our-2026-shortlist
Now in their fourth year, the Independent Podcast Awards were co-founded by Verbal Diorama and whynow to recognise the grassroots indie talent that wasn’t getting the recognition it deserved elsewhere. Since then the awards have attracted around 2000 entries, shortlisted 600+ podcasts, and celebrated 75 winners. The class of ‘26 winners will be announced on Wednesday 4th November in London, and will add a further 29 podcasts to that tally.
Emma Turner, Co-Founder of the Independent Podcast Awards said: “It has been another great year for independent podcasts. We had a record number of entries and the judges found it harder than ever to pick the shortlists, which shows how grassroots podcasting is going from strength to strength.”
The awards couldn’t take place without the support of the industry sponsors, who in 2026 are the Headline Partner, YouTube; the After Party Sponsor, Acast; the event supporters Advertising Week, AudioUK, Captivate, Rusty Quill and True Fans, along with the Media Partner, Podnews.
Taking place on Wednesday 4th November at Kings Place in Kings Cross, London, the event promises to be a fun night for all. Tickets are on sale now through the Kings Place box office, with both in-person and live streaming options available, and have been frozen at 2025’s prices.
You can find out more about the awards here, and book your tickets to attend here.
Follow the Independent Podcast Awards:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndPodAwards/
X: https://twitter.com/IndPodAwards
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/IndPodAwards/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/independent-podcast-awards/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@indpodawards
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For more information contact Emma Turner on emma@whynow.co.uk.
About whynow
whynow, founded in 2019 by Gabriel Jagger, is a digital magazine, podcast and production studio, fuelled by a passion for and belief in celebrating arts, music and culture, and the iconic and pioneering talent who are creating it. Find out more at whynowmedia.com/
About Verbal Diorama
Verbal Diorama is a celebration of filmmaking. An independent film history podcast that goes into the making of movies, from conception to completion, their history and legacy, and why they remain so special to so many of us. Listen to all episodes at: https://www.verbaldiorama.com/ or in your podcast app of choice.
