Gary Lineker’s media company is expanding beyond podcast production after helping launch Goalhanger Ventures, a new investment arm aimed at backing creator-led media businesses.
The move marks a broader shift for Goalhanger as it seeks to build influence across the wider creator economy, not just podcasting. The company has grown rapidly on the back of hit shows such as The Rest is Politics and The Rest is History, and is now looking to invest in emerging digital brands alongside producing its own content.
According to a company announcement, Goalhanger Ventures has already completed its first two deals: an equity investment in Invisible Media, which operates the economics and business video channel The Invisible Hand, and a commercial partnership with Backyard Cricket, the cricket content brand founded by brothers James and Mark Wood.
Goalhanger, which Lineker co-founded while still at the BBC, has become the UK’s largest independent podcast producer. Its portfolio includes The Rest is Football, The Rest is Entertainment and The Rest is Money, benefiting from the wider growth in on-demand audio and video during and after the pandemic.
The company is now looking beyond podcasting. The new investment arm is intended to provide capital and support to early-stage media businesses without stripping away what made them distinctive, according to Jack Davenport, one of Goalhanger’s co-founders. He said the aim was to help companies scale commercially and creatively while preserving audience trust and personality.
The launch follows Goalhanger’s earlier introduction of The Accelerator, a mentoring programme for digital talent, signalling a more structured push into building and backing creator businesses.
The expansion comes as Goalhanger continues to grow quickly. The group has shifted away from relying solely on advertising revenue towards subscriptions and live events. In January, it said it had passed 250,000 paying subscribers for the first time, with subscription income believed to generate more than £15m a year. The company also said its content was streamed more than 750 million times in 2025.
Lineker remains a 33% shareholder in the business, according to corporate filings, and has continued to deepen his involvement since leaving the BBC last year. Goalhanger recently struck a deal with Netflix to carry The Rest is Football during the World Cup, underlining the company’s growing commercial reach.
Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The article reports on recent developments from May 26, 2026, including the launch of Goalhanger Ventures and its investments in Invisible Media and Backyard Cricket. No evidence of recycled or outdated content was found.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
Direct quotes from Charlie Tymon, James and Mark Wood, and Jack Davenport are included. While these quotes are consistent across multiple sources, they are attributed to the individuals and appear to be original. However, without direct access to the original statements, full verification is not possible.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The primary source is a press release from Goalhanger, which is inherently self-promotional. Secondary sources include Podnews and C21Media, which are industry-specific publications. While they provide additional context, their independence is limited due to their focus on media industry news.
Plausibility check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about Goalhanger Ventures’ investments align with known information about the company’s recent activities. The reported figures, such as the number of paying subscribers and content streams, are consistent with previous reports. However, without independent verification, some details remain unconfirmed.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
While the article provides timely information on Goalhanger Ventures’ recent activities, it heavily relies on Goalhanger’s own press release and industry-specific sources with limited independence. The lack of independent verification and potential self-promotion in the primary source raises concerns about the objectivity and thoroughness of the reporting. Therefore, the content cannot be fully verified, and publishing is not covered under our indemnity.
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