Audioboom acquires UK podcast leader Adelicious

According to a press release from July 17, 2025, Audioboom Group Plc has entered into a binding agreement to acquire Adelicious Ltd, the award-winning British podcast network. The acquisition creates the UK's largest homegrown podcast network with 40 million unique listeners and more than 125 million monthly downloads and video views.

Adelicious, founded by Pascal Hughes and David McGuire in 2020, hosts more than 200 leading podcasts. The network includes Russell Howard's Five Brilliant Things, Short History Of…, The Teen Commandments with Sara Cox and Clare Hamilton, and History Extra. According to the announcement, Andrew Goldsmith, CEO of Adelicious, will become President for a consolidated UK division under the Adelicious brand.

Audioboom's existing British podcast roster includes No Such Thing As A Fish, Dig It with Zoe Ball and Jo Whiley, the official Formula 1 podcast Beyond The Grid, and The Cycling Podcast. According to Audioboom, the combined scale provides brands with expanded advertising opportunities and increased marketing, technology and monetisation support for British podcasters.

Summary

Who: Audioboom Group Plc acquires Adelicious Ltd, with Andrew Goldsmith becoming President of the consolidated UK division under the Adelicious brand.

What: Binding agreement creates the UK's largest homegrown podcast network with 40 million unique listeners and more than 125 million monthly downloads and video views, combining Audioboom's global technology platform with Adelicious's portfolio of more than 200 leading podcasts.

When: Announcement made July 17, 2025, following Adelicious's founding in 2020 and recent expansion of its sales team in March 2025.

Where: Transaction creates combined UK operations under the Adelicious brand while leveraging Audioboom's global reach across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia through partnerships and distribution platforms.

Why: The acquisition enables both companies to achieve their shared goal of taking the best of British podcasting to a worldwide audience by combining Adelicious's content quality with Audioboom's sophisticated technology, expanded monetisation tools, and global scale for enhanced advertising opportunities and podcaster support.

Strategic positioning for global expansion

Stuart Last, CEO of Audioboom, stated: "I have long been an admirer of Adelicious as they developed into a best-in-class podcast network. Our platform will help supercharge their growth with access to our sophisticated technology and expanded monetisation tools." According to Last, both companies share the common goal of taking the best of British podcasting to the world.

Andrew Goldsmith, President of Adelicious, commented: "Audioboom is a well-respected audio business and we share the same philosophies, values, and vision for British podcasting." According to Goldsmith, Adelicious has developed significantly over five years and looks forward to bringing the best of British podcasting to a worldwide audience.

According to the founders Pascal Hughes and David McGuire: "We could not be more excited for the Adelicious team and we have no doubt that Audioboom will elevate Adelicious to become an even greater service to our podcasters." The founders noted that the podcasting landscape has evolved considerably since they started in 2020, and the new partnership ensures Adelicious continues as the perfect home for the UK's leading shows.

Technical and commercial synergies

The acquisition leverages Audioboom's established global infrastructure. According to company materials, Audioboom is ranked as the fifth largest podcast publisher in the US by Edison Research. The platform downloads 100 million times each month by 35 million unique listeners worldwide.

Adelicious strengthened its commercial team with two new senior hires in March 2025, appointing Liam Robinson and Antonia Digby as Agency Sales Directors. According to Adelicious, Robinson joins with over a decade of experience in advertising sales, including nearly five years specializing in podcasts at companies including The Athletic, Acast and Octave.

According to the announcement, Antonia Digby brings experience across both audio and agency-side partnerships, most recently as Content Director at Wavemaker, with previous roles at Absolute Radio and Global Radio. The appointments followed a strong start to 2025 for Adelicious, including several major new client wins and new partnerships with leading publishers Hearst and Immediate Media.

Industry context and market dynamics

The acquisition occurs during significant developments in podcast advertising technology. According to recent PPC Land coverage, Triton Digital acquired audio intelligence platform Sounder in March 2024, combining audio streaming technology with AI-powered podcast insights and brand suitability solutions.

Podcast advertising automation has expanded substantially. According to PPC Land reporting, Spotify expanded automated podcast buying to 170 million listeners across 12 markets in July 2025, extending Ad Exchange and Ads Manager access to premium podcast inventory.

The UK podcast market shows strong advertiser demand. According to PPC Land analysis, new monetization platforms bridge the gap between host-read advertisement quality and programmatic efficiency, addressing technical challenges that have limited growth potential of host-read advertisements across podcast networks.

Financial and operational details

Wolfson Partners LLC acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Adelicious for the transaction. According to Audioboom's materials, the company is a global leader in podcasting with shows downloaded 100 million times each month by 35 million unique listeners around the world.

Audioboom's ad-tech and monetisation platform provides commercial, distribution, marketing and production services for a premium network of top tier podcasts. According to the company, key partners include the official Formula 1 podcasts 'F1: Beyond the Grid' and 'F1 Nation', 'True Crime Obsessed' (US), 'The Tim Dillon Show' (US), 'No Such Thing As A Fish' (UK) and 'The Cycling Podcast' (UK).

The platform distributes content via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, Deezer, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, RadioPublic, Saavn, Stitcher, Facebook and Twitter, as well as partners' own websites and mobile apps. According to Audioboom, the company operates internationally with operations and global partnerships across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.

Market implications for advertising

This consolidation reflects broader trends in podcast advertising measurement and targeting. According to PPC Land coverage, new capabilities enable advertisers to target specific topics discussed within individual podcast episodes, exceeding traditional show-level targeting limitations.

Recent ranking data from Triton Digital covered by PPC Land shows Audioboom among prominent networks participating in podcast measurement services, with content like "The Bulwark Podcast" performing strongly in Canadian markets.

The acquisition strengthens Audioboom's position as global podcast networks compete for advertising revenue. According to PPC Land reporting, major content partnerships continue reshaping podcast advertising, with companies like The Athletic signing exclusive deals to monetize growing podcast audiences.

Key Terms

Ad-tech and Monetisation Platform An integrated technology infrastructure that combines advertising technology with revenue generation systems specifically designed for digital content creators. These platforms automate the process of connecting content publishers with advertisers through sophisticated algorithms that match audience demographics with brand requirements. For podcast networks, ad-tech platforms handle everything from inventory management to real-time bidding, while monetisation components ensure creators receive optimal revenue shares from advertising placements and subscription services.

Programmatic Efficiency The automated buying and selling of advertising inventory through real-time bidding systems that eliminate manual negotiations between advertisers and publishers. This technology-driven approach uses data analytics to determine optimal ad placements within milliseconds, considering factors such as audience demographics, content relevance, and historical performance metrics. Programmatic systems reduce transaction costs while increasing targeting precision, enabling advertisers to reach specific audience segments more effectively than traditional media buying methods.

Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI) A sophisticated technology that enables advertisers to insert targeted advertisements into podcast episodes in real-time, rather than embedding static ads during production. DAI systems analyse listener data, geographic location, and consumption patterns to deliver personalised advertising experiences. This approach allows podcast networks to monetise back-catalogue content continuously and provides advertisers with more granular targeting capabilities compared to traditional broadcast advertising methods.

Episode-Level Contextual Targeting An advanced advertising targeting methodology that analyses the specific content, topics, and themes discussed within individual podcast episodes to determine optimal ad placements. This technology transcends traditional genre-based targeting by using artificial intelligence to understand conversational context, enabling advertisers to align their messages with relevant discussions regardless of the show's primary category. The approach significantly improves advertising relevance and reduces wasted impressions on inappropriate content.

Revenue Per Mille (RPM) A critical performance metric that measures the revenue generated per 1,000 content downloads or views, providing publishers with insights into their monetisation effectiveness. RPM calculations include all revenue sources, including direct advertising sales, programmatic placements, and subscription income, divided by total audience reach. This metric enables podcast networks to optimise their content strategy and advertising inventory management while providing advertisers with transparent cost comparisons across different media properties.

Brand Suitability Solutions Comprehensive technology systems that use artificial intelligence to analyse content for potential brand safety risks, ensuring advertisements appear only in appropriate editorial environments. These solutions scan audio content for controversial topics, inappropriate language, or sensitive subject matter that might damage brand reputation. Advanced brand suitability platforms provide granular controls allowing advertisers to specify content parameters that align with their corporate values and marketing objectives.

Sales Network Consolidation The strategic process of combining multiple advertising sales operations under unified management to create larger, more attractive inventory packages for advertisers. This consolidation enables media companies to offer advertisers simplified buying processes, broader audience reach, and more competitive pricing through increased scale. For podcast networks, consolidation reduces operational complexity while providing enhanced negotiating power with major advertising agencies and demand-side platforms.

Host-Read Advertisement Authenticity A premium advertising format where podcast hosts personally endorse products or services using their natural speaking style and personal experiences, creating more credible and engaging promotional content than traditional commercial spots. This approach leverages the intimate relationship between hosts and listeners to generate higher engagement rates and stronger purchase intent. Host-read advertisements typically command premium pricing due to their effectiveness in driving listener action and brand recall.

Inventory Reservation System A sophisticated technology platform that manages and allocates advertising space across multiple content properties, ensuring optimal utilisation of available ad slots while preventing conflicts between different advertiser campaigns. These systems track real-time availability, pricing tiers, and campaign requirements to automate the booking process while maintaining revenue maximisation objectives. Advanced reservation systems integrate with programmatic platforms to enable seamless transitions between guaranteed and auction-based advertising sales.

Cross-Platform Distribution Infrastructure The comprehensive technology ecosystem that enables content creators to simultaneously publish and syndicate their material across multiple digital platforms while maintaining consistent branding and analytics tracking. This infrastructure includes content management systems, automated publishing workflows, and standardised metadata formatting that ensures optimal presentation across diverse platforms including streaming services, social media, and proprietary applications. Effective cross-platform distribution maximises audience reach while minimising operational complexity for content creators.

Timeline

• 2020: Adelicious founded by Pascal Hughes and David McGuire
• March 19, 2025: Adelicious announces sales team expansion with Liam Robinson and Antonia Digby appointments
• July 17, 2025: Audioboom announces binding agreement to acquire Adelicious
• March 26, 2024: Triton Digital acquires Sounder for AI-powered podcast insights
• February 15, 2024: Audiohook and Sounder launch episode-level contextual targeting
• March 31, 2025: Frequency launches Premium Publisher Network for podcast advertising
• July 11, 2025: Spotify expands automated podcast buying to 170 million listeners