Award-winning radio and TV presenter Nihal Arthanayake has been announced as the host for the second-annual Podcast Show’s first-ever preview night.
The Podcast Show celebrates the podcasting industry, bringing together experts and creators from around the world. This year’s event is taking place from 24-25 May at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London, and an additional live podcast festival promoted by TEG Live Europe will be running from 22 to 28 May. Preview Night tickets are currently on sale on The Podcast Show website for £65.
Preview night will take place on 23 May, the evening before the conference officially begins, and will feature sneak previews of all the activations and exhibitions as well as an opportunity to network with other industry professionals in a more intimate environment.
The evening will be hosted by Arthanayake, best known for his work on Radio 5 Live’s Afternoon Show. The broadcaster will also be moderating a keynote session with members of the International Industry Advisory Panel, looking at the global podcast market.
This year’s Industry Advisory Panel consists of a number of leading figures across the global podcast community, including Bernard P. Achampong, founder of media production company Unedited, Christina Moore, founding member of The Podcast Academy, and Donald Albright, president and co-founder of Tenderfoot TV. Others that are featured in the panel include industry experts from a number of podcast companies and platforms including Audacy, Acast, Sony Music Entertainment, Spotify, Amazon Music, UTA, and Podfront UK.
Fearne Cotton, broadcaster and founder of the Happy Place brand, will also take the stage as part of the evening to present The Podcast Show’s inaugural International Podcast Trailblazer Award to Ashley Flowers.
The recipient of the award will be recognised for the global impact she made on the podcast industry with her work as the host and creator of the number one true-crime podcast Crime Junkie and as founder of production company audiochuck. Flowers was also previously announced as the keynote speaker on day one of the show.
“I’m so grateful to The Podcast Show for this incredible honour,” said Flowers. “To be recognised for our work at audiochuck at an event that acknowledges the many talented storytellers in our industry means so much to me, and I can’t wait to celebrate with our Crime Junkies in London!”
Later that evening, Cotton will also be talking about her successful Happy Place podcast and the brand that she built around it to entertainment agency YMU Group’s entertainment global managing director Holly Bott. YMU Entertainment was announced in March as one of the latest partners to join The Podcast Show.
PodPod is also a media partner for this year’s Podcast Show, alongside sister title Campaign. The brand will be hosting two-stand out sessions per day on the Brand Works Theatre – presented by Global in association with Fresh Air – with individuals from leading industry brands. PodPod will also hold two panels for the Rise Up Stage based on its Faces to Watch campaign as well as recording an episode of the PodPod podcast with presenter Rhianna Dhillon at the show.
