Sky News offers ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes for just 2.99 as listening surges 102%

Monday 18 May 2026

Sky News offers ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes for just £2.99 as listening surges 102%

Sky News is launching a new premium podcast subscription bundle for just £2.99 a month, giving listeners ad-free access, bonus episodes and early releases, as demand for its podcasts climbs 102% year on year across Apple, YouTube and Spotify.

Launching on 15 June, Sky News Insider: Podcasts marks the first time Sky News has introduced an additive, paid for news product, underlining its commitment to unlocking new revenue streams while continuing to invest in high-quality, impartial journalism.

Subscribers will receive:

Bonus episodes from hit podcasts including Electoral Dysfunction and Trump 100

Ad-free listening across participating shows

Early access to new series and episodes before general release

A weekly newsletter with exclusive insight from hosts including Beth Rigby, Harriet Harman, Ruth Davidson, Martha Kelner, James Matthews and Mark Stone

First release access for tickets to live shows, following on from the success of sold-out Electoral Dysfunction Live Shows last year

Access to a community forum to enable chat directly to podcast hosts

They will also get early access and bonus episodes of Stuff Matters, a new six-part flagship series from Economics and Data Editor Ed Conway. The series uncovers the hidden global forces behind everyday objects: could a banana really help bring down a government, and do air pods herald the arrival of a new global order? Stuff Matters explores economics through the everyday things we think we already understand.

The subscription model reflects changing audience habits and builds on the growing success of Sky News award winning podcasts, which have seen a 102% year on year increase in listens from 2024-2025, and a >70% increase in followers between April 2025 and April 2026, establishing them as a trusted source of analysis and insight on the biggest stories of the day.

David Rhodes, Executive Chairman of Sky News, said: Around our most-popular and trusted voices we see pent-up demand: people who want a bonus episode, the chance to interact with us and with each other, to attend an event, even to buy merch. This subscription lets us bring all of that together, giving listeners greater access to the journalism and talent they trust

Beth Rigby, Sky News' Political Editor, said: Since we launched in 2024, we've built an amazing audience of listeners - our incredible band of Dysfunctioners - and now we want to open up things more for all of you that love the pod. We're in such momentous political times, now feels exactly the right time to give our listeners more content and more conversation with us as we take you through what's really been going on.

With this launch, Sky News is combining its reputation for trusted, impartial reporting with a simple, great-value offer designed to reward its most engaged audiences. The subscription product will be powered by Supporting Cast, who support brands with the best way to sell and deliver podcast subscriptions, newsletters, and other members-only benefits.

Press Contact

For further information, interview opportunities, or to request broadcast assets: pippa.english@sky.uk or tatiana.alderson@sky.uk

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