The media production company co-founded by former England footballer Gary Lineker, Goalhanger, has been named the fastest-growing business in Britain according to the latest Sunday Times list. The company, known for producing The Rest Is … podcast series, reported sales of £37.9 million in 2025, with an average annual growth rate of 321% over the past three years.
Goalhanger’s podcasts, including The Rest Is History, The Rest Is Entertainment, The Rest Is Football, and The Rest Is Politics, have amassed over 750 million listeners since their popularity surged after the coronavirus pandemic. The company employs just 80 people at its London headquarters and has boosted revenue through paid subscriptions and live events, reaching 250,000 paid subscribers in January, generating approximately £15 million annually.
Founded in 2018 by Lineker, former ITV sport controller Tony Pastor, and ex-journalist Jack Davenport, Goalhanger saw Lineker maintain a stake of at least 25%. In December, Netflix agreed to broadcast The Rest Is Football during the World Cup in a deal reportedly worth £14 million. The following month, Los Angeles-based investment firm The Chernin Group acquired a minority stake in the company.
Goalhanger also launched a venture capital arm this year to invest in creator-led media businesses, including a stake in Invisible Media and a partnership with Backyard Cricket. The Sunday Times list ranked Lucky Egg, a London-based board games maker, second with £16.3 million in sales and 298% growth, while TGG, a legal claims service in Altrincham, came third with £210.5 million in sales and 269% growth.
Overall, the 100 fastest-growing companies increased sales by an average of 108% annually over three years, reaching combined sales of £4 billion and employing 13,700 people. Of these, 45 are based in London, with others spread across the UK, and a record 33 have female founders or CEOs.
