Goalhanger, the media production company co-founded by former England footballer Gary Lineker, has been named the fastest-growing business in Britain. The company, known for its The Rest Is... podcast series, reported sales of £37.9 million in 2025, achieving an average annual growth rate of 321% over the past three years, according to the latest Sunday Times list.
Goalhanger produces popular podcasts including The Rest Is History, The Rest Is Entertainment, The Rest Is Football, and The Rest Is Politics. The podcasts have amassed over 750 million listeners since the pandemic, with the company also boosting revenue through paid subscriptions and live events. In January, Goalhanger announced it had reached 250,000 paid subscribers, generating an estimated £15 million annually.
The company, which employs 80 people at its London headquarters, was founded in 2018 by Tony Pastor, Lineker, and journalist Jack Davenport. Lineker retains at least a 25% stake in the business. In December, Netflix agreed to broadcast The Rest Is Football during the World Cup in a deal reportedly worth £14 million. Earlier this year, Los Angeles-based The Chernin Group acquired a minority stake in Goalhanger.
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. Lucky Egg, a London-based board games maker, ranked second on the list with £16.3 million in sales and 298% growth, followed by legal claims service TGG, based in Altrincham, with £210.5 million in sales and 269% growth.
The Sunday Times reported that the 100 fastest-growing companies increased sales by an average of 108% annually over three years, reaching a combined £4 billion in sales and employing 13,700 people. Of these, 45 are based in London, with others spread across the UK. A record 33 businesses have female founders, co-founders, or CEOs.
