Independent Podcast Awards 2026 - Independent UK podcast network Podomedy is celebrating another successful night, with its original children's history podcast Dexplorers winning Best Children & Young Adults Podcast, and literary comedy Austen After Dark receiving Highly Commended recognition for Best Sex, Love & Relationships Podcast.
The awards, held at Kings Place in London on Wednesday 4 November, brought together independent podcast creators from across the UK and Ireland to celebrate excellence in audio storytelling, creativity and production.
Podomedy entered the evening with 14 nominations across nine categories, representing nine different podcasts on its growing independent creator network.
Award-winning Adventures and Austen-inspired Comedy
Dexplorers, created and produced by Podomedy founder Damien St John, takes children aged 7–11 and their grown-ups on screen-free adventures through history. Combining storytelling, humour and historical discovery, the series encourages young listeners to explore the past through their own imaginations.
The win follows Dexplorers' Silver award for Best History at the British Podcast Awards in October 2026, marking a particularly successful year for the independently produced series.
Meanwhile, Austen After Dark, hosted by Dr Alice Nagle, was Highly Commended in the Sex, Love & Relationships category. The literary sex-history comedy takes an irreverent look at the romantic and intimate lives of Jane Austen's characters, combining literary analysis, Georgian social history and conversations with special guests.
Both podcasts received three nominations at this year's Independent Podcast Awards with Dexplorers also shortlisted for Best History and Podcast Jingle of the Year, and Austen After Dark recognised in Best Comedy and Best Limited Series.
Damien St John, Co-Founder and CEO of Podomedy, said:
"One of the things I'm most proud "One of the things I'm most proud of is that these two shows couldn't be more different. One is a history adventure I make with my children. The other explores Jane Austen's world with a completely original comic voice.
"That's what makes independent podcasting so exciting. You can take an idea that might look unusual on paper, make something genuinely distinctive and find an audience that loves it.
"Fourteen nominations across the network was already a fantastic achievement. Seeing Dexplorers and Austen After Dark recognised on the night makes it even more special, and I'm incredibly proud of everyone involved."
Photo credit: Independent Podcast Awards
Independent Podcast Awards 2026: Other Standout Winners
Elsewhere, Great Days Out on the Bus from Buxton was among the biggest winners of the evening, claiming the overall Independent Podcast of the Year title, alongside awards for Best Travel & Adventure and Podcast Artwork of the Year.
War Hall: A Theatre of the Mind was named runner-up for Independent Podcast of the Year, winning both Best Arts & Culture and Best Music Podcast.
Other notable winners included Leyline High Rewind for Best Comedy, All The Right Movies for Best Films & TV, Mag Hags for Best History and The Trawl for Best News & Politics.
Independent podcast network Mercury received two awards for Best Gaming and Best Fiction.
Now in their fourth year, the Independent Podcast Awards received a record number of entries in 2026, with nearly 550 submissions considered by judges across 28 categories.
A Growing Record of Independent Success
The latest recognition builds on Podomedy's continued success at the Independent Podcast Awards.
In 2025, creator-led podcast Dungeons & Dickheads won Best Gaming, whilst Podomedy-owned IP Wrestling With the Champ was Highly Commended for Best Use of Video. The previous year, Wrestling With the Champ won Best Sport and The Dial Up took Best Fiction.
With six wins or commendations across the last three ceremonies, Podomedy continues to build its reputation for championing distinctive independent voices and developing original comedy-led audio entertainment.
Notes to Editors
About Podomedy
Founded in 2023, Podomedy is an independent UK comedy podcast network and production studio, bringing together creators, original IP and award-winning audio entertainment. The network helps creators develop, produce, grow and commercialise distinctive podcast content.
About the Independent Podcast Awards
Established in 2023, the Independent Podcast Awards celebrate independently produced podcasts from across the UK and Ireland, recognising creativity, originality and excellence outside the major broadcasting and publishing networks.
Full 2026 winners: https://independentpodcastawards.com/IPA26/en/page/our-2026-winners
Media enquiries: hello@podomedy.com