Podomedy co-founders Damien St John and Ant McGinley have been confirmed being amongst the Main Stage Judges for the 2026 British Podcast Awards, marking another significant moment for the UK independent comedy podcast network.
The British Podcast Awards, now celebrating its tenth anniversary, recognises excellence, talent, passion and originality across British podcasting. The 2026 judging process brings together around 200 podcast professionals from across the industry, with entries assessed on the strength of their ideas and storytelling, production and listening experience, and impact and audience engagement.
Damien St John, CEO of Podomedy, and Ant McGinley, Chief Development Officer, are listed among the 2026 Main Stage Judges on the official British Podcast Awards website. Their inclusion reflects Podomedy’s growing role within the UK podcast sector, particularly in championing independent creators, comedy formats and creator-led audio.
Damien St John said: “The UK podcast scene is full of brilliant, inventive, independent voices, and it matters that those shows are heard, considered and celebrated properly. For funny indie podcasts, awards like the British Podcast Awards are a useful moment to stop, look properly at your show and ask: is the format landing, are people coming back, what does the data tell us, and what are listeners actually responding to. It’s a real privilege to be part of the British Podcast Awards judging process, especially in such an important anniversary year."
Ant McGinley said: "Podcasting is at its best when it gives space to original ideas and distinctive voices. We’re proud to support awards that recognise the craft, graft and creativity that goes into making great shows. The British Podcast Awards challenge you, as a creator, to review your strongest episodes, understand your audience feedback, look at what’s working, and think more deliberately about the kind of show you want to be submitting this time next year. For indie creators especially, that reflection can be just as valuable as the recognition.”
The 2026 British Podcast Awards ceremony will take place on Thursday 1 October 2026 at indigo at The O2, bringing together creators, publishers, networks and audio professionals from across the UK podcast industry. Find out more at https://www.britishpodcastawards.com
About Podomedy
Founded in 2023, Podomedy is a UK podcast agency and comedy network built to support indie podcasters with development, mentoring, production guidance, hosting support and practical tools. The network has become home to a growing roster of independent comedy, entertainment and family shows, with a focus on helping creators build sustainable podcasts with clear audiences, stronger formats and long-term creative value.
About Damien St John
Damien St John is an award-winning podcaster, comedian and content leader with experience across comedy, marketing and branded storytelling. As CEO of Podomedy, he has helped creators and brands develop award-recognised podcasts while bringing a strategic view of audience growth, creative positioning and commercial impact.
About Ant McGinley
Ant McGinley is an award-winning podcaster and voice actor, with credits including Sherlock & Co, The Offensive, Jackie the Ripper and Wrestling With the Champ. As Chief Development Officer at Podomedy, he works closely with creators on format development, performance, marketing, cross-promotion and practical ways to help podcasts improve their reach.