UPDATE
04 December 2025
Apple Podcasts names The Rest Is History the 2025 Show of the Year
Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss their history-making podcast in a special Creator Conversation
Apple is proud to celebrate The Rest Is History with the Apple Podcasts Award for Show of the Year, a recognition that honors a show that demonstrates quality and cultural impact in podcasting. Produced by Goalhanger, the series has captivated a global audience with its witty, insightful, and endlessly entertaining exploration of the past, becoming the first UK-based show to be named Show of the Year.
Hosted by acclaimed historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook, The Rest Is History has become a fixture at the top of the charts worldwide by bringing history’s biggest moments to life. From the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, to the sinking of the Titanic, the hosts blend deep expertise with gripping storytelling and unexpected humor to make complex subjects accessible and compelling for millions of listeners.
“This is an incredible moment for Goalhanger and a richly deserved recognition for Tom and Dominic,” said Tony Pastor, Goalhanger’s co-founder. “From the very start, we knew The Rest Is History was something special. It is a master class in intelligent, witty, and deeply engaging storytelling that makes history accessible to millions. To be the first UK-based show named Apple Podcasts’ Show of the Year is a fantastic honor, and proof of the huge global appetite for long-form, high-quality content and the brilliant chemistry these two share.”
“The Rest Is History does a phenomenal job in taking a subject as vast as human history and captivating a global audience,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Podcasts, Music, Sports, and Beats. “Tom and Dominic have created something special that represents the very best of what’s possible with podcasting — it’s educational, it’s hilarious, and it has fostered a true sense of community. We’re thrilled to recognize it as the Apple Podcasts 2025 Show of the Year.”
Inside the Show of the Year
In a special conversation available today on Apple Podcasts for Creators, excerpted below, Holland and Sandbrook reflect on their unique approach, their connection with listeners, and what this acknowledgement means to them.
On why the show has struck such a powerful chord: “We don’t moralize, we don’t judge the past, and we approach it in a spirit of real enthusiasm. We don’t look down on people in the past. We just try to enjoy it, to relish the madness, the bonkers-ness of people.” — Dominic Sandbrook
“People are very funny. And we’re not afraid of that. When it emerges, we enjoy it, and I think that people who listen to the podcast enjoy it as well.” — Tom Holland
On being named the Apple Podcasts Show of the Year: “It’s the biggest thrill imaginable. We’re the first British podcast to win it, so that’s a cause for patriotic pride. I feel particularly delighted that it’s Apple who has recognized us. I couldn’t be more delighted and honored.” — TH
Explore the World of The Rest Is History
To celebrate The Rest Is History being named Show of the Year, fans can also enjoy content by Holland and Sandbrook across Apple services, including a curated collection of the hosts’ favorite history books in Apple Books, their favorite classical hits on Apple Music Classical, and an interview with the hosts on Apple News In Conversation.
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