‘The Rest Is History’ Podcast To Adapted For TV By Wheelhouse & Gary Lineker’s Goalhanger

EXCLUSIVE: The Rest Is History, one of the biggest podcasts in the world, is set to be adapted for television.

The audio series, which is hosted by historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook, comes from Goalhanger, the podcast production company founded by former England soccer legend Gary Lineker.

Goalhanger has teamed with Wheelhouse, to develop unscripted projects based on the podcast and its library of over 600 episodes.

Wheelhouse, which was founded by Pawn Stars creator Brent Montgomery, is behind series such as Hulu’s Secret Chef and upcoming Got to Get Out as well as Netflix’s Buying Beverly Hills and King of Collectibles.

The Rest Is History is regularly in the top ten podcasts in the U.S. and gets over 12M downloads a month with around 45,000 paying subscribers. The twice-weekly podcast offers in-depth explorations of a wide range of historical events, people and topics – from the rise of the Nazis to the fall of the Aztecs, to debunking Hollywood myths about the Titanic and examining the lives and deaths of legendary figures like Julius Caesar and John F. Kennedy.  

The deal was struck by Wheelhouse EVP of Business Development Fanny Baudry, who also serves as managing director of the company’s digital and audio division (DNA), Wheelhouse EVP of Development Kate Collier and Goalhanger Co-Founder Tony Pastor. Baudry and Collier will oversee the partnership for Wheelhouse. 

Wheelhouse CEO Montgomery said, “The Rest is History is a unicorn. The podcast’s global popularity, propelled by Tom and Dominic’s rapport, dynamic and ridiculous knowledge and expertise, has paved the way for best-selling books and sold-out live tours across the UK and the U.S. This partnership fits squarely into our strategy of being a bridge between the creator economy and legacy media and we’re excited to work with Goalhanger to bring this incredible brand to yet another medium.”

 “We couldn’t be more excited at the thought of bringing The Rest Is History to TV — who wouldn’t want to see Julius Caesar’s toga or Winston Churchill’s cigar in glorious 4K? Our show has always been about making history accessible, intelligent and entertaining, and we’re thrilled at the chance to bring our favourite stories to life on screen,” added Holland and Sandbrook. “This partnership with Wheelhouse will allow us to make history unforgettable for a whole new audience, showcasing all the best elements that make our podcast so enjoyable – both for us and for audiences all over the world.”

Pastor added, “The global success of The Rest Is History proves there’s a strong demand for entertaining and intelligent storytelling, dispelling the myth that younger audiences only want short-form content. Watching audiences respond to Tom and Dominic during their recent U.S. tour confirmed they are truly the rockstars of history. We’re thrilled to partner with Wheelhouse, who deeply understand the show’s unique dynamic. Together, we aim to introduce the show to new audiences who love history and enjoy it with the most engaging historians around.”

Wheelhouse and Goalhanger are represented by WME.