Last weekend, Huffpost ran a brilliant piece featuring Audio Always‘ founder and MD, Stuart Morgan, talking about the rise of live podcast shows – and why they’re starting to look and feel a lot more like theatre.

There’s something special happening.

Audiences aren’t just listening anymore… they’re showing up. Packing out theatres. Going to cinemas. Travelling to see the hosts they love.

We’ve even seen podcast communities forming friendships with the person sat next to them, because they turned up alone and left as part of something bigger.

That shift – from private listening to public experience – feels huge. And it’s only just beginning.

For us, bringing a podcast into 400+ cinemas last year was a real moment. It proved that if you back a show, build a community and give people a reason to gather, they’ll turn audio into an event.

When you combine that with the right talent, a strong format and a creative team who understand how to “stage” a podcast, the whole thing becomes electric.

It’s why I think we’ll see more hybrid models in 2026 –

🎤 Live theatre shows
🎬 Cinema screenings
📺 Live TV broadcast moments
🤩 Experimental experiences
🤝 Bold brand integrations

None of these formats replace each other – they build on each other. They deepen fandom, they grow reach, and they create moments people remember.

If the early signs are anything to go by, podcast events are going to become a much bigger part of how this industry grows. Not just because they generate revenue, but because they bring people together. And that’s the part you can’t fake.