The Rest Is History (podcast)
History podcast hosted by Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Rest Is History is a history podcast hosted by historians Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland.[1][2]
| The Rest Is History | |
|---|---|
| Genre | History podcast |
| Creative team | |
| Developed by | Goalhanger |
| Cast and voices | |
| Hosted by | Dominic Sandbrook, Tom Holland |
| Publication | |
| No. of episodes | 994 |
| Reception | |
| Ratings | 4.7/5 |
| Related | |
| Website | https://therestishistory.com/main |
Overview
The podcast was launched in November 2020 and is produced by Goalhanger Podcasts.
It is the highest-ranked UK history podcast on Spotify and Apple, and in the top 10 in the US charts.[3] By June 2026 it had issued 762 episodes and had a rating of 9.6 on IMDb.[4] In October 2024, The Wall Street Journal revealed the podcast achieved 11 million downloads a month, 1.2 million monthly YouTube views and had over 45,000 paying subscribers; 7 out of 10 listeners were aged under 40.[5] In 2024, it was estimated that Holland and Sandbrook each earned nearly $100,000 a month.[6]
"First and foremost, because I think people are bored with history being told in a hand-wringing, pious, judgmental and moralistic way – they want it brought to life by people who are genuine enthusiasts and love the past."
— Dominic Sandbrook answering the question What's the secret of its success? in a 2024 interview with The Daily Telegraph.[7]
The Rest is History has now completed over 800 episodes on a range of subjects from Watergate to Lord Nelson. Associated with the show is a paid subscription service called The Rest Is History Club, which offers subscribers early access to episodes, bonus episodes, and other exclusive content.[8]
Live performances and tours
In addition to their podcasts, Holland and Sandbrook regularly host live events, which blend the style of the podcast with the additional benefit of audience participation, using both pre-loaded questions and live questions from the audience. They have appeared all over the UK and have run tours in the USA, Australia and New Zealand.
They launched their first The Rest Is History Festival, a two day event on July 4–5, 2026, at Hampton Court Palace.[9]
Awards and recognition
- The series received the 2023 President's Medal from the British Academy, the first time this had been awarded to a podcast.[10]
- Apple Podcasts' Global Show of the Year for 2025 (the first non-U.S. show to receive the accolade) [11]
- People's Voice Winner at the Webby Awards[12]