The latest viewer figures for the first quarter of 2025 show that BBC Sound has 681 million plays of all content across radio, podcasts and music mix between January and March.
This was an increase of 5.7% in the last quarter and 5.9% in the first quarter. 261 million of these plays came from on-demand radio and podcast content.
The Traitors: Uncloaked has smashed the charts as the most popular podcast for listeners under the age of 35, and has been the top of the ninth most popular podcast overall.
The podcast, hosted by award-winning stand-up comedian and presenter Ed Gamble, has also been visualized on the BBC iPlayer, plunging deep into the castle with behind the scenes gossip and exclusive access to the cast.
From BBC Radio 5 Live, the award-winning series from Elis James and John Robins has become the most popular on-demand radio program under the age of 35. It was also the entire on-demand radio show that appeared fifth overall at all ages.
The News Podcast continued to dominate the charts this quarter, with the Newscast and American Sto rankings ranking as the first and second overall podcasts.
Radio 4 Audio Drama proved a hit, with the Ranking of Shooters and Whodunnits rankings being the top two most appearing on on-demand radio shows, and Whodunnits has also become the most played on-demand radio title under the age of 35.
These followed closely in fourth place, followed closely in fourth place, including titles such as Mooregate. This included Maggie starring Derek Jacobi and Francis Barber, Maggie Met Larry, and Godot was written and waiting for Godot to star, Maggie Met Larry awaits Edmondson.
Radio 4's Limelight Feed is also ranked as the eighth most popular podcast, and it has been announced that series 2 of the hot spy drama Central Intelligence starring Kim Cattrall will return this summer.
Nine of the top 10 listened to on-demand radio shows was the title of Radio 4, which included Desert Island Disc in our time. sorry.
Sleeping Prediction has now tops the list of music mixes. There is a new series of ocean views in sleepy tones of shipping predictions played on a bed of peaceful ocean sounds.
The sports titles scored big points with a young audience. Football Daily and Rugby Union Weekly were one of the most played podcasts under the age of 35, and the match of the day: Top 10, Fantasy 606, Tainer and Soccer Daily all saw a high percentage of skew for viewers under the age of 35.
Pompey fans were also successful. Pompey fans pushed Radio Sorrento's on-demand radio show Portsmouth FC to the list of the most captured radio shows of the U35, providing pre-match and post-match interviews and discussions from the club.
Radio 1's all-day breakfast with Greg James was the podcast with the highest percentage of listeners under the age of 35.
Highlights included the release of Radio 1's Big Weekend Domain Stage Lineup Live from Liverpool, as well as content supporting Jamie Line through the Ultra Marathon Challenge with the help of comic relief.
Continuing the theme of the top music title, it became a mixtape between Clara AMFO and Jordan Stevens, with Annie and Nick ranked 2nd and 3rd on the same list.
The new BBC Sound Podcast Stalker has entered the list of headlines and top global downloads, following Hanna Moth Man Moore and Carol Cad Walador, investigating the digital intruders of Hanna's lifetime.
miss me? Lily Allen and Mikita Oliver are popular under the age of 35 and ranked as the sixth-most played podcast in their age group, and saw the launch of a new visualized episode on the BBC Sounds YouTube channel and two sold-out shows in London's Hackney Empire. The podcast ranked 18th in the global download list.
The podcast acquisition was a success. Two Noiser titles have been placed in the top 10 most played podcasts in BBC Sound. Sherlock Holmes' short stories were the third most popular podcast and a short history.
Elsewhere, sex bosses from audio and always ranks 9th in the list of podcasts with a high percentage of listeners under 35.
Four new titles from the emerging podcasters have been launched as part of the BBC Sounds Audio Lab. This is to celebrate culinary science and culture (the melting pot), the justice miscarriage of the UK LGBTQIA+ community (Criminally Queer: The Bolton 7), and The Trailblazing Black Artists of the Trailblazing Black Artists of the Trailbotal comsid of the Expintary (Inturtional: Indirectal: Incide Industry). UK (Heart & Stone). The next round of applications have been opened.
A total of 255 million BBC podcasts have been downloaded worldwide this year, with the Global News Podcast ranked number one on third-party platforms, followed by a six-minute English and documentary podcast.
“We've been working hard to get into the world,” said Jonathan Wall, director of BBC Sound.
“The Traitors: Roaked Coide Keep Listeners are entertaining, and new titles like Stalked and What's Up Docs show how they bring bold new voices and original stories to the platform alongside the latest Audio Lab releases.
“Looking forward to the second quarter, we will be launching two new sports streams with the BBC sound, so listeners can stay up to date with huge summer sports, from the UEFA women's Euro to the UK's Grand Prix.
“We are proud to be home to trustworthy news, must-see storytelling and live sports, making it easier for our audience to stay connected to key moments.”
