Gary Lineker's media production company, Goalhanger, has been named the fastest-growing business in the United Kingdom, according to a new ranking by The Sunday Times. The company, co-founded by the former England footballer, reported sales of £37.9 million in 2025, achieving an average annual growth rate of 321% over the past three years.
Goalhanger's Podcast Empire
Goalhanger produces the popular The Rest is ... series of podcasts, including The Rest is History, The Rest is Entertainment hosted by Richard Osman and Guardian columnist Marina Hyde, The Rest is Football presented by Lineker himself, and The Rest is Politics hosted by Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell. The company's podcasts surged in popularity following the coronavirus pandemic, now collectively attracting more than 750 million listeners.
Despite its rapid growth, Goalhanger maintains a lean operation with only 80 employees at its London headquarters. The company has boosted revenue through paid subscriptions and live events. In January 2025, Goalhanger announced it had reached 250,000 paid subscribers for the first time, with reports indicating these subscribers generate approximately £15 million in annual revenue.
Key Partnerships and Expansion
Tony Pastor, former controller of sport at ITV, founded Goalhanger's podcast division alongside Lineker and former journalist Jack Davenport in 2018. Lineker, who co-hosts The Rest is Football, retains a stake of at least 25% in the business, according to recent filings at Companies House.
In December 2024, Netflix agreed to broadcast The Rest is Football during the World Cup, a deal reportedly worth £14 million. The show is hosted by Lineker along with fellow former footballers Alan Shearer and Micah Richards. A month later, The Chernin Group, a Los Angeles-based investment firm, acquired a minority stake in Goalhanger, with partner Greg Bettinelli joining the board as a director.
Goalhanger also launched its own venture capital arm in 2025, focusing on investing in "creator-led media businesses." This includes a stake in Invisible Media and a partnership with Backyard Cricket, both creator-led brands primarily active on YouTube.
Other Fast-Growing Companies
Lucky Egg, a London-based board games maker, ranked second on The Sunday Times list with £16.3 million in annual sales and a three-year average growth rate of 298%. TGG, a legal claims service based in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, took third place with annual sales of £210.5 million and a growth rate of 269%.
The Sunday Times found that the 100 fastest-growing companies increased their sales by an average of 108% per year over the last three years, reaching a combined £4 billion in sales. These businesses collectively employ 13,700 people.
Geographic and Demographic Breakdown
Of the 100 companies on the list, 45 are based in London, with the remainder spread across the UK: four in the north-west, 10 in the south-east, eight each in the east of England and the Midlands, five in Yorkshire and the Humber, four in Wales, three in the south-west, two in Scotland, and one in the north-east. A record 33 of the businesses have female founders, co-founders, or chief executives, including Michelle Laithwaite at FuelHub and Megan Rossi at Bio&Me.
