Hulu is bringing four more podcasts to the platform, as the streamer leans more into the growing medium.
The newly licensed titles include the comedy podcast Handsome, hosted by Tig Notaro, Fortune Feimster, and Mae Martin, as well as three podcasts based around television shows: The New Girl Rewatch podcast The Mess Around, hosted by Hannah Simone and Lamorne Morris, Prison Breaking, based on the TV show Prison Break, and That Was Us, hosted by This Is Us stars Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown and Chris Sullivan.
The shows will join the platform starting April 19, with new episodes appearing on Hulu exclusively before going wide, alongside library content.
The additions of Handsome, The Mess Around, and That Was Us come as part of Hulu’s licensing deal with podcast network Headgum. The first podcast as part of that deal, We’re Here to Help, an advice podcast hosted by New Girls’ Jake Johnson and Gareth Reynolds, launched on Hulu in February.
In making this move, Hulu joins Netflix in testing out podcasts as another entertainment option for streaming subscribers, amid the popularity of video podcasts on YouTube. However, Netflix is more stringent with its licensing deals, requiring shows from Barstool Sports, iHeartMedia and The Ringer, to forgo YouTube entirely.
“These podcasts have each built such a passionate fanbase, and we look forward to bringing them to an even broader audience on Hulu,” said Lauren Tempest, general manager, Hulu & EVP, DTC Content Partnerships. “Podcasts have become a strategic part of our content offering and as the lineup continues to grow, we’ll stay creator first and focus on delivering buzzy shows that drive cultural conversation.”
“Each of these shows has a special relationship with its audience, and we’re excited to help grow their fanbases even further with an incredible, talent-first collaborator like Hulu,” said Kaiti Moos, VP, content at Headgum. “This next chapter allows us to expand, while staying true to existing fans and preserving the experience they love.”
Before striking the deal with Headgum, Hulu had companion podcasts related to popular Disney+ and Hulu’s most popular series, including Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, Paradise, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Tell Me Lies, FX’s Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette and Marvel Television’s Daredevil: Born Again.
