YouTube is now the most-used platform for podcast listening in the United Kingdom, according to new data from Edison Podcast Metrics UK.
For the first time on record, 29% of weekly podcast listeners aged 15 and over in the UK say YouTube is their main service for consuming podcasts, just ahead of Spotify at 28%.
This marks a significant shift in the UK podcast landscape, following a similar trend in the United States nearly two years ago, when YouTube first surpassed Spotify there.
The data also highlights the strong presence of public media in the UK podcast market. BBC Sounds, the BBC’s dedicated audio streaming platform, is used as the primary podcast service by 15% of UK podcast consumers.
This figure is notably higher than any public media-related podcast service in the US, where public broadcasters have a much smaller share of the podcast audience.
The robust role of public media may help explain why YouTube’s growth in the UK has been slower compared to the US, where commercial platforms dominate.
Competition between YouTube, Spotify, and BBC Sounds reflects a diverse and evolving podcast ecosystem in the UK, with listeners showing varied preferences for how they access audio content.
Edison Research will present further insights into UK podcast consumption in a live webinar on 16 July 2026 at 2pm BST, offering industry professionals and podcast creators a deeper look at these trends.
