“Giggly Squad,” hosted by Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo, won Podcast of the Year at the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards, which were presented live at SXSW in Austin, Texas on Monday (March 16). The show, hosted by comedian Ego Nwodim, was held at ACL Live at the Moody Theater and was streamed live exclusively on VEEPS. The event also was also broadcast on select iHeartMedia radio stations and was available live on the iHeartRadio app.
Related
Other key winners included: “Call Her Daddy” (Best Pop Culture), “Good Hang With Amy Poehler” (Best Comedy), “All Songs Considered” (Best Music) and “Watch What Crappens” (Best TV & Film).
In addition to the fan-voted and category awards, iHeartMedia presented three Icon Awards – the Social Impact Award to Jay Shetty, the Audible Audio Pioneer Award to Terry Gross and the Innovator Award to Hrishikesh Hirway.
Will Ferrell kicked off the show in full Team USA speed skating gear as he joked with the crowd full of a “few of his peers and many of his admirers.”
Host Ego Nwodim, who was also nominated in the Best Emerging category for her podcast “Thanks Dad,” welcomed the audience and talked about the importance of podcasts.
“Broken Record” host Justin Richmond presented the 2026 Social Impact Award to Jay Shetty and his “On Purpose” podcast. Shetty accepted the award via video message.
Jennie Garth, host of “I Choose Me,” celebrated the shows nominated for Best TV & Film for keeping us all engaged before presenting the award to “Watch What Crappens.” Hosts Ronnie Karam and Ben Mandelker accepted the award.
Eric Andre presented the Best Comedy Award to “Good Hang with Amy Poehler.” Poehler accepted via video message and thanked her listeners, teasing her next episode with Viola Davis.
Juju Green presented the Innovator Award to Hrishikesh Hirway who recounted the beginnings of “Song Exploder” and his desire to dive into every beat of creating the music we hear.
TikTok creators and podcast hosts Clifford Taylor IV and Timothy Martin presented Best Business & Finance to “The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett.”
Jonathan Goldstein presented the Audible Audio Pioneer Icon Award to “Fresh Air” host Terry Gross, who accepted her award via video message. She recounted her beginnings as a volunteer at her college radio station and gaining her skills by broadcasting in front of nearly no audience.
Iliza Shlesinger presented Podcast of the Year to Giggly Squad hosts Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo.
Executive producers for the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards were John Sykes, Tom Poleman, Conal Byrne and Bart Peters for iHeartMedia.
Here’s a full list of nominees for the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards, with winners marked:
Podcast of the Year
Good Hang With Amy Poehler
The Breakfast Club
The Mel Robbins Podcast
Pablo Torre Finds Out
The Daily
The Rest Is History
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von
Call Her Daddy
Heavyweight
WINNER: Giggly Squad
Best Overall Host
Amy Poehler
Pablo Torre
Alex Cooper
Emma Chamberlain
WINNER: Caleb Hearon
Best Overall Ensemble
We Can Do Hard Things
SmartLess
WINNER: The Basement Yard
This Is Important
Get Played
Best Pop Culture
Las Culturistas
WINNER: Call Her Daddy
Therapuss With Jake Shane
Giggly Squad
The Viall Files
Best Music
The Bobby Bones Show
Song Exploder
Switched On Pop
WINNER: All Songs Considered
One Song
Best TV & Film
The Big Picture
The Rewatchables
How Did This Get Made?
WINNER: Watch What Crappens
Girls Rewatch
Best Comedy
WINNER: Good Hang With Amy Poehler
The Toast
Distractible
Handsome
The Basement Yard
Best Business & Finance
Earn Your Leisure
How I Built This
Acquired
Young and Profiting With Hala Taha
WINNER: The Diary of a CEO With Steven Bartlett
Best Crime
Crime Junkie
Rotten Mango
Anatomy of Murder
My Favorite Murder
WINNER: Wisecrack
Best Food
WINNER: Eating While Broke
The Sporkful
Home Cooking
The Splendid Table
Dinner’s On Me
Best Wellness & Fitness
On Purpose With Jay Shetty
Huberman Lab
WINNER: The Mel Robbins Podcast
10% Happier
Maintenance Phase
Best History
WINNER: The Rest Is History
You’re Wrong About
Throughline
American History Tellers
SNAFU
Best Kids & Family
Story Pirates
Wow in the World
WINNER: Circle Round
The Big Fib
Brains On!
Best News
The Daily
The Megyn Kelly Show
Pivot
WINNER: The MeidasTouch Podcast
Up First From NPR
Best Fiction
The NoSleep Podcast
Havoc Town
Old Gods of Appalachia
Table Read
WINNER: Murder at the Patel Motel
Best Sports
New Heights
WINNER: Pardon My Take
The Zach Lowe Show
Club 520
The Ringer Fantasy Football Show
Best Science
Radiolab
Ologies
WINNER: Hidden Brain
StarTalk Radio
Shell Game
Best Technology
Hard Fork
Black Tech Green Money
Galaxy Brain
WINNER: Acquired
All-In
Best Ad Read
Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend
Call Her Daddy
WINNER: My Brother, My Brother and Me
Dudes on Dudes
Distractible
Best Political
Pod Save America
The Bulwark Podcast
WINNER: Breaking Points With Krystal and Saagar
Hacks on Tap
The Ben Shapiro Show
Best Spanish Language
Gracias, Come Again.
Radio Ambulante
Leyenda Legendarias
WINNER: Chente Ydrach
Relatos de la Noche
Best Advice/Inspirational
IMO With Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson
On Purpose With Jay Shetty
WINNER: Thanks for Asking
Just Heal With Dr. Jay
Self-Conscious With Chrissy Teigen
Best Beauty & Fashion
Nymphet Alumni
Fashion Neurosis With Bella Freud
Articles of Interest
Lipstick on the Rim
WINNER: Naked Beauty
Best Travel
WINNER: Women Who Travel
Travel With Rick Steves
Zero to Travel
Points Talk
The Travel Diaries
Best Spirituality & Religion
Deeply Well With Devi Brown
Girls Gone Bible
Joel Osteen Podcast
WHOA That’s Good Podcast
WINNER: Elevation With Steven Furtick
Best Branded Podcast
This Is Not a Beauty Podcast (L’Oreal)
Crucible Moments (Sequoia Capital)
WINNER: The Unshakeables (Chase for Business)
ZOE Science & Nutrition (ZOE)
Smart Talks (IBM)
Best Emerging
Khloé in Wonder Land
WINNER: Smart Girl Dumb Questions With Nayeema Raza
Try Hard
Thanks Dad With Ego Nwodim
Upstairs Neighbors
Best International
ShxtsNGigs (United Kingdom)
Las Alucines (Mexico)
The Rest Is History (United Kingdom)
WINNER: Shameless (Australia)
Crime Beat (Canada)