Mercury Network Adds New Shows & An Award

Mercury is launching the Heroes of Indie Podcasting, an annual initiative designed to honor individuals whose work has helped shape and strengthen the independent podcasting ecosystem. There is a surfeit of podcast awards that focus almost exclusively on celebrity shows and large network podcasts. Finally, an award for the intrepid independent podcaster!

The inaugural Heroes of Indie Podcasting, which was just announced, includes Arielle Nissenblatt, the founder of the EarBuds Podcast Collective.

Arielle Nissenblatt was also recently inducted into the Podcast Hall of Fame, further recognizing her significant impact on the global podcast industry and her long-standing commitment to supporting independent creators.

Emma Turner, Co-Founder of the Independent Podcast Awards, and a third inductee who will be revealed at a special event in the coming weeks.

Each Hero will receive one of Mercury’s newly unveiled, instantly iconic trophies, with new inductees to be celebrated each year.

In addition, Mercury’s PastMaster, the history-bending time travel comedy podcast, returns to your eyes and ears with its most outrageous quotes and legendary guests ever for Season five.

PastMaster is a game where hosts Tan and Ryan rewrite history, going back in time and using their 21st-century knowledge to try and survive and thrive, and above all, to avoid being burned as a witch. Which is easier said than done.

In their latest episode, comedian Esther Manito goes undercover on the Silk Road. Other upcoming guests include: Sunil Patel, Heidi Regan, Bilal Zafar, The McPherson Twins (Patrick and Hugo), Rohan Sharma, Caroline McEvoy, Sallyann Fellowes, Ashley Haden, Tadiwe Mahlunge, Alasdair Beckett-King and Laura Lexx.

This stellar cast of comic time travelers will explore destinations including ancient China, the Mayan Empire, the Aksumite Empire, the lost American colony of Roanoke and the race to the South Pole.

“We’re unbelievably excited to have a cast of comedy mavericks joining us for season five of PastMaster,” say Ryan and Tan. “Our adventures so far have stretched from the Viking empire to Victorian London and from Prohibition-era Chicago to the Neolithic tribes of Eurasia. And yet we’ve only scratched the surface. Expect the unexpected, get ready for the most entertaining and educational PastMaster season yet, and be prepared to laugh your head clean off.”

Episode one dropped February 2nd, and there will be a fresh quest every fortnight in 2026, peppered with occasional ‘side quest’ episodes in which Ryan and Tan test the game to breaking point.

Mercury is also welcoming Lexx Education, the popular British comedy podcast hosted by comedian Laura Lexx and her scientist brother Ron.

The show, which sees Laura attempt to learn GCSE science with predictably chaotic results, has built a loyal audience since its launch in 2022 and now aims to accelerate its growth and establish itself as one of the UK’s leading comedy podcasts.

Rounding out Mercury’s first birthday announcements is The Players Keep, a troupe of British actors playing Dungeons & Dragons, join the network as they launch their official podcast.

Over the past two years, the group has built a five-figure following across YouTube and social media and recently performed their first live show to an international audience.

With Mercury, the entirety of Campaign One is now available on podcast platforms, with Campaign Two launching on February 3rd, alongside exclusive audio-only content created specifically for podcast listeners.

Mercury’s mission is to empower independent podcasters by providing an ecosystem to create, collaborate, grow, and earn without sacrificing creative freedom. The network champions sustainability, independence, and accessibility, dismantling traditional gatekeepers while amplifying standout talent across genres.

Today, Mercury is home to a diverse slate of acclaimed podcasts, including America: A History, Spooky Story Time, Verbal Diorama, Second Helpings, Bingewatch, People Who Read People, Douze Points, 5 Random Questions, Dad’s Bedtime Stories, OffScreen, If You Were in Charge, Sexonomic, You’ve Got Mail, and Pastmaster.