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New Zealand Podcast Awards 2025 winners announced
The New Zealand Podcast Awards, supported by Acast, have celebrated another year of exceptional local audio, with record fan engagement and a growing number of creators recognised across a wide range of categories.
Created to recognise and celebrate the work of Kiwi podcasters at home and abroad, the New Zealand Podcast Awards shine a light on independent creators and established networks alike, championing high-quality storytelling and helping shows find new audiences and sponsors.
Across this year’s categories, a number of titles stood out. The Spinoff’s Fury of the Small enjoyed a breakout year, winning Gold in both Best Fiction Podcast and Best New Podcast and adding further recognition with Silver in The Creativity Award and Podcast of the Year. The Curve Podcast demonstrated the strength of New Zealand’s independent scene, taking Gold in both Best Education Podcast and Best Independent Podcast, alongside Bronze in Podcast of the Year.
The coveted Listeners’ Choice title, decided entirely by public vote, went to #BHN Big Hairy News, reflecting the show’s highly engaged audience across subscriptions and social channels.
Podcast of the Year
This year’s top honour, Podcast of the Year, went to Kelly Tarlton’s Final Treasure Hunt. The show was the night’s most decorated winner, also taking Gold in both Best Documentary Podcast and Best History Podcast, plus Silver in Best Factual Podcast. Its success is recognition for locally grounded storytelling that connects New Zealanders with our history.
Its success reflects continued acknowledgement of locally focused storytelling that connects audiences with New Zealand’s history.
Full list of winners and runners-up across each category:
| Award | Podcast |
|---|---|
| Best Arts and Culture Podcast | Gold: The Dom Harvey Podcast Silver: Interconnector Bronze: What Matters Most |
| Best Branded Podcast | Gold: When the Facts Change Silver: The Melding Muse Podcast Bronze: Parents We’ve Met |
| Best Business Podcast | Gold: Accidental Business Owners Silver: Fresh Moni Bronze: Human In The Loop |
| Best Comedy Podcast | Gold: Can’t Handle The Crime And Scandal Silver: Did Titanic Sink: Season 2 Bronze: Wellington Paranormal: The Podcast |
| Best Current Affairs Podcast | Gold: The Detail Silver: Locked Out with Craig Renney Bronze: The Frontline with Dr Gary Payinda |
| Best Documentary Podcast | Gold: Kelly Tarlton’s Final Treasure Hunt Silver: Satanic Panic Bronze: GUILT |
| Best Education Podcast | Gold: The Curve Podcast Silver: Untidy Bronze: Unfiltered with Dave Letele |
| Best Entertainment Podcast | Gold: Extremely Casual Gamers Silver: The Dom Harvey Podcast Bronze: Can’t Handle The Crime And Scandal |
| Best Factual Podcast | Gold: Heaven’s Helpline Silver: Kelly Tarlton’s Final Treasure Hunt Bronze: Among The Missing |
| Best Family Podcast | Gold: Untidy Silver: Alpha 8 Bronze: Why Do You Parent Like That? |
| Best Fiction Podcast | Gold: Fury of the Small Silver: Did Titanic Sink: Season 2 Bronze: Alpha 8 |
| Best Health and Wellbeing Podcast | Gold: Take It From Us with Kent Johns Silver: Grey Areas with Petra Bagust Bronze: Good Shift |
| Best History Podcast | Gold: Kelly Tarlton’s Final Treasure Hunt Silver: Guilt Bronze: Heaven’s Helpline |
| Best Independent Podcast | Gold: The Curve Podcast Silver: The Dom Harvey Podcast Bronze: Interconnector |
| Best Interview Podcast | Gold: The Dom Harvey Podcast Silver: Between Two Beers Bronze: Unfiltered with Dave Letele |
| Best Maori or Pasifika Podcast Host | Gold: Unfiltered with Dave Letele Silver: Fresh Moni Bronze: Āio: a road to peace |
| Best Network or Publisher | Gold: The Spinoff Silver: Frank Podcasts Bronze: BHN |
| Best New Podcast | Gold: Fury of the Small Silver: Heaven’s Helpline Bronze: Among The Missing |
| Best Radio Podcast | Gold: The Morning Rumble Podcast Silver: Yarns with Andy Bronze: Witi Underwater |
| Best Sports Podcast | Gold: Between Two Beers Podcast Silver: What A Lad Bronze: Full Credit |
| Best True Crime Podcast | Gold: GUILT Silver: Heaven’s Helpline Bronze: Satanic Panic |
| The Climate Award | Gold: The Flood Silver: People | Planet | Food – Scigest Bronze: Tune into Nature with Karthic |
| The Creativity Award | Gold: Satanic Panic Silver: Fury of the Small Bronze: Interconnector |
| The Rising Star Award | Gold: Heaven’s Helpline Silver: Unfiltered with Dave Letele Bronze: Can’t Handle The Crime And Scandal |
| The Spotlight Award | Gold: The Boy in the Water Silver: GUILT Bronze: The Dom Harvey Podcast |
| Judges’ Picks | Gold: Interconnector Silver: The Artful Dodger Bronze: That’s Just Criminal |
| Listeners’ Choice | Gold: #BHN Big Hairy News Silver: The Happy Saver Bronze: Paul… The Other One Podcast |
| Podcast of the Year | Gold: Kelly Tarlton’s Final Treasure Hunt Silver: Fury of the Small Bronze: The Curve Podcast |
