Key Points
The 2026 Golden Globes will include a new competitive category for Best Podcast.
Traditionally, the Golden Globes only recognizes film and TV nominees.
Globes leader Helen Hoehne said the group is “excited to recognize new forms of storytelling.”
The Golden Globes announced a strange new development amid the group’s evolving identity on the awards circuit, with the implementation of a new Best Podcast competitive category.
Beginning at January’s 2026 Golden Globes ceremony, the organization will recognize the best podcasts of the year among its awards slate, citing “extraordinary and diverse talents in podcasting” and “seismic growth” in the podcasting space as justification for adding the category to its film-and-TV-centric show.
“As the world of entertainment continues to evolve, we are excited to recognize new forms of storytelling,” said the Globes’ president, Helen Hoehne, in a press statement.
She added that “podcasts have emerged as a profound medium for sharing narratives and building communities across global borders and generations,” and that the inclusion of a new category expands the Golden Globes’ ability to recognize new narrative outlets.
Hoehne finished her statement by stressing that “by celebrating achievements in both audio and visual podcasts, we aim to honor our heritage categories while making room for new voices and formats to be heard.”
The Golden Globes’ announcement elaborated further on the new competitive category’s nomination process, which will involve highlighting the top 25 podcasts that qualify for the award, with six advancing to the final nomination slots for the category.
Eligibility requirements and more details on the nomination process for Best New Podcast will be announced in the near future, the Globes confirmed.
Paul Morigi/Getty; Emma McIntyre/WireImage
Nikki Glaser and a Golden Globes statuette
Elsewhere, the Golden Globes recently announced that 2025 ceremony host Nikki Glaser would return to emcee the 2026 edition, following a well-received performance as the head of the telecast.
The Golden Globes have long established a reputation for favoring starry, A-lister projects on the awards trail, and the podcasting space now boasts a wealth of celebrity projects hosted by famous stars, with everyone from Michelle Obama to Kelly Ripa, Bowen Yang, and Dax Shepard fronting popular shows on their platforms.
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The Golden Globes’ new category follows a trend for major awards bodies that have announced new competitive brackets, including the Oscars, which recently revealed that it would implement new categories for stunts and casting at future ceremonies.
The 2026 Golden Globes air Sunday, Jan. 11.
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