Wondery is expanding its podcast slate with new Wondery originals and exclusive partnerships. “Podcasts are evolving from nice-to-have to must-have for advertisers — by our estimate, over 100 million Americans are listening every month,” said Hernan Lopez, Wondery Founder and CEO. “Wondery is evolving too, by adding comedy, news and sports to our portfolio of binge-worthy, immersive podcasts.”
One new partnership is with Lewis Howes and his podcastThe School of Greatness, a Top 100 Apple Podcast. Howes is a New York Times bestselling author, lifestyle entrepreneur, former pro athlete, and world record holder in football with previous guests such as Kobe Bryant, Brian Grazer, and Wim Hof. “To have the support of Wondery, and for them to see the value of the brand we have built and the growth potential of our show is a huge milestone,” said Howes. “We look forward to being on this journey with them–reaching new audiences, working with new partners and guests and continuing to tell best-in-class stories.”
Society & Culture has long been a strong vertical for Wondery, and Wondery is set expand in the category with the launches of two new original series, “Even the Rich” and “Bunga Bunga” premiering March 10 and April 21. Even the Rich is a new ongoing show that takes a funny and biting look at some of the most powerful and famous families. Hosted by Brooke Siffrin and Aricia Skidmore-Williams – two comedians who met in Los Angeles valet parking cars for celebrities – Even the Rich will explore how celebrities’ private lives become our public obsessions. Bunga Bunga is the story of a businessman who knew how to use television to build his brand. He was charismatic, but also pretty divisive. And despite accusations of wrongdoing and questions about the origins of his money, one day he ran for the highest office in his country and against all odds, he won. His name was Silvio Berlusconi, and he forever transformed politics in Italy and beyond.
True Crime continues to deliver for Wondery. In addition to its ongoing hits (Generation Why and The Vanished), on March 5, the team behind Hollywood & Crime comes back with The Dating Game Killer – the story of the prolific serial killer who had the audacity to go on a dating game show on national television while in the midst of a killing spree. Also on the True Crime slate, is Guru – where a group of strangers seek a self-help guru’s unorthodox method for improvement and economic advice. With praises from Oprah and a career that was taking off, we uncover his extreme methods pushing his students to their limits and what happens when it all goes too far.
And this fall, Wondery’s hit Dr. Death from the award-winning Laura Beil comes back with a second season, featuring two new cases of doctors who betrayed their oath. It is launching it simultaneously with the Television premiere of Dr. Death, featuring Jamie Dornan, Alec Baldwin and Christian Slater.