Listen and BBC Sounds reveal The Traitors Uncloaked and more

Leading podcast agency, Listen has announced two new visualised podcasts at the Edinburgh Television Festival: the return of the official companion podcast The Traitors: Uncloaked, and a music podcast from Scott Mills and Rylan for BBC Sounds and BBC iPlayer, Pop Top Ten.

On stage at the festival on a panel produced by Listen about the increasingly blurred lines between TV and podcasts, Listen’s Director of Content, Darby Dorras and BBC Commissioning Editor, Neil McCallum announced that The Traitors: Uncloaked will return alongside the new series of The Traitors. It will be hosted again by comedian Ed Gamble, and this series will feature 12 episodes, instead of the previous 10, like-for-like with the main show’s episodes.

As a visualised podcast with an exclusive extended audio-only cut for BBC Sounds, The Traitors: Uncloaked was a brand-new take on a companion show. The podcast launched in January this year and drew huge audiences. Packed full of exclusives, the podcast paved the way for podcast commissions for TV. It aired on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer after the main show and averaged 1.8M across the series with the finale peaking at an impressive 4.3M, and with 3.1M watching on the night of the final. Younger Audiences peaked at an impressive 0.8M - with a large proportion of this viewing coming from BBC iPlayer.

Ed said: “I cannot wait to get back under my cloak to watch the next series of TV’s most deceitful format, then pour over every detail with the contestants, and equally mischievous guests, on Uncloaked. The Traitors is the game we all think we’d ace but would most likely be terrible at. I’ll try not to spend all of our airtime explaining how I would have played it better.”

Listen will also create Pop Top 10, a brand new 10-part podcast for BBC Sounds and BBC iPlayer with Scott Mills and Rylan. Pop Top 10 is a fun and addictive new format, from Radio 2, in which the duo are joined by a special guest to rank and debate a different musical theme in each episode - think: Great British Girl Groups, Ultimate Chart Battles, or Soapstars Turned Popstars. Expect nostalgia in spades and fiery deliberation as Scott, Rylan and friends build their own rankings and crown their number 1 in each iconic moment in pop culture.

Pop Top 10 is designed to be listened to or watched, with each episode presenting viewers with a stylish, low-key loft-style setting while embracing unmistakable podcast sensibilities; hosts and guests are seen in candid conversation, microphones in shot, cups of coffee in hand, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments that make the experience feel both intimate and polished.

Rylan said: “Scott and I will be talking about the best of the best in pop music from over the years - what more could you want? Well, we might even treat you to a special guest once in a while too…”

Scott said: “I’m so excited I’ll be getting to discuss me and my Euro-husband’s fave subject - all out POP - for the first time away from Eurovision. If you enjoyed us on the Semi-Finals, just wait till you hear this… Rylan is the only person who can make my ribs hurt from laughing!”

Darby Dorras, Director of Content at Listen, said: “We’re excited to continue pioneering in the space where podcasting meets television. The Traitors: Uncloaked proved just how powerful this combination can be by merging the intimate, conversational style of podcasts with the rich visual treatment of TV production. It can create a unique experience, and we’re thrilled to be at the forefront of this evolution with both the return of Uncloaked and the launch of Pop Top 10.”

Pop Top 10 will launch on BBC Sounds on Wednesday 18th September. The Traitors: Uncloaked will return alongside the main series with broadcast details being announced in due course.