iWorld
Netflix tunes in to iHeartMedia’s podcast empire
NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES: Netflix has pulled off a coup in the podcasting wars, securing exclusive video rights to more than 15 of iHeartMedia’s top shows. The deal, announced today, will see everything from My Favorite Murder to The Breakfast Club land on the streaming platform in early 2026—video podcasts finally getting their Netflix moment.
It’s quite the roster. Charlamagne Tha God and his breakfast crew, true-crime enthusiasts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, and Chelsea Handler doling out advice will all be streaming exclusively on Netflix. The Workaholics lads are coming too, along with Bobby Bones, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, and a battalion of history buffs dissecting everyone from bastards to buried bones.
“Audio podcasting has been the fastest-growing medium over the past 20 years,” says iHeartMedia chief executive Bob Pittman, clearly chuffed about adding pictures to the mix. The partnership gives fans “one more way to connect with the personalities they love,” he adds—presumably whilst folding laundry or pretending to work from home.
Netflix vice-president of content licensing and programming strategy Lauren Smith Is equally enthusiastic about offering members “unmatched variety.” Translation: there’s now something to watch between true-crime documentaries and true-crime podcasts about true crime.
The jewel in the crown is The Breakfast Club, which recently notched up one billion downloads. Hosts DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Loren LoRosa and Charlamagne Tha God have been breaking down news and culture to a massive audience—now they’ll do it on camera too. My Favorite Murder brings its two billion lifetime downloads to the party, whilst The Psychology of Your 20s promises to help viewers survive their growing pains through the magic of psychology.
Sports fans get John Middlekauff’s NFL insights, music lovers get Bobby Bones chatting up celebrities, and the perpetually curious get three separate Stuff podcasts examining everything from conspiracy theories to the bits history class forgot.
iHeartMedia keeps all audio-only rights, so the shows will continue their reign on iHeartRadio and other podcast platforms. Audio purists can breathe easy—nobody’s forcing them to watch Robert Evans explain historical villainy whilst they’re on the Tube.
The real question: will people actually watch podcasts, or will these just become expensive screensavers? Netflix is betting that seeing Chelsea Handler’s facial expressions whilst she dispenses wisdom is worth the bandwidth. With over 300 million paid memberships to tap, they’ve got a decent shot at finding out.
One thing’s certain: the podcast industrial complex just got a whole lot more visual. Whether that’s progress or just podcasting with extra steps remains to be seen.
iWorld
Why Peaky Blinders is one of television’s biggest hits that still deserves more attention
Six seasons, multiple awards and the release of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man bring the Shelby saga back into the spotlight
In the crowded universe of streaming content, only a handful of shows manage to leave a lasting cultural footprint. Peaky Blinders is overwhelmingly considered one of the biggest global hits of the past decade. Yet many viewers still haven’t fully explored the dark, gripping world of the Shelby family.
Originally produced for the UK’s BBC and later finding a massive global audience through Netflix, the series quietly grew from a British period drama into a worldwide streaming phenomenon.
Created by Steven Knight, the show follows the rise of the Shelby crime family in post-First World War Birmingham. What begins as a gritty street-gang story gradually expands into a sweeping narrative about ambition, politics, power and survival.
At the centre of the saga is Thomas Shelby, portrayed with extraordinary depth by Cillian Murphy. The casting of Murphy is widely regarded as perfect for the role. With piercing eyes, restrained dialogue and an almost hypnotic screen presence, he transforms Shelby into one of the most unforgettable characters in modern screen storytelling.
Murphy’s brilliance lies in his restraint. He rarely shouts or performs theatrically. Instead, a quiet stare, a calculated pause or a subtle shift in expression conveys the emotional storms within the character. Beneath the ruthless gang leader is a war veteran carrying trauma, guilt and loneliness. Murphy captures this complexity with remarkable precision, making Thomas Shelby both terrifying and deeply human.
Beyond its central performance, Peaky Blinders stands out for its unfiltered portrayal of reality. The show does not romanticise crime. Instead, it exposes the harsh social conditions of early 20th-century Britain, from poverty and class struggle to political extremism and the psychological scars left by war.
The series also presents powerful female characters who hold their own within the Shelby empire. Polly Gray, played by Helen McCrory, is the strategic backbone of the family and one of the most formidable figures in the story. Women in the series shape decisions, influence power structures and challenge the rigid social norms of the time.
Across six seasons, the narrative grows dramatically in scale. What begins in the smoky streets of Birmingham evolves into a story involving political conspiracies, fascism and international criminal networks.
The series has also earned significant critical acclaim. It won the BAFTA Television Award for Best Drama Series in 2018 and multiple National Television Awards for Best Drama, cementing its reputation as one of Britain’s most celebrated modern shows.
Another defining feature of the series is its iconic music. The show’s opening theme, Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, became instantly recognisable and widely associated with the Shelby universe. Combined with a powerful soundtrack featuring artists such as Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead, the music helped shape the show’s dark, stylish identity and became hugely popular among fans.
And the Shelby story is not over yet.
In fact, its legacy is unfolding right now. The long-awaited feature-length continuation, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, was released on March 6, 2026, bringing the Shelby universe from streaming screens to cinemas and giving fans a new chapter in the saga.
For viewers who have not yet stepped into this world, the timing could not be better.
Six gripping seasons are ready to binge on Netflix. A new film has just arrived in theatres. And at the heart of it all stands one of the most magnetic performances in modern drama by Cillian Murphy.
So if Peaky Blinders has been sitting on your watchlist for years, this weekend is your moment.
So, by order of the Peaky fookin’ Blinders, consider this your cue to finally step into the ruthless world of Thomas Shelby. Pour yourself a drink, clear your schedule and press the play button. Because when the Peaky Blinders give an order, you listen.
