Production company bids to establish ‘world-leading’ podcasting hub

A podcast production company is establishing its permanent headquarters and studios in Sheffield, as part of its plans to create a “world-leading” podcasting hub in the North of England.

It will mean some of the country’s biggest podcast shows will be made and produced in Sheffield.

Persephonica make some of the UK’s biggest podcasts, including Miss Me?, with Lily Allen and Miquita Oliver for BBC Sounds, and Political Currency, with Ed Balls and George Osborne. 

It has had international success with Dua Lipa’s interview series, At Your Service, and it was the co-creator of the UK’s biggest daily podcast, The News Agents, with international media brand, Global. 

Persephonica’s founders, Dino Sofos and Tom O’Hara, are from Sheffield and they established the company in 2021.

Sofos said: “This is a huge boost for creativity in the North. We are very excited about starting a new chapter for British podcasting in this buzzing, creative and diverse city.

“Talented people from lower income backgrounds often struggle to get a foot on the ladder in the media because they can’t afford to do free work experience or freelance on low wages while paying high rents in London.

“It means people growing up in the South East have an unfair advantage at securing interesting and influential media jobs. The best way to change the status quo is to create more opportunities outside the capital.”

“Thanks to its abundance of world class journalism and media courses, South Yorkshire is full of people with huge potential to become the future stars of the podcasting industry.”

Persephonica will move into Leah’s Yard, a former industrial workshop, early next month. 

The company will fund training, internships and partner with local colleges and universities to develop a new pool of podcasting talent in the region.

It will also partner with other media organisations and production companies to generate more new opportunities in the region. Persephonica will retain a smaller base and staff in London.

Sofos is a co-founder of the Crossed Wires podcast festival, which took place in Sheffield in May and saw thousands of podcast fans, companies and makers flock to the city.

Sheffield City Council, funded by the South Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority (SYMCA), supported Persephonica’s move with a Tech Welcome Grant.

Heidi Dawson, head of BBC Salford and controller BBC Radio 5 Live said: “Miss Me? is one of the BBC’s most exciting new podcasts.

“It’s the first BBC commission for Sheffield-based independent production company Persephonica who have been great to work with from conception to launch.

“The BBC is committed to commissioning more content outside of London in order to better serve our audiences across the UK and support home-grown production talent.”

South Yorkshire Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “A multi-award-winning company with an audience of millions across all its productions choosing to relocate here shows that new, energetic and creative businesses share our confidence in the future of South Yorkshire.

“I look forward to working with the Persephonica team as they go from strength-to-strength.”

Councillor Ben Miskell, chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee at Sheffield City Council, added: “It’s fantastic to welcome Persephonica to Sheffield and to the incredible Leah’s Yard development.

“They are a brilliant example of a multi-award-winning company using funding like the Tech Welcome Grant from South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard to really take their business to the next level.”

“Our city centre is transforming, and this is yet another positive indication that businesses have confidence in the regeneration that’s taking place.”