Goalhanger has confirmed a second series of its original geopolitical audio thriller Bear Hunt for 2027, after the ten-part debut run surpassed one million downloads.
The first series follows a fictional British mission to assassinate the Russian president, with the story moving between Westminster, Washington and behind enemy lines. Lead character Duffy will return for a new mission in a different setting and with a new target.
“This was completely new territory for us, so to see an original drama resonate in this way has been hugely rewarding,” said Goalhanger co-founder and executive producer Tony Pastor. “We’re delighted to be bringing Bear Hunt back for a second series next year, with Duffy returning for a new mission, a new environment and a new target.”
Goalhanger said each successive episode outperformed the previous one during the first series, though it did not provide a breakdown of downloads by episode.
To mark the finale, Goalhanger has released a bonus debrief hosted by Gordon Corera, co-host of The Rest Is Classified. Pastor joins directors Adam Jarrell and Joel Emery and technical producer David Allen to discuss how the series was made.
The Drop takeaway: With much of the podcast industry’s attention on video, Bear Hunt is a reminder that an original drama made for listening can still find an audience. The second series gives Goalhanger a chance to build on that audience with a returning character. The next question is whether its success in audio attracts interest from TV producers, commissioners (or even publishers) looking for a proven thriller concept to adapt…
