Platform Media is expanding its podcast IP into live entertainment through a new partnership with Live Nation Entertainment and Creative Artists Agency, with the companies announcing a UK theatre tour for Joe Marler Will See You Live.
The live tour builds on the growth of Joe Marler Will See You Now, a Platform Media original podcast fronted by former England rugby player and broadcaster Joe Marler alongside comedian and presenter Jake Bhardwaj.
The format, which blends celebrity interviews with improvised games and audience interaction, launched six months ago and has since generated 8 million long-form streams and 137 million social media views, according to Platform Media.
The company said the tour demonstrates its strategy of building entertainment brands beyond podcast distribution, spanning production, marketing, social strategy and monetisation. Rhyanna Coleman, director of strategy at Platform Media, said: “The growth of Joe Marler Will See You Now in just six months has been incredible to watch. Every part of the business has played a role in getting the show to this point, and taking it on tour is proof of our strategy in action: building brands around formats.”
The live dates, scheduled for October and November, will see Marler and Bhardwaj bring the format to theatres across the UK with a rotating line-up of guests. Platform Media said the live version will expand on the podcast’s “anarchy and empathy” dynamic through “immersive audience participation” and large-scale set pieces.
Marler said: “Playing Dr Marler every week has been a proper joy, and the reaction since launch has been amazing. I can’t wait to bring all the silliness and the more serious moments of the show into the real world.”
Platform Media produces entertainment formats across podcasts, video and social platforms, with talent including Graham Norton, Romesh Ranganathan and Olivia Attwood. For further reading on the podcast revolution go to Issue 2 of The Drop.
