BBC Sounds Audio Lab is back for 2025

BBC Sounds Audio Lab is back for its fourth year, continuing its mission to discover and develop the next generation of audio creators, and helping to tell the untold stories that deserve to be heard. This year, we’ll collaborate with a new cohort to help turn their ideas into podcasts which will be showcased on BBC Sounds, transforming bold and fresh ideas into new series which reflect diverse experiences from across the UK.

Four successful creators will receive a full-time salary for seven months (from July 2025 - January 2026) at Assistant Producer level, plus a comprehensive package of practical and professional training that includes dedicated production support and a bespoke training plan.

Audio Lab will embed the creators with one of its production partners from across the UK. In 2025, our production partners are two BBC teams and two independent production companies: BBC Audio Scotland and Northern Ireland (Glasgow and Belfast), Persephonica (Sheffield), BBC Audio North (Salford) and Reduced Listening (London).

Previous Audio Lab creators have gone on to win awards and land prestigious roles across the industry. In 2024, Sacred Money took home the Specialist Award at the British Podcast Awards, as well as winning Silver in the Business category; in the series, Taqwa Sadiq looked at the Muslim practice of Zakat, and whether its approach to wealth and charity could help address the cost-of-living crisis. Audio Lab alumni Adam Zmith also won big last year, as co-creator of new podcast Press Play, Turn On from Audible, which won the coveted Podcast of the Year award. Elsewhere, May Robson, creator of Now Here, joined production company Reduced Listening, Anouska Lewis, creator of Audio Lab podcast Hometown Boring?, stepped into a new role at Goalhanger Podcasts, and one of our first-year creators, Tommy Dixon, creator of the ARIA Award-winning Colouring in Britain, now produces podcasts for BBC World Service and made a series with BBC Radio 1Xtra.

Khaliq Meer, Commissioning Executive for BBC Sounds Audio Lab, says: "We are proud to bring back BBC Sounds Audio Lab for its fourth year, continuing our commitment to nurturing emerging talent and fostering creative new ideas from across the UK. The success of Sacred Money, which won Specialist Podcast at the British Podcast Awards in 2024, highlights the exceptional quality and industry recognition our programme achieves. With podcast listenership at an all-time high and BBC Sounds seeing 2.3 billion plays across all content in 2024, there has never been a better time for the next generation to join us and benefit from the unparalleled support and resources we and our partners can offer"

To support applicants with their submissions and answer questions, there will be an Audio Lab webinar on Monday 20 January at 6pm which will also be available to watch back on the Audio Lab website shortly after the session. Find out more and sign up here.

Audio Lab is for those with some experience of making fresh audio, telling great stories or producing narrative content. Applicants may have a range of content making experience they want to develop including writing, interviewing, recording, editing and presenting. They may have self-published audio or video on well-known social media channels, have produced or presented at community radio stations, or may even have previously held junior production roles. A passion for audio and podcasts is essential, along with an idea for a conversation, story or perspective to develop into a distinctive podcast. Further information and terms and conditions can be found on the BBC Sounds Audio Lab website.

BBC Sounds Audio Lab is open to all and encourages applications from all under-represented groups in the UK including people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, people with disabilities and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Applications open on Tuesday 14 January 2025 on the BBC Careers Hub, and close on Tuesday 11 February 2025. Click here to apply.

Audio Lab is just one of the many ways the BBC supports the wider UK audio industry, creating new opportunities and nurturing the next generation of talent. Last year, the BBC teamed up with The Multitrack Fellowship to offer entry level opportunities to people who may face barriers to the industry due to socioeconomic background, race, ethnicity or disability. Additionally, our acquisitions team continues to champion independent creators across the UK, recently acquiring the independently produced podcast Weird in the Wade.