IHeartMedia podcasts coming to Disney+ & Hulu

Six new video podcasts from iHeartMedia are heading to Disney+ and Hulu, starting August 14, 2026. The deal covers titles already popular with tens of millions of listeners, and it marks another step in Disney's broader push to expand its streaming catalog beyond traditional scripted content. We track these platform moves closely, and this one caught our attention immediately.

The partnership was confirmed on August 10, 2026, with Lauren Tempest, Head of Content Planning & Partnerships at The Walt Disney Company, stating that podcasts have become one of the fastest growing ways for audiences to connect with the stories and talent they love. Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia, echoed that view, pointing to Disney+ and Hulu's incredibly passionate fan communities as a key reason for the collaboration. Both parties clearly see an audience overlap worth exploiting.

It's worth noting upfront : this deal appears limited to the United States. No international rollout was announced, which feels like a missed opportunity given how globally recognized some of these franchises are. We'll keep an eye on whether that changes.

Six iHeartPodcasts titles arriving on Disney+ and Hulu

The lineup blends rewatch podcasts tied to beloved TV shows with original conversational formats. Here's what's coming and when :

Hey Jonas ! kicks things off on August 14. Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas host this intimate and irreverent look at their lives beyond the music. It's less polished PR and more genuine conversation, which is exactly what makes rewatch and companion podcast formats resonate so well with dedicated fanbases.

On August 24, Pod Meets World lands exclusively on Disney+. Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle, and Rider Strong, the trio behind the classic sitcom Boy Meets World, have already built a massive audio audience : over 55 million downloads across their run recapping all seven seasons of the show. Their new chapter focuses on deeper dives into their 30-year friendship, '90s memories, and surprise guests. The connection to Disney's existing IP here is obvious, and it makes sense for Disney+ specifically.

Desperately Devoted, arriving November 2 on Hulu, takes a similar approach with Desperate Housewives. Hosted by Teri Hatcher alongside Andrea Bowen and Teri's real-life daughter Emerson Tenney, the podcast revisits Wisteria Lane while expanding into broader conversations about women's experiences, identity, and relationships. Emerson watching the full series for the first time adds a genuinely fresh angle to what could have been a straightforward nostalgia exercise.

Rewatch culture, original voices, and what this means for the platforms

The remaining three titles lean less on established franchises. Fake Doctors, Real Friends with Zach and Donald brings Scrubs co-stars Zach Braff and Donald Faison back together for a weekly episode-by-episode rewatch, complete with behind-the-scenes anecdotes and guest appearances from the original cast. It's a format that has proven reliable on other platforms, and Scrubs has maintained a loyal following for years.

StraightioLab, hosted by comedians George Civeris and Sam Taggart, takes a very different direction. The podcast dissects straight culture, tackling topics from college fraternities to themed restaurants with sharp, intellectual humor. Six years of episodes have already built a dedicated listener base. New episodes will stream weekly on Hulu, consistent with the format across all six titles.

Finally, Thanks Dad with Ego Nwodim brings something more personal to the slate. Ego Nwodim, known for her time on Saturday Night Live, leads honest and funny conversations with guests about the father figures, or lack thereof, who shaped their lives. It's a quieter addition compared to the franchise-adjacent titles, but it fits the broader goal of offering varied voices on the platform.

None of these six podcasts are exclusive to Disney+ or Hulu. That's the real limitation of this deal. Listeners can already find the audio versions elsewhere, and the video editions aren't locked behind the Disney ecosystem. For now, the move likely serves as a data-gathering exercise more than a content differentiator. Disney can measure engagement, see which formats click with its subscriber base, and decide whether investing in original, exclusive video podcasts is worth pursuing. We've been watching how Disney is reshaping its streaming strategy between Disney+ and Hulu, and this partnership fits neatly into that evolving picture.

If Disney does decide to commission original podcast content built specifically for its platforms, the franchise connections are already there. Scrubs, Boy Meets World, Desperate Housewives : all properties with Disney ties, all with proven audience appetite. The infrastructure for something genuinely exclusive already exists. Whether Disney moves in that direction, or keeps licensing existing shows, is the question worth watching over the coming months.