Crossed Wires 2026 Announces Star-Studded Lineup for July Festival
The podcast industry is gearing up for one of the year’s most anticipated events. Crossed Wires podcast festival, returning to Sheffield from Thursday, July 2nd through Sunday, July 5th, 2026, has just unveiled an impressive roster of headline guests and local programming that promises to deliver the “world’s biggest podcasting party.”
Major Podcast Names Confirmed for the Weekend
The festival has announced a stellar lineup of podcast personalities and celebrities set to appear across headline shows throughout the weekend. Miquita Oliver, best known as co-host of Miss Me?, will join Elizabeth Day on How to Fail with Elizabeth Day, where the two will explore why failure is essential for growth and personal success.
Drag icon Bimini Bon Boulash will appear on Bold Politics with Zack Polanski, discussing their remarkable career trajectory from RuPaul’s Drag Race and London Fashion Week appearances to their work as an author and recording artist.
Other confirmed headliners include Greg James and Alice Levine, who will debut the first-ever live show of their chart-topping podcast Bad Chat at City Hall on opening night. Additional major shows announced include Get A Grip: Bras Off with Angela Scanlon and Vicky Pattison, JaackMaate’s Happy Hour, The Elis & John Show, The Blindboy Podcast, and Uncanny: Cold Cases with Danny Robins.
Boxing Legends and Music Icons Take Center Stage
A particularly noteworthy special event is That Boxing Show’s “Ingle Gym Special,” which will bring seven boxing legends trained at the iconic Sheffield academy to the stage. Joining World Cruiserweight Champion Johnny Nelson will be undefeated WBC world champion Dalton Smith, Olympic bronze medallist Frazer Clarke, former IBF welterweight world champion Kell Brook, and other notable fighters. The show promises insider stories, fight analysis, and bold predictions from leading trainers and analysts.
Radio veterans will also have plenty to enjoy, with Dig It featuring Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball, The Archers Podcast with Emma Freud, and numerous BBC Radio 4 flagship shows taking over The Montgomery venue.
Free Local Activities and Community Programming
Beyond the ticketed headline shows, Crossed Wires is committed to making the festival accessible to everyone. The festival will feature extensive free programming throughout Sheffield.
At Leah’s Yard, the Loose Lips platform returns to showcase ten South Yorkshire podcasts in an independent retail hub setting. Meanwhile, Ramble Rave will combine good mood music with outdoor experiences, featuring sets from ex-Sheffield pirate radio DJ Tat and the Surviving Horror Podcast.
At Barkers Pool, the Crossed Wires “Centre Stage” will offer non-ticketed, family-friendly entertainment throughout the weekend, including:
- The Nice Type creating custom compliments on a vintage typewriter
- Live music performances from Tracks
- Rise Yoga morning flow sessions on Saturday
- Community choir performances from Neighbourhood Voices
- Magician David Linacre providing interactive entertainment
- All-female award-winning Morris dancing performances
- Little Sounds Garden offering Musical Storytime for ages 0-5
BBC Sounds Fringe and Radio 4 Takeover
The BBC Sounds Fringe returns to Cole Brothers with exclusive content including the Radio 2 Book Club featuring Sara Cox and author Lisa Jewell, and a special Newscast episode with Chris Mason examining the tumultuous year in news.
BBC Radio 4 will take over The Montgomery with shows including Woman’s Hour with Anita Rani, In Our Time with Misha Glenny, Political Thinking with Nick Robinson, and David Baddiel’s new series Sixty Years of Hurt.
What’s Changed Since 2025
Crossed Wires brought 25,000 attendees to Sheffield in 2025, establishing itself as a major event in the podcast calendar. The 2026 edition promises to build on that success with never-before-seen performances, special guest appearances, DJ sets, and exclusive fan events.
All tickets for Crossed Wires 2026 are now available via CrossedWires.Live. For media inquiries, interview requests with co-founders Alice Levine and Dino Sofos, or press accreditation information, interested parties are encouraged to reach out to the festival organizers.
For podcast professionals looking to stay connected to industry events and opportunities, Podwires continues to serve as the central marketplace for connecting podcasters with producers, editors, and audio engineers throughout the industry.
Source: Podwires Newsletter
