#Spotify Cancels ‘Heavyweight’ and ‘Stolen’ Podcasts

Spotify is canceling two of its podcasts, Heavyweight and Stolen, the music and podcasting platform confirmed Monday. 

The two podcasts will finish out their seasons at Spotify and then can shop their shows elsewhere. The cancellation of the podcasts, both of which were produced by Spotify’s Gimlet Media, was unrelated to the layoffs of 17 percent of the company announced earlier Monday, but rather come as the platform tempers its investment in the podcast space.

“We are extremely proud of the teams who have supported these talented storytellers across each of the incredible episodes of Heavyweight and Stolen. We are excited to share the upcoming episodes and season that will be available on Spotify and other podcast platforms and we will work with the show creators to ensure a smooth transition for wherever these series go next,” a Spotify spokesperson said in a statement. 

Heavyweight, which is currently in its eighth season, sees host Jonathan Goldstein help guests work through a tough moment from their past. Stolen, which has completed two seasons and is set for a third, follows host Connie Walker delving into stories about Indigenous people. The first season, about Walker’s father’s experience in Canada’s residential schools, won a Pulitzer Prize and a Peabody Award.

In June 2023, Spotify announced it was merging its podcast divisions, Parcast and Gimlet, into one Spotify Studios division, alongside The Ringer. Spotify had previously canceled 10 shows from Parcast and Gimlet in October.

Bloomberg first reported news of the cancellation.