ARN’s iHeart has announced The Imperfects has extended their commitment with the network for a further two years.
The mental health podcast, hosted by The Resilience Project’s Hugh van Cuylenburg, his brother Josh van Cuylenburg, comedian Ryan Shelton and produced by Bridget Northeast, centres on ‘how perfectly imperfect we all are.’
The trio regularly chat with high-profile individuals who share their own struggles, helping to highlight that no matter how successful you are, everyone has their own imperfections.
On extending with iHeart, Co-host Hugh van Cuylenburg said, “We’re so grateful to have such a strong relationship with an organisation who lets us be our authentic selves.”
Co-host Ryan Shelton added, “No matter how imperfect we prove to be, iHeart continues to support us, and we couldn’t be more thankful.”
In the last few weeks, the trio have interviewed internationally renowned psychotherapist Esther Perel and all-round Aussie legend Nedd Brockmann.
The Imperfects has been in the Top 10 Australian podcasts since July 2022, placing at #7 in the November rankings with 374,865 listeners and 760,668 downloads.
In 2023, The Imperfects will take the show on the road for the first time in their live show.
Co-host Josh van Cuylenburg said, “It’s just incredible to have such support from the team at iHeart – allowing us to connect with a fantastic audience through vulnerable and authentic stories.”
ARN’s head of digital audio Corey Layton said, “The Imperfects unique approach has helped countless Australians through the last few years, demonstrating the power of podcasts – striking the balance of entertainment and education.
“Working with the team since 2020 has been both personally and professionally fulfilling and we’re thrilled to be extending our partnership even further”.
Mediaweek chatted to Hugh van Cuylenburg back in July about the show’s rise in popularity. van Cuylenburg said he can’t pinpoint a sole reason for the increase but has welcomed the positive feedback with open arms.
“We just like sharing stories that we think will help people. We never know how much it’s helping or who it’s helping, but it’s nice to get that feedback that people are tuning in.
“There’s so much doom and gloom going on around the world right now. I wonder if people are tuning in because they’ll get a good laugh out of the podcast, but also take away some practical strategies to help them cope, get up, feel happier, and improve their mental health in a challenging time,” he said.