What started as two friends chatting on Instagram Live during the pandemic has become one of podcasting's biggest reported deals. Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo, the former Summer House stars behind Giggly Squad, have signed a four-year agreement with SiriusXM reportedly worth $160 million.
The agreement places the comedy podcast among the industry's most valuable talent partnerships. But the real story goes beyond the headline figure. Berner and DeSorbo have built a business around friendship, humor and an audience willing to follow them from headphones to theaters and bookstores.
For SiriusXM, that audience represents an increasingly valuable commercial opportunity.
The Deal
Announced in September 2026, the four-year agreement gives SiriusXM exclusive distribution through its podcast network and global advertising sales rights across Giggly Squad's audio and video editions.
The podcast moves from Acast, its previous partner, following a competitive bidding process. The Hollywood Reporter valued the agreement at approximately $160 million, citing sources familiar with the transaction, although SiriusXM has not publicly confirmed the financial terms.
That reported figure exceeds the approximately $125 million agreement SiriusXM secured with Alex Cooper for Call Her Daddy and the $100 million SmartLess deal.
Importantly, this is not a confirmed acquisition of the podcast or its underlying intellectual property. SiriusXM is securing distribution and advertising rights, alongside new exclusive programming expected in 2027. Episodes will remain available across major podcast platforms, including YouTube.
What They Got
For SiriusXM, Giggly Squad offers something increasingly difficult to manufacture: an established audience with a demonstrated willingness to spend money beyond listening.
Launched in 2020, the podcast has accumulated more than 150 million combined downloads, according to SiriusXM. It ranks among the top comedy podcasts and won Podcast of the Year at the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards.
Its commercial reach extends beyond audio. Berner and DeSorbo have toured more than 70 cities, performed twice at Radio City Music Hall and published the New York Times bestseller How to Giggle.
Their expansion continues. In October, the pair announced a February 2027 performance at Madison Square Garden, becoming the first female-hosted podcast scheduled to headline the venue. The venue now lists four performances.
For SiriusXM, these achievements suggest an audience relationship that extends across multiple entertainment formats.
For Berner and DeSorbo, the partnership offers access to SiriusXM's advertising infrastructure and distribution network while supporting further expansion of their franchise.
Why It Matters
The reported $160 million agreement illustrates how podcast economics are increasingly shaped by the commercial potential of the communities surrounding creators.
Traditional media businesses have long monetized recognizable personalities through advertising, licensing and distribution. Podcasting is developing its own version of that model, with successful hosts building audiences that can support publishing, merchandise, live entertainment and additional programming.
Giggly Squad demonstrates the appeal of this approach. Its hosts converted visibility from reality television into a direct audience relationship, then extended that relationship into several commercial categories.
The competitive bidding for their show also highlights the strategic value of established podcast franchises. As platforms compete for advertising inventory and audience attention, acquiring exclusive commercial rights to proven programming can offer a more immediate opportunity than developing an audience from scratch.
Yet the reported contract value should not be confused with guaranteed earnings for the hosts. The payment structure, performance conditions and revenue arrangements have not been publicly disclosed.
The larger implication is that creators no longer need to build traditional media companies to command media-company-sized agreements. They need distinctive programming, a loyal audience and a business capable of extending beyond a single distribution channel.
For SiriusXM, the investment is about securing access to an audience that has already demonstrated its commercial value. For Berner and DeSorbo, it is evidence that the most valuable asset in the creator economy may not be the content itself, but the relationship creators build with the people consuming it.
