True crime podcast Morbid is moving to SiriusXM from Wondery.
The podcast signed a multi-year deal with SiriusXM, which will have exclusive advertising rights for the audio and video editions of the podcast. The show, which premiered in May 2018, is hosted by Alaina Urquhart-White and Ash Kelley, and is one of the top-charting true crime podcasts.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. However, this is the latest popular podcast acquired by SiriusXM, after it signed major deals for Smartless, Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy, and true crime podcasts including Crime Junkie, Dateline NBC and Rotten Mango. The company says it now represents five of the top 10 podcasts and four of the top five crime podcasts, according to Edison Research.
Morbid had signed an exclusive advertising and distribution deal with Wondery in 2022. Each episode of Morbid typically covers a different true crime case, including research and a discussion between Urquhart-White and Kelley, who came to the podcast as an autopsy technician and a hairstylist, respectively.
Morbid will move over to SiriusXM starting Sept. 1. Episodes of the podcast will continue to be released Monday and Thursday and will appear on the SiriusXM app and all podcast platforms. As part of the deal, the Morbid Network, a podcast network started by Urquhart-White and Kelley, which includes horror movie review shows and other true crime and strange history podcasts, will also move over to SiriusXM.
“From the first time we spoke to them, we were blown away by the entire SiriusXM team and their plans to help us strategically grow Morbid for years to come,” Urquhart-White said.
“We are eager to launch this partnership and take our show, network, and brand to the next level. We could not be more grateful and excited about this next chapter for us, and we truly feel like we’ve found our home!” Kelley said.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Morbid to the SiriusXM Podcast Network,” said Scott Greenstein, president and chief content officer at SiriusXM. “Ash and Alaina have built a passionate fanbase through their distinctive voice and careful attention to detail. As we further grow our industry-leading true crime slate, we’re excited to help the show continue to reach new audiences.”
Morbid is managed by Seth Jacobs at Brillstein Entertainment Partners and represented by Marissa Hurwitz at WME. Dinesh Melwani from Mintz served as legal counsel.
