iHeartMedia Announces “Calm Down with Erin and Charissa,” a Conversational Podcast Hosted by Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson

The sportscasters and longtime friends partner with the iHeartPodcast Network to share candid conversations about life, friendship, sports and everything in between

NEW YORK -- February 17, 2021 -- iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally, announced today the launch of “Calm Down with Erin and Charissa,” a talk show style podcast hosted by sportscasters and longtime friends Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson. The show will join the expansive array of titles beginning today. Listeners can hear the first episode now on iHeartRadio.

On the podcast, Andrews and Thompson will discuss their lives, careers and thoughts on pretty much everything—and everyone—else. Driven by real, unfiltered conversations between the two girlfriends, “Calm Down with Erin and Charissa” pulls back the curtain on the lives of two successful women at the top of their field. On the first episode of “Calm Down,” Erin and Charissa will share why they finally decided to start their own podcast and welcome their first guest, Kevin Hart, to the podcast to discuss the pros and cons of sleeping in the nude, the ever-changing tides of life, how to keep a marriage exciting as well as the joys and challenges of parenting. Future episodes will cover topics including mask etiquette, getting older, what it's like to run a small business, how to manage skin breakouts, relationship advice and much more.

“I couldn’t be more excited to finally share this project with listeners,” said Andrews. “Most people know Charissa and I as sports analysts and broadcasters but this podcast really shows a different side of us. These are our real conversations about what we find to be most interesting and important today.”

“Erin and I have so many interests outside of sports, and—prior to this podcast—we hadn’t really had the opportunity to explore those topics in our professional lives,” said Thompson. “This podcast is an opportunity for us to dive into allof our interests in a genuinely candid and fun way.”

“We’re beyond thrilled to be working with Erin and Charissa on this show,” said Conal Byrne, President of the iHeartPodcast Network. “They have this wonderfully sincere and hilarious rapport. This podcast is very much a conversation between two best friends and we’re looking forward to introducing it into the iHeartPodcast Network.”

Calm Down with Erin and Charissa” will be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network, which is home to more than 750 original podcasts with over 253 million downloads each month. Listeners can hear “Calm Down with Erin and Charissa” on iHeartRadio.com, through the iHeartRadio app, and on all the major podcast platforms. Fans can also follow the show on Instagram @calmdownpodcast.

About Erin Andrews

Erin Andrews is a sports broadcaster as part FOX Sports’ A Team. She can be seen weekly on “FOX NFL Sunday,”doing sideline coverage and features, a show that records a staggering 56.4 million unique viewers, as well as reporting for “NFL Thursday Night Football.” Andrews’ recently added “creator” to her long list of titles with the launch of her new women’s NFL apparel line, WEAR by Erin Andrews. The fashionable, comfortable and subtle line, designed for women to wear anywhere and everywhere, has quickly garnered notable attention- becoming one of the top NFL women’s only brand since it launched in October 2019. Due to overwhelming demand, WEAR expanded to the NBA and select NCAA schools in 2020. In addition to being a trailblazer in the sports world, Andrews also made a name for herself in entertainment as she co-hosted ABC’s long-running reality series, “Dancing with the Stars,” alongside Tom Bergeron for 11 seasons. Having a unique perspective on the competition, Erin was also a contestant in 2010, where she was paired with Maksim Chmerkovkiy and earned third place. Recent notable appearances include her coverage of Super Bowl LIV, Super Bowl LI, Super Bowl XLVIII, the 2019 NFC Championship Game, the 2015 & 2014 World Series, the 2015 & 2014 MLB All Star Games and hosting FOX’s “Prime Time College Football Pregame Show.” Prior to her move to FOX, Andrews spent eight years at ESPN where she hosted the first hour of ESPN’s “College GameDay” on ESPNU and was a features reporter for the full three-hour program, congruently serving as a sideline reporter for NCAA football and basketball games. Erin began her career with Fox Sports-Florida South as a freelance reporter and Tampa Bay Lightning reporter for the Sunshine Network. She joined ESPN in May 2004 as a reporter for the network’s National Hockey League coverage and quickly became a fan favorite, transitioning into college football and basketball.

About Charissa Thompson

Charissa Thompson is the host of FOX NFL KICKOFF, the Sunday morning NFL pregame show leading into FOX NFL SUNDAY. After graduating from the University of California-Santa Barbara, Thompson began her career as an assistant in the FOX Sports human resources department in 2006. After discovering an interest in TV production and moving into a production assistant role with FOX Sports in Denver, Thompson was given her first on-air opportunity as a fill-in host for the channel’s Saturday evening Colorado Rockies all-access show.

Thompson moved on from FOX Sports in 2010 and pulled double duty as a host for both Versus and Yahoo Sports. She anchored Versus’ NHL studio coverage and recorded web videos for the highly trafficked Yahoo platform, leading the site’s presence at high-profile events, including the 2010 Winter Olympics, FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl XLV and the BCS National Championship. Success in both arenas led to her joining ESPN in August 2011, where she was named one of the hosts for the network’s newly conceived afternoon show, “Numbers Never Lie.” In July 2012, she transitioned to the popular “SportsNation,” enjoying a successful run that lasted until she left the network to return to Los Angeles for the launch of FS1 in May 2013. She has been one of the faces of FSI since the network’s launch.

About iHeartMedia, Inc.

iHeartMedia (NASDAQ: IHRT) is the number one audio company in the United States, reaching nine out of 10 Americans every month. It consists of three business groups.

With its quarter of a billion monthly listeners, the iHeartMedia Multiplatform Group has a greater reach than any other media company in the U.S. Its leadership position in audio extends across multiple platforms, including more than 860 live broadcast stations in over 160 markets nationwide; its National Sales organization; and the company’s live and virtual events business. It also includes Premiere Networks, the industry’s largest Networks business, with its Total Traffic and Weather Network (TTWN); and BIN: Black Information Network, the first and only 24/7 national and local all news audio service for the Black community. iHeartMedia also leads the audio industry in analytics, targeting and attribution for its marketing partners with its SmartAudio suite of data targeting and attribution products using data from its massive consumer base.

The iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group includes the company’s fast-growing podcasting business -- iHeartMedia is the number one podcast publisher in downloads, unique listeners, revenue and earnings -- as well as its industry-leading iHeartRadio digital service, available across more than 250 platforms and 2,000 devices; the company’s digital sites, newsletters, digital services and programs; its digital advertising technology companies; and its audio industry-leading social media footprint.

The company’s Audio & Media Services reportable segment includes Katz Media Group, the nation’s largest media representation company, and RCS, the world's leading provider of broadcast and webcast software.

Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.