Hosts of The Receipts Podcast Announce Departure After a Decade
After ten years of engaging dilemmas, debates, and candid conversations, Audrey Indome and Tolly Shoneye, the hosts of The Receipts Podcast, have announced their decision to step down.
Both described the decision as emotional yet necessary.
"I've never cried so much in my life, it's the most difficult decision ever,"
Tolly told the BBC.
The podcast was launched in 2016 as a platform for black women to discuss a broad spectrum of topics, and the duo have recorded nearly 300 episodes since its inception.
They also developed a BBC spin-off, which they noted was the first podcast hosted by black and brown women to reach number one on the Apple Podcasts chart.
In 2019, they secured a lucrative exclusive deal with Spotify.
Despite their considerable success, both hosts agree that stepping away is the appropriate next step.
"I can get comfortable and I could probably do this for 20 or 30 more years without evolving,"
Audrey explained.
"That's why the relationship between me and Tolly works, because she's a visionary and I need someone to kick me into action."
While they are stepping down from hosting duties, both are clear that this is not a complete farewell.
The podcast will continue with a new generation of hosts while Audrey and Tolly transition to behind-the-scenes roles, shaping the future of the show they created.
Search for New Hosts
The pair plan to conduct a "Pod Idol"-style search to find new hosts.
"We don't want copies of us,"
Tolly stated.
"We want new voices, new perspectives and new ideas."
The selection process will include open applications, workshops, and training, ensuring that even those not selected will gain valuable experience.
"There are so many talented people who don't have the means or won't get scouted, and we want to help them,"
Tolly added.
"I have a speech impediment, I stutter, so for people who feel like they're not the 'typical' host, I want this to feel like a home."
Audrey emphasized that creating opportunities is a key part of their legacy.
"No-one gave us anything when we started, we had to graft.
We went in totally blind and now we can mentor others and give people the opportunity we didn't have.
We're pioneers and us taking on these roles means we can lean into being boss women and pass our knowledge on."
When the podcast first began, Audrey considered it "just a side hustle."
"I never thought I could make a career out of talking,"
she laughed.
"All that yapping and now I get to share it with the world."
Tolly agreed, noting that the scale of the show only becomes apparent when she takes a step back.
"When it becomes part of your everyday, you forget how big it is, but it's amazing that it's actually left its mark on British podcasting."
Managing Success and Challenges
With success came increased scrutiny, which both hosts said they had to learn to manage quickly.
Audrey explained that she sets boundaries with social media and avoids reading comments to maintain perspective.
"You have to differentiate reality from online, otherwise you get absorbed in it."
During more difficult times, she used tools such as making her stories private and disabling comments.
"If I don't have the capacity, I'll turn things off."
For Tolly, having Audrey alongside her from the beginning was a significant support.
"If you were doing this solo, you'd lose your mind,"
she said.
"We got through it because we had each other."
Despite their openness on the podcast, both have been deliberate about what personal information they share and when.
Tolly explained that she is "quite guarded" and did not discuss some of her most personal experiences, such as the death of her father and her mother's cancer treatment, on the podcast at the time.
"I just wasn't ready to talk about it and it was years later that I did and I wanted to, because I thought it could help people."
Challenges Within the Team
Their decade-long journey has not been without difficulties.
In 2023, former co-presenter Milena Sanchez left the podcast after "years of a rift."
Tolly and Audrey described this as a challenging period, with Milena's departure leaving them "blindsided."
The timing complicated matters further, as Audrey was heavily pregnant and their Spotify deal was uncertain.
"It wasn't about the leaving, it was about the way it was done, it could have been done beautifully,"
Audrey said.
She characterized the situation as "an unnecessary stain" on their legacy.
"We pride ourselves on creating space for women, so it's a shame the way it went down."
In 2024, Milena stated that quitting was a difficult choice but necessary due to deteriorating mental health.
"Ultimately, I had to be true to who I was and remove myself from that space,"
she said.
Audrey said the experience strengthened her bond with Tolly.
"I remember crying, holding my baby, thinking the podcast was over and then I spoke to Tolly and she was making sure everything was ticking over in the background.
She told me that she would figure it out and we did."
Tolly added that these lessons will inform how they support future hosts and guide them in managing team dynamics.
"To make a podcast successful, it's not just about what happens on the episode but how you work together behind the scenes."
