The UK Games Expo 2026 is set to be the stage for a major evolution in the British podcasting scene, as the award-nominated Roll Britannia launches a massive expansion of its shared universe.
Just weeks after being shortlisted for the “Grower, Not a Shower” category at the Golden Lobes 2026 awards, the show has officially closed its original six-year fantasy campaign to make way for a dual-series science-fiction future: Roll Britannia: Age of Astra and Roll Britannia: Sparrow. The transition marks a significant shift in the group’s dynamic, with long-time player Sophie Horton taking over the Dungeon Master’s chair from series founder James Gregory for the Astra campaign.
The Shift to Science-Fiction
Age of Astra serves as the first entry point into this wider universe, shifting the focus from the high-seas heists of the Patreum campaign to a mystery set on the world of Valtbury. The story follows an eclectic team of agents, including Sig, an otterfolk specialist, and Snik Unbord, a quiet but powerful Goliath, as they investigate a distress call in a society defined by a forced, “immaculate” order known as the Pax Astra.
The expansion is not just thematic but structural. While Age of Astra explores the immediate mystery, a second series, Roll Britannia: Sparrow, will explore the same universe millennia into the future. Described as an “audio-first” production, Sparrow will be hosted by James Gregory and feature the crew of the Beacon, a group of former enforcers-turned-soldiers of fortune.
James Gregory, DM and producer at Roll Britannia, said in a statement:
With Age of Astra, we wanted to open a new door into the Roll Britannia universe. It starts with a distress call and a world that looks clean and controlled, then keeps peeling back layers until something far stranger shows through. Sparrow lives in the same universe, seen from another angle. Together, they give us room for pressure, humour, danger and the kind of characters who are trying to do the right thing while the systems around them are already breaking.”
A New Visual Identity
To coincide with this new era, the production has partnered with Nick Ashton of Chicken Monster for original character and world art. Ashton, a veteran illustrator with a portfolio including work for Disney and Netflix, brings a distinct “British Indie” aesthetic to the project. His style, blending the whimsical with the grotesque, provides the visual anchor for a show that has built a loyal following of over 800,000 downloads through its membership in the Rusty Quill Network.
The announcement comes as Roll Britannia prepares for its appearance at the UK Games Expo in Birmingham this May. The group is scheduled to perform a live, audience-led improv roleplaying game one-shot, Your Adventure Awaits, on Saturday, 30 May, at the NEC Meeple Theatre. By launching these new chapters now, the team ensures that their presence at the UK’s largest tabletop convention will be defined by their most ambitious storytelling to date.
Despite the shift in genre and leadership, the show’s trademark consistency remains; the group has maintained an unbroken weekly release schedule for 323 episodes over six years.
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