Podcast Guest Release Forms: Why You Need One and How to Write Them

This blog post was originally published on 01/06/2023. It was updated on 12/01/2026.

If you’re running a podcast and have the privilege of interviewing guests, you know how important they are to your show. Podcast guests can bring fresh perspectives, engaging stories, and valuable insights that bring even more value to your show’s listeners.

But what if a podcast guest turns around months after the episode is published and demands to have the episode removed from your show?

What if a guest suddenly asks for full editing rights of the recording?

What if a guest wants compensation, and you thought it was obvious that there was no payment for being interviewed on your podcast?

That’s where a podcast guest release form comes in.

In this blog post, we will cover:

• What a podcast guest release form is
• The pros and cons of written and verbal agreements
• How to write your own podcast guest release form

Disclaimer: Please remember, whilst reading this post, that, like all of the content on my blog and podcast, this information is my opinion based on my own research and experiences within the podcast industry. It is not legal advice and should not be treated as such. If you want specific legal advice relating to your podcast, I’d suggest finding a lawyer who specialises in legislation that relates to your legal jurisdiction.

What Is a Podcast Guest Release Form?

A podcast guest release form is a document that your podcast guest agrees to, essentially giving you permission to use their voice, image, and likeness on your show.

Think of it as a standard agreement that outlines the terms and conditions of your guest’s appearance on your podcast, including how your guest’s image and voice will be used, what compensation, if any, the guest will receive, and any other legal considerations.

From experience, I find that podcasters tend to sit in three different camps when it comes to podcast release forms.

Group 1: ‘There’s No Point’

The first group of people have never had an issue with guests and do not see the point in having a guest release form for their podcast.

Some podcasters even argue that it’s a barrier for their guest coming onto their show, as it’s another task for guests to find the time to complete the form, especially when they’re giving their time up for free to be interviewed for your podcast.

Group 2: Use Podcast Guest Release Forms All The Time

The second group of podcasters have heard of and use podcast guest release forms for all of their guests.

This group of podcasters want to protect themselves, their business, their show, and their guest, and whether or not they’ve had issues with a guest in the past have implemented a guest release form as part of their guest onboarding process.

Group 3: Never Heard of Podcast Guest Release Forms

The third group of people I find have never heard of a podcast guest release form and therefore don’t have much of an opinion on them.

If this is you, you 100% need to read on 😉.

Related Post >> How to Prepare to Host a Podcast Interview to Get the Best Out of Your Podcast Guests

Why Is a Podcast Guest Release Form Important?

Having a podcast guest release form is essential for both you and your guest.

For you, it protects your podcast and brand from any legal issues that may arise from the use of your guest’s voice or image.

Imagine if your guest turns around in a few months’ time and demands that you remove any trace of them from your podcast and your podcast’s promotional materials.

What a nightmare could that be?

You might even have future episodes where you refer back to the episode your guest appeared on that are also affected by this demand.

Well, a guest release form can help you in such a situation.

Why?

Because by setting out from the beginning who is in charge of the final content can reduce issues and confrontations down the road.

I’ve heard of guests contacting a podcaster to demand full editing rights of their interview, to have an interview removed, to have their name removed from any trace of the podcast…

All sorts.

And that’s just a headache you don’t need for your show.

For your guest, a guest release form provides them with the peace of mind that their voice and image will not be used in a way that is harmful to them or their reputation. It also explains from the outset that you (the podcaster) are in control of the interview content and how it is produced and distributed.

But for me, having a podcast guest release form in place isn’t just about the legal consequences of not having one in place. After all, it’s not like we hear of podcast guests suing podcasters on the daily.

For me, having a podcast guest release form in place is more about everyone knowing where they stand when it comes to that particular interview.

Related Post >> How to Introduce Podcast Guests & Keep Your Audience Engaged

Written or Verbal Agreements?

With all this talk about release forms and agreements, you might be wondering whether you need to be all formal and have a written agreement, or whether a verbal agreement with your podcast guest is enough.

Let’s go over the pros and cons of both written and verbal guest release forms.

Written Guest Release Forms

A written guest release form is my personal approach.

Granted, I have a background in healthcare, where a golden rule is ‘if it isn’t written down, then it didn’t happen,’ but I like to have the certainty of everyone knowing what they’re agreeing to, with nothing being left out.

Once signed, I store all of my guest release forms with my recorded episodes.

Pros of Written Guest Release Forms

• Protects your brand, yourself, and your podcast
• Protects your guest
• Makes your podcast look professional and like you know what you’re doing

Cons of Written Guest Release Forms

• Can take a bit of time to set up
• Guests might not see the relevance of the form and not complete it
• Completing a form might be seen as a barrier to guesting on your show

Verbal Guest Release Forms

Some podcasters prefer to go for a more relaxed approach to guest release forms and opt for a verbal agreement.

This can be seen as a lot easier than a physical form as this conversation can quickly take place before your guest recording. Also, a lot of podcasters just don’t see the need to go down a more ‘formal’ route of physical forms.

Personally, I prefer not to have a verbal agreement. As I said, I am biased from my healthcare background, but, I just like to know that things are written down and that I can prove an agreement should I need to.

Pros of Verbal Guest Release Forms

• Easier to organise than a written guest release form
• Guests might prefer the more informal approach
• You don’t have to chase guests to sign a release form

Cons of Verbal Guest Release Forms

• There is no proof of the agreement taking place; in a worst case scenario, it’s someone’s word against yours that an agreement did take place
• You might forget to include something within your explanation, because let’s face it, there’s a lot of information that you might want your guest to agree too
• You might not feel that you’re providing your podcast with enough protection, should your guest contest something further down the line

Related Post >> Do You Have To Pay Your Podcast Guests?

How to Create a Podcast Guest Release Form

Creating a podcast guest release form probably sounds trickier then it actually is. All that you actually need is something to create a form on and a template (see the free one linked below).

Step 1: Use a Template

My recommendation (as with anything legal), is not to try and figure everything out by yourself. There are plenty of templates available for podcast guest release forms. My go-to recommendation is always the template from Entertainment Lawyer, Gordon Firemark. The template is 100% free and can be customised for your podcast. Click here to access the template.

You can download and use this template for free and make any modifications to it that you would like to.

Step 2: Put the Form In a Format That Your Guests Can Sign

Once you’ve got the template to a stage that you’re happy with, you will need a way to share it with your guests.

My suggestion is to use an online form tool such as Google Forms, Microsoft Forms, Jotforms, or similar.

Step 3: Get Into The Habit of Using the Form

Before your guest appears on your show, make sure that they sign the release form. This can be done electronically or in person, depending on how you host your interviews.

Once agreed upon and signed, don’t forget to store the form somewhere (even if it’s on the form platform you’ve used).

Will I Ever Need to Enforce My Podcast Guest Release Form?

I’ll be honest: I hope not.

And this is why I’ve seen so many podcasters say that they don’t bother with guest release forms, because they’ve never known anyone to have to enforce one.

And there’s nothing wrong with that train of thought. I, personally, just prefer to err on the side of caution.

If you do ever need to enforce your guest release form, I’d highly recommend getting advice from someone who is qualified in this area of law and in your legal jurisdiction.

Related Post >> 22 of The Best Interview Questions to Ask Your Podcast Guests

Conclusion

Having a podcast guest release form is a really important step in the guest onboarding process for your podcast.

Podcast guest release forms protect both you and your guest from any legal issues that may arise from the use of their voice, image, or likeness on your show.

Not just that, but having a guest release form in place makes it clear what’s expected from everyone involved in the interview from the outset, and can save you a lot of stress and questions further down the road.