This bonus episode features The Big Dig podcast team recording an impromptu message from the Beverly Wilshire Hotel during the 84th Annual Peabody Awards ceremony. Host Ian introduces himself alongside editor Lacey Roberts, producer Isabel Hibbard, and executive producer Devin Maverick-Robbins. The team expresses amazement and gratitude for winning a Peabody Award, describing the recognition as beyond their expectations. They emphasize their appreciation for listeners who supported the show and made its success possible. The recording captures several authentic moments, including background noise, retakes, and casual conversation that reveals the spontaneous nature of the message. Ian teases upcoming content, announcing that a new series will launch in The Big Dig feed in early 2025. He provides cryptic hints about the new series, describing it as focusing on something 'smaller than a tunnel but mighty' and noting it won't be about infrastructure per se but will examine something very present in daily life. The team mentions their immediate plans to celebrate with drinks after the recording. The episode concludes with Ian providing context about The Big Dig's broader mission as an ongoing feed that tells stories from the past to understand the present. He explains that their first season focused on infrastructure, the second season will cover gambling, and more seasons are planned. The message serves both as a celebration of their Peabody win and a preview of future content, maintaining the show's commitment to exploring topics that shape contemporary life through historical storytelling.
