Debuting February 15 and Hosted by Lance Bass, “The Last Soviet,” Tells the Story of Russian Astronaut Sergei Krikalev’s 313 Days in Space During the Collapse of the USSR

Listen to the trailer HERE

NEW YORK – February 8, 2023 – iHeartPodcasts, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, together with Kaleidoscope, a podcast start-up focused on highly-produced narrative series from around the world, announced today “The Last Soviet” -- a new original podcast hosted by singer and trained Russian cosmonaut, Lance Bass, about astronauts, the politics of space and the collapse of the USSR. Premiering February 15, the 8-part limited series tells the story of cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, who was left stranded in space for 313 days when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Fans can listen to the trailer now, HERE.

“I fell in love with space when my grandfather took me to see my first rocket launch as a kid. I even came close to achieving my dream of going to space 20 years ago when I trained with the Russian Space Agency for a mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Although I haven’t made it to space yet, I’m thrilled to be able to share my passion with listeners and provide them with a unique perspective on space travel as the host of ‘The Last Soviet,’” said Lance Bass.

In 2002, Bass underwent training in Star City, Russia and became a certified cosmonaut. He was certified both by the Russian Space Program and by NASA for a mission on the Soyuz TMA-1 spacecraft to the International Space Station. “The Last Soviet” is a story of two unimaginable experiences — being trapped in space and the collapse of a superpower — and the man who lived both. While this isn’t a political show, the series feels especially timely. It contextualizes what is happening today by providing a sense of what it was like for Sergei to live through that moment, when Russia was closing itself off to the world.

“We are thrilled to continue our relationship with Lance Bass, and have him on board for this riveting show,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcast Network. “His unique personal connection to the space program, along with his passion, experience and creativity have helped bring this show together.”

"Having Lance Bass host this show is a gift. As one of the few Americans who has experienced training for space travel, let alone with the Russian Space Agency, he’s the perfect person to guide listeners through this fascinating story about the commitment of one of the most famous cosmonauts,” said Oz Woloshyn, Kaleidoscope co-founder. "’The Last Soviet’ is a perfect example of the kind of series Kaleidoscope creates — that change perspectives, broaden horizons, and replenish faith in humanity. We’re excited to continue to partner with iHeartPodcasts to create new genres of shows that focus on incredible stories from around the world,” said Kate Osborn, Executive Vice President at Kaleidoscope.”

The Last Soviet is the latest series release in the distribution deal between Kaleidoscope and iHeartPodcasts, which includes podcasts that tell largely-unknown true stories from different corners of the globe, like “OBSESSIONS: Wild Chocolate” and “Skyline Drive.”

The series is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and will be available on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard beginning Wednesday, February 15.

Podcast art is available for download HERE.

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About Kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope is a New York-based podcast company founded by Oz Woloshyn, host of Forgotten: Women of Juarez and Sleepwalkers, and Mangesh Hattikudur, co-founder of Mental Floss and former Senior Vice President of Podcast Development at iHeartMedia. The start-up company’s mission is to create compelling narrative podcasts from around the world that take listeners to places they’ve never been and introduces them to a cast of unforgettable real-life characters. Kaleidoscope has secured sizable funding from investors like former MTV head Tom Freston and former Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post editor-in-chief Marcus Brauchli, and is in advanced talks with Hollywood studios, TV networks, and major book publishers about selling adaptations of its podcasts. It has the backing of media deal brokers The Raine Group and is represented by talent agency WME. Visit www.kaleidoscope.nyc for more information.