BuzzFeed is selling one of its hottest assets.

The media company announced Thursday that it has sold First We Feast, the food and pop culture entertainment brand behind the popular YouTube show “Hot Ones,” for $82.5 million in cash.

Investors include First We Feast founder Chris Schonberger, Hot Ones host and co-creator Sean Evans, podcast company Crooked Media, YouTubers Rhett and Link’s Mythical Entertainment, and Soros Fund Management, founded by billionaire George Soros Investment firm.

Additional investors will be announced at a later date, according to a press release from First We Feast, which will now operate as an independent, multiplatform media company.

“With the new investment, we are poised to expand into exciting new areas – including new platforms, live events and talent acquisition – and solidify First We Feast as the ultimate destination for a pop culture-obsessed audience,” says Schonberger, who takes on the role will take over as CEO, said in a statement. “I’m excited to lead this next chapter as we continue to push boundaries and create unforgettable experiences for our audiences.”

First We Feast has 14 million subscribers and more than 4 billion views on YouTube. His show “Hot Ones,” in which celebrities answer questions while eating spicy chicken wings, has developed a strong following over the years due to its unique format and Evans’ interview style. Over the years, prominent figures have guested on the show, including Jennifer Lawrence, Shaquille O’Neal, Paul Rudd and Billie Eilish.

Evans will continue to serve as host of “Hot Ones” and take on an additional role as chief creative officer of First We Feast. The show, which celebrates its 10th anniversary next year, celebrates its 26th season on January 23rd.

In a statement, Evans said he was “excited to continue hosting the show with hot questions and even hotter wings for years to come.”

“The future is exciting and I can’t wait to see what’s next,” he added.

First We Feast began as a food blog under Complex Media, which was acquired by BuzzFeed in 2021 and sold to live shopping platform NTWRK in February for $108.6 million. At this point, BuzzFeed retained ownership of First We Feast.

“The sale of First We Feast and the further reduction of our convertible debt represents an important step in BuzzFeed, Inc.’s strategic transformation into a media company positioned to fully benefit from the ongoing AI revolution,” BuzzFeed said -Founder and CEO Jonah Peretti made a statement. “In the coming years, we will continue to invest in our most scalable and technology-enabled services, introducing new AI-powered interactive experiences and delivering them to our loyal audiences and business partners.”

The deal also allows it to reduce outstanding debt, BuzzFeed said in its press release, noting that the company has now “reduced more than $150 million in debt since December 31, 2023.”