diff --git a/docs/api.md b/docs/api.md
index 6f69cb9..f616b60 100644
--- a/docs/api.md
+++ b/docs/api.md
@@ -399,6 +399,25 @@ All timestamps in API responses are UTC. The boundary shifts by 1 hour across DS
 | EST (Nov -- Mar) | Wed 22:00 | Thu 03:00 |
 | EDT (Mar -- Nov) | Wed 22:00 | Thu 02:00 |
 
+### Show Rotation Delay
+
+By default, the "current" show rotates immediately at the like-window boundary (Wednesday 22:00 ET). Set `NTR_SHOW_ROTATION_DELAY_HOURS` to postpone when the new show becomes current. During the delay the previous week's show remains visible in `/playlist`, `/health`, and the dashboard.
+
+| Variable | Default | Description |
+|----------|---------|-------------|
+| `NTR_SHOW_ROTATION_DELAY_HOURS` | `0` | Hours to wait after the like-window boundary before rotating to a new show |
+
+With `NTR_SHOW_ROTATION_DELAY_HOURS=2` (recommended for the live recording window):
+
+| Time (ET) | "Current" show | Notes |
+|-----------|----------------|-------|
+| Wed 21:59 | This week | Like window still open |
+| Wed 22:00 | **Still this week** | Like window closed; recording in progress |
+| Wed 23:59 | **Still this week** | Gap continues |
+| Thu 00:00 | Next week | New show created; likes since Wed 22:00 collected |
+
+Likes made during the gap are not lost -- they fall into the new show's like window and are collected once the rotation occurs.
+
 ---
 
 ## WebSocket
diff --git a/src/ntr_fetcher/api.py b/src/ntr_fetcher/api.py
index d562522..a19effb 100644
--- a/src/ntr_fetcher/api.py
+++ b/src/ntr_fetcher/api.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from fastapi import FastAPI, HTTPException, Depends, Header
 from pydantic import BaseModel
 
 from ntr_fetcher.db import Database
-from ntr_fetcher.week import get_show_week
+from ntr_fetcher.week import get_current_show_week
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ def create_app(
     admin_token: str,
     show_day: int = 2,
     show_hour: int = 22,
+    rotation_delay_hours: float = 0,
     web_user: str | None = None,
     web_password: str | None = None,
     secret_key: str | None = None,
@@ -44,7 +45,10 @@ def create_app(
 
     def _current_show():
         now = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
-        week_start, week_end = get_show_week(now, show_day=show_day, show_hour=show_hour)
+        week_start, week_end = get_current_show_week(
+            now, show_day=show_day, show_hour=show_hour,
+            rotation_delay_hours=rotation_delay_hours,
+        )
         return db.get_or_create_show(week_start, week_end)
 
     @app.get("/health")
diff --git a/src/ntr_fetcher/config.py b/src/ntr_fetcher/config.py
index 2afa83b..164ea10 100644
--- a/src/ntr_fetcher/config.py
+++ b/src/ntr_fetcher/config.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
     soundcloud_user: str = "nicktherat"
     show_day: int = 2
     show_hour: int = 22
+    show_rotation_delay_hours: int = 0
 
     web_user: str | None = None
     web_password: str | None = None
diff --git a/src/ntr_fetcher/main.py b/src/ntr_fetcher/main.py
index 05f5a38..2fc5c71 100644
--- a/src/ntr_fetcher/main.py
+++ b/src/ntr_fetcher/main.py
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ def run() -> None:
         show_day=settings.show_day,
         show_hour=settings.show_hour,
         poll_interval=settings.poll_interval_seconds,
+        rotation_delay_hours=settings.show_rotation_delay_hours,
     )
 
     app = create_app(
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ def run() -> None:
         admin_token=settings.admin_token,
         show_day=settings.show_day,
         show_hour=settings.show_hour,
+        rotation_delay_hours=settings.show_rotation_delay_hours,
         web_user=settings.web_user,
         web_password=settings.web_password,
         secret_key=settings.secret_key,
diff --git a/src/ntr_fetcher/poller.py b/src/ntr_fetcher/poller.py
index e021db2..4308bee 100644
--- a/src/ntr_fetcher/poller.py
+++ b/src/ntr_fetcher/poller.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ from datetime import datetime, timezone
 
 from ntr_fetcher.db import Database
 from ntr_fetcher.soundcloud import SoundCloudClient
-from ntr_fetcher.week import get_show_week
+from ntr_fetcher.week import get_current_show_week
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ class Poller:
         show_day: int,
         show_hour: int,
         poll_interval: float,
+        rotation_delay_hours: float = 0,
     ):
         self._db = db
         self._sc = soundcloud
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ class Poller:
         self._show_day = show_day
         self._show_hour = show_hour
         self._poll_interval = poll_interval
+        self._rotation_delay_hours = rotation_delay_hours
         self._user_id: int | None = None
         self.last_fetch: datetime | None = None
         self.alive = True
@@ -37,7 +39,9 @@ class Poller:
     async def poll_once(self, full: bool = False) -> None:
         user_id = await self._get_user_id()
         now = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
-        week_start, week_end = get_show_week(now, self._show_day, self._show_hour)
+        week_start, week_end = get_current_show_week(
+            now, self._show_day, self._show_hour, self._rotation_delay_hours,
+        )
         show = self._db.get_or_create_show(week_start, week_end)
 
         if show.episode_number is None:
diff --git a/src/ntr_fetcher/week.py b/src/ntr_fetcher/week.py
index f232561..4edfbe1 100644
--- a/src/ntr_fetcher/week.py
+++ b/src/ntr_fetcher/week.py
@@ -36,3 +36,23 @@ def get_show_week(
     week_end_utc = (candidate + timedelta(days=7)).astimezone(timezone.utc).replace(tzinfo=timezone.utc)
 
     return week_start_utc, week_end_utc
+
+
+def get_current_show_week(
+    now_utc: datetime,
+    show_day: int = SHOW_DAY_DEFAULT,
+    show_hour: int = SHOW_HOUR_DEFAULT,
+    rotation_delay_hours: float = 0,
+) -> tuple[datetime, datetime]:
+    """Return the show week that should be treated as "current" right now.
+
+    When *rotation_delay_hours* > 0 the switchover to a new show is postponed
+    by that many hours after the like-window boundary.  During the gap the
+    previous week's show remains current so the host can view it while
+    recording.  Likes made during the gap are collected by the new show once
+    it rotates in.
+    """
+    if rotation_delay_hours <= 0:
+        return get_show_week(now_utc, show_day, show_hour)
+    effective_now = now_utc - timedelta(hours=rotation_delay_hours)
+    return get_show_week(effective_now, show_day, show_hour)
diff --git a/tests/test_week.py b/tests/test_week.py
index c010b50..07b694e 100644
--- a/tests/test_week.py
+++ b/tests/test_week.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
 
-from ntr_fetcher.week import get_show_week
+from ntr_fetcher.week import get_current_show_week, get_show_week
 
 
 def test_mid_week_thursday():
@@ -36,3 +36,50 @@ def test_est_period_no_dst():
     start, end = get_show_week(now, show_day=2, show_hour=22)
     assert start == datetime(2026, 1, 15, 3, 0, 0, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
     assert end == datetime(2026, 1, 22, 3, 0, 0, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+
+
+# --- get_current_show_week tests ---
+
+
+def test_current_show_week_zero_delay_matches_get_show_week():
+    """delay=0 is a passthrough to get_show_week."""
+    now = datetime(2026, 1, 15, 12, 0, 0, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+    assert get_current_show_week(now, show_day=2, show_hour=22, rotation_delay_hours=0) == \
+        get_show_week(now, show_day=2, show_hour=22)
+
+
+def test_current_show_week_in_gap_returns_old_week():
+    """Wed 22:30 EST (in the 2-hour gap) should still show the previous week."""
+    # Wed Jan 14 22:30 EST = Thu Jan 15 03:30 UTC
+    now = datetime(2026, 1, 15, 3, 30, 0, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+    start, end = get_current_show_week(now, show_day=2, show_hour=22, rotation_delay_hours=2)
+    # Previous week: Wed Jan 7 22:00 EST = Jan 8 03:00 UTC
+    assert start == datetime(2026, 1, 8, 3, 0, 0, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+    assert end == datetime(2026, 1, 15, 3, 0, 0, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+
+
+def test_current_show_week_at_rotation_boundary():
+    """Thu 00:00 EST (exactly at midnight) should rotate to the new week."""
+    # Thu Jan 15 00:00 EST = Thu Jan 15 05:00 UTC
+    now = datetime(2026, 1, 15, 5, 0, 0, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+    start, end = get_current_show_week(now, show_day=2, show_hour=22, rotation_delay_hours=2)
+    # New week: Wed Jan 14 22:00 EST = Jan 15 03:00 UTC
+    assert start == datetime(2026, 1, 15, 3, 0, 0, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+    assert end == datetime(2026, 1, 22, 3, 0, 0, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+
+
+def test_current_show_week_well_after_gap():
+    """Thursday afternoon is well past the gap — new week regardless of delay."""
+    now = datetime(2026, 1, 15, 16, 0, 0, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+    start, end = get_current_show_week(now, show_day=2, show_hour=22, rotation_delay_hours=2)
+    assert start == datetime(2026, 1, 15, 3, 0, 0, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+    assert end == datetime(2026, 1, 22, 3, 0, 0, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+
+
+def test_current_show_week_before_show_time_unaffected():
+    """Wednesday before the show (e.g. 3pm ET) is unaffected by rotation delay."""
+    # Wed Jan 14 15:00 EST = Wed Jan 14 20:00 UTC
+    now = datetime(2026, 1, 14, 20, 0, 0, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+    with_delay = get_current_show_week(now, show_day=2, show_hour=22, rotation_delay_hours=2)
+    without_delay = get_show_week(now, show_day=2, show_hour=22)
+    assert with_delay == without_delay