Spill The Spirituality

Hey Y'all,After four remarkable years, 129 episodes, and over 1.3 million listeners, Trey and Jaz sit down together - from their own homes - to say a heartfelt farewell to Spill the Spirituality. This final episode is not a sad montage (no candlelit interpretive dance either, despite Trey's best efforts). It's a celebration - of friendship, of extraordinary guests, of the conversations that changed both hosts from the inside out.They reflect on the guests who left a lasting mark, the unlikely friendship that sparked all of this, and what comes next as they step into a new season with curiosity and open hands."It's a brave thing to start something new — and it can be a brave thing to have a good ending too."Timestamps0:00 — Welcome & the announcement: this is the final episode2:08 — How Jaz accidentally ended up on a Methodist podcast (she thought it was something else entirely)6:58 — Trey's origin story: the lockdown Facebook Live "Graham Norton show" that planted the seed8:30 — Why this podcast matters: celebrating difference rather than weaponising it9:39 — Standout guests: Mike Bates (counter-terrorism operative) and Jamie Jones-Buchanan10:22 — Mike's story: solo rowing the Atlantic — and the 100 dolphins13:08 — Rowan Williams at Cheltenham Literary Festival: whales in dry rivers15:23 — Kelechi Okafor: ancestral trauma, embodiment, and twerking in the studio18:10 — Nadia Bolz-Weber: fangirling, prison ministry, and the woman with "savage" tattooed on her face22:20 — Looking back over all 129 episodes; Jas's "gateway drug" into spirituality25:54 — Jaz opens up: her painful history with church, a toxic marriage to a vicar, and finding her way back28:35 — The DM that started it all: how Jas reached out — and Trey was already writing the same message31:00 — Trey's personal spiritual shift: learning to lead alongside others, not alone35:24 — The surprise Pentecost Sunday sermon — and being "preacher adjacent"39:58 — Jaz's vision for what's next: a sofa on the street in Edinburgh (and Milton Keynes)41:27 — Trey's next season: rest, silence, and resisting the urge to start another project immediately44:40 — Final thank yous to 1.3 million listeners, and what comes nextAll 129 episodes remain available wherever you listen. Thank you for journeying with us. Until our paths cross again — peace.Join the Spill the Spirituality community, follow the show and reach out to the hosts - we'd love to hear your thoughts, stories and feedback!Learn about Spill the Spirituality Podcast, Community & EventsLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterFollow us on InstagramFind us on TikTok

Hey Y'all,Recorded live at the Cliff College Festival on Pentecost Sunday in Derbyshire, hosts Trey Hall and Jaz Ampaw-Farr are joined by two brilliant guests - Methodist kayaker and dementia support worker Mary Sharples, and singer-songwriter Rob Halligan - for a deeply human conversation about change, faith, identity, and the songs that transport us through it all.Whether you're mid-transition or settled in a comfortable rut (and secretly love Last of the Summer Wine), this one's for you.Timestamps:0:00 — Welcome & introducing the show: what is *Spill the Spirituality*?1:38 — Live at Cliff College Festival: Pentecost, bank holidays, and "male adjacent activities"2:53 — Today's theme: life transitions — big and small4:02 — Introducing guests Mary Sharples and Rob Halligan5:25 — Mary on being 27: constant change, accidental careers, and feeling transient7:53 — "At what point do you feel grown up?" — pensions, volunteers, and the approval of teenagers8:42 — Mary on needing roots: change is easier when you have a network around you9:18 — Rob on 25 years as a self-employed musician: the constant life of change on the road10:54 — Rob's project on liminal spaces: learning to value the in-between moments11:56 — Spirituality across difference: how do you identify on the spiritual spectrum?12:25 — Mary: "I say Methodist before Christian" — a denomination built on justice and action13:22 — Rob: "I'm a musician who is a Christian" — still learning what it means to follow Jesus15:00 — Rob's defining moment: losing his father in the 9/11 attacks on the 99th floor of the South Tower15:36 — Standing in Coventry Cathedral: "Father, Forgive" — anger, faith, and a giant reality check16:21 — Choosing to believe: "I think this God likes us"17:31 — Injustice, Operation Enduring Freedom, and where Rob sees God *not* present18:25 — "I love you in the Lord" — what it means when love is really just tolerance19:18 — Mary on working in dementia care: it's not a sad job — it's a joyful one20:16 — Weekly community groups, uninhibited characters, and the gift of being present21:22 — "It's a lesson in just being present" — freedom from embarrassment and cringe22:18 — Where Mary sees God: in diverse communities drawn together by care23:12 — East Manchester's mishmash of volunteers and the intergenerational miracle of showing up24:33 — Trey's aunt, Frank Sinatra, and the power of music for people with dementia25:17 — Rob on music after 9/11: "I had something to say"25:42 — The strange thing about songs: listeners hear something completely different to what you wrote26:00 — Rob's song *It's Strange What a Song Can Do*: Flowers in the Rain, Radio 1, and a dad singing badly in a Toyota Avalon27:23 — The panel's musical memory lane: The Bangles, Kids from Fame, Sharon Shannon, and Showaddywaddy30:48 — Mary on body memory: why people with dementia remember how a song *feels* even when words are gone32:29 — What takes you to a deep spiritual place? Folk music, R&B brunch clubs, and collective dancing33:59 — Jaz on "Grace" in Tottenham Court Road: dancing in an old church at 3pm as a spiritual act35:05 — Rob on art, creativity, and crying at a pot on the Great Pottery Throw Down35:31 — Stairway to Heaven at the Kennedy Honors: when art does something you can't explain36:40 — Coming in to land: what do you want to take into the next chapter — and what do you want to leave behind?37:45 — Trey: leave the judgment, keep the good stories38:10 — Jaz: hard-earned humility in, imposter syndrome out39:06 — Mary: leave behind the constant questioning of every decision; go forward freely and tread lightly40:17 — Wrap-up, thanks, and the parting benediction: "Go forward and eat toast with heavy amounts of butter. And be at peace."Featured guests:Mary Sharples — Methodist, kayaker, chaplain-turned-dementia-support-worker, champion of heavily buttered toastRob Halligan — Singer-songwriter and storyteller; on his 25th anniversary tour; described by the BBC as "Bruce Springsteen having English tea with Billy Bragg"Hosts: Trey Hall & Jaz Ampaw-FarrRecorded live at: Cliff College Festival, DerbyshireProduced by: Rachel Matthews | A project of the Methodist ChurchJoin the Spill the Spirituality community, follow the show and reach out to the hosts - we'd love to hear your thoughts, stories and feedback!Learn about Spill the Spirituality Podcast, Community & EventsLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterFollow us on InstagramFind us on TikTok

Hey Y'all,What happens when a vet, wildlife broadcaster, and nature mystic sits down with Jaz and Trey? This. Sean McCormack - known to many as That Vet Sean, familiar from Springwatch, The One Show, and his Sunday Times pets column - takes us on an extraordinary journey from cocaine-swallowing puppies to urban beavers, from speciesism to secret grief, and from Catholic Ireland to finding his church in the natural world.Expect big laughs, unexpected tears, and a conversation that might just change how you think about animals, the planet, and what it means to be human.Timestamps:0:00 — Intro & welcome: Who is Sean McCormack (That Vet Sean)?1:28 — Exotic pets, zoo vets & the wild beginning of Sean's career3:00 — The late-night call: cocaine, a puppy, and a kitchen surgery request4:11 — What drives a child to become a vet? Nature, family & being the "weird kid"5:32 — The hidden mental health crisis in veterinary medicine6:33 — Vets have the highest suicide rate of any profession — why?6:39 — How our relationship with pets has transformed in one generation8:19 — Do pets truly serve the animal, or just us? The ethics of pet-keeping9:54 — Speciesism: Why do we eat cows but not dogs?10:49 — Grass-fed beef vs. dairy and eggs: the counterintuitive truth about animal welfare12:50 — "It's not the cow, it's the how" — regenerative agriculture explained14:45 — Kids who don't know where potatoes come from: our disconnection from nature15:20 — Nature is everywhere, even in cities — but we've stopped noticing18:05 — The Ealing Beaver Project: bringing beavers back to zone 4 of London19:51 — Beavers solving urban flooding better than engineers — and David Attenborough's reaction20:16 — Working alongside Sir David Attenborough on *Wild London*21:10 — Shifting to spirituality: what does nature mean to Sean?22:13 — Trey's seal colony encounter on Caldey Island (and being gently told off by Sean)23:47 — Sean's spirituality: "My church is the natural world"29:37 — No Mow May, dominion, and why human superiority is destroying the planet31:22 — The hypocrite's dilemma: flying to Costa Rica as a conservationist33:06 — Grief, loss, and the partner who wasn't out: Sean opens up34:23 — The Irish relationship with death, wakes, and why grief shouldn't be hidden38:20 — Three years of secret grief — and why speaking his name finally brought healing43:35 — The forest walk video that went viral: "There's no shame in this"45:52 — Growing up gay in Catholic Ireland: denial, self-preservation, and coming out at 1847:35 — A second coming out: burnout, identity crisis, and hating a career he'd built his life around50:49 — Sean's advice for anyone stuck on the wrong path: listen to that voice sooner53:34 — "You're only as sick as your secrets" — on sharing, therapy, and moving forward54:07 — Closing reflections: spirituality, openness, and honoring connectionFollow Sean: Instagram @thatvetSeanWild London (with David Attenborough) - available on BBC iPlayerThe Ealing Beaver Project - Paradise Fields, Greenford, LondonSpill The Spirituality is a project of the Methodist Church in Britain. New episodes every week - subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen.Join the Spill the Spirituality community, follow the show and reach out to the hosts - we'd love to hear your thoughts, stories and feedback!Learn about Spill the Spirituality Podcast, Community & EventsLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterFollow us on InstagramFind us on TikTok

Hey Y'all,In this episode, Trey and Jaz sit down with Scottish writer, broadcaster, and paranormal psychologist Evelyn Hollow — known for her work on Uncanny and The Battersea Poltergeist — for a wild, wide-ranging conversation about what ghosts might actually be, why consciousness is science's last great mystery, and whether the paranormal and the spiritual are closer than we think.Evelyn takes us from the Battersea poltergeist case that became the number one podcast in the world, to modern-day ghost sightings (yes, there are ghosts in hoodies), to a fascinating theory that what we call ghosts might not be dead people at all — but glimpses through time. Along the way, the conversation moves into quantum physics, the politics of who gets to define the sacred, why so many women are drawn to paganism, and what it means that every culture on Earth seems to be accessing the same mysterious thing and calling it by different names.Jaz also finally tells her abbey ghost story to an actual expert. The verdict? It's complicated.Funny, mind-bending, and unexpectedly moving — this one will have you side-eyeing empty rooms for weeks.Timestamps:2:41 — Introducing Evelyn Hollow: paranormal psychologist and broadcaster3:00 — Growing up in Scotland; swapping forensic psychology for parapsychology5:05 — The Battersea Poltergeist and becoming the number one podcast in the world7:46 — Why aren't there modern ghosts? (There are — one wears a Nirvana T-shirt)11:28 — Do ghosts have an expiry date? The half-life of consciousness12:59 — Jaz's abbey ghost story: the woman at the foot of the bed15:00 — Sleep paralysis, the priming effect, and why Jaz's story is hard to explain20:15 — The Salem witch trials: mass hysteria or something more calculated?23:48 — Is everyone accessing the same spiritual reality?27:34 — Could consciousness be quantum? Why ghosts make scientific sense29:00 — Weighing the soul and the 0.7 gram preacher's tale32:24 — Paganism: pre-Christian faith and the power of the land34:56 — Feminism and faith: who wrote the book?38:09 — Local gods vs. universal truth41:29 — What comes after death? Where consciousness might go-----Guest: Evelyn HollowFind her: Instagram @EvelynHollowSpill the Spirituality is a project of the Methodist Church in Britain. Produced by John Ryan and Rachel Matthews. Hosted by Trey Hall.Join the Spill the Spirituality community, follow the show and reach out to the hosts - we'd love to hear your thoughts, stories and feedback!Learn about Spill the Spirituality Podcast, Community & EventsLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterFollow us on InstagramFind us on TikTokJoin the Spill the Spirituality community, follow the show and reach out to the hosts - we'd love to hear your thoughts, stories and feedback!Learn about Spill the Spirituality Podcast, Community & EventsLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterFollow us on InstagramFind us on TikTok

Hey Y'all,In this episode, Trey Hall sits down with poet, author, and educator Jaspreet Kaur - also known as Behind the Netra - for a rich, wide-ranging conversation about identity, faith, creativity, and what it means to go deeper than the surface of things.Jaspreet opens with a stunning reading of her poem Lost in Translation, a tribute to her mother and the experience of navigating intersectional identity as a British South Asian woman. From there, the conversation weaves through the healing power of poetry, the feminist roots of the Sikh faith, the book Brown Girl Like Me, and a deeply personal account of finding spirituality not in a place of worship — but in a library, a research project, and a girls' home in Punjab.Timestamps:2:29 — Introducing guest Jaspreet Kaur / Behind the Netra; reading of Lost in Translation5:07 — Why do people love or hate poetry? How it was introduced in schools6:50 — Rediscovering poetry through the Sikh faith: scripture written entirely in poetic form7:31 — Poetry as therapy: using writing to manage anxiety at age 138:28 — The stigma around mental health in South Asian (and wider) communities9:06 — Anxiety attacks at 13, the journal she still has today, and the move from free writing to poetry9:46 — Pen to paper vs. typing: why handwriting feels therapeutic13:13 — What spirituality looks like in everyday life; lessons from a toddler noticing a snail16:14 — Brown Girl Like Me: writing the book, interviewing 150 Asian women, and why it was therapy22:44 — Spirituality and Sikh heritage: growing up in a Sikh household23:59 — The difference between practice and truly feeling faith25:39 — A master's in gender studies and researching son preference in South Asian communities26:24 — Finding spirituality through feminist research: the Sikh faith's founding principle of gender equality26:52 — Why Sikh women keep the name Kaur; removing caste through naming30:54 — Trey shares his own story: coming out as gay through scripture and direct experience of God32:09 — When faith and culture conflict: a shared challenge across all traditions33:23 — "Don't worry, next time you'll have a boy" — the rage of hearing that after a daughter's birth34:11 — Channelling holy rage into writing and advocacy39:18 — What does God feel like? Sun on your eyelids — a poetic description of the divine41:17 — Trey shares his 12-step recovery journey and experiencing God in the rooms of recovery41:59 — Powerlessness and surrender: the first steps and why a powerful God matters45:04 — Can you be a feminist and surrender to God? Yes — we are contradictions47:22 — Names for God that take energy and alertness to say; divine names across traditionsGuest: Jaspreet Kaur — poet, author, educatorFind her: Instagram, X, YouTube, Facebook — @BehindtheNetraBook: Brown Girl Like MeSpill the Spirituality is a project of the Methodist Church in Britain. Produced by John Ryan and Rachel Matthews. Hosted by Trey Hall.Join the Spill the Spirituality community, follow the show and reach out to the hosts - we'd love to hear your thoughts, stories and feedback!Learn about Spill the Spirituality Podcast, Community & EventsLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterFollow us on InstagramFind us on TikTok

Hey Y'all,What does it mean to be fully alive? Writer, broadcaster, and thinker Elizabeth Oldfield joins Trey Hall for a rich, searching conversation about the unravelling and reconstruction of faith, the radical politics of listening across difference, and why she's become a "fundamentalist communitarian" in the age of isolation. Elizabeth is the host of The Sacred podcast and author of Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times — a book that takes the unlikely route of the seven deadly sins as a map toward connection, aliveness, and grace.In this episode:0:00 — Welcome to Spill the Spirituality; introducing Elizabeth Oldfield1:43 — Elizabeth's journey: growing up with "incredibly dilute background Christianity" and a brush with a youth festival that changed everything5:28 — Describing the ecstatic encounter: "encountering the love that is the fundamental logic of the universe" — and how it compares to psychedelic experiences8:28 — The unravelling, the "bad atheist" years, and cycling around Manchester in the rain arguing with a God she didn't believe in11:38 — What church looks like now: living in an intentional community in Peckham, South London, and why Elizabeth has fallen back in love with church by lowering her expectations13:52 — "I am a fundamentalist communitarian": why hyper-individualism is making us sick, lonely, and easy to politically manipulate — and why community is an act of resistance14:03 — "Lash yourself to other people": committing to people and places even when it's difficult21:05 — Elizabeth's podcast The Sacred: what she has learned from deep listening across the political and theological spectrum, and why she's "basically fallen in love with every guest"27:45 — Practical lesson 1-0-1: how to actually listen to people who trigger you — background practices, nervous system regulation, and the spiritual practice of staying curious28:28 — Understanding homophily (the love of the same): writing your "people like me" and "not like me" lists, and how to interrupt the body's threat response35:01 — The neuroscience of righteousness: why being confirmed in what we already think feels like a sugar rush, and why surprise and learning feel like a full meal39:53 — Introducing Fully Alive: why a book about aliveness unexpectedly became a book structured around the seven deadly sins43:11 — Elizabeth's definition of sin as disconnection and fracture — and why the desert monks had it right long before neuroscience caught up45:18 — On confession, lust, and bearing our darkness with grace rather than denial or dismissal49:41 — Why Elizabeth couldn't write a book until she found her own voice — weaving ideas and life together honestly52:12 — Elizabeth's benediction: "May we be brave and honest enough to be human together"Links & Resources:Elizabeth Oldfield's podcast: The SacredFully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times by Elizabeth OldfieldWintering by Katherine MayDon't Talk About Politics by Dr. Sarah Stein LubranoMichael Pollan's new book on consciousnessSpill the Spirituality is a project of the Methodist Church in Britain, produced by John Ryan and Rachel Matthews.Join the Spill the Spirituality community, follow the show and reach out to the hosts - we'd love to hear your thoughts, stories and feedback!Learn about Spill the Spirituality Podcast, Community & EventsLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterFollow us on InstagramFind us on TikTok

Hey Y’all, Jaz and Trey dive into a thought provoking question: what would you save in a fire? What begins as a practical conversation quickly turns into something much deeper about memory, identity, and what truly matters. They reflect on the difference between sentimental and essential, and how faith shapes what we hold onto when everything else falls away. With honesty and warmth, this episode invites you to consider what you would carry, what you might need to let go of, and how spirituality reframes what is truly worth saving.Join the Spill the Spirituality community, follow the show and reach out to the hosts - we'd love to hear your thoughts, stories and feedback!Learn about Spill the Spirituality Podcast, Community & EventsLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterFollow us on InstagramFind us on TikTok

Hey Y’all, Jaz and Trey continue the conversation with 2026 BBC’s Pilgrimage stars Ashley Banjo, Hasan Al-Habib, and Tasha Ghouri in this powerful Part 2 episode. Picking up where they left off, the group dives deeper into the emotional and spiritual impact of the journey, reflecting on unexpected moments of vulnerability and connection. They unpack how pilgrimage challenged their assumptions, strengthened relationships, and opened space for honest conversations about belief. With warmth, humour, and depth, this episode explores what happens when different faith stories meet on the road together.Join the Spill the Spirituality community, follow the show and reach out to the hosts - we'd love to hear your thoughts, stories and feedback!Learn about Spill the Spirituality Podcast, Community & EventsLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterFollow us on InstagramFind us on TikTok

Hey Y'all,In this special episode, we sit down with four of the stars from the BBC’s Pilgrimage 2026 - Patsy Kensit, Hermione Norris, Jayne Middlemiss, and Ashley Blaker - for an honest, reflective, and often deeply personal conversation about their journey.From questions of faith and identity to moments of vulnerability on the road, Part 1 explores what happens when very different lives and beliefs come together on a shared spiritual path.Key ThemesSpiritual curiosity vs religious structureThe power of shared experienceVulnerability as a catalyst for connectionWalking as a metaphor for inner changeFinding common ground across different beliefsStandout Moments Early conversations where differing beliefs are openly challenged  Moments of unexpected emotional honesty between participants  Reflections on why stepping outside everyday life creates space for deeper thinking  The first signs of group connection forming despite differences Join the Spill the Spirituality community, follow the show and reach out to the hosts - we'd love to hear your thoughts, stories and feedback!Learn about Spill the Spirituality Podcast, Community & EventsLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterFollow us on InstagramFind us on TikTok

Hey Y'all,In this milestone 100th episode, host Trey Hall sits down with Harry Clark - the breakout star of BBC's The Traitors Series 2 - for a wide-ranging and deeply honest conversation about faith, mental health, masculinity, and what happens when a council kid from Slough decides to take his questions straight to the Pope. Harry opens up about how prayer pulled him back from the edge during his darkest days in the British Army, why he went to confession for the first time in 10 years in Rome, and the AI-assisted message he sent to the Vatican. Funny, moving, and refreshingly real.Timestamps0:00 — Intro & welcome to Spill the Spirituality1:13 — The iconic Traitors reveal moment2:00 — How Harry got cast on The Traitors (from a "scam" DM)4:50 — Going on the show to change his life & the Uber driver story that changed everything7:28 — Trey's team's crushes on Harry (shoutout Holly & Allie)8:41 — The "Jekyll and Hyde" life: Army Corporal vs. Harry from Slough10:15 — Harry Clark Goes to Rome: the new BBC documentary11:35 — Faith as a wave: growing up Catholic and questioning the church11:49 — The origin story: homebrewed beers in the Alps with a producer13:38 — "I'll just go to the headteacher" — why go straight to the Pope15:00 — Trey's own experience at a Papal audience in St. Peter's Square16:00 — What is it about the Pope? The sense of calmness and humility17:01 — Arriving in Rome with his mum17:47 — His mum's advice: "Just pray"19:10 — Questions for the Pope: good vs. bad Catholic, LGBTQ+ inclusion, modernising the church21:11 — "What's your favourite emoji?" — the lighter questions22:33 — What is confession? Harry's first confession in 10 years25:20 — Trey on confession, AA, and telling the truth to another human27:21 — "God is working through them" — seeing God in people28:20 — Is there such thing as a bad Catholic? Already recognising your struggle means you're winning29:59 — Harry's darkest moment: suicidal thoughts, losing friends, and hitting rock bottom in the Army31:46 — The Army as "the hammer and chisel" — joining at 16 and growing up fast33:29 — The prayer journey: from screaming at God to gratitude35:34 — "I'd rather believe and be wrong" — Pascal's Wager, Harry Clark style37:43 — Masculinity, vulnerability, and what it means to be a healthy man40:19 — The Memento Mori tattoo from Rome41:25 — Wheel of Fortune game: AI — Friend or Foe?42:42 — Harry used ChatGPT to message the Pope (and reads the message live)46:48 — Outro & where to watch Harry Clark Goes to RomeGuestHarry Clark - Winner of BBC's The Traitors Series 2, former British Army Corporal, and star of the BBC documentary Harry Clark Goes to Rome. Follow him on Instagram and catch the documentary on BBC iPlayer.HostTrey Hall — Methodist minister, Tennessean living in London, and co-host of Spill the Spirituality (a project of the Methodist Church in Britain).Join the Spill the Spirituality community, follow the show and reach out to the hosts - we'd love to hear your thoughts, stories and feedback!Learn about Spill the Spirituality Podcast, Community & EventsLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterFollow us on InstagramFind us on TikTok