Joe Reilly Podcast

Jonny Thomson is a writer who explains philosophical ideas. In this thought episode, we journey through the world of philosophy — from ancient wisdom to modern thought experiments. We ask: what does it really mean to live a philosophical life in today’s world. The conversation explores Nietzsche’s ideas on truth, the misunderstood legacy that tied him (wrongly) to Hitler, and his vision of the Übe...

Paula Minchin is the Features and Managing Editor of Country Life magazine. In this episode, we ping-pong through a wide range of topics - from working with David Beckham, preserving the magazine’s heritage while attracting new readers, why print media is far from dead and so much more. We also delve into the Machiavellian world of journalism, collaborating with the Royal Family, and the weekly li...

Ali Farahmand-Razavi is an economist and content creator who shares his tips, insights, and wisdom in today’s episode. From exploring why the Nazis were, in fact, left-wing, to discussing why Marxism endures today, Ali delves into a range of fascinating topics. He explains what a government deficit really is and how it has hamstrung successive governments, critiques what Gary’s Economics got wrong...

Myles Usher-Doyle is a speaking coach with high profile and celebrity clients. In this episode, we cover a variety of topics, including filler words—and how to eliminate them—the importance of reading to expand your vocabulary, why the older generation often speaks more fluently, his work with Chris Williamson, and even why you should talk to strangers on public transport. Myles on Instagram - htt...

Mo Metcalf is the Director of External Affairs for the Countryside Alliance.  We typically dive into a wide range of topics on all things countryside. From Countryside Alliance’s overarching mission and Mo’s evolving role in the media, to the thorny controversies surrounding deer culls and grouse shooting, no stone is left unturned. We also wade into the RSPB seemingly forgetting about the birds,...

Philip Stephenson-Oliver is wine merchant and online connoisseur who brings over a decade of vinous wisdom to the table. In this episode, he sheds the sanctimonious status of a seasoned sommelier to explain the process behind understanding wine. From the fundamentals of proper wine tasting and the lifecycle of the humble grapevine, to the nuanced relationship between age and aroma, Philip uncorks...

Charlie Pye-Smith is a journalist and author. In this episode, we discuss the implications of the Hunting Act of 2004. He explores how these bans have paradoxically worsened the conditions for hunted species like foxes, hares, and deer.  Charlie argues that the ban has led to increased suffering for these animals and has disrupted traditional hunting practices that once maintained a balance in wil...

Ben Henderson is an online creator and teaches people about history, art, and philosophy. In this conversation, we cover a wide range of topics, discussing why Big Ben and the British Houses of Parliament are built in a Gothic style but not in the Gothic age, the impact of John Ruskin, the pros and cons of modern architecture, an introduction to Cyrus the Great, and so much more. Ben's dynamic...

Paul Childerley is an award-winning gamekeeper and multiple world-champion kickboxer. He's been on the screens of millions as she brings viewers along for his hunts, stalks, and shoots. In this episode, we discuss the reality of deer control, pest control, and other tasks that need to occur for the countryside to be managed. We also talk about Paul's kickboxing training and competing, and...

Kai Bilimoria runs an Instagram page dedicated to history, art, and philosophy. In the "museum of life", Kai seeks to explore as many rooms and exhibitions as possible, curating and cultivating a vast array of insight and facts on many, many topics. Where is the value of art found? Is it in its composition or context? And how does one even become knowledgable in discerning the difference between i...

Sir Roger Scruton was one of the most influential philosophers of the last century. His work spans nearly 40 books and thousands of articles and has been the intellectual heavyweight on issues as conservatism, theology, and politics.  In this episode, I speak to his son, Sam Scruton about what Sir Roger was like behind the books. I wanted to cover the topics that Sir Roger wrote prominently such a...

Alistair Miller is the editor of the Salisbury Review, a magazine dedicated to conservative thought. We discuss the origins of the magazine, how it was set up by the Salisbury Group as an antidote to Thatcherism and how it differs in it conservatism from liberal markets. We cover the Reviews"s thoughts on protectionism, localism, and how as a nation we may of lost our national identity - and there...

Andrei Stoica is a content creator and car collector who documents his up-and-down journey owning and maintaining Land Rovers. In this episode we discuss the ride in popularity of the Range Rover L322 (2002-12), discuss if it really was "peak Range Rover", and where would be the best place to buy one. Is the Ineos Grenadier is actually worth or can you just buy a Discovery 4 for half the...

Richard Bassett is an author and historian whose latest book charts the extraordinary life and legacy of Queen Maria Theresa. Maria was Empress who reigned from 1740 - 178 and strengthened the Austrian Empire through military and bureaucratic reforms, including modernising the army, centralising administration, and establishing a unified legal system, while also focusing on health, economic, and e...

Coley Stephens is an online content creator who works in Christian ministry. He recently came to notoriety debating Alex O’Connor on the popular Jubilee Channel about whether Jesus claimed to be God.  In this episode, we dive into his experience at the debate, his thoughts on both his and Alex’s arguments, and offers an insight into the production and guest selection Jubilee deploy for each of the...

Connor McLaughlin is a film and online content creator who enlightens and educates his audience on different aspects of the Catholic Church, faith, and sainthood.  But how does the Catholic Church differ from the Non-Denominational, Baptists, and Lutherans? In this episode, Connor lays out the key differences, explains the Catholic Church's key beliefs, explores whether they actually removed b...

Donald Robertson is an author, ancient philosophy expert, and Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist. In his latest book, "How To Think Like Socrates", Donald builds on his previous work on Stoicism and lifts the lid on Socrates, the world's greatest philosopher. Given that Socrates lived 2500 years ago, what advice would he give out today? What would he conclude from our money and st...

Nick Ridley is a professional gundog trainer, photographer, and author. For several decades, he's written about working dogs for all the prominent fieldsports magazines. He also runs and operates a photography business and posts videos about his days spent shooting with his cocker spaniels on YouTube. But why did he choose cocker spaniels? A breed that is harder to train and control than the r...

Nikolai Schirmer is a professional skier and filmmaker whose videos have been watched by tens of millions of people online. Only a cursory glance through his social media feed will suggest there is more to the man than content creation, and so in this conversation, I wanted to get to know the man behind the skiing.  He discusses his production setup and how he plans a typical winter with film crew...

Professor Ken Dark is a British archeologist with honorary professorships from several European and American universities, has written over 11 books and multiple academic articles, and has directed and co-directed many excavations and survey projects on the 1st millennium AD. From Roman and post-Roman Britain and the Byzantine Middle East to the Archeology of early Christian Israel, Ken is a globa...

Justin Brierley is an author and presenter who, for 17 years, hosted the show "Unbelievable?" which brought prominent atheists and Christians together for conversations and debates on all aspects of the Christian faith. Under Justin’s tenure, the show reached millions on a yearly basis and featured names such as Jordan Peterson, Ben Shapiro, John Lennox, William Lane-Craig, Alex O’Connor, Douglas...

Harry Donoghue is an Oxford graduate, online creator, and educator. The Aeneid by Virgil is one of antiquity's best-known works. Considered to be the follow-on from Homer's Odyssey and Iliad, the poem charts the story of Aeneas, a Trojan prince who flees the destruction of Troy and finds the first settlement in Italy, which later became Rome. But why has it stood the test of time? Why should we bo...

Chris Barkley is a writer, novelist, and educator. In this episode, we discuss the purpose and power of fiction, how the lessons gleaned from novels—like a Shakespeare play—aren’t instantaneous but require time and space to sink in, minimalist vs. maximalist styles, and how to write your first novel. We also discuss and debate if John Ruskin had a pretentious worldview, whether George Orwell’s wri...

Marcus Janssen is the Managing Director of Schöffel Country. Schöffel is an international outdoor and ski brand and Marcus tells the hilarious tale of how they got into the niche world of British fieldsports. Marcus then takes us through the ages of Schöffel Country and details their target audience to immense precision,he speaks on how to navigate modern sensibilities, why the Facebook Group shad...

Brian Hess is an author, podcaster, and pastor. In todays episode we skip through the Bible to dive and delve into what it says, its context and its application. Why were there two trees in the Garden of Eden? Was Eden a physical or psychological place? How the modern mind may struggle to read the text, why were Adam and Eve even created, The Golden Calf, The Great Commission, Discipleship and Car...