The Wodcast is a fortnightly podcast exploring the words that shape our lives, cultures, relationships, and imagination. Hosted by Benjamin Aston and Mabel Evans, each episode unfolds into conversations, stories, ideas, and perspectives from writers, thinkers, artists, and cultural voices. From love and belonging to courage, grief, joy, identity, and everything in between, the Wodcast invites you to slow down and look more closely at the language that shapes how we see ourselves and one another.
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In Season One of the Wodcast, we sit down with novelist Elif Shafak, musician Hak Baker, Professor David Nutt, writer David Larbi, founder and coach Remi Olayjoyegbe, musician Nick Mulvey, filmmaker Waad Al-Kateab, lyricist Tim Rice, and writer, actor, and broadcaster Stephen Fry.
Across nine conversations, we explore the words that have shaped their lives, the language that has influenced their thinking, and the stories they carry with them.
Welcome to the Wodcast with Mabel Evans & Benjamin Aston
Season 1 · Episode 1
Saturday, June 6, 2026 • Duration 00:35
Welcome to the Wodcast where every word carries a world inside it.
The Wodcast is a podcast exploring the words that shape our lives, cultures, relationships, and imagination.
Hosted by Benjamin Aston and Mabel Evans, each episode unfolds into conversations, stories, ideas, and perspectives from writers, thinkers, artists, and cultural voices.
From love and belonging to courage, grief, joy, identity, and everything in between, the Wodcast invites you to slow down and look more closely at the language that shapes how we see ourselves and one another.
E1 - When Faith and Doubt Hold Hands | with Elif Shafak
Season 1 · Episode 1
Wednesday, June 17, 2026 • Duration 01:25:01
What happens when faith and doubt learn to dance together?
In this opening conversation of the Wodcast, bestselling novelist Elif Shafak joins Benjamin Aston and Mabel Evans for a wide-ranging exploration of language, love, storytelling and the search for wisdom in a noisy world.
Together they discuss the ancient meanings hidden inside words, why different cultures understand love in different ways, the forgotten goddess of writing, the importance of oral storytelling, and what Elif calls "inner democracy" the practice of making space for the many voices within ourselves.
Drawing on her novels, her spiritual curiosity, and her lifelong relationship with stories, Elif reflects on the tension between certainty and wonder, information and wisdom, roots and belonging, and why slowing down may be one of the most radical acts of our time.
This episode is an invitation to listen more deeply: to language, to each other, and to the stories that shape who we become.
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Topics include:
• Faith and doubt
• The many meanings of love
• Language and identity
• Storytelling and oral tradition
• Inner democracy
• Wisdom in the digital age
• Women, memory and forgotten histories
• Nature, listening, and belonging
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Thank you to our sponsors:
Summerour Architects
https://summerourarchitects.com/
Trunk Clothiers
https://www.trunkclothiers.com/
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More from the Wodcast:
➟ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wod.cast/
➟ Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wodcast/id1896893830
➟ Youtube - https://youtube.com/@wodcast_channel?si=sQbEXy6-mO6lOLvB
➟ Substack - https://wodcast.substack.com/
➟Website https://wodcast.co.uk/
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E3 - Can You Make Empathy Illegal? | with Professor David Nutt
Season 1 · Episode 3
Wednesday, July 15, 2026 • Duration 01:10:25
What happens when language becomes more powerful than evidence?
Today, the Wodcast sits down with Professor David Nutt, one of the world's leading neuropsychopharmacologist, psychiatrists and consciousness researchers, for a thought-provoking exploration of language, consciousness and the extraordinary power of words to shape how we think, feel and act.
Together they discuss the origins of the word psychedelic, why MDMA was originally called empathy, how language has influenced public perception and policy, and what happens when words become more powerful than evidence. Along the way, they explore consciousness, curiosity, the role of myth and symbolism, and the profound relationship between science, storytelling and the human experience.
Drawing on decades of pioneering research into the brain, consciousness and psychedelic medicine, Professor Nutt reflects on the importance of questioning inherited narratives, remaining open to new evidence, and approaching some of society's most controversial conversations with both scientific rigour and deep compassion.
This episode is an invitation to look beyond labels, to think more critically about the words we use, and to discover how language can shape not only our understanding of the world, but our capacity to heal within it.
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Topics include:
The meaning of psychedelic ("mind manifesting")
Why MDMA was originally called empathy
Consciousness and the human mind
Language, perception and public policy
Psychedelic research and mental health
Science, evidence and curiosity
Myth, symbolism and storytelling
The power of words to shape society
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Continue the conversation:
Learn more about the work Professor David Nutt discusses in this episode:
Psychedelic Action Task Force: https://www.psychedelicaction.org/
Drug Science Uk: https://www.drugscience.org.uk/
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Nirvana Brewery, Alcohol free beer
https://nirvanabrewery.com
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More from the Wodcast:
➟ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wod.cast/
➟ Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wodcast/id1896893830
➟ YouTube – https://youtube.com/@wodcast_channel
➟ Substack – https://wodcast.substack.com/
➟ Website – https://wodcast.co.uk/
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See you next Wednesday 22nd July for our Substack live, where hosts Mabel & Ben unpack David's weight-bearing words and reflect on the ideas, stories and moments that stayed with them. 7pm BST.
Save the link: https://open.substack.com/live-stream/272659?utm_source=activity_item_share
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This episode discusses psychedelics from scientific, cultural and historical perspectives. It is intended for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or guidance on psychedelic use.
E2 - Why Romance Needs to Come Back | with Hak Baker
Season 1 · Episode 2
Wednesday, July 1, 2026 • Duration 01:12:25
What if romance wasn't just about falling in love?
In this conversation of the Wodcast, musician, songwriter and poet Hak Baker joins Benjamin Aston and Mabel Evans for a wide-ranging exploration of romance, brotherhood, community and the courage it takes to change.
Together they discuss the forgotten meaning of romance, why transformation is rarely a solitary act, and the idea of slaying the dragon within - the lifelong battle to confront our fears, ego and destructive patterns. Through stories of growing up in East London, finding his voice through music, and building communities rooted in care, Hak reflects on how real change begins not only within ourselves, but in the people who walk alongside us.
In a world that often celebrates independence above all else, Hak offers a different vision: one where friendship, creativity and shared responsibility become the foundations for a more hopeful future.
This episode is an invitation to rediscover romance, not as an ideal, but as a way of living, creating and changing together.
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Topics include:
The forgotten meaning of romance
Brotherhood and community
Slaying the dragon within
Personal and collective transformation
Music, creativity and storytelling
Growing up in East London
Friendship, belonging and resilience
The power of human connection
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Thank you to our sponsor:
Trunk Clothiers
https://www.trunkclothiers.com/
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More from the Wodcast:
➟ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wod.cast/
➟ Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wodcast/id1896893830
➟ YouTube – https://youtube.com/@wodcast_channel?si=sQbEXy6-mO6lOLvB
➟ Substack – https://wodcast.substack.com/
➟ Website – https://wodcast.co.uk/
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Next Wednesday at 7pm GMT Benjamin and Mabel will go live on Substack for 30 minutes to reflect on the episode, and share some writing prompts using Haks ‘weight- baring’ words. Join them there, to share your comments, thoughts and connect with other listeners.
E4 - The Courage to Be Frequently Happy | with David Larbi
Season 1 · Episode 4
Wednesday, July 29, 2026 • Duration 01:00:04
What does it take to become Frequently Happy?
Today, the Wodcast sits down with David Larbi, poet, bestselling author of Frequently Happy, and one of the UK's most thoughtful voices on joy, creativity and emotional wellbeing, for a deeply reflective conversation about poetry, presence and the courage it takes to live authentically.
Together they explore why happiness begins with contentment, the relationship between creativity and self-discovery, and how words can help us better understand our emotional landscape. Along the way, they discuss burnout, boundaries, the importance of silence in a noisy world, and why doubt may be one of the most underrated qualities we possess.
Drawing on his own journey as a writer and creator, David reflects on what it means to create from a place of honesty rather than performance, why "if I haven't processed it, I'm not posting it," and how learning to embrace the ordinary moments of life might be the truest path to becoming frequently happy.
This episode is an invitation to slow down, listen more deeply, to your words, your body and your inner life and to discover that perhaps happiness isn't something extraordinary after all, but something quietly waiting to be noticed.
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Topics include:
Contentment and happiness
The philosophy behind Frequently Happy
Poetry and creativity
Authenticity in the digital age
Burnout and setting boundaries
Emotional vocabulary
Curiosity and doubt
Silence in a noisy world
Presence and everyday joy
The art of paying attention
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More from the Wodcast:
➟ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wod.cast/
➟ Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wodcast/id1896893830
➟ YouTube – https://youtube.com/@wodcast_channel
➟ Substack – https://wodcast.substack.com/
➟ Website – https://wodcast.co.uk/
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See you next Wednesday for our word reflection ‘mini-episode’ on Substack, where hosts Mabel & Ben unpack David's weight-bearing words and reflect on the ideas, stories and moments that stayed with them. ✨
Substack live link :https://open.substack.com/live-stream/297151
