# From The Monastery To The Mic With Alfie Joey | Before the Work Begins Podcast

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/before-the-work-begins-7861387/from-the-monastery-to-the-mic-with-alfie-joey-before-the-work-begins-podcast
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/before-the-work-begins-7861387/from-the-monastery-to-the-mic-with-alfie-joey-before-the-work-begins-podcast.md
Podcast: [Before the Work Begins](https://stenobird.com/podcast/before-the-work-begins-7861387)
Published: 2026-05-27T06:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://beforetheworkbegins.substack.com/p/from-the-monastery-to-the-mic-with
Audio file: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/199324852/4ff36332aba380989852ca9469efa7ea.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/before-the-work-begins-7861387/episodes/from-the-monastery-to-the-mic-with-alfie-joey-before-the-work-begins-podcast
Duration seconds: 2121

## Resource

This week, Jo chats to broadcaster, comedian, illustrator and all-round North East favourite Alfie Joey about a life that’s taken him from a County Durham pit village to a monastery, onto the stand-up stand and behind the mic on BBC Radio Newcastle. They talk about the very ordinary shape of his mornings now – kettles on, school runs, and calls from the kitchen table – and why an online body-doubling site called Focusmate has become his antidote to procrastination when he’s working from home. Alfie also reflects on 15 years in a religious order, the shock of swapping early prayers for late-night comedy clubs, giving up booze and even chocolate completely, and how drawing children’s books at 3am became the quiet ritual that kept him sane during daily radio. He and Jo also revisit the day he and his double-act partner took their A–Z of impressions onto Britain’s Got Talent and walked away with four yeses, and why he now loves helping businesses and charities find the human story in what they do. Plus: parkruns, buffet disasters, and the real answer to how “healthy” a former monk actually is at breakfast. Follow Jo on Instagram: @johuttonyoga Follow Alfie’s art account on Instagram: @ alfiejoey.art Read Jo's Substack: https://www.yogafortiredpeople.com/ Check out Alfie’s website: https://alfiejoey.com/ New episodes every Wednesday. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. To hear more, visit: https://beforetheworkbegins.substack.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit beforetheworkbegins.substack.com

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## Transcript

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