Viva! Vegan Podcast

In this episode we are joined by entrepreneur Andy Shovel, co-founder of meat-free food brand THIS. A self-confessed former KFC addict who ran a burger company, Andy turned his business acumen to building one of the biggest meat alternative brands in the country.  In this episode, Andy and Rachel discuss:  How he built the THIS brand from a startup to a thriving business available in most major supermarkets, including explaining the genius behind THIS’s creative marketing    The new technology he’s investing in which will ‘sex’ eggs to prevent male chicks from being born into the egg industry    His gripes with the vegan movement and why we should stop focusing on trying to achieve perfection  About Our Show   Listen now by clicking the play icon below. We’re also on , , , and .   Get the latest episode, straight to your mobile device or computer. It’s automatic and completely free.   Copyright owned by Viva! Bristol 2024. Not for re-use without our written agreement. All featured music and content used by

Nicole Whittle - otherwise known as Vegan Beauty Girl - is a maths graduate turned influencer and vegan activist. Her unique and honest social media presence is synonymous with the vegan movement, as she provides frank and supportive advice to her followers on everything from vegan food to cruelty-free skincare.    In this episode, Nicole and Rachel discuss: The difference between vegan and cruelty-free products, including brands to buy and which to avoid Nicole's activism journey and her determination to use her platform for good How she became an influencer and what a day in the life of an influencer really looks like About Our Show   Listen now by clicking the play icon below. We’re also on , , , and .   Get the latest episode, straight to your mobile device or computer. It’s automatic and completely free.   Copyright owned by Viva! Bristol 2024. Not for re-use without our written agreement. All featured music and content used by permission. Produced by Faye Lewis for Viva!.  

Ryan Edwards of Cwmbran's Queen Inn is reveling in the extraordinary achievement of being ranked among the top five vegan restaurants in the world (thanks to Happy Cow).  Faye catches up with him to try out a vegan 3D-printed steak, to see if it lives up to the hype, and to find out about the history of the pub and the decision to be fully plant-based.  They also discuss:  Ryan's love for Oli Sykes  The future of British pubs and 'pub grub'   The importance of support from locals and vegans alike  About Our Show   Listen now by clicking the play icon below. We’re also on , , , and .   Get the latest episode, straight to your mobile device or computer. It’s automatic and completely free.   Copyright owned by Viva! Bristol 2024. Not for re-use without our written agreement. All featured music and content used by permission. Produced by Faye Lewis for Viva!.      

Thomas Pickering is a renowned documentary filmmaker known for his compelling storytelling.  He joins Faye to discuss his latest documentary I Could Never Go Vegan exploring the challenges and misconceptions surrounding veganism, offering a complete debunk around the barriers to veganism, while examining the ethical, environmental, and health-related considerations associated with plant-based diets.  In this episode, Thomas and Faye discuss topics, such as:   a handful of organisations having more power than governments  misconceptions around protein and the real issue of fiber deficiency  arable farming and the subsidised dairy and meat industries the horror of factory farming   About Our Show   Listen now by clicking the play icon below. We’re also on , , , and .   Get the latest episode, straight to your mobile device or computer. It’s automatic and completely free.   Copyright owned by Viva! Bristol 2024. Not for re-use without our written agreement. All featured music and content used by permis

Interdisciplinary Artist, Filmmaker, and Animal Rights Activist Stephanie Lane founded SPECIESISM.WTF in Summer 2023.  By exploring the theme of speciesism, Stephanie aims to ignite a collective consciousness that recognises the inherent worth of and gives equal consideration to nonhuman beings, regardless of their species.  Having taken part in one of her exhibitions, Issy sits down with Stephanie to discuss:  the ethics on the property status of nonhuman animals# exploitation of animals how her art shocks the public  wider conversations around specieism About Our Show   Listen now by clicking the play icon below. We’re also on , , , and .   Get the latest episode, straight to your mobile device or computer. It’s automatic and completely free.   Copyright owned by Viva! Bristol 2024. Not for re-use without our written agreement. All featured music and content used by permission. Produced by Faye Lewis for Viva!.  

The Vegan News Minisode with Faye Lewis   Bringing you the latest news from the world of veganism: Episode 32: April 2024  Welcome to the Vegan News Minisode, brought to you by leading vegan charity Viva!. Presenter Faye is this month joined by Rachel as they bring you the latest plant-based lifestyle, food and animal campaigns news from around the globe.    In this episode, Faye and Rachel discuss a video claiming raw milk heals lactose intolerance, and it being flagged as ‘false information’. The hugely anticipated documentary, I Could Never Go Vegan, France's ban on meat labels for vegetarian products, Cillian Murphy and vegan chef Kirk Haworth's win on Great British Menu, 'Champion of Champions'...

The Vegan News Minisode with Faye Lewis   Bringing you the latest news from the world of veganism: Episode 31: March 2024  Welcome to the Vegan News Minisode, brought to you by leading vegan charity Viva!. Presenter Faye is this month joined by Issy as they bring you the latest plant-based lifestyle, food and animal campaigns news from around the globe.    In this episode, Faye and Issy discuss Speciesism, Pignorant, the power of collaboration, Christspiracy, and the vegan cheese brand Daiya, which caused a stir online after unveiling its beef burger. They also talk about the brilliant new campaign from Viva! 50 by 25... 

Kip Andersen is an American filmmaker, producer, writer, entrepreneur, and the founder of Animals United Movement (A.U.M.) an  which focuses on promoting awareness and equality for all life. He is known for his  such as , , and . He joins Faye to discuss his latest in the Spiracy documentary franchise, Christspiracy, which aims to expose a 2,000 year cover up.  The investigative documentary examines the exploitation of animals in religious and spiritual contexts, exposing secrets of the church in the process. In this episode, Kip and Faye discuss topics, such as:   is there an ethical way to kill an animal?  misconceptions around the humane treatment of animals in religion how it feels to be exposing the church    Kip's vegan journey      About Our Show   Listen now by clicking the play icon below. We’re also on , , , and .   Get the latest episode, straight to your mobile device or computer. It’s automatic and completely free.   Copyright owned by Viva! Bristol 2024. Not for re-use without our w

In this episode, Issy sits down with Captain Paul Watson, a pioneering animal rights activist who founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an anti-poaching and direct action group focused on marine conservation activism.  In this episode, Issy and Paul discuss:  the release of his new book Hitman for the Kindness Club his direct action saving animals in the oceans and his lifetime commitment to making the world a better place for all its inhabitants His fascinating knowledge of marine biology and passion for all animal life    About Our Show   Listen now by clicking the play icon below. We’re also on , , , and .   Get the latest episode, straight to your mobile device or computer. It’s automatic and completely free.   Copyright owned by Viva! Bristol 2024. Not for re-use without our written agreement. All featured music and content used by permission. Produced by Faye Lewis for Viva!.

Ed Winters is a vegan educator, best-selling author, public speaker and content creator, widely known for his viral debates, speeches, and video essays.  In this episode, Issy sits down with Ed to discuss his new book How to Argue With a Meat Eater (And Win Every Time), his nine-year vegan journey, how his mindset shifted from thinking vegans were humourless and attention seekers, to being one of the leading voices in the movement.   In this conversation Issy and Ed discuss topics, such as: Ed’s childhood and how university changed his mindset Specism  Rupert the Hamster, his companion animal and his love of broccoli   Expression, vulnerability in having your views questioned  Culture wars and pseudo science  Critical thinking  Listen to the full episode here  Watch the Episodes On Also on Viva!  Spotify  Apple Music 

Georgie Purcell, the Animal Justice Party MP, and a distinguished member of the Victorian Legislative Council representing Northern Victoria, made headlines in 2020 with her courageous inaugural speech.  Despite being the youngest woman ever elected in the state, Georgie faced adversity head-on, openly addressing her past as a stripper and confronting the online abuse and misogyny that followed. Since then she has worked tirelessly for both animals and humans alike. She sits down with Faye to delve into her remarkable journey, tracing her path from activism to the halls of power. Join us as she shares her resilient pursuit of equality and justice, using her platform to advocate for meaningful change. In this conversation, Georgie and Faye discuss topics, such as:   parliament being a 'boys' club   Georgie's early start in activism her recent setback on duck shooting not being banned in Australia  a real need for change in politics and structures globally the incredible work she has achieved to d

Dani Taylor is a vegan figure competitor and champion, the co-founder of VeganProteins.com, and also a co-founder of PlantBuilt.com  As an overweight child and adolescent who believed that was the way she was “meant to be”, Dani switched to an ethical vegan diet and lost 30 pounds. At this point, she realised she had the power to change the way she looked and felt.   She began lifting weights and doing cardio, and she is now a gold medal champion several times over and one of the best professional athletes in the bodybuilding community.  In this conversation, Dani and Faye discuss topics such as:    the resounding success of the PlantBuilt team, who obliterated the competition at Mr America across bodybuilding, Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, kettlebell sport, and CrossFit   the myths surrounding diet still pedalled by the meat and dairy industries   Dani's journey into personal training and her reasons for going vegan  how anyone can make a positive change through their diet and exercise 

Andrew Fearn, the quiet half of Sleaford Mods, the bedroom musician half and the half that soundtracks the caustic narratives of the other half, Jason Williamson, opens up about his vegan journey, compassion for animals and trying to do what he can.   Sleaford Mods have described their work as "electronic munt minimalist punk-hop rants for the working class." Williamson is responsible for the words, Fearn for the music. Sleaford Mods songs have been described as embittered rants about such topics as unemployment, modern working life, celebrities and pop culture, capitalism, and society in general.  In this conversation, Andrew and Faye discuss topics, such as:   austerity and poverty in the UK   becoming very famous and what it feels like   Andrew's interest in charities, from Viva! to Shelter   the best places for vegan food while touring  playing the Sydney Opera House   how he tries to use his platform to highlight causes he cares about    About Our Show   Listen now by clicking the pla

In this episode, we are joined by Emma Håkansson, an incredible activist from Australia who is campaigning for the end of animal exploitation within the fashion industry while also reducing the toll fashion has on the environment and the people who work in the industry.  She founded her organisation, Collective Fashion Justice, to enable changes by educating future fashion minds, creating conversations with industry professionals and working towards legislative change.   Emma is the author of How Veganism Can Save Us, Total Ethics Fashion and the soon-to-be-released Sub-Human: A 21st-Century Ethic; on Animals, Collective Liberation, and Us All. She was also heavily involved in the production of Slay, the pioneering documentary that investigates fur, leather and wool, greenwashing and the impact that brands using animal skins have on people, the planet and animals.  In this eye-opening conversation, Emma sits down with hosts Issy and Rachel to discuss:  her vegan journey and how she got into activis

Mark Wakeling’s journey from hunter and soldier to vegan animal sanctuary owner is captivating.  The son of a man who ran livestock markets, where he worked as a boy, he used to hunt and fish and then became a soldier. After years in London as an actor and acting teacher, he returned to the country to find peace at Amberwood Sanctuary. 



Jane Velez-Mitchell is an award-winning broadcast journalist, best-selling author, and the founder and managing editor of the streaming service UnchainedTV.   At the helm of , Velez-Mitchell has built a network of filmmakers, journalists, content creators, and animal rights activists who are all working towards a common goal: to make it as easy as possible for a global audience who isn’t necessarily interested in animal rights to stumble upon content with an underlying vegan message — for free.   In this conversation, Jane and Faye discuss topics such as:   her childhood and early activist days   her prolific journalism career working with CNN, TruTV, E!, Celebrity Justice and, of course, UnchainedTV  mass media and its power in terms of spreading the vegan message  how the climate apocalypse is coming!   Find out more about Jane and UnchainedTV, visit here:   About Our Show   Listen now by clicking the play icon below. We’re also on , , , and .   Get the latest episode, straight to you

The Vegan News Minisode with Faye Lewis  Bringing you the latest news from the world of veganism: Episode 30: February 2024 Welcome to the Vegan News Minisode, brought to you by leading vegan charity Viva!. Presenter Faye is this month joined by Rachel as they bring you the latest plant-based lifestyle, food and animal campaigns news from around the globe.    In this episode, Faye and Rachel discuss Veganuary, a 3D-printed vegan eel, the , how a 100% switch to plant-based diets in England could save the NHS £6.7 billion a year and the criticism surrounding Mark Zuckerberg's new ‘beef’ farm... 

The Vegan News Minisode with Faye Lewis  Bringing you the latest news from the world of veganism: Episode 28: December 2023 Welcome to the Vegan News Minisode, brought to you by leading vegan charity Viva!. Presenter Faye is this month joined by Rachel as they bring you the latest plant-based lifestyle, food and animal campaigns news from around the globe.    In this episode, Faye and Rachel discuss having a vegan Christmas, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, and their Viva! highlights for 2023...

The Vegan News Minisode with Faye Lewis  Bringing you the latest news from the world of veganism: Episode 27: November 2023 Welcome to the Vegan News Minisode, brought to you by leading vegan charity Viva!. Presenter Faye is this month joined by Issy as they bring you the latest plant-based lifestyle, food and animal campaigns news from around the globe.    In this episode, Faye and Issy discuss how , ), the charges brought against  , , the horrifying news that and much more... 

The Vegan News Minisode with Faye Lewis  Bringing you the latest news from the world of veganism: Episode 26: October 2023 Welcome to the Vegan News Minisode, brought to you by leading vegan charity Viva!. Presenter Faye is this month joined by Rachel as they bring you the latest plant-based lifestyle, food and animal campaigns news from around the globe.    In this episode, Faye and Rachel discuss , how the world would "save more emissions than the UK produces" , and the language behind vegan marketing — specifically, . You can also see the new and much more...