Holy Smoke: who is Sarah Mullally? episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 17, 2026 · 44 MIN

Holy Smoke: who is Sarah Mullally?

from Best of the Spectator

One week from the enthronement of Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury, her biographer Andrew Atherstone – Professor of Modern Anglicanism at Oxford University – joins Damian Thompson for this episode of Holy Smoke. This marks the second profession she has risen to, having first been the most senior nurse in England & Wales. Archbishop Mullally has led an 'ordinary, suburban' life and is by all accounts well-liked by her congregations but what do we know of her views on some of the most controversial topics in her in-tray: abortion, gay blessings and safeguarding – to name but a few. Is it fair to say she is the 'Welby-continuity' candidate?Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One week from the enthronement of Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury, her biographer Andrew Atherstone – Professor of Modern Anglicanism at Oxford University – joins Damian Thompson for this episode of Holy Smoke. This marks the second profession she has risen to, having first been the most senior nurse in England & Wales. Archbishop Mullally has led an 'ordinary, suburban' life and is by all accounts well-liked by her congregations but what do we know of her views on some of the most controversial topics in her in-tray: abortion, gay blessings and safeguarding – to name but a few. Is it fair to say she is the 'Welby-continuity' candidate?Produced by Patrick Gibbons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NOW PLAYING

Holy Smoke: who is Sarah Mullally?

0:00 44:57

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Best of the Spectator?

This episode is 44 minutes long.

When was this Best of the Spectator episode published?

This episode was published on March 17, 2026.

What is this episode about?

One week from the enthronement of Sarah Mullally as the new Archbishop of Canterbury, her biographer Andrew Atherstone – Professor of Modern Anglicanism at Oxford University – joins Damian Thompson for this episode of Holy Smoke. This marks the...

Can I download this Best of the Spectator episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!