A Very British Cult

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The sinister life coaching company that takes over your life. Catrin Nye investigates.

The sinister life coaching company that takes over your life. Catrin Nye investigates. As the story hots up, they fight back, and there's a surreal final showdown.

The sinister life coaching company that takes over your life. Catrin Nye investigates. 

In early 2019 Jeffrey Leigh-Jones from Portsmouth got a life coach. Someone to mentor him in life and help him realise his business ambitions.  

Two years later, Jeff had sold his house, his relationship was in pieces, and he had handed over tens of thousands of pounds. And he wasn't the only one. In this eighteen-month investigation for the BBC, journalist Catrin Nye and her team expose control, intimidation and fear at a mysterious life coaching company taking over people's lives and ripping families apart.   

As the investigation hots up, the group fights back, and there's a surreal final showdown.

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A Very British Cult: 6. Control

6. Control

BBC Radio 4 - A Very British Cult, 6. Control

Catrin meets Simon, a former recruiter for Lighthouse who fled the group.

We meet Simon, a former member who ended up deep in Lighthouse, recruiting for them and living with them. Until he fled.

We meet Simon, who ended up deep in Lighthouse, recruiting for them, monitoring their critics and living with his mentor. But one day Simon says he realised he was actually in a cult, and he had no choice but to pack his bags and run.  

What happens when a life coach takes over your life? Catrin Nye and her team expose control, intimidation and fear at a sinister life coaching company. 

Reporter: Catrin Nye  
Written by: Jamie Bartlett and Catrin Nye  
Producers: Osman Iqbal, Natalie Truswell, Ed Main & Jo Adnitt  
Researcher: Aisha Doherty  
Executive Producer: Ravin Sampat  
Sound Mixing: James Bradshaw  
Original Music by: Phil Channell 
Commissioner: Rhian Roberts

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A Very British Cult

6. Control

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