Real-Life Exorcist Reveals His Demon-Hunting Secrets On Halloween
October 31, 2024 1:00 AM ‐ Television
On Halloween, 'This Morning' viewers were treated to a segment with Reverend Jason Bray, a real-life Anglican exorcist, who joined Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammond for a Halloween chat.
Dermot, who was dressed as Frankenstein, kicked things off by referencing the classic horror movie, 'The Exorcist', telling viewers, "50 years since 'The Exorcist' hit the cinemas. We're joined by someone who knows a thing or two about hunting spirits."
Alison, who for today only was Bride of Frankenstein, introduced the vicar, saying, "On the surface, Reverend Jason Bray is your ordinary Anglican vicar leading christenings, weddings, and funerals. But for the last 27 years, he's also been hired to hunt down demons as a real-life exorcist."
You can watch Jason Bray on the famous ITV sofa in the video of the full interview below.
Despite Dermot, Alison and the ITV crew's elaborate costumes, Jason was the only one not dressed up. However, he did bring his signature exorcist hat, which he put on with a smile, quipping, "I'm the only one not in costume, but I brought the hat."
Jason, who is the Dean of Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff, explained his day-to-day duties. "I run it. Lots of meetings, lots of meeting people, and lots of meeting tourists as well. So we get a few of those. And, you know, lots of services as well...we have a fantastic choir. They sing pretty much every evening," he said, highlighting that his job involves more than just supernatural encounters.
Alison asked how he ended up in the exorcism role, wondering if he had ever encountered a spirit himself. Jason shared a personal experience from early in his career, recalling a peculiar, chilling incident. "When I was first ordained, 27 years ago, we lived in a house...cold and dark, and it never got warm...It just didn't feel right," he explained. He added that his son Tom's nursery felt even colder than the rest of the house, noting, "It was like walking into a freezer... I had to have him in bed with me."
Eventually, Jason himself had an unsettling experience in the home. "I was reading in bed, went to the toilet and coming out the bathroom door...there was like this sort of impression of somebody standing on the other side of the door, about my height, grey eyes, and with like a mask on...just staring at me with unbridled hostility." He admitted to Dermot and Alison that the experience spooked him enough to "throw himself under the duvet" when nothing seemed to explain the eerie sensation. His local vicar had to come by, bless the house, and perform a ritual that, thankfully, seemed to lift the strange atmosphere.
Dermot delved into how Jason's clergy peers react to his unusual work, asking, "Is there skepticism from them?" Jason's response was straightforward, admitting, "Some of them don't really believe in it...Some of them think it's a whole load of rubbish...Every time we get called out, we speak to the local vicar, and you just get this sort of 'you deal with it, don't want to go anywhere near it.'"
He then described the tools of his trade, which include a special stole worn during rituals, holy water, and even a "spectacular" holy water sprinkler. "We have a conversation to try and work out what's going on. Because sometimes it can be them...or there's a presence...or maybe it's something medical." When Alison wondered if he'd ever go to bless a house proactively, he replied, "Yeah, we do that sometimes. It's a nice thing to do, actually," explaining that from his Christian perspective, it's about "bringing the love of God into that situation."
Dermot raised an important point about the impact of Jason's work, noting that even for those who might have a medical explanation, having Jason's presence could provide reassurance. Jason agreed, saying, "A lot of what we do is actually bringing reassurance...People are always frightened when they get in touch with us."
Curiously, despite his line of work, Jason revealed he'd never watched The Exorcist. "No, it's too frightening," he said with a chuckle, sharing that his son, who's the horror movie buff of the family, has seen it all.
Dermot ended the segment with a nod to Jason's unique choice of headgear, saying, "Well, you wear the hat well, anyway." You can watch the full interview on the official 'This Morning' YouTube channel, as well as loads of other spooky content for Halloween.
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