A Burnley vicar who has welcomed famous faces, including Eamonn Holmes, onto his "God Cast" through lockdown hopes the podcast will invite more people to talk about faith.

Father Alex Frost, vicar at St Matthew's church in Burnley has seen his podcast, in which he speaks with guests about themselves and their faith, go from strength to strength.

He launched the podcast back in the first lockdown and was speaking to people of his local community to help those who could not get out have something to watch and enjoy.

By chance, the vicar is followed on Twitter by talk show host Eamonn Holmes who was following the podcast before agreeing to appear in an episode himself.

Since then, the vicar has seen more famous faces join the podcast including Alastair Campbell, Anthea Turner, Dom Joly, Sean Wilson, Kevin Kennedy, the Bishop of Burnley, and Levi Roots to name a few.

The podcasts see the famous faces talk about their lives and their faith openly with the vicar, with Father Alex hoping that this may inspire more families to talk about faith at home.

Father Alex said: "I've been amazed by the people who have said yes to me, it's been incredible.

"What I have learnt from it is that there is a conversation to be had about faith and while not all of my guests will sit there and say they have got a faith we still have a conversation.

"I very rarely put my own view on the subject, I ask them to put express their view and I have been surprised how open people are. They seem very happy to have a conversation about it."

Featuring on various platforms including YouTube, Spotify and iTunes, the channel is recording about 10,000 views on the podcasts a month - something Father Alex said he never anticipated when he started the podcast.

Father Alex added: "I think it helps because there are famous people attached to it.

"When I see people, they say they have been listening to the God cast and that they have found it interesting.

"I see it as a new ministry - as an extension of what I do as a vicar."

The podcast is set to continue with plenty more famous faces soon to make an appearance including Jonathan Antoine, an opera singer who featured on Britain's Got Talent with Charlotte Jaconelli, and John McDonnell who was right hand to previous Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.