TV priest forced to quit

With his nose stud and tattoos, Jamie Allen was once more interested in DJ-ing and adding to his record collection than thinking about spiritual matters.

But then, quite unexpectedly, he found God and his life was turned upside down as he embarked on five years of theological training and a three-year curacy.

The Rev Jamie Allen's youthful appeal and refreshing attitude led to the 32-year-old being snapped up by the BBC for its series A Country Parish. Suddenly he found himself a clerical celebrity with a devoted TV parish of millions.

But the pressures of ministering to so many troubled souls has proved too much of a burden for the man whose wife wore diamante-studded jeans to church. He has quit his Wiltshire parish, blaming the pressures caused by becoming an "unexpected celebrity", the Daily Telegraph reveals today.

Mr Allen said in a letter that the demands of reality television and the scale of his public exposure meant that his ability to minister effectively in his parish had become "irrevocably compromised".

He told his congregations in the villages of Seend, Bulkington and Poulshot that the BBC2 series had prompted thousands of personal and pastoral enquiries from a vast television-audience that came to see Mr Allen as its priest. One parishioner said: "Jamie had thousands of letters asking for advice. People have been writing to him with their innermost problems. He was tremendously conscientious and wanted to deal with them himself.

"I think his family life was getting a bit frayed because he was busy all the time. As a young priest, the whole thing has possibly been overwhelming."

Mr Allen started a three-month leave of absence in August after he and his wife, Suzy, had a private meeting with the Bishop of Salisbury, the Rt Rev David Stancliffe. He asked the BBC to postpone a second series.

Viewers found the contrast between Mr Allen, who came from a deprived urban background, and his more traditionally minded congregation compelling. He caused dismay with his anti-hunting stance and apparent lack of knowledge about the intricacies of village life.

But in yesterday's letter he said he had taken his decision "with a heavy heart".

He wrote: "A Country Parish had great appeal to a wholly unexpected number of viewers and has caused literally thousands to respond anew to the Christian message - and for this we should be justly proud.