Blethered at the Ballot: Politics for those who don't do politics. In the wake of the sudden death of former First Minister Alex Salmond, we reflect on his political legacy, tributes from political adversaries and allies alike, and the future of the Scottish independence movement. Contact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.com Instagram: @seantmcdonald Twitter: @seanmcdonald01 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Oct 15, 2024•41 min•Season 5Ep. 33
For those of you listening who are not from the UK, Lorraine Kelly is a Scottish broadcaster with over 40 years in television. Known for her warmth and wit, she's a regular face and voice on morning TV, covering everything from hard-hitting news to celebrity interviews. For the majority of you who are from the UK, she’s Lorraine. In this episode, Lorraine tells me about some of her biggest influences, including her grandmother who was partial to a tall-tale or two… She talks about being born to ...
Oct 07, 2024•54 min•Season 5Ep. 32
It’s no secret that more and more of us are struggling with money. The cost of things are constantly rising, but wages aren’t rising with them. So what happens...? We fall into debt. What follows debt is embarrassment, shame, worry, panic and stress. The first thing we do is completely dismantle the idea that debt, in any form, is anything to be embarrassed about. It just feels that way because although so many others are in the same boat, understandably, no one is ever going to talk about it. W...
Sep 17, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 5Ep. 31
Graeme has accrued around half a million followers across all of his social media platforms, as a byproduct of documenting life with his mum, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, several years ago. Graeme explains the initial signs that they started to notice in his mum, and the timeline from diagnosis until now... You’ll hear about how he and his twin sister Kirstin assiduously and tenderly care for their beloved mum, an example of which you’ll hear me get a wee bit upset about… And we d...
Sep 14, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 90
*****ORIGINALLY RELEASED AUGUST 2019***** Capital FM Producer James tells me about his life and how gambling addiction took a severe grip on him. He explains the stresses and pressures in detail, and how the disease impacted and infected every inch of his life. We talk about the spiralling problem, the debt issues incurred as a result, and how suicide became the most viable option in his eyes. As with every episode of Blethered, we reach the light at the end of the tunnel. With the help of Gambl...
Aug 26, 2024•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 34
James - by his own definition - is a journeyman. He’s been a DJ, a TV producer, a TV presenter, a footballer in the Philippines, a double glazing salesman and now - one of Scotlands best stand up comedians. Born in Glasgow to an Indian mother and Glaswegian father, he had a unique and distinct perspective on life from the very outset. You’ll hear about his upbringing, his younger sister Lauren and older brother Alexander. Alexander has complex additional needs and requires 24 hour care - somethi...
Jul 31, 2024•1 hr 49 min•Season 5Ep. 30
Kim is hilarious, intelligent and thoughtful, and I really like her. I think you will too, which is why her debut Edinburgh Fringe show ‘Might as Well’ is well worth going to see. She’s likeable, observant, and funny. Which you’ll hear throughout this chat. We talk about how the UK began to suspect that Reform were fielding Catfish candidates, people that didn’t even exist… Kim tells me about how she decided to just go for it in comedy, after amassing a huge online following… And we chat orange ...
Jul 23, 2024•51 min•Season 5Ep. 29
Living standards are through the floor, while living costs are through the roof. 14 years of a Conservative government have culminated in record numbers of people living in poverty - and a now gargantuan disparity between those who are rich and those who aren’t. However, no one is immune from debt, and certainly not from the shame, embarrassment, stigma and difficulty that accompanies it. Joining me on Blethered at the Ballot to talk through those issues is senior debt adviser Tommy Gallacher, a...
Jul 17, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 5Ep. 27
I’m on the road but Blethered keeps moving, just like the studio for this interview with Labour MSP and former MP, Paul Sweeney. We sat down to discuss the outgoing Conservative government on the final journey of the last ever old subway train on the Glasgow subway, after 44 years of service. A very fitting environment, given that both of the aforementioned are not fit for purpose, completely ragged and everyone wants to see the back of them. We talk about unlikely political friendships away fro...
Jul 01, 2024•57 min•Season 5Ep. 28
Imagine this: You're scrolling through Instagram, TikTok or even Facebook, and suddenly you get a message from someone who seems genuinely interested in you. The conversation quickly turns flirtatious, and before you know it, you've shared personal photos and information. And then, the unthinkable happens. The person on the other end reveals their true intentions, and threaten to send it on to your friends and family unless you pay up, or do something equally distressing. This isn't an urban myt...
Jun 27, 2024•53 min•Season 5Ep. 27
Aimen Dean was an Al-Qaeda bombmaker who had sworn an oath of allegiance to Osama Bin Laden. He eventually defected to work for the British Security Services as a spy for seven and a half years, before his cover was blown by ex-US Vice President Cheney. We talk about his motivations for taking up arms, the part that radicalisation played, becoming disillusioned with the cause, and his time with MI5 and MI6. Aimen's Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nine-Lives-Time-Inside-al-Qaeda/dp/1786073285 Supp...
Jun 07, 2024•1 hr 59 min•Ep. 3
Romana recently shared a very thoughtful and introspective Instagram post about a suicide attempt in April last year. I found it to be very profound, so I asked her if she fancied sitting down and having a chat with me. ‘Have you ever thought about killing yourself?’ might seem like a really shocking and insensitive question to ask out loud, let alone have as the title for an episode of a podcast. It could quite reasonably be interpreted as an unsuitably nonchalant and flippant way to ask someth...
May 09, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 5Ep. 25
Kate Berry and Jenny Storey co-own two businesses in one. The first is Urban Retreat, a hair and beauty salon that puts a strong emphasis on community, care and impeccable professional standards. The second, is The Academy. They provide Scotland’s first private traineeship, in direct partnership with the most prestigious spa resorts all over Scotland. Whether it’s someone just starting out in life, or a person who wants to take themselves in a different direction, they provide a clear pathway fo...
May 08, 2024•56 min•Season 5Ep. 24
Labour Councillor Audrey Dempsey has been accused of racism and suspended this week, after she proposed to ask a question at the council about 'racist attacks on white children in schools'. In this exclusive interview, Audrey announces her resignation from the Labour Party. And: Her explanation of why she was asking the question 'Liking' tweets from far-right party Future in politic + More Senior Producer: Lucy Johnston Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Apr 12, 2024•28 min•Season 5Ep. 22
Blethered at the Ballot is a political podcast that pulls no punches, brings a laugh or two, and cuts straight through to the important matters without getting caught up in political jargon and meaningless soundbites. The General Election is fast approaching and before we collectively decide who to put in power, we deserve to know the thoughts of those who currently have it, those who want it, and those who are near it. Dr Sandesh Gulhane has been a Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP for Gla...
Apr 02, 2024•58 min•Season 5Ep. 21
TICKETS: https://www.seetickets.com/event/blethered-with-sean-mcdonald/august-house/2926744 Blethered will be LIVE at August House in Glasgow city centre on Thursday 18th April with legendary broadcaster, journalist and entertainer Tam Cowan for a night of conversation, previously unheard stories from a long career in media, and basically just a right good laugh. This will be Blethered in its original style, with strictly nothing off-limits and a chance to hear the stories that are a wee bit too...
Mar 21, 2024•4 min•Season 5Ep. 20
Phil and Martin Compston are back on the BBC with Martin Compston’s Norwegian Fling, their second series together, where they travel across Norway and experience some of what the country has to offer. In this episode, you’ll hear Phil talk to me about how going to Gaelic school set him on an interesting and unique career path... I find out how an innocuous conversation led to the commissioning of the programme, and what the experience was like… And Phil talks about working alongside Nicola Sturg...
Mar 13, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Season 5Ep. 19
Greg is the General Manager of Dundee Football Club and CEO of the Dundee FC Community Trust, and has played his own key role in the resurgence of Dundee Football Club. That resurgence has manifested itself in both sporting progression, with the side producing a very impressive and - not to be disrespectful - but generally unexpected showing in this season’s Scottish Premiership. In this episode, you’ll hear Greg talk me through his varied but valuable experience in education and work, moulding ...
Mar 01, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Season 5Ep. 18
Back in 2021, I put together three separate interviews, where I aimed to find out more about what it’s really like to live with HIV, and about the groundbreaking new treatment that Scotland is the first country in the world to offer. Those guests are two men, Brian and David, who have been living with the virus for quite some time, and from Dr Nneka Nikwolo. They each give me a personalised account of their lives, the realities of living with HIV and the challenges they've faced. Contact: seanmc...
Feb 23, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Season 5Ep. 17
Rhianna is a successful business owner with all the outward signs of success, but her journey there wasn’t a simple one. We talk about her upbringing in the town of Kilmarnock, and the issues of deprivation, addiction and community that exist in the area she comes from… Rhianna opens up in great detail about how she found herself homeless with two children and debt collectors close behind, before taking a serious risk in order to improve her financial situation… You’ll hear all about her plans t...
Feb 20, 2024•1 hr 55 min•Season 5Ep. 16
Ardgowan Hospice is a place of care for people living in Inverclyde who have been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness, such as cancer, heart failure, lung disease, kidney failure or neurological conditions. They provide not only physical and medical support, but also important practical, emotional and social support to patients, and their families and carers. You'll hear from Ardgowan ambassador and Greenock native Martin Compston, as he gives you an idea of just what the place means to the p...
Feb 14, 2024•1 hr 27 min•Season 5Ep. 15
Capital FM DJ Meg recently moved from Glasgow to London, and we speak about the step up in her career and how she’s adjusted to being part of one of the biggest networks in UK radio… Meg talks about the loss of her beloved dad, Michael, and how she channelled that emotion and energy into her podcast, McHugh Corner, which tackles hard-hitting subjects head-on… And we chat about London Life and bumping into Will Ferrell in the office. As you do… Contact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.com Twitter: htt...
Feb 06, 2024•54 min•Season 5Ep. 14
Back in December 2021, I sat down with Filmmaker and Director Stewart Kyasimire who talked to me about moving to Glasgow from Kenya at a young age... We discuss his BAFTA nominated documentary 'Black & Scottish', encountering racism, and the steely guidance of his Mum... And as, always, loads more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 02, 2024•58 min•Season 5Ep. 13
Marie is the Founder and CEO of LS Productions, a company that was born around a kitchen table in 2006, and has now been featured in the Sunday Times 100 Fastest Growing Companies. You’ll hear Marie talk about how a chance meeting with her now-husband John planted the seed for what would go on to become LS Productions… She lays out the progression from a small business fighting for clients, to working with global brands and individuals such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Styles and Ed Sheeran… And ...
Jan 26, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Season 5Ep. 12
Originally from Leicester in England, fully adopted Scot Jess quickly became well known as a result her very popular Instagram account ‘Just Jess Food’ . What started as an enjoyable wee side-hustle sharing food recipes, rapidly culminated in her leaving a full-time job in fashion to become a content creator, podcaster, traveller and - in her own words - romanticiser of life. You’ll hear Jess explain how a Saturday job in her mum’s cafe at just 13 years old went on to become one of the most sign...
Jan 17, 2024•1 hr 42 min•Season 5Ep. 10
I speak to men's sobriety coach Liam about the relationship that society - especially in Scotland - has with drinking… We reflect on our own personal dynamic with booze and the heavy effects of drinking too much, too frequently... And we get into some uncomfortable territory about the darker overhang and aftermath of binge drinking. What you’re about to listen to is a genuine conversation about alcohol, and how we feel about it. We’re not trying to talk you, or ourselves, into anything. We’re ju...
Jan 12, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Season 5Ep. 9
Last year, I had the privilege of a long conversation with 95-year-old Tom McGoran, and hearing his crystal clear memories of life from the 1930's onwards. You’ll hear Tom telling me about growing up in Glasgow in the 1930’s, the notorious Razor Gangs of the city, and what he and his pals got up to... We talk about the realities of World War Two and some fantastic insights into what life was like… And we go over some of the funny and fascinating things that happened in the world, the year Tom wa...
Jan 04, 2024•1 hr 30 min•Season 5Ep. 8
Danny Turner is the owner of Soul Suites in East Kilbride, a wellbeing facility that offers cold water immersion and infrared saunas. We discuss the self-appointed experts who lecture you on how cold water will solve every problem in your life... Danny explains the benefits of contrast therapy for body and mind, how it makes you feel, and why it makes you feel that way... And Danny talks to me about how his personal challenges led to the creation of Soul Suites, and where that journey took him. ...
Dec 14, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 7
Just a few years ago, Elspeth was in the grips of a severe eating disorder and at the worst point, was very realistically, not far off from death. Elspeth looks back on some key periods in her life, situations and events that compounded and led to a detrimental relationship with food, and how she was initially blind to the reality of it. You’ll hear about the layers of denial and deception to make sure she could carry on interrupted... And Elspeth corrects some common misconceptions around eatin...
Oct 30, 2023•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 6
I'm joined by lawyer and registered midwife Jaimie McGready to discuss the trial and conviction of serial killer Lucy Letby. Letby was recently convicted of the murder of six newborn babies, and the attempted murder of seven more, in what was the longest murder trial in British legal history. We reflect on the evidence that led to her conviction and receipt of a full life order, meaning she’ll die behind bars. Jaimie and I also discuss the death penalty, the 'morality' of criminal defence lawyer...
Oct 13, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 5
