Blethered

Aimen Dean was a member of Al Qaeda before he defected to join MI6, where he continued to operate within Al Qaeda as an undercover spy.In this episode, we discuss Shamima Begum and her appeal to be able to return to the UK, I ask Aimen if he thinks deradicalisation programs work, and I ask him some listeners questions.Support Blethered on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/BletheredContact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcdonald01  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Music Producer & Performer Dan Dare grew up in West London and was involved in gang culture and serous crime at a young age, before throwing himself into music. He quickly earned a solid reputation in the industry and has worked with numerous major artists worldwide, and most recently co-wrote and produced Head & Heart, the current UK Number 1 by Joel Corry and MNEK (July 2020).We talk about Dan’s tough upbringing, his music career and the honesty about his mental health in his music. His lyrics are raw, powerful and honest; we look at what fuels that expression and how he deals with any mental health issues that he faces.You’ll also hear about Dan’s experiences with celebrity dating app Raya, we discuss the true definition of being a strong person and about how men struggle to show their emotions. And, as always, plenty more.Dan's Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0afI2bb9YP5PpZwT8nwlZH?si=QoBqLuFvTVu35Jc-Y1icnATwitter: https://twitter.com/slangslanging?lang=enSupport Blethered on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/BletheredContact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcdonald01  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kerr is the front man of the phenomenal LaFontaines and he talks about how he fell into music and the mad journey that it’s taken him on.Kerr tells some hilarious stories, including being arrested in Marrakech and losing the band’s entire budget for a music video on one spin in the casino, you’ll hear exactly why he loves doing what he does and we also discuss the male suicide epidemic in Kerr’s hometown of Motherwell. We dissect the concept social media and it’s grip on our lives. It’s a conversation you’ve heard before but it’s an ongoing and continuously evolving thing, so it’s important to keep having it.Support Blethered on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/BletheredContact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcdonald01  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Myles recently won a Gold Award for Best News Coverage at the Aria Awards in London for an exposé into a so-called ‘Pick Up Artist’ operating in Glasgow , which led to the individual being jailed for two years and placed on the offenders register for ten years. What followed was Myles going undercover and posing as a-student at a Pick Up Artist bootcamp in London, before confronting the organisers on what they were doing.We talk about how these groups came to Myles’ attention and the logistics of carrying out an undercover exposé, the ramifications of putting your head above the parapet in such a way and we also chat about Myles’ BBC Sounds podcast ‘Unlocked’ which focuses on how people are coping during lockdown.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jake is a documentary maker who has worked for Vice, the BBC, Channel 4 and many others - going into places like North Korea and Liberia, and getting up close and personal with Islamic preachers and the far-right English Defence League, more commonly known as the EDL.We talk about Jake’s experience in North Korea and the relationship he’s managed to cultivate with the North Korean government, you’ll hear about the best garlic naan bread he’s ever shared with an ISIS executioner and we talk about Message Heard, the phenomenal podcast company he founded and one of its shows, Conflicted.Support Blethered on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/BletheredContact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcdonald01  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Renowned football journalist Graham Hunter talks to me about his love of Spain, interesting points in his career and his thoughts on when luck meets opportunity.There's good humour, fascinating insight and tales of Sir Alex Ferguson, Gerard Pique, Pierre Van Hooijdonk, Vicente Del Bosque and plenty more.Support Blethered on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/BletheredContact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcdonald01  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Darryl Broadfoot and I talk about his experiences across Scottish journalism and PR, the accessibility of sport in our society and we discuss the mollycoddling of the younger generation and whether they’re being set up for a spectacular fall.You’ll also hear some funny stories including a Scottish international’s sleeping pills kicking in during a post-match interview, and about a high-profile Dutch international possibly indulging in a wee bit of bad behaviour while on pre-season with Rangers in Sweden...Support Blethered on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/BletheredContact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcdonald01www.thebiglight.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matt Morgan talks about his current work projects, his personal perception of fame and the unpredictable nature of working with Russell Brand. Plus, winding up Noel Gallagher, driving across America in the footsteps of Jack Kerouac, and plenty more.Support Blethered on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/BletheredContact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcdonald01www.thebiglight.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stuart Cosgrove talks about growing up in Perth before setting off for university, which saw him study in both England and America, including a stint at Harvard University, before embarking on an illustrious and fascinating career in the media, spanning four decades and still going strong. On top of that, you’ll hear about his links to music megastar Beyonce, his involvement in The Great Train Robbery and the influence that he’s had in UK and Scottish media across multiple formats.Support Blethered on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/BletheredContact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcdonald01www.thebiglight.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm delighted to join The Big Light, Scotland's Podcast Network.Blethered is a grass-roots, independent production and here's a rundown of the story so far...For further information, visit www.thebiglight.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.