Blethered

It’s 2011. Novak Djokovic wins his first Wimbledon title, Rangers make it three league win in a row, while Celtic win another Scottish Cup in the rain against Motherwell. Osama bin Laden is killed, Adele tops the charts, and there’s earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan. The News of the World closes its doors for good, England burns after riots break out across the nation and the Iraq War finally comes to an end. But the explosiveness is only just about to begin.Young men across the city of Glasgow start to receive friend requests from an attractive young woman named Hayley McKay.She says she’s a model and the niece of Rangers legend Ally McCoist. She says she met them in a club, or they’d chatted while drunk, but nobody can recall meeting her. All of a sudden, Hayley is everywhere. In the papers as a Miss Scotland finalist, flirting online with Celtic & Rangers players and even tagged in Jamie Vardy’s Twitter bio as his girlfriend. Before you know it, she’s writing blogs about having life saving surgery, prompting other women to confide in her with their own stories.Eventually her hoax unravels when a woman in Wales discovers that her pictures are being used in a twisted scam. The Scottish Sun run an article on it, only for it to mysteriously disappear.So, was this a harmless fantasist, or a dangerous criminal?Let’s find out.Contact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comInstagram: @seantmcdonaldTwitter: @seanmcdonald01

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 something so serious. And to be fair, when considered out of context, it’s probably all of the above. I find that lighthearted conversations are a very good way of getting really heavy things out in the open, and it’s sometimes the only way to cut through them.These types of conversations on podcasts can very quickly become overkill. Over-done, over-cooked, under achieving, but every now and then, it’s a conversation worth having, and worth sharing. Everyone, no matter how successful, rich, loved, famous, has absolutely lost themselves at least once in their lives. Money worries, identity worries, job worries, worries about the future, sadness about the past, panic about your career progression or where your life should or shouldn’t be. Families falling apart, friends drifting away. It gets to us all and it’s very easy to then think you’re the only one, and Jesus does that make it feel a hundred times lonelier. Well, you’re not the only one, and when you realise that, it somehow makes it that bit more manageable.We don’t have the answers, if we did, we wouldn’t be having this conversation in the first place. But not every question has a definitive answer, and not every issue has an exact solution. But just talking about them can answer some of it, and solve part of it. And sometimes that’s enough. If you can laugh the whole way through, like we did, then that’s even better. If you’re just here for the patter, then I hope you enjoy it. If you’re here because you’re looking for a lifeline, then I hope this provides it. Stay tuned to the end for some perfect insight into why we should always hold on for tomorrow. If you enjoy this episode, share it somewhere. You never know who it might reach. Love ye.Contact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comInstagram: @seantmcdonaldTwitter: @seanmcdonald01

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 for those who want to empower themselves with an education that opens doors in exciting places.In this episode, you’ll hear about Kate’s time spent working alongside former Rangers Football Club owner David Holmes, forging a very robust and invaluable business experience, and where that then coincided with Jenny’s years at the coalface of the beauty business…They explain how they educate and empower people to change the direction of their lives, through training, employment, mentorship and friendship, and why it matters so much to them…And Jenny lifts the lid on the industry, from funny mishaps, to the darker and more dangerous downsides that she’s experienced.Urban RetreatThe AcademyContact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comInstagram: @seantmcdonaldTwitter: @seanmcdonald01

Here’s an introduction to Hayley, if you’re not familiar with her, as she has quite the profile.• Model• Miss Scotland Finalist• Niece of Rangers legend Ally McCoist• Love interest of various Scottish Premier League Footballers• One time Girlfriend of Leicester City and England footballer Jamie Vardy• Friend of the rich and famousOh, and one more detail. She never existed.I’m joined by Gabrielle Livingstone as we dig into the bizarre and unbelievable existence of the girl that never was. You’ll hear me tell the story of how I crossed paths online with Hayley, what went on in her imaginary world, and how it all began to unravel.Contact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comInstagram: @seantmcdonaldTwitter: @seanmcdonald01

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 Glasgow since 2021, he’s Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, and he’s a practising NHS GP. He holds the distinction of being the first Hindu and first man of Indian descent to be elected to the Scottish Parliament.Now campaigning to be elected to Westminster as an MP, Sandesh has been been chosen as the Conservative candidate for East Renfrewshire – a seat currently held by the SNP’s Kirsten Oswald. This is our conversation about the friendliness of Glaswegians, how he ended up in Scottish politics, my questions and observations about the Conservatives record after fourteen years in government, Douglas Ross’ leadership, and his hopes for the election.Senior Producer: Lucy JohnstonContact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcdonald01

TICKETS: https://www.seetickets.com/event/blethered-with-sean-mcdonald/august-house/2926744Blethered 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 hot for the radio. Tam’s first episode a couple of years back is by far one of the most popular episodes out of nearly 200, and a Live audience setting is where he’s at his best.You’ll hear a clip from the last time we sat down in the studio, with Tam telling me the story of when Frank McAvennie didn’t realise his microphone was still recording, as he took a phone call in a BBC studio…Tickets are only £10 so get yours now and come and join us for a good laugh and a great way to kick off the weekend early.

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 Sturgeon and Alex Salmond in the run up to the 2014 independence referendum, starting his own thriving PR company, and a bizarre period where he coached Vladimir Romanov. That’s Vladimir Romanov, the enigmatic and volatile former owner of Hearts football club, as he competed in the Lithuanian version of Strictly Come Dancing. Stay tuned for a genuinely world exclusive revelation on that one...And as always, there's plenty more.Contact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcdonald01

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 him into what I think is the perfect incumbent for the position that he holds within Dundee Football Club…We take a look at the remarkable Golden Era for the club in the 1960’s, followed by the chaotic excitement and eventual downfall of the early 2000’s…And we talk about the phenomenal job done by Dundee boss Tony Docherty in his first season, why referees are a vital component… and you might hear a wee something about an exciting development that’ll take Dundee into the next decade on a particularly strong footing.Contact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcdonald01