Blethered

Part 2 of Blethered Live at SWG3 in Glasgow, with former MI6 Spy Aimen Dean.Aimen tells a never-before-told story about his haunting interaction with the lead-hijacker of the September 11th attacks in New York City...We hear about Aimen's decision to join MI6 as an undercover spy, and the extensive debriefing process in Scotland...Aimen discusses his progression into mainstream media such as Newsnight and the Conflicted podcast, and how it came about...And Aimen reflects on the issue of returning jihadists, and the controversial case of Shamima Begum.And as always, there's loads more.www.dontfretaboutdebt.net/blethered/Contact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcdonald01 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part 1 of Blethered Live at SWG3 in Glasgow, with former MI6 Spy Aimen Dean.Aimen talks about his early life in Saudi Arabia and how religious clerics shaped his young mindset...His decision to go and fight in Bosnia at 16 years old, in defence of Bosnian Muslims, and the horrors that he saw...And about when his path first crossed with Osama bin Laden.And as always, there's plenty more.www.dontfretaboutdebt.net/blethered/Contact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcdonald01 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Filmmaker Jono McLeod has worked in a variety of roles both in front of, and behind the camera, for some of the biggest networks in Britain.His most recent project is a spectacular documentary called My Old School.My Old School reveals the truth behind one of the most incredible stories of the past 30 years, in which a 32 year old man tricked his way into a school in the suburbs of Glasgow, posing as a 16 year old pupil.Featuring interviews with his old classmates and teachers, it’s a hilarious, thought provoking, engaging, unique and immensely entertaining docu-film, and it’s in cinemas now.We discuss the intricacies of the story, and Jono’s personal memories of what happened…Jono talks about his own school experience as a teenager trying to remain under the radar, and how that influenced his telling of the story…And we talk about Jono’s career in general, plus his award winning short film 'Being Stavros'.And as always, there’s plenty more.www.dontfretaboutdebt.net/blethered/Contact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcdonald01 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Blethered Live at SWG3 GlasgowIn Conversation With Former MI6 Spy Aimen DeanTue 30 AugustTickets: https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/blethered-live-tickets/artist/5388843 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tickets for Blethered Live at SWG3 with Aimen Dean - Tue 30 August:: https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/blethered-live-tickets/artist/5388843Returning listeners will be well aware of Aimen from my two previous chats with him, on the subjects of his life and career. For those who aren’t, here’s a wee bit of background.Often described as The West’s most significant and valued spy of the 21st century, Aimen worked undercover with MI6, deep within Al Qaeda, providing a constant stream of invaluable information to the British security services. Something that has irrefutably saved thousands of lives. On joining MI6, Aimen’s initial debriefs took place in safe houses all over Scotland, sparking an intense love affair with the country. A nation he calls his spiritual home.After moving to Scotland in 2019, Aimen enrolled his young daughter with one of the country’s top private girls’ schools in Edinburgh. He thought his family were set for life, in the land he chose to call home.But now, just two and a half years later, the family is set to leave Scotland completely, as things have gone drastically wrong. Aimen explains the series of events that have led to this decision to leave the country for good…And he gives his reasons for speaking out, particularly for the protection of those who may be in a similar situation in future.www.dontfretaboutdebt.net/blethered/Contact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcdonald01 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ross Coutts is a man of many talents and one of his multiple roles is in local radio. We talk about his early days in hospital radio and how he seeks to give a platform to up and coming Scottish musicians.You’ll even hear about an 11 year old Lewis Capaldi coming in and making an instant impression.We chat about the highly regarded Gig in The Goil music festival, one that Ross played a fundamental role in bringing to life, with impressive headliners, such as Gerry Cinnamon & The Snuts…And Ross gives some fascinating insight into the fabric of the West Lothian music scene, a relatively small place that seems to be a conveyor belt of the very best that Scotland has to offer.And as always, there’s plenty more. www.dontfretaboutdebt.net/blethered/Contact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcdonald01 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we discuss Adverse Childhood Experiences - also known as ACEs - and how they can shape the rest of your life without you ever realising…Holly talks about her brother and how losing his grandfather resulted in a catalogue of difficult experiences for him the family…And we speak about the cycle of offending and prison, and how a different approach would help remove people from that chain.And as always, there’s plenty more. www.dontfretaboutdebt.net/blethered/Contact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcdonald01 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

26 year old Zoe recently received the news that she has ATM - also known as ‘the cancer gene’.Zoe has made the difficult decision to have a double mastectomy, which is the medical term for the surgical removal of both .We talk about how a litany of cancer diagnoses in Zoe’s family has shaped her understanding and perception of the illness…Zoe explains her decision, the process of post-surgery reconstruction and the implications that may come her way…And we discuss how to check your body for changes, and the need to see a doctor immediately, if you notice any. It may be embarrassing, but it could save your life.And as always, there's plenty more. www.dontfretaboutdebt.net/blethered/Contact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcdonald01Zoe's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atmprevivor_of_cancer/Charity support linkshttps://www.macmillan.org.uk/https://brcachat.com/https://breastcancernow.org/https://www.maggies.org/https://coppafeel.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael grew up in Glasgow, with a passion for filmmaking from around 12 years old, which saw him study at The Royal Conservatoire, in Glasgow. Now a BAFTA winning and double BAFTA-nominated director, he’s worked with people like Richard Branson and F1 driver Lewis Hamilton, and with prestigious brands such as Johnnie Walker, Clinique and Nespresso.We talk about Michael’s creative inspiration and what drives his commercial work and his award-winning short films…Michael explains the dynamics of working in childrens' television and with people like Justin Bieber…And we hear about the famous faces who behaved the worst on set. www.dontfretaboutdebt.net/blethered/Contact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcdonald01 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gillian recently launched a private member’s Bill to implement buffer zones outside hospitals and clinics across Scotland, to protect women from harassment from anti-abortion protestors, as they seek to access health services. Gillian and I discuss the reasons for this proposal, and the legislative process required to establish it as law in Scotland…We talk about the US Supreme Court overturning Roe v Wade and how to prevent going in a similar direction here in Scotland…And Gillian talks about her experience as a young, female MSP and what it’s like behind closed doors in the Scottish Parliament…And as always, there's plenty more. www.dontfretaboutdebt.net/blethered/Contact: seanmcdonald.podcast@gmail.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/seanmcdonald01 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.