Best Scottish Scared Podcasts (2025)

Joe Locke shot to global fame as Charlie Spring in Netflix’s Heartstopper, a role that catapulted him overnight from a schoolboy on the Isle of Man to an Emmy-nominated actor with millions of followers. In this candid conversation, the Heartstopper star reflects on the whirlwind of early success, the pressure of being seen as a role model and why h…

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ON WRITING... With Salman Rushdie and Kazuo Ishiguro 24:18

Play Pause

7d ago24:18

24:18

Welcome to another special edition of How to Fail, where I revisit conversations from the How to Fail archives. Each week, we shine a light on a particular theme, hopefully offering inspiration, perspective and comfort through the words of past guests. This week’s theme is on writing - appropriately, because my new book ‘One of Us’ is out this week…

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Returning was ‘never in doubt’ – Franco Smith 32:50

7d ago32:50

32:50

Tom English and Andy Burke take a lookback on Scotland’s ‘credible’ performance in the WRWC and talk to Warriors head coach Franco Smith as the URC season is about to get underwayBy BBC Radio Scotland

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Mark Ronson - The Stories Behind ‘Uptown Funk,’ Amy Winehouse & ‘I’m Just Ken’ 50:59

11d ago50:59

50:59

Content Warning: This episode contains mentions of drug use. Mark Ronson is the hitmaker behind some of the most iconic music of the past two decades. A nine-time Grammy-winning producer, DJ, and Oscar-winning songwriter (yes - he wrote “I’m Just Ken”), Ronson has collaborated with legends like Lady Gaga, Paul McCartney, Miley Cyrus and Duran Duran…

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ON GRIEF… With Mo Gawdat and Bonnie Tyler 13:28

13d ago13:28

13:28

Welcome to the newest evolution of How to Fail! Each week, I’ll be diving into the archives to spotlight key themes that have come up throughout my conversations with How to Fail guests. I’ll be sharing bite-sized takeaways every Monday to support, inspire and help with whatever you might be going through. This week’s theme is a big one: we’re talk…

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England v Scotland: Lisa Martin 'Records are there to be broken, why not now?' 42:20

14d ago42:20

42:20

Tom English, Andrew Petrie, former Scotland captain Lisa Martin plus BBC Sport reporter/commentator Sara Orchard discuss Scotland's chances against England in the WRWC, succession planning and the departure of head coach Bryan EassonBy BBC Radio Scotland

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Robin Wright on ageing, confidence and the myth of being ‘too late’ 49:50

18d ago49:50

49:50

‘I didn’t think I had that confidence, so I turned those roles down.’ Robin Wright is the legendary star of The Princess Bride, Forrest Gump, House of Cards, and Amazon’s gripping new thriller The Girlfriend. An Emmy-nominated actress, Golden Globe winner and now an acclaimed director, Wright joins How To Fail to talk about fear, self-worth, womanh…

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ON HEARTBREAK... With Alain de Botton and Jay Shetty 15:17

21d ago15:17

15:17

Welcome to this brand-new concept for How to Fail – where I dive into the back catalogue of the How to Fail archives, highlighting specific themes each week to bring you bitesize takeaways! Hopefully these episodes can bring some clarity on similar issues you’re facing or great stories that you might find comfort from. This week we’re looking at he…

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Townsend and Smith stay put, plus Nucifora and Williamson speak as Scotland shine in the Women's World Cup 47:08

24d ago47:08

47:08

Tom and Andy discuss Scottish performances in the Women's World Cup, Gregor Townsend and Franco Smith remaining in post, plus we hear from SRU CEO Alex Williamson and SRU performance director David NuciforaBy BBC Radio Scotland

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Tom Ellis - Fatherhood, Surrogacy and Years of Therapy 49:40

25d ago49:40

49:40

You may know Tom Ellis as the devilishly charming lead in Netflix’s Lucifer, or as the lovable Gary in the BBC sitcom Miranda. He's also made waves in the U.S., starring alongside Gina Rodriguez in Players, and appearing in Hulu’s Tell Me Lies, created by his wife, Meghan Oppenheimer. In 2023, Tom and Meghan welcomed a daughter via surrogate, addin…

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Failure Throwback: Jameela Jamil 58:34

1M ago58:34

58:34

Jameela Jamil is an actor, activist, and founder of the I Weigh movement. From teaching English to starring in The Good Place, Jameela shares the highs, lows, and radical honesty that define her journey. This episode first went out in February 2021. We talk about: Her struggle to be a "good" celebrity Body image battles and self-kindness Financial …

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Failure Throwback: Glennon Doyle 1:07:01

1M ago1:07:01

1:07:01

Author of Untamed and fierce truth-teller Glennon Doyle joins me for a raw and revelatory episode, first recorded in July 2020. We dive into: Why we chase approval instead of trusting our inner voice Her struggles with body image, love, and emotional resilience The failures that shaped her—from family breakdowns to learning self-protection Every mo…

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Failure Throwback: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 1:08:02

2M ago1:08:02

1:08:02

This week we revisit one of my all-time favourite guests: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, recorded in July 2021. Best known for Americanah and her globally resonant TED Talks, Chimamanda opens up about the profound grief of losing both her parents within a year—and the raw journey of coping in its aftermath. We talk candidly about: Her essay Notes on Gri…

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Sir Tony Robinson - ‘I learned comedy as a defence mechanism’ 49:45

2M ago49:45

49:45

Recorded with a live audience in Cambridge, this captivating conversation delves deep into the life and career of a cultural force of the last half-century. Known of course for his iconic role as Baldrick in Blackadder, Sir Tony's sharp intelligence and dry humour have had a formative influence on generations. In this candid discussion, he opens up…

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Fern Brady - ‘I make more money in comedy than I ever did from stripping‘ 44:23

2M ago44:23

44:23

In this searingly funny and deeply affecting live conversation, Elizabeth speaks to stand-up comedian, author and Taskmaster favourite Fern Brady about her autism diagnosis, her working-class roots, and the failures that shaped her award-winning memoir Strong Female Character. Fern opens up about late diagnosis, social masking, and stripping to fun…

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Dorinda Medley on Grief, Identity and The Real Housewives: ‘I was angry. I was lost. I felt like I got cheated.’ 43:33

2M ago43:33

43:33

What happens when the life you thought you’d built - the one with love, money, recognition - seems to slip away? This week, Elizabeth speaks to Dorinda Medley, author, TV personality and iconic former Real Housewife of New York, about reinvention, resilience and learning to be okay with not being liked by everyone. Dorinda opens up about the loss o…

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Cursed Objects: The Black Aggie 12:17

2M ago12:17

12:17

Graveyards and cemeteries are eerie places for obvious reasons, but Druid Ridge Cemetery, Maryland was once home to a cursed sculpture named The Black Aggie. She once sparked fear in the hearts of the locals with tales of curses and death, but maybe it's her dark history that makes her such a tragic figure. Contact Us: Website: www.scottishandscare…

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Vanessa Williams - ‘It would be hard to be married to me!’ 50:33

2M ago50:33

50:33

As a recording artist, Vanessa Williams has earned 13 Grammy nominations and racked up over 212 million digital streams over the course of her eight albums. Her most popular hit, Save The Best For Last, was Number 1 for five weeks in 1992. She is also a highly successful stage and screen actor, appearing in Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty. She …

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Episode 55: Allanbank House 19:00

2M ago19:00

19:00

Although no longer standing Allanbank House at the Scottish borders, was the home to an elegant young ghoul known as Pearlin Jeanne. Falling head over heels in love for it's occupant Sir Stuart, who left her to die in the streets of Paris. With her last breath she swore to make his life a living misery if he ever took the hand of another and she di…

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Suzi Ruffell - ‘I didn’t know I was gay until I saw Titanic’ 47:35

3M ago47:35

47:35

In this special live edition of How to Fail, Elizabeth is joined by comedian Suzi Ruffell. Suzi has performed five sellout runs at the Edinburgh Fringe, as well as appearing on live at the Apollo and filming an Amazon special of her show ‘Dance Like Everyone Is Watching’. She was nominated for Best standup show in the National Comedy Awards and has…

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Pamela Anderson - ‘It wasn’t about being pretty, it was about being brave’ 52:42

3M ago52:42

52:42

I can’t believe I get to say this but…PAMELA ANDERSON! ON HOW TO FAIL! The one and only! A woman I grew up watching on TV, Pamela was an icon of a generation…But the second act of her career has been the most powerful and Anderson joins me for a vulnerable chat about her long journey of embracing beauty on her own terms, understand her self-worth, …

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Melinda French Gates - ‘Just because you’re smart doesn’t mean you’re wise’ 50:25

3M ago50:25

50:25

Melinda French Gates studied computer science and economics and completed an MBA before joining a tech start-up called Microsoft, in 1987. She rose through the ranks to become Manager of Information Products and married the boss in 1994. His name was Bill Gates. Together, the couple founded and co-chaired the Gates Foundation, where, for more than …

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Monica Lewinsky - ‘I would have liked a more normal life’ 47:50

3M ago47:50

47:50

Monica Lewinsky is an activist, podcaster and producer. At the age of 24, Lewinsky, a White House intern, found herself in the eye of a global scandal. She was subjected to a mass public shaming - losing her livelihood, her anonymity and the future she had once imagined for herself. Now, 51 Lewinsky has garnered a new generation of admirers, who wi…

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AJ Tracey - ‘Buying my mum a house will always be my proudest achievement’ 50:48

3M ago50:48

50:48

Rapping phenomenon and Tottenham Hotspur superfan AJ Tracey joins us this week to talk about supporting his mum through her cancer journey, the pressures of staying an independent artist and what football has taught him about failure. AJ Tracey has been rapping since the age of four. He dropped out of his Criminology degree at London Metropolitan U…

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How To Cope With A Friendship Break-Up - with Cynthia Nixon - Special Release 27:28

4M ago27:28

27:28

Cynthia Nixon joins Elizabeth to answer YOUR questions and failures including: whose failures would you most like to hear (dead or alive) how to cope with a friendship break up and how to know when to have kids. Elizabeth then takes a moment to reflect on meeting Cynthia, and everything they covered. To hear Cynthia tackling your failures join our …

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Cynthia Nixon - ‘Being brave is feeling scared and doing it anyway’ 51:44

4M ago51:44

51:44

Whilst Cynthia Nixon’s versatility is beyond question, it's fair to say that she has become permanently associated with one character, Miranda Hobbs, in Sex and the City and its companion piece, And Just Like That. She won an Emmy for her performance and a generation of fans who identified with the ambitious type-A lawyer whose cynicism disguised a…

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Christine McGuinness - ‘I don’t want to hold back anymore - I date women! So what?’ 50:31

4M ago50:31

50:31

TW: discussions around anorexia and sexual abuse. In an incredibly powerful episode (and a How To Fail first), Christine McGuinness speaks publicly about her sexuality for the first time. She reveals she had a long-term relationship with a woman before her marriage to comedian Paddy McGuinness and that she’s now dating women again. She refuses to l…

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Vicky Pattison - ‘You don't become old and wise if you haven't been young and daft’ 55:32

4M ago55:32

55:32

Vicky Pattison was 22 when her life changed and she was cast in reality TV show Geordie Shore. She was on the show for nine seasons between 2011 and 2014, during which time the cameras followed her falling in love, becoming engaged, then breaking up. Now 37, Pattison has rarely been off our screens - whether it’s as a finalist on Celebrity Masterch…

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Dannii Minogue - ‘I hit low points where I thought: “I just can’t take this any more.” 56:33

4M ago56:33

56:33

In her most revealing interview to date, Dannii Minogue talks openly about the pressures of fame, the relentless comparisons with her sister, Kylie, and navigating a divorce that left her broke. It’s an extraordinary conversation with a woman who found fame as a 10-year-old in her native Australia. As a teenager Dannii, signed a record deal and act…

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Julia Stiles - ‘I ran in the other direction from fame’ 53:26

4M ago53:26

53:26

For many of us who grew up in the the 90s, Julia Stiles was an integral part of our coming of age. Her portrayal of the clever, acerbic Kat in 10 Things I Hate About You was a radical reinvention of the blonde teenage female rom-com lead. Her roles in Save The Last Dance and Mona Lisa Smile spoke to our adolescent feminist awakenings and catapulted…

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John Bishop - ‘I’ve always wanted someone to say: you’re good enough’ 54:44

5M ago54:44

54:44

John Bishop has been a hugely successful stand-up comedian for 25 years. Yet that wasn’t his first dream, which was to play football. We discuss his failure to do so professionally, his challenges at school, the working-class upbringing that shaped him and how comedy saved his marriage when he and his wife were at the ‘decree nisi stage’ of divorce…

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Simon Cowell - ‘I often think: what gives me the right to judge people?’ 59:58

5M ago59:58

59:58

Simon Cowell has built an entertainment empire on his ability to say exactly what he thinks and an uncanny ability to judge the public mood. From launching Pop Idol in 2001, The X Factor in 2004 and the cultural behemoth Britain’s Got Talent in 2007, he has been at the helm of primetime around the world for over a quarter of a century. His TV shows…

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Celeste Barber: the FUNNIEST woman on the internet 51:37

5M ago51:37

51:37

My guest today has been an integral part of my feminist awakening. Celeste Barber’s instagram posts - which parody the unattainable standards of the fashion and beauty industry - are both hilarious and revolutionary. Her work has helped a generation of women to feel better about their bodies - and made her a star in the process. (Plus she’s been bl…

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Emma Dabiri - ‘We are still so obsessed with how we look’ 43:00

5M ago43:00

43:00

This episode of How To Fail was recorded in front of a live audience at Dublin’s Bord Gáis Energy theatre. Emma Dabiri is a broadcaster, historian, and bestselling author whose work delves into the complexities of identity, culture, and race through art history and current affairs. She's now written a number of books - culture shifting works which …

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Sally Phillips - ‘I saw Colin Firth and thought - he’s mine!’ 50:20

6M ago50:20

50:20

This episode of How To Fail was recorded in front of a live audience at London’s Barbican Theatre. Sally Phillips has appeared in a string of the most influential and hilarious comedy series of all time - from Smack The Pony, Miranda, The Thick of It and Veep. Not forgetting, of course, her star turn as Bridget Jones’s best friend, Shazza, in the h…

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Mae Martin - 'Everything I do is about proving those high school bullies wrong.' 51:01

6M ago51:01

51:01

Over on Failing with Friends this week, Mae Martin talks about self-care, how to stop pushing people away and we tackle a listener’s failure to be messy in their twenties. To hear Mae Martin's brilliant advice, join our community of subscribers: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content Canadian comedian, writer, producer and singer/songwriter M…

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Jonathan Van Ness - 'I was one wrong thing away from losing everything' 48:13

6M ago48:13

48:13

Over on Failing with Friends this week, JVN and I get into relationship therapy and the perfect length of shorts on a man. To hear JVN tackling your failures, join our community of subscribers here: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content Jonathan Van Ness, one fifth of Netflix’s hit show Queer Eye, three-times New York Times bestseller, podca…

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How To Date: BONUS EPISODE - Your dating questions answered… 39:49

6M ago39:49

39:49

For this bonus episode, Elizabeth and Mel open up the post bag to answer the burning questions YOU have when it comes to dating… And, let’s just say, we cover A LOT of ground. After you’ve listened, you can get all the resources and worksheets discussed at www.thepodclass.co.uk Mel and Elizabeth are on a mission to revolutionise the world of dating…

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Sam Ryder - ‘Fame is like giving a dog a treat every single day. You get used to it.’ 53:13

6M ago53:13

53:13

Over on Failing with Friends - Sam Ryder talks about panic attacks, how to forgive, and (in a How To Fail first) why he likes to cut his toenails outdoors. To hear Sam tackling your failures join our community of subscribers here: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content Sam Ryder is a British singer-songwriter who started posting covers on Tik…

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How To Date: The most important relationship you’ll ever have 57:48

6M ago57:48

57:48

For the final episode of How To Date (sob!) Mel and Elizabeth look at the most important relationships any of us can have in our lives: the one with ourselves. We unpack what this means in practical terms. How do we nurture a healthy sense of self-respect - and why can this sometimes feel so challenging? How can we ensure interdependence rather tha…

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Olivia Attwood - ‘It’s either vodka and a gay club until 5am, or hyperbaric oxygen’ 48:48

6M ago48:48

48:48

Olivia Attwood first appeared on our TV screens in 2017 as a contestant in the third series of Love Island, and instantly became a star due to her dry humour and gobby relatability. You might also know her as a regular panellist on Loose Women or from her hit documentaries for ITV. Last year, she launched her podcast, Olivia Attwood’s So Wrong It’s…

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How To Date: How to cope with heartbreak and rejection 44:43

7M ago44:43

44:43

Elizabeth and Mel face one of the most challenging parts of dating: heartbreak and rejection. We are joined by life coach and author Michelle Elman who went through a devastating, public break-up after being notified via an Instagram DM that her fiance of 24-hours had been cheating on her. Michelle, Mel and Elizabeth explore the impact an experienc…

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Cursed Objects: Little Mannie 12:51

6M ago12:51

12:51

Discovered in a dirt basement in England this cute little figure was said to have been of Celtic origin. That was until he was put on display and identified by a visitor as a nomoli stone figure, originating from Sierra Leone, West Africa. How this 16th Century little man made his way across the world still remains a mystery, but one thing's for su…

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Erin Doherty - ‘Lean Into Your Truth’ 45:41

7M ago45:41

45:41

To hear more of Erin offering advice on listener failures, join our community of subscribers here: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content Erin Doherty’s big break came playing Princess Anne in The Crown. She’s now back on our screens as Mary Carr, the leader of a real-life Victorian female crime gang, in A Thousand Blows (written by Peaky Bli…

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Episode 54: Gight Castle 12:29

7M ago12:29

12:29

Hiding under a blanket of shrubs and vines are the ruins of Gight Castle. A 16th Century stronghold with a bloody and troubled past. With it's scenic and peaceful surroundings you would never know that the devil was below your feet. Contact Us: www.scottishandscared.comInstagram: @scottishandscared.comEmail: [email protected]…