Scotcast Podcast
The BBC's Scottish news podcast, hosted by Martin Geissler. Conversation with trusted journalists and experts about the country's biggest stories.
Episodes to download
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Why Sarwar finally turned on Starmer
Today
Has the Scottish Labour leader delivered a fatal blow to the PM's authority?
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Anne McAlpine: I’m not angry at my stalker
Today
Broadcaster on the four-year stalking ordeal that changed her life.
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Politics Show: Starmer drama and trans prisoners
Friday
Natalie Higgins, Lynsey Bews and Paris Gourtsoyannis on the week’s political news.
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Mandelson, Starmer and Sarwar: what happens next?
Thursday
Will the Mandelson scandal bring down Sir Keir Starmer? And will Anas Sarwar back him?
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Autism: rising rates or overdiagnosis?
Wednesday
What is neurodivergence? And how common is it really?
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Why the Prostitution Bill fell at the first hurdle
Last Tuesday
SNP MSP Michelle Thomson on rebelling against the Scottish Government.
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Screen grab: should we take kids’ phones away?
Last Monday
The growing campaign to keep children off smartphones and social media.
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Politics Show: Polanski pact, QEUH ‘pressure’ and SNP messaging
Fri 30 Jan 2026
David Wallace Lockhart, Natalie Higgins and Phil Sim on the week’s political news.
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Could Scotland tap into the AI goldrush?
Thu 29 Jan 2026
An industry insider tells us how our green energy could power AI for Big Tech.
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Unpacking Deacon Blue’s row with Reform
Wed 28 Jan 2026
Malcolm Offord's political tangle over the meaning of Dignity.
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Could Gordon McQueen's death change football?
Tue 27 Jan 2026
An ex-pro on whether the game can protect players from brain injury.
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Will the Burnham saga sway the Holyrood election?
Mon 26 Jan 2026
Anas Sarwar’s election campaign and Sir Keir Starmer’s future.
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Politics Show: Sarwar’s QEUH claims, assisted dying and ‘Salmond files’
Fri 23 Jan 2026
David Wallace Lockhart, Lynsey Bews and Natalie Higgins on the week’s political news.
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What would it take to trigger a World Cup boycott?
Thu 22 Jan 2026
A former footballer's take on at what point fans should protest.
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Super hospital ‘scandal’: the story so far
Wed 21 Jan 2026
What we’ve learned from the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry.
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Is Swinney respecting the Supreme Court on gender?
Mon 19 Jan 2026
The looming court battle over where transgender prisoners are housed.
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Politics Show: Robert Jenrick and Scottish Budget reaction
Fri 16 Jan 2026
David Wallace Lockhart, Natalie Higgins and Phil Sim on the week’s political news.
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Could Farage clash with his new Scottish leader?
Thu 15 Jan 2026
Malcolm Offord has been appointed Reform UK leader in Scotland by Nigel Farage.
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‘She spent £16,000 a year on childcare’
Wed 14 Jan 2026
Pregnant Then Screwed on our 'hugely expensive' system.
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Is the Budget an election game-changer?
Tue 13 Jan 2026
Shona Robison has outlined tax and spending plans for the year ahead.
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Is the SNP about to hand high earners a tax cut?
Mon 12 Jan 2026
And why Labour’s Anas Sarwar won’t be blocking the Scottish Budget.
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Politics Show: Election 2026, Angela Constance and a new Reform leader
Fri 9 Jan 2026
Natalie Higgins, Paris Gourtsoyannis and Phil Sim on the week's political news.
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What’s going wrong at our universities?
Thu 8 Jan 2026
Edinburgh principal Prof Sir Peter Mathieson on why Scotland’s universities are in danger.
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Should we bring back military service?
Wed 7 Jan 2026
UK troops will be in Ukraine if a peace deal is made with Russia.
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Gritter man: How we beat the ice
Tue 6 Jan 2026
And why we are obsessed with the names of the gritters.
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What we’ll be talking about in 2026
Mon 5 Jan 2026
Predicting the biggest news stories of the next 12 months.
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The biggest stories of 2025 (Part 2)
Wed 31 Dec 2025
Can Martin, Laura and Natalie agree on the top five news stories of the year?
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The biggest stories of 2025 (Part 1)
Christmas Eve 2025
Martin, Laura and Natalie look back on the year’s news.
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Two Doors Down's Christmas comeback
Thu 18 Dec 2025
Gregor Sharp on his return to writing without the show's co-creator Simon Carlyle.
Scotcast on iPlayer
Watch the conversation about Scotland’s biggest news stories.
