Karen Dunbar: ‘What is laughter?’

Actor, comedian and star of ‘Chewin’ the Fat’, Karen Dunbar, drops by the studio to discuss fame, cancel culture and what it means to laugh. Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins.This episode contains some use of strong language.Get in touch with us by emailing [email protected]

Jim Ratcliffe (pictured), part-owner of the Grangemouth refinery, has blamed carbon taxes after it stopped processing crude oil. We ask energy historian Ewan Gibbs and the BBC’s Kevin Keane what led to the loss of 430 jobs at the 100-year-old site. And Laura and Natalie question whether Martin really understands Kryptonite. Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins. Get in touch with us by emailing [email protected]

First Minister John Swinney says rap group Kneecap should be axed from Glasgow's TRNSMT music festival after old footage emerged of one of its members appearing to say: "The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP."Former Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill tells Laura why Mr Swinney's intervention is “utterly pointless” and why the group, who have apologised to the families of murdered MPs Sir David Amess and Jo Cox, should be left alone. And after the power cuts in Spain and Portugal, David Wallace Lockhart reveals the action he’s taken.Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins. Get in touch with us by emailing [email protected]

Why is Nicola Sturgeon yet to respond to the UK Supreme Court’s gender ruling? The BBC’s David Wallace Lockhart explains why some are keen to hear from the former First Minister. And employment lawyer Ingrid McGhee and Nick McKerrell, a law lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University, give Laura expert takes on what new Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) guidance means for trans people in public spaces. And with Martin off on holiday, Laura and David wonder how easy it is to impersonate him. Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins. Get in touch with us by emailing [email protected]

The future of River City has been discussed in the Scottish Parliament after the BBC’s decision to cancel the long-running soap due to "changing viewing patterns". MSPs were supported by members of the cast at Holyrood – and join other famous names like Ewan McGregor, Richard E Grant and Irvine Welsh in urging the corporation to reconsider. We ask TV critic Siobhan Synott if Scotland is a place for creatives to thrive. And actor Tom Urie, who played Big Bob in the soap, tells us how important it has been in launching careers. And what to do about 'headphone dodgers' who play music and videos out loud in public? Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins. Get in touch with us by emailing [email protected]

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage says 'the Scottish political establishment is scared' of his party after being excluded from a summit organised by First Minister John Swinney. We ask Nicola Sturgeon’s former chief of staff Liz Lloyd whether Mr Swinney’s description of Mr Farage’s party as 'far right' is fair. And as rumours swirl about the celebrity lineup, would Martin and Laura prefer to be a Faithful or a Traitor? Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins. Get in touch with us by emailing [email protected]

The Scottish Government has accepted that it has an 'obligation' to move at pace to implement the effects of the UK Supreme Court’s decision that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex. Meanwhile, a top Scottish lawyer, Roddy Dunlop, has criticised Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman for what he described as 'reprehensible' comments attacking the judiciary. Ms Chapman - the deputy convener of Holyrood's equalities committee - was filmed at a weekend rally condemning what she called 'bigotry, prejudice and hatred coming from the Supreme Court'. Martin asks Lynsey Bews and Phil Sim what the decision means. Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins. Get in touch with us by emailing [email protected]

Anne Marie Ward from Faces and Voices of Recovery UK has dedicated her life to advocating for those recovering from addiction. She tells us why we need to think differently about our drugs deaths crisis. And gives her take on drug consumption rooms, which we talked about in the very first episode of Scotcast. You can listen to ‘UK’s first drug supervision room opens’ here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0027430 Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins. Get in touch with us by emailing [email protected]

With a third of Scots classed as obese, it’s no wonder weight-loss medicines like Ozempic, which isn’t approved in the UK, are in demand. Pharmacist Sehar Shahid, who prescribes Wegovy and Mounjaro, tells Martin about the complications people are risking by getting these drugs without a prescription. You can listen to our first episode on so-called ‘skinny jabs’, 'Can weight-loss jabs save the NHS?’, on BBC Sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0028sqf Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins. Get in touch with us by emailing [email protected]

Some campaigners pushing for the reintroduction of lynx to the Highlands as part of a wider rewilding campaign. We ask former president of the National Farmers Union in Scotland, Martin Kennedy, why he and others have such strong objections. Martin also responds to some of the claims made in the first episode we did on this topic. You can listen to 'Who thinks lynx should roam the Highlands?' on BBC Sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0027tgn Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins. Get in touch with us by emailing [email protected]