The Patterson Podcast

Tommy Sheridan is a Scottish socialist politician and activist who served as a Glasgow city councillor and as a Member of the Scottish Parliament from 1999 to 2007, representing the Scottish Socialist Party. He rose to national prominence in the late 1980s as a leading figure in the campaign against the Community Charge in Scotland, a mass civil disobedience movement that contributed to the tax's...

Nate Kitch is a stand-up comedian based in Oxford who began performing in 2019. He has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe since 2021 and received a five-star review from The Scotsman. He is currently on a spring 2026 UK tour and will return to the Edinburgh Fringe in August 2026. If you enjoy The Patterson Podcast, you'll probably enjoy The Patterson Post - my newsletter. It's a collection of impor...

Neil McInroy is the Global Lead for Community Wealth Building at The Democracy Collaborative, where he advances systemic economic reform and democratic ownership strategies across the United States and internationally. He served for 20 years as Chief Executive of the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES), where he helped pioneer community wealth building in Britain and develop the Preston Mo...

Dr. Gerry Hassan is a professor of social change at Glasgow Caledonian University and one of Scotland's most prolific political commentators. He has written and edited numerous books on Scottish politics, society, and culture, and contributes regularly to debate through articles, media appearances, and his own blog. His work spans the politics of devolution, independence, and the broader shifts re...

Kirby Ruth is a full-service sex worker who has operated independently in the UK for several years, touring nationally and working as a self-employed sole trader. She entered the industry as a student and has since built a client base across multiple cities, managing her own advertising, client screening, and scheduling. Kirby speaks publicly about the distinction between consensual sex work and e...

Dr. Gordon MacDonald is the Chief Executive of Care Not Killing, a UK campaign organisation opposed to the legalisation of assisted suicide and euthanasia. The organisation was founded in 2006 as a coalition of disability groups, hospices, and palliative care professionals in response to bills brought before Westminster, and has since campaigned against similar legislation at Holyrood, including t...

Ash Regan is a Member of the Scottish Parliament, currently sitting as an independent having previously been a member of the SNP. Her Unbuyable Bill, which sought to criminalise the buying of sex while decriminalising the selling of it, reached Stage One of the Scottish Parliament before being voted down. We discussed why she feels prostitution laws in Scotland need to change. Timestamps Timestamp...

Dr. Laura Cooper is a researcher at the University of Edinburgh who led a groundbreaking study on prototaxites, an ancient organism that has puzzled scientists for nearly 170 years. Her research, published in the journal Science, reveals that well-preserved fossils from Aberdeenshire represent a distinct extinct lineage that doesn't fit into any existing biological kingdom. She recently completed...

Jacob Smith is a journalist and food writer based in Edinburgh who has worked for The Courier and various publications as a freelance writer. He studied sport science and later earned a masters in Conflict, Security and Development before transitioning into journalism and creative writing. He is currently working on a literary fiction novel while employed as a kitchen porter at Dog Star Restaurant...

Dean Robertson is a fitness coach and business owner based in Edinburgh. He runs Elysium and CrossFit Edinburgh, an 11,000-square-foot facility in the heart of the city. Dean has been in the fitness industry for 19 years and holds a master's degree in strength and conditioning from Edinburgh University. Timestamps: 00:01:16 - Introduction and what Dean does beyond personal training 00:03:10 - Dean...

Oleg Dmitriev is the leader of Sunflower, a Scotland-based charity that delivers humanitarian aid directly to people in Ukraine's most dangerous frontline areas. He has made dozens of trips into conflict zones including Kherson, Kharkiv, and Sumy, bringing medical supplies, equipment, and essential aid to those who need it most. Through his work, he coordinates volunteers, manages complex logistic...

In this episode, I spoke to Kyle Matthews, also known as 'The Milky Runner' , who is running the entire perimeter of the UK. At time of publishing, Kyle has run 3800km with a backpack and tent, from September through to December, at just 19-years-old. We talked about why he is doing this, what it was like at the beginning, planning (or not) his days, running 50-60km per day, what he eats, and the...

In this episode, I’m joined by writer and novelist Chris Barkley, author of The Man on the Endless Stair . We talk about Chris’s journey as a writer — from early manuscripts and rejection, to publication — and use that as a starting point to explore bigger questions: how stories shape our understanding of the world, how trauma influences perception, and why certainty can sometimes be more dangerou...

Ronan Foley is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and coach at Low Tide BJJ in Edinburgh. Ronan was diagnosed with stage-4 Hodgkins Lymphoma earlier in the year, which stopped him from teaching and practising the sport he loves. We talked about diagnosis, treatment, and the joy of going into remission. Remember to subscribe to the podcast, and leave a review - it really helps! Ross

Dr Donald Smith is a Scottish storyteller, writer and cultural advocate. He was founding Director of the Scottish Storytelling Centre (2003-2014) and is the driving force behind the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, as well as a mentor in storytelling, theatre and community heritage work.

In this episode, I spoke to Suzanne Teed about what it's like to be a humanist celebrant. We discussed her role as a celebrant, the importance of ceremony, how to plan a wedding, funerals, feminism, Trump, and more. Subscribe to the podcast to never miss an episode, and consider leaving a review - it really helps. Enjoy!

Dr. Scott McCoull is a junior doctor working in the NHS. He has degrees in medicine and physiology. He's a triathlete, martial artist, and is currently working on a renal ward. We discussed his path into medicine, what life is like as a junior doctor, death and how to die, healthspan vs lifespan, the four pillars of health, his exercise regimen, how he recovered from a concussion, what he eats, sl...