Behind The Scoop
Hosted by Mark Sommers (season 1) and Omar Yousry (season 2)
Scoop Empire, your urban online hub for all that is the Middle East, proudly presents "Behind the Scoop", the daily podcast with former Egypt morning radio host, Mark Sommers. From the worlds of entertainment, fashion, science, social media, politics, medicine, business, sports and so on, our guests give their most revealing interviews, often sharing parts of themselves they’ve never even told their friends and family. Prepare to get hooked as we go behind the scoop.
64 episodes, 2022–2023
Season 2 10 episodes
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Susan Sabet Talks Making History With Egypt’s First Fashion Week, The Challenges And Industry
On this episode of the “Behind The Scoop” Podcast, Scoop Empire has an exclusive one-on-one with Egyptian Fashion & Design Council Member, Susan Sabet, where she discussed the fashion industry, her past, and creating the first-ever Egypt Fashion Week.
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DJs Djunkie & AK Talk Making It In The Scene, Maintaining Relevance, & Playing To Thousands Of People
On this week’s episode of the "Behind The Scoop" podcast, we sat down with veteran DJs Djunkie and AK as they discussed how they got on to the music scene, how it evolved over the years, and what it takes…
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Actress Rosaline Elbay Talks Representation & Working On Netflix’s “Kaleidoscope”
In this episode, we sat down with actress Rosaline Elbay who talked about how she got into acting, getting inspired by the character Evie O'Connell from the 1999 film "The Mummy," playing the role of Amani in "Ramy," and joining…
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Actor Fady Elsayed On Almost Getting “Black Adam,” Joining “Gangs Of London,” & Acting
In this episode, we sat down with English-Egyptian actor Fady Elsayed who talked about his early acting career, how it felt almost getting a role in the "Black Adam" superhero movie, and joining the cast of "Gangs Of London" instead.
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Makeup Artist Dolly Yanny Talks Beauty Standards, Her Journey, & Starting Her Own Brand
In this episode of "Behind The Scoop," we sat down with Professional Makeup Artist Dolly Yanny, who talked about her background, how she got into makeup at a young age, her experience working in both the Middle East and the…
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YouTuber Ammar Kandil Talks Yes Theory, Directing A Documentary & Going For The Oscars
In this episode, we talked with Egyptian YouTuber Ammar Kandil, part of the channels Yes Theory and Seek Discomfort, discussing his rise on YouTube, leaving computer science behind for content creation, directing the documentary "Project Iceman", and hopes of one…
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3 Time Olympian Farida Osman Talks About The Pressures Of Being A Champion
In this episode, we sat down with Egyptian Olympic swimmer Farida Osman, who talked about her life, what got her into swimming, the pressures of being a champion, and how she deals with hate on social media.
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Artist & Designer Karim El Hayawan Talks Art In Everything & Melding Several Talents
In this episode, we talked with multi-talented artist Karim El Hayawan, who discussed how he melds and mixes his previous experiences in architecture and design with photography and art, creating incredible pieces of work.
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Actor Sedky Sakhr Talks Changing Careers, His Family’s Shock, & Choosing His Roles
In this episode of the podcast, actor Sedky Sakhr opens up on what it was like leaving Engineering behind after 12 years of experience to commit to his acting career, his family's reaction to the announcement, his love for music,…
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Art D’Égypte Founder Nadine Abdel Ghaffar discusses Art, Passion, & Beyond
In this podcast, we got the chance to sit down with Art D'Égypte Founder Nadine Abdel Ghaffar, who talked about the founding of her brand, her work, what art means to her, and the development of the "Forever Is Now"…
Season 1 54 episodes
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Eng. Shereef Abdelhady On Carrying On Mohm, Founding Aurea, and The Future Of Design in Egypt
Eng. Shereef Abdelhady, CEO of Mohm Furniture, talks to us about family business and reinventing a years-old brand with Aurea. Proving himself a capable innovator, he tells us all about this and more in today's episode.
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Ramy Ashour Opens Up On His Injury, Starting His Music Career, & His Squash Academy
Former Squash World Champion, talented Musician, and now a diligent Squash Coach, the multi-talented Ramy Ashour opens up on his injury, letting go of Squash, and making peace with it. He then goes on to discuss his music career and…
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Maddalena Milani On Childhood Trauma, Parenting In The Arab World, & Positive Discipline
Parent Consultant Maddalena Milani discusses the good and bad parenting techniques used in the Arab World, how you inadvertently you can cause your child trauma, and how positive discipline could be the answer.
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Mohamed El Shorbagy & Tarek Momen On How They Came Out On Top Of Squash
Former World Champions & Professional Squash Athletes Mohamed El Shorbagy and Tarek Momen discuss how they got into the game, the sacrifices they had to make to be on top, & why Egypt dominates the sport.
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Amir El Masry Talks The Night Manager, Al Ikhtiar, & Star Wars
TitleFrom The Night Manager to Al Ikhtiar, Amir El Masry has been turning heads at home and abroad. On this episode, we discuss him finding home in people rather than places, his recent roles, and the highly-coveted BAFTA Award.
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Sawsan Mourad On Success, Cairo Milano Design, & the Design Scene in Egypt
El Beit Magazine's Editor-in-chief Sawsan Mourad discusses how she made it in a male-dominated profession, founding Cairo Milano Design, and the state of the Design scene in Egypt.
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Comedian Mohanad AlHattab On The Price Of Being Funny
Comedian Mohanad AlHattab on his different characters, the region's ever-evolving sense of humor, and what's next for him
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DJing, Producing, & Making A Living Out Of Music With DJ Misty
DJ Misty of Egypt is one of the up-and-coming music figures in the international electronic music scene. We discuss making career choices, leaving corporate, & making money out of music.
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From the Films to Awards, Anicee Gohar Explains Everything Cannes
Our very first guest on the podcast returns, and this time she's breaking down everything there's to know about Cannes.
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From Mashoru’ Leila to Bridging the Gap, We Talk To Lebanese & Italian Architecture Duo AB + AC
Architects Arianna Bavuso and Andre Chedid of AB + AC multidisciplinary design studio discuss architecture and culture, and the gap between, if there's one; how their different backgrounds complement one another; and bridging the gap between East and West.
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Fatma & Amina Ghaly of Azza Fahmy Discuss Brand Growth, Trendsetting, & Legacy
Amina and Fatma Ghaly, daughters of Azza Fahmy join Mark on today's episode of the podcast to talk about how their mother's brand put down its roots, their personal impact on Azza Fahmy, and future growth.
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From The Pharaoh’s Golden Parade To Suits, Composer Hisham Kharma Takes Us Behind The Scenes
From excavation to museums, Archaeologist Noura Shawky delves into the intricacies of her profession. Then, Music Composer & Producer Hisham Kharma on the behind the scenes of Suits, Pharaoh's Golden Parade, & upcoming projects.
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The Lemon Tree’s Co-Founder & CHO Chef Mirette Aly On Food, Family, & Projects To Come
Chef Mirette Aly, co-founder & CHO of The Lemon Tree, Villa Coconut, & more, gives us insight into her busy life, how one of Sahel's most delectable culinary experiences came to be, & what's ahead for her.
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Egyptian Actress Salma Abu Deif On Acting, Fashion & What’s Next For Her
We’ve chatted with Egyptian actress Salma Abu Deif, who’s recently been the talk of the town due to her complex character, Walaa on the Ramadan show “Rageen Ya Hawa.” Abu Deif shared the similarities between herself and Walaa, how she…
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Inside the World of Abu Yafta, the Middle East’s Dude With A Sign
Sherif Abu Yafta explains why after years he finally decided to reveal his face, delving into the different campaigns he's worked on, and what's to come.
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Fashion Designer, Ahmed Al Sayed On Summer Fashion, House Of Nomad, & Rami Malek
We sat down with Ahmed Al Sayed, co-founder of House of Nomad, AKA TwistedCurlz as he discussed everything from being born in Egypt and raised in Qatar to living in Dubai and how being a nomad helps him find inspiration…
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Dr. Tim Hatem Discusses Everything From Healthcare To Being On “The Courtship”
Our news reel for today: an unfortunate attack on Egyptian Armed Forces in Sinai. On the other coast of the Red Sea, Riyadh hosts a UN-sponsored Islamic conference, while Lionel Messi lands in Jeddah. And on International Nurses Day, all…
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From Player To Organizer, Amr Mansi Discusses Squash, Life, & Marriage
A victimless earthquake in Egypt, basketball in the Levant, & more on Scoop Empire. Mark hosts Amr Mansi, former squash player & founder of ievents, who discusses his time as a professional player, bringing El Gouna International Squash Open to…
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Enjy Kiwan On Family, Past Roles, & Cyberbullying
Egypt issues a request to move the match against Ethiopia, A Monkeypox case appears in the UK, and Kevin Hart is named chief island officer for YAS Island. Actress Enjy Kiwan joins Mark on the podcast for a discussion on…
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Lara Scandar On Motherhood, Marriage, & Career Goals
Maroon 5 performed at the Pyramids, Bassant Shawky and Mohammed Farrag got married, and Egypt announces summer timings for cafes and malls. Singer and songwriter Lara Scandar opens up on her marriage, becoming a mother, and her upcoming movie role.…
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Lana Sawiris On Working with GiGi, Becoming a ‘New Yorker’ And More
We're back with quite the newsreel! Dubai is named the third-best country for remote workers, a couple saves a camel from quicksand, and Scoop Empire has the stories to look out for post-Eid. Mark sits down with a special guest…
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Ali Ali, Director Behind Badya Stories, On His Latest Campaign With Palm Hills
Today's newsreel has Germany drowning in controversy, a Saudi student making waves overseas, and Egypt leading the region with a number of progressive moves. Special guest Ali Ali, the director behind Badya Stories, reveals the process behind the creation of…
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Journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin On Palestine’s Ongoing Situation
In news from our region: Saudi Arabia cracks down on those not paying their fines. Ministry of Health and Population in Egypt inaugurates new clinics offering psychological help to victims of abuse, and the Grand Mufti in Egypt settles a…
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May Elghety On Climate Change, Acting & Being Too Serious
In honor of Earth day, we spoke to Egyptian actress May El Gehty, all the way from across the pond, where we discussed all things climate change, the environment, her career trajectory and being an actor of almost two decades…
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Never Heard Before: Bits From Our Favorite Guests
A long weekend is on the way, a viral fight breaks in the metro and Mohammed Diab manages to get the entire cast of Moon Knight at the Pyramids for a special screening. Mark releases never heard before bits of…
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Influencer Hadia Ghaleb On Trauma, Failure, & Going Viral
The region celebrates Eid Al-Fitr and Mark invites Influencer Hadia Ghaleb, who broke silence on online bullying, got to open up on childhood trauma, and her road to success
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Omar El Shenawy On Leaving Architecture & Taking Up Acting
Mark gets into a quite heavy newsreel from EgyptAir resuming flights between Cairo & Benghazi to Lebanon's struggle with cancer drugs. Rising star Omar El Shenawy comes on the pod and opens up on the struggles of being an actor…
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Scoop Empire’s Chief Of Content Sabrina Khalil On Pushing Boundaries
Ukrainians in the UAE can now apply for a one-year visa extension. Catholic churches celebrate Easter Sunday, and here in Egypt, the Coptic Church prepares to celebrate the holy day next week. Queen Rania shares a photo of her with…
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Stylist Yasmine Eissa On Fashion, Celebrities, & Collabs
Mark kicks off the week with Behind the Scoop's newsreel with stories from across the region and beyond: a fuel-loaded tanker from Egypt sinks off Tunisia's coast with no leakage so far & fuel prices in Egypt have been increased…
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Fame & The Film Industry, Tamer Hagras Opens Up
Five lives were lost in an unfortunate accident near Abu Simbel, the Egyptian Medical Community meets up in London, and Actor Tamer Hagras opens up in an exclusive interview with Mark on the industry, being shot to fame, and dancing…
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Chef Mai Yacoubi On The Perfect Dish
Suits are getting into legal action of their own, Britney Spears is pregnant with a third child, and Mark inaugurates the correspondence corner, where he gets to delve into all the e-mails you send him. Special guest & celebrity chef…
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How To Take Care Of Your Mental Health This Ramadan with Lydia Gadalla
Egypt's National fencing team wins gold, Zero Gravity hosting Fatboy Slim this May in Dubai, & it's Valentine's for cats in the UK, join Mark for all the region's latest scoops and beyond. Special guest & Clinical Psychologist Lydia Gadalla…
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Egyptian Singer Abu On Summer Hits & Trends
Singer Abu was so kind to break away from his Ramadan traditions of flying under the radar and came to talk to us about so many things. From his school choir days to working for a multinational consumer goods corporation, to…
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World’s Sibling Day: Okhtein’s Aya & Mounz Raouf
A ceasefire in Yemen, JLo and Ben Affleck's engagement is back on, and Ramez Galal is stirring up controversy again, join Mark for the scoop behind the conversations being stirred in the region and beyond.Acclaimed founders of Okhtein, Aya &…
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Coach Yassin Gad-El-Hak On Pilates & Fitness In Ramadan
In this episode do not miss the story of Maradona's most infamous shirt that is now on sale for a fortune, the origin of the Ramadan lantern, and Coach Yassin Gad-El-Hak, who let's us in on his career shift, balancing…
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Hassan Morshedy On Owning The Ramadan Ad Game & Developing Skyline
Lebanon announces that forest fires could be imminent and that statements issued earlier on bankruptcy are rumors. Meanwhile, Egyptian Dar Al Ifta releases a statement on fasting rules. Elon Musk joins the Twitter board, and Hassan Morshedy lets Mark in…
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Expanding A Homegrown Brand To A Worldwide Concept, Chris Khalifa Tells The Tale Of Zooba
Founder of Egypt's trendiest traditional food restaurant, Chris Khalifa sheds light on Zooba's growth, local expansion, and newest branches in New York and Riyadh. In other news, Bella Hadid announces her acting debut in "Ramy" role, Mark gets into his…
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Tamara Cassis Talks Bipolar Disorder, Stigma, & Mental Health In The Middle East
Ramadan has Cairo going quieter than usual, the hype for the world cup builds up, and Mark gets into mental health and the stigma associated with it in the Middle East with Tamara Cassis, Chief Medical Officer at O7 Therapy.
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Shariff Tanyous Dishes On Social Media’s Fake Perceptions, Harsh Comments & Celebrities!
Talented makeup artist, Shariff Tanyous gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what’s it like working in the film and television industry. On Spending Ramadan in Paris, signed with a luxury brand, and his experience working with celebrities like Yasmine Sabry,…
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Egyptian Actress Nahed El Sebai Opens Up About Her Family & Latest Collab With Yousry Nasrallah
Egypt is out of the World Cup, Saudi Arabia deposits five billion dollars into Egypt's Central Bank, and Nahed El Sebai opens up on her family, her latest show "Minawra B Ahlaha", and working with director Youssry Nasrallah for the…
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Egyptian Soprano Fatma Said Talks Elton John Performance & The World Of Opera Singing
Four Emirati students win a prize for inventing a headband that helps in the diagnosis of schizophrenia, Will Smith apologizes for his behavior, and Mo Salah resigns his contract with Liverpool, join us, as Mark delves into the Middle East's…
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Lama Jouni, Designer Behind Lady Gaga’s Outfits, Shares Her Story As An Arab Woman In Fashion
Dune dominates, Riz Ahmed becomes the first-ever Pakistani to win an award, and Will Smith hits Chris Rock? Find out our take on this year's Oscars with Mark Somers. All the way from Dubai, Lebanese Fashion Designer Lama Jouni gives…
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Greenish’s Mohamed Kamal Talks Climate Change & OUTLOUD With Kahhal 1871
Mohamed Kamal explains what Greenish is all about, and how his foundation intends to push sustainable development goals and raise awareness. Mohamed El Kahhal tells us about his most successful OUTLOUD exhibition, and Mark gets into the ME's hustle and…
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An Unstoppable Mother-Daughter Pair: Nihal Salim & Amina Khalil
Amina Khalil On Her New Ramadan Series, Vogue, New Music & More Plus Amina's Mom Nihal Salim Talks About Her Stray Animal Charity & Dishes the Dirt On Her Daughter!!
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Alya Mooro On Her Book, The Patriarchy, And Arab Women!
Our guest is none other than British-Egyptian journalist and author, Alya Mooro. The social issues advocate sat down to discuss everything from Arab women and Women’s History Month to what truly constitutes the “greater freedom” in addition to some highlights…
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VeryNile’s Mostafa Habib & Ex Judo Champion Miracle Nassif
Mark invites VeryNile's Mostafa Habib to explain the day-to-day behind Egypt's trending initiative and Miracle Nassif who is reinventing the concept behind "women empowerment".
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EGP Devaluation With Mahmoud Salem, KittyPlays on Live Stream Gaming
From the Egyptian pound depreciating to females in professional gaming, join us on our 6th episode as Mark hosts Political Analyst Mahmoud Salem to give us his expert opinion on the latest economic setback, followed by Canadian Twitch Streamer KittyPlays,…
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Happy Mother’s Day! Fayrouz Eid on Motherhood
Fayrouz Eid opens up about her experience being a single mother in Egypt, her initiative: "how it takes a village to raise a child", and why every mom is a good mom. Happy mother's day!
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BONUS: Yasmin Yousri
Mark introduces this extra ten minutes of interview which was not featured in today's main episode. You'd probably expect getting cancer three times to be difficult to get over both mentally and physically but hearing how hard outloud for real…
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“Happiness as a Choice”: Surviving Cancer with Yasmine Yousri
Mark sits down with Yasmine Yousri on World Happiness Day and gets into a heartwarming discussion on fighting cancer, surviving, overcoming the trauma, and choosing to be happy.
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St. Patrick’s Day With Sherry El Kilany
Mark sits down with Scoop Empire's Managing Partner Sherry El Kilany on St. Patrick's Day to discuss all the things that make her Irish. Then, the two delve into a discussion about world economics, the state of the dollar, and…
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Egyptian Woman’s Day, Tara Emad & Sabrina Khalil
Mark sits down with Scoop's Chief of Content Sabrina Khalil to discuss women in business, Egyptian queens, old and new, and how we all celebrate Egyptian Women's Day. Actress Tara Emad opens up about women's rights, females in the industry,…
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Anicee Gohar at the BAFTAs, Ali Farrag, and the Gulf’s Latest Initiatives
We delve into Ali Farrag’s winning speech, the UAE’s 1 billion meal initiative, and Lady Gaga! Special guest, filmmaker and long time producer of Scoop with Raya, Anicee Gohar joins us to explain the BAFTAs, Arab cinema, and more
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Before the Pod!
In this short teaser, Mark let’s us know what kind of thing you’ll be hearing about once Behind the Scoop begins dropping daily podcasts.
