Hopeless Romantics

This mini episode is a special moment from our chat with bestselling romance author Lucy Score (who we all fell in love with after our episode) We get into the weird shame writers sometimes feel about their early work, and how standing in a stadium at the Eras Tour helped Lucy flip the script and actually feel proud of how far she’s come. We talk touring, the not-so-glam travel, and the surprising...

As we ease out of Christmas and into that strange, reflective space before the New Year, we’re revisiting one of our favourite conversations from last year. Ash and Harriet chat Richard Curtis’ About Time, a film that somehow sneaks life’s biggest lessons into what looks like a simple rom-com. This episode shares the final moments of a longer chat, where we unpack why About Time hits so much harde...

This week on Hopeless Romantics, we’re joined by Andrew Papas, singer, musical theatre powerhouse and star of & Juliet, which is heading to Aotearoa in early 2026. Andrew talks us through his journey from a church kid landing his first school musical lead, to boy band life with Titanium, to finding his way back to theatre and into the role of a very different Romeo. We also get into the real stuff...

A re-release of one of my favorite episodes, in memory of Rob Reiner, whose direction gave us one of the most enduring love stories of all time. Some movies don’t just entertain you. They quietly shape who you become. This week on Hopeless Romantics, we’re revisiting The Princess Bride with Meg Mansell, a film that taught us about love, loyalty, humour, and why “as you wish” hits harder than it ev...

This week we’re diving deep into the warm, nostalgic chaos of You’ve Got Mail with Tash Stamos, a certified pop-culture obsessive and fellow rom-com tragic. We rewind to that golden era of cinema when Meg Ryan ruled our hearts, Tom Hanks somehow became everyone’s dream man, and dial-up internet felt like the height of romance. Together we unpack the scenes that ruined us emotionally, the cosy New...

We’re back with another round of our Netflix Christmas film deep dives, and this week Alice James jumps in with us to unpack Champagne Problems. Honestly, this one had us in our feelings. It’s way better than your average festive cheese, which somehow makes judging it on our chaotic little matrix even funnier. We get into everything from Minka Kelly’s unreal skin to the dangerously hot lead who ha...

This week on Hopeless Romantics, we get a chance to see the softer side of NZ broadcast legend Nickson Clark, and honestly, we’re still recovering. Nickson lets us into the love story at the centre of his life with Sarah. Before the nappies and the gentle chaos of new parenthood, it was just the two of them figuring out who they wanted to be together and the kind of life they wanted to build. We t...

Christmas has fully landed at Hopeless Romantics and honestly, we’re thriving. This week Damaris Treasure jumps back in with us as we revisit one of the greatest festive films of all time, Love Actually, and unpack what it has actually taught us about love. We break down the big storylines that still hit hard as adults. Mark and Juliet’s placard moment, Harry and Karen’s heartbreak, Jamie and Aure...

We’re going FULL FESTIVE ROMANCE this week with the brilliant country superstar Kaylee Bell, who drops in to talk Christmas music, big feelings and the joy of giving back. Kaylee tells us the story behind her brand new Christmas single, written years ago in a Nashville flat full of fairy lights and mates who loved the season as much as she does. After her little one arrived earlier this year and s...

We’re officially in Christmas mode, team. Alice James is back and we’re diving straight into Netflix’s newest holiday movie, A Merry Little Ex-mas. This week we break down the Alicia Silverstone and Oliver Hudson flick using our very scientific Hopeless Romantics scoring matrix. We talk daddy energy, vegan treacle tarts, snowstorms that don’t quite hit the mark, and the surprisingly relatable hear...

Alice James is back (now with added newborn!) to debrief season two, and honestly… we have a lot of feelings. We still loved the show, but the spark wasn’t quite sparking, and both of us found ourselves grieving the loss of Noah’s Seth Cohen energy. WHERE DID THE RIZ GO? We get into it all: the muddled editing, the sudden plot jumps, the confusing ex-girlfriend coffee, the necklace disaster, and t...

We’re officially in Christmas movie season and honestly, we could not be happier. Emma’s back with us this week and we fall headfirst into the festive films that shape our Decembers. From unrequited love and forbidden crushes to the heartbreakers that remind us death comes for us all, we realised Christmas movies are basically a mirror for every messy emotion we carry into the holidays. We chat Lo...

With the return of Emily in Paris slated for December 10, we're looking back at this moment from our season 4 episode with the ever hilarious Alice James. How is it possible that such a promising lead male could turn into such a flop? Do you agree? #TeamAlfie for life, yo! LINKS: Follow Ash on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tikok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Alice on  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tikok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Follow the podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠in...

If you know Matt's music, you'll know that he is undoubtedly a hopeless romantic, so of COURSE I jumped at the chance to interview him during his recent Aus/NZ tour. We reflect on heartbreak, loving someone long distance and turning pain into art. Love you, more than a friend x LINKS: Follow Matt on ⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠ and ⁠TikTok⁠ Follow me on ⁠⁠⁠tikok⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠⁠ Follow the podcast on ⁠⁠⁠in...

She was a popstar. He played football. The most famous couple on earth got married, had babies, weathered a couple (many) storms, and emerged after 26 years stronger than ever. So what is there to learn about love from Posh and Becks? Well, according to Damaris Treasure and I...we can learn a whole lot. Love you, more than a friend x LINKS: Subscribe to Damaris' substack ⁠⁠⁠'Trying Things'⁠⁠ Follo...

Wine is something a lot of us enjoy, but not many of us feel super confident ordering. And given that wine can often play a big part in setting the mood when it comes to dating, love and romance I thought I'd invite my friend and co-host of Got Somme podcast Angus O'Loughlin on to help take the stress out of ordering and enjoying wine. You'll learn some amazing tips and tricks for navigating a tri...

This week, Australian writer Steph Vizard joins me to bask in our collective grief and gratitude as we mourn the loss of Diane Keaton, whose talent brought some of our favourite films to life. In particular, we discuss one of my all-time favourite films, 'Something's Gotta Give' - featuring the world's most unexpected and delicious love triangles. Hello Keanu and Jack. Love you, more than a friend...

You'd be forgiven for only associating the Disney film 'Frozen' with earworms, Elsa costumes and the 1hr 42 minutes of peace you can enjoy while the kids watch it This week however, the clever and insightful Damaris Treasure returns to discuss the fact that FROZEN MIGHT BE THE ULTIMATE SELF HELP MANUAL FOR LOVE! We also have an in-depth discussion at the end about the hottest male cartoon characte...

If our full episodes are a deep dive, consider this more of a dip of the toe. Maybe a waist-deep wade? We are less than TWO WEEKS away from the return of 'Nobody Wants This', the show that was easily my watch of 2024. In this quickie, we deep dive what could possibly be the best kiss in recent TV history. The full episode can be found in season 1 episode 21!  LINKS: Follow me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tikok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ a...

Clint Randell is a very recognisable face and name here in NZ where he's fronted TV and radio shows for well over a decade. But when I think of Clint, the first word that comes to mind is 'family'. Clint is a man who takes any opportunity to talk about his beautiful wife and two kids, and it is a joy to watch him parent, and a joy to see his eyes twinkle every time someone mentions Jaime. This is...

If our full episodes are a deep dive, consider this more of a dip of the toe. Maybe a waist-deep wade? In this quickie, Harriet Power and I take a look back at one of the best scenes in one of the best rom-coms of all time. Julia Roberts. Hugh Grant. And one hell of a dinner party. The full episode can be found in season 1 episode 25! LINKS: Follow me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠tikok⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow...

I Love Lucy! Hello small town rom-com queen Lucy-freaking-Score! You may know her as the author of the tik-tok sensation Things We Never Got Over (and 34 others) but now I know her as 'one of my favourite guests ever' We dive into everything from her latest novel Story of My Life  (hello, a hot, grumpy tradie and a romance novelist in crisis!) to the magic of found family, the evolution of her wri...

Adam Hyde (a.k.a. Keli Holiday) joins me this week for an open hearted chat about the profound power of love, the profound impact of personal loss and how the two are inexplicably linked. It's been a joy to watch Adam fall in love, and I savoured every second of this chat as we explore how he got here, and how his understanding of love, safety and connection has changed since finding his girl. Lov...

This week, we head to the cinema (art house, obviously) to see the new Downton Abbey film and return with tales of squeaky chairs, loud sobs (Ash's, duh) and more importantly...four key love lessons that Downton Abbey has taught us over the years. From Sybil and Tom’s cross-class romance to Lady Mary’s habit of shagging strangers, we unpack how the show (and the film) can help us in life and more...

You may know him as the 'vibes guy' on the internet or the host of Edge arvos on your radio station (if you live in NZ). But after this chat, you'll know him as the guy who sends his Dad 30 minutes voice memos, sometimes cries in the car and has never heard his girlfriend pass wind. It was an absolute JOY to get to know Harrison on a deeper level, and a pleasure to him hear him open his big, soft...