Kiwi Yarns

Today’s guest is columnist, MC, public speaker and cabaret club vixen Verity Johnson - what an epic array of titles! Verity is an extremely talented writer whose funny, thought-provoking and relatable columns have seen her writing successfully for our biggest news organisations since she was 18 - but her first column was published in the New Zealand Herald at 16. Cabaret club vixen really pricks u...

Today’s guest is a man I feel like it’s fair to say we all know and love - Sir John Kirwan. JK had a remarkable rugby career as a World Cup winning All Black, played rugby league for the Auckland Warriors, has been a respected international coach, and of course is a major figure in Aotearoa as a mental health advocate. Being one of the first high profile New Zealanders, to talk about depression an...

Today’s guest is Auckland MMA fighter Carlos Ulberg - aka “The Black Jag”. Carlos is part of the hugely successful City Kickboxing team - and it's a gym that’s described as "an old warehouse on the edge of the city" but has garnered global attention for it’s impressive array of extremely ridiculously talented UFC fighters - like Israel Adesanya and Dan Hooker. He wants to be the best light heavywe...

Today’s guest is a well known Kiwi entrepreneur who's life has been truly fascinating thus far - the yarns do not stop today! Many will remember Brooke Howard-Smith from the consumer affairs show Target - some may have also seen him murder me last year on the first New Zealand season of The Traitors. And there's so much more. He was an X Games medalist and professional inline skater, he got kicked...

Today’s guest is our super talented New Zealand Sail GP team strategist - Liv Mackay. Liv is also in the New Zealand team for the first ever women’s America’s Cup in Barcelona this year - so a massive year ahead! Liv is a great role model not only for younger sailors, but she isn't afraid to speak about the lack of female representation in the sport too. She spends a lot of her downtime (which she...

Married at First is coming back to New Zealand this year, so if you’re looking for love and would like to bare your soul on national television - this could be your year! And, today’s guest will be right in the thick of helping guide the couples in a show that blew up to one of the most popular Reality TV shows in the world. John Aiken has been sitting on the couch as the relationship expert acros...

Today’s guest is one of the country’s greatest and most loved rugby players. A true gentleman of the sport, Keven Mealamu played 132 tests for the All Blacks - just two players have played more. He won the Rugby World Cup twice and made more than 150 appearances for the Blues in Super Rugby.  He is loved by those who played with him, those who played against him, and I think it's fair to say we al...

Happy New Year to all the wonderful supportive humans who listen to Kiwi Yarns! Can't wait to share more epic stories with you in 2024. We're kicking off with an extremely talented young man - Jackie Cheng. He's an actor and stuntman, a Muay Thai fighter, and a very funny and clever creator on social media, with around half a million followers on Instagram and TikTok. A really cool kōrero with a 2...

Before Kiwi Yarns returns for 2024 - here's another oldie but a goodie! Such a beautiful chat with Toni back in 2021. Today’s guest is the wonderful Toni Street - and I’m pretty sure it would be fair to say there’s really not much this woman can’t do. She is an incredibly talented TV presenter and radio host, sports commentator, she’s a dab hand in the kitchen, she’s played both cricket and netbal...

While Kiwi Yarns is on a bit of a break, I'm sharing some of my favourite episodes! This interview with Ruby Tui was one of my first interviews on Kiwi Yarns, from back in 2020! She came to my house and we had a great chat - will definitely hit her up for another catch up because there is LOTS to catch up on! Ruby Tui is a ridiculously talented woman who not only lights up the rugby field, but has...

Happy New Year! Sharing a couple of favourite Kiwi Yarns while the show is on a break. This is a must-listen. Today’s guest is a remarkable young man with an incredible story. Abbas Nazari was just seven-years old when he and his family fled the Taliban in Afghanistan - and experienced a journey that would last for months - including being stuck onboard the Tampa. This was the boat that Australia...

Today’s guest is one of our country’s greatest athletes. Dame Sophie Pascoe is our most decorated Paralympian and is the youngest person to be appointed a Dame - in the 2022 New Year’s Honours for her services to swimming. She is a remarkable woman, a truly special role model - we are so lucky to have her! It’s also been a massive year away from the black line for Sophie - she got married this yea...

Today’s guest is the first comedian I ever saw live and rest assured she’s been a favourite ever since! The award-winning Justine Smith took her first gig as a dare - and to sound cliché the rest is history. But, as you'll hear, the rest took time, patience and bloody hard work. She won the Billy T Award in 2003, and has been the winner of the Award for Best Female Performer from the NZ Comedy Gui...

Today’s guest is TimProvise. He's a man I'm so glad I stumbled across on social media - sampling Aotearoa's best pies on his hilariously brilliant show Bakery Run. And then when I went down the TimProvise rabbit hole, he became my favourite roving sports reporter. The absolute hectic banter, and the way he brings out the best and funniest yarns with some of the biggest names in sport, he’s just my...

Today’s guest is a very familiar face on our TV screens, the wonderful Entertainment Editor and Film Reviewer for Newshub - Kate Rodger. She has been all over the world, interviewed the biggest actors in the world, and knows everything there is to know about the film industry. Kate has this divine voice and delivery style that lures you in - even if you didn’t like the movie she’s talking about, y...

Well I’m not mad about the fact that this week’s guest is yet another wonderful Kiwi success story - another brilliantly smart woman who’s made a name for herself on the global stage for all the right reasons. Brianne West is the founder and former CEO of Ethique - the world’s first zero waste beauty brand. As it stands, Ethique has prevented more than 28 million plastic bottles from beauty and ho...

We absolutely love and celebrate success stories here at Kiwi Yarns, and today’s episode is no exception. I have LOVED watching the rise of Emma Lewisham, since she and her stunning skincare products came on the scene in 2019. Now, Emma Lewisham is a global brand stocked at the likes of Mecca and Harrods, and stars are jumping over themselves to wear it. A fascinating insight into the mind of an i...

Today’s guest is actually, quite possibly, the nicest man you’ll ever meet. Sam Smith is a comedian, a writer, a musician (but not to be confused with the other Sam Smith haha), he’s a dentist (yes that's correct), an MC, AND he won this year’s first season of The Traitors alongside Anna Reeve. Not only is Sam one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, and has all those mad skills, he lives life w...

Today’s guest quite possibly could’ve learnt to drive before he walked… Third generation driver Jono Lester hails from mighty Palmerston North and was born and raised at the Manfield circuit - set up and operated by his family. He followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, father and aunty. It’s like he has petrol in his veins! It's fascinating hearing about the highs and lows of his career thu...

Today’s guest is a business owner and body confidence influencer who’s amassed a huge social media following for being funny, honest and undeniably authentic. Ellie Fitzgerald - or Loving Ellies Belly as she’s known on Instagram and TikTok - is someone that can put a smile on your face daily while also reminding you life doesn’t revolve around your fat rolls or what you look like in the mirror. Sh...

Today’s guest is one of the country’s most-loved chefs - not only because he makes glorious food and has owned a number of fantastic restaurants, but Michael Van de Elzen has also really nailed being a top notch TV presenter on shows like Eat Well for Less, The Food Truck and Kiwi Living. Now, Michael has released his sixth cookbook, Good from Scratch - the same name of his cooking school in Muriw...

Today’s guest is a beautiful, talented young woman who, despite the fact she cannot "smile", brings smiles to the faces of thousands every single day. Tayla Clement is 26-years young and has Moebius syndrome - a one-in-4-million condition. Tayla is not shy of discussing how brutally tough her life has been dealing with all that has come with this. What’s epic to see is the amazing mahi she is doin...

Today’s guest is fresh from winning the first New Zealand season of The Traitors (If you haven’t watched it, you absolutely need to - it's on Three Now)! Anna Reeve is a mother of two beautiful boys, she’s a former model, an influencer and a Global Alopecia Ambassador. We discuss how she lost all of her hair when she was just seven-years old and how she has navigated through living with Alopecia....

Reposting a couple of my faves this week! Today's guest is quite simply, a national treasure. Tammy Wells is someone we all feel like we have a connection with, she is pretty much part of our furniture...and of course the Briscoes furniture too. Tammy is the woman who, with a big warm smile, delights us with that welcome news that Briscoes is indeed having a sale. She's been the Briscoes Lady for...

Reposting one of my favourite chats this week! I've been hanging out to chat with investigative journalist and documentary maker David Farrier for a while now, so this big long decent yarn, best dissected with a long walk or maybe even a nice drink (or both haha). From his hilarious TV3 sign off from back in the day, to chasing Mongolian Death Worms, interviewing Colin Craig in the sauna, to now s...