The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Film director Travis Knight and his studio Laika have built up a name for themselves in the world of stop-motion animation, but his newest project is his most ambitious one yet. Wildwood is in theatres now, after 16 years in development - and it took 6 years of filming, 233 handmade puppets and over a thousand artists to get it all done. There's already plenty of Oscar buzz around this project, wi...

Oscar-winning actor Ke Huy Quan's had a memorable Hollywood career, but there's more to his story than the fame and accolades. He got his start as a child actor, having starred in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Goonies - but he took a hiatus after he couldn't find any new roles in his 20s. Two decades later, he made a big professional comeback and won an Oscar for his role in the hit fil...

London Station by David McCloskey. This is the fourth book in his series about Artemis Aphrodite Procter, a CIA operative who’s a bit of a maverick and does things by her own rules. The author used to work at the CIA and clearly knows his way around and some of the background in the stories is fascinating. In this new one, Artemis has been (reluctantly) appointed as the Chief of the CIA London’s s...

Three years after the devastating fires tore through the village of Lahaina, Megan Singleton visited the seaside town as part of her day in Maui.   Officials have been working to rebuild residential homes, and it's expected more new businesses will be opening in 2028.   Amid the ongoing recovery efforts, Megan shared what Maui has to offer - read more about her experience here....

This week on the Sunday Panel, Newstalk ZB Wellington mornings host Nick Mills and Resident Economist at Opes Partners Ed McKnight joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week - and more! Enrolments are due to close tonight, with early voting beginning on Monday. 92 percent of eligible Kiwis are enrolled, but only 69 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds are enrolled. Do we think...

Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 25 October. Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Neurowellness is an emerging health and wellness framework aimed at regulating the autonomic nervous system. New data indicates anxiety and mental health problems are on the rise, with Gallup’s 2025 global survey of 144 countries finding that 40 percent of people are reporting high anxiety on any given day. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara unpacked the phenomenon further.  LISTEN AB...

Roasted pineapple and lime custard layered meringue  Cook time: 30-40 minutes  Prep time: 30 minutes  Serves: 6 1/2 fresh pineapple   1 tsp sunflower oil   1 tbsp dark brown sugar   Lime leaf custard   200ml milk   300ml cream   6 makrut leaves, lightly crushed   1 vanilla pod, scraped and seeds discarded   5 egg yolks   100gm sugar &nbsp...

Could blocking out noise during surgery stop you from feeling sick afterwards?  If you've ever had surgery under general anaesthetic, you might remember waking up feeling nauseous, dizzy or desperately wanting to vomit.  It's a surprisingly common side effect of anaesthesia, and despite doctors routinely giving patients medications to prevent it, many people still experience it.  A...

New data has revealed only 4 percent of music streamed in New Zealand over the 2025-2026 timeframe was made by Kiwi artists. Despite revenue being up, it's harder for Kiwi musicians to earn their share, with more people gravitating towards international artists. Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall says the streaming share for Kiwi artists has dropped over 28 percent over the last 5 years, des...

Celebrity Michelin star chef Josh Emett was appointed Air New Zealand's culinary ambassador earlier in the year - and his new menu officially launched today. Emett’s dishes will be available as part of some Premium Economy and Business Premier long haul services out of Auckland and North America. He says this Kiwi-inspired menu has been in the works for the last six months. "First and foremost, yo...

Gangs remain a contentious topic during this election campaign, following another week of high-profile incidents. Labour's Kerrin Leoni has resigned after a video emerged of her campaigning at a whanau event, with gang members present. A photo recently emerged of National's Tama Potaka standing next to patched members of the Mongrel Mob., prompting Labour's Chris Hipkins to accuse Luxon of 'double...

There's a new treatment aimed at reducing melanoma, and it's seeing positive developments. An mRNA-based melanoma vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of death or cancer coming back among patients by 42 percent. The vaccine has undergone a phase III trial, led by experts in Australia and New Zealand. Kiwi oncologist Dr Gareth Rivalland led the New Zealand part of the research, and he says thi...

There's hope for a last minute rush tonight, as a significant number of Kiwis still aren't enrolled to vote in the election yet. The deadline to enrol to vote is midnight tonight, with voting starting from Monday until election day on November 7. Chief Electoral Officer Karl Le Quesne says they're hoping 100 percent of eligible people will enrol to vote. "We want to see that rise, and we're gettin...

If you were feeling a little election fatigue before this week, you may now be reaching for the remote, the mute button and possibly something stronger than a cup of tea. We’ve had the policies, the debates, voting strategies and enough political point-scoring to qualify as an Olympic sport. Voters have listened patiently to arguments about the cost of living, health, education and the economy. Al...

Irish actor Ciaran Hinds has spent five decades in the film industry, including distinctive roles in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, There Will Be Blood, Munich and Game of Thrones. His latest project, The Three Urns, will be available for Kiwi audiences too check out soon - as part of the upcoming British and Irish Film Festival.  He says the film follows the story of a man on a missio...

Taika Waititi is well-regarded as one of New Zealand's most successful directors - and he's got a new project in the works. He's known for directing films like Thor: Ragnarok, Jojo Rabbit, Boy, Hunt for the Wilderpeople and What We Do in the Shadows, but the new sci-fi film Klara and the Sun promises to show fans a different experience. He says he didn't feel the need to 'Taika' this project up to...

Adam & Eve by Jeffrey Archer. Sadly, this is his last work of fiction but is a great way to end an extraordinary career. Many readers will recall Kane & Abel which is considered by many to be amongst his finest work - and lovers of that will love this one. It begins on Armistice Day, 1918, when two very different children are born. One is the daughter of an Earl, the other the son of a she...

Travel expert Megan Singleton's on her latest adventure to Hawaii, and she's noticed it's still busy in the off-season. She took a look at the Pearl Harbour memorial ahead of the infamous bombing's 85th anniversary, and experienced a sunset harbour cruise.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, journalist and editor, Jo McCarroll, and Director at 818, Chris Henry, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Do we know who we're going to vote for yet? Early voting opens next week - are we ready for it? What do we need to see in the coming days?  The Taxpayers' Union recently released a controversial attack ad directed at...

Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 18 October. Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The spring season is well underway, which means there's more pollen in the air. Spring hay fever (allergic rhinitis) affects about 20 percent of New Zealanders, with symptoms typically peaking between September and November. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explained why these conditions are more likely to impact some people, and how they can work around it all. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystud...

Spring risotto with peas, rocket and asparagus  Cook time: 30 minutes  Prep time: 10 minutes  Serves: 6 600ml vegetable stock   1 onion, finely chopped   4 cloves garlic, crushed   1/2 white wine   3 Tbsp sunflower oil   250 gm Arborio rice   100 gm butter   1/2 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan   1 cup fresh peas   1 bunch asparagus &nbsp...

If you've ever spent hours memorising vocabulary and grammar in a new language, only to find yourself completely lost when a native speaker starts talking, your ears might be part of the problem.  New research published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology suggests that people who are better at detecting tiny differences between sounds may have an advantage when learning a new language.&...

There's plenty of new streaming shows for TV fans to get into, and Steve Newall outlined his picks for the week. Small Prophets is a short form comedy series that's been available in the UK for a few months, and it recently made its debut on Apple TV. Crystal Lake is a horror series available on Neon, and it follows the origin story of horror icon Jason Voorhees. Entertainment correspondent Steve...