The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Sophie Beresiner’s journey to having a baby was far from straight forward.  Having been left infertile after chemotherapy for breast cancer in her early 30s, Sophie and her husband endured 5 rounds of IVF using donor eggs, 3 surrogates, 3 miscarriages, they spent hundreds of thousands of pounds and endured a grueling four years of heartache.  Sophie, the former beauty director of Elle UK, document...

So this week we are firing up the BBQ and cooking steak with Béarnaise,  I would like to introduce everyone to the wonderful world of the béarnaise sauce.  The first time I prepared this sauce was whilst working at my first ever kitchen job some 35 years ago! We made some 30 litres of it every day.   Today, béarnaise and hollandaise are as popular as ever. Think of it as a cooked mayonnaise or sup...

So this week let's talk milk and sleep.  I think most of us associate drinking a glass of warm milk at bedtime as a child as a ritual that helped us to feel sleepy.  Previous milk’s sleep-enhancing properties were thought to be sure to tryptophan, but scientists have just discovered a mixture of milk peptides, called casein tryptic hydrolysate (CTH), that relieve stress and also enhance sleep (at...

A group of women are forced to confront the horrific survival they endured together decades ago in this trauma reunion drama series starring Melanie Lynskey (Togetherness), Tawny Cypress (The Blacklist), Christina Ricci and Oscar-nominee Juliette Lewis.  This equal parts survival epic, psychological horror story and coming-of-age drama tells the saga of a team of wildly talented high school girls...

The song that started it all, Sultans of Swing, Dire Straits hit first single off their 1978 self-titled debut album.  Founded by brothers Mark and David Knopfler, and David’s flat mate John Illsley, Dire Straits became one of the world’s biggest bands of the 1980s and one of Britain's most successful rock exports.  They sold 100 million albums, won four Grammys, three Brit awards and in 2018 were...

By Hamish Cardwell, RNZ  Exhausted bureaucrats are locked in all-night talks at the COP26 climate summit.  RNZ climate reporter Hamish Cardwell spoke to a COP veteran about the post-deadline after-midnight madness.  Oil Change International senior campaigner David Tong has been to most COP UN climate meetings in the past decade.  He said almost all blow through deadlines, like this one did this mo...

NZ Herald political editor, Claire Trevett joined Francesca Rudkin for a round up of the weeks politics news. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newstalk ZB's Elliot Smith joined Francesca Rudkin for a debrief following Ireland's impressive victory over the All Blacks. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dire Straits was the first band I saw in concert.   In John Illsley’s book, My Life in Dire Straits, he reminisces about his childhood and his love of music, the formation of Dire Straits, recording their six studio albums, and the endless tours around the world over and over again throughout the 80’s and early 90’s.   Reading about Dire Straits I was instantly taken back to that clear night at La...

Gardening expert Jo McCarroll joined Francesca Rudkin to delve into the topic of those pesky slugs and snails that sometimes pop up where you least expect them. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NZ Herald senior writer Simon Wilson and Gold AM Breakfast host Andrew Dickens debate the best way to go about letting Aucklanders leave the city for Christmas.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once upon a time, at this time of the year primary school principals would be worried about things like staff retention and the thankless task of student placements for the following year. Teachers would be focused on finishing reports, and getting to the final day of school without losing their minds.  This week, principals are still dealing with staff retention, and they’ll be wishing it was as...

Who better to join us for some fishing chat than the first man of fishing?  Fish of the Day host Clarke Gayford and show co-creator Mike Bhana have released a new book, surprisingly called, Fish of the Day.  Clarke Gayford joined Francesca Rudkin. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Erin O'Hara is the co-founder, director, naturopath and yoga teacher at Golden Yogi. She holds a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Natural Medicine.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We heard from the Cook Islands this week that they are reopening two way quarantine free travel in January – but where is the news from Fiji? Coincidentally, travel blogger Megan Singelton's last overseas trip was to the beautiful island nation, and she joined Francesca Rudkin. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1 kg smoked fish   1 fennel bulb, finely diced reserve the fronds for later   2 onions, peeled and diced 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed   4 free range eggs, hard boiled, peeled and chopped   6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced   3 tbsp unsalted butter   2 tbsp oil   4 tbsp flour   1 cup grated tasty cheese   1 tbsp Dijion mustard   Place the potatoes into a medium pot and cover with cold wate...

How are you with deadlines?   Were you the kid at school who handed everything in early, or the one up all night cramming it all in to submit 1 minute before the deadline?  For the first time, researchers have studied the effect of placing a deadline on how we procrastinate or get things done.  The research published in the journal Economic Inquiry looked into how deadlines can help to motivate pe...

Steve Newall is editor of flicks.co.nz and he joined Francesca Rudkin to give some insight into the New Zealand International Film Festival. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dan Stevens became a household name for his role of Mathew in Downton Abbey, since then he has stared in Disney’s life action remake of Beauty of the Beast, Eurovision Song Contest, Blithe Spirit and the Man Who Invested Christmas.   His latest film is a delightful and yet thought-provoking German sci fi rom com about a researcher who reluctantly agrees to participate in an experiment whereby she...

With a tentative re-opening date for schools just a week away, it’s the topic top of mind for every Auckland parent.  This week, the Auckland Primary Principals Association have been meeting to work out how we can safely re-open the city's schools.  APPA president, Stephen Lethbridge joined Francesca Rudkin.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newstalk ZB political reporter Jason Walls joined Francesca Rudkin to talk all things politics. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By RNZ  From today, medically assisted dying is legal in Aotearoa but doctors are warning people may not be able to use it straight away.  The End of Life Choice Act has come into effect one year after nearly two-thirds of New Zealanders voted in favour of it in a referendum.  The legislation was originally put forward by the Act leader David Seymour, and his deputy, Brooke van Velden, said its re...

The return of ISIS bride Suhayra Aden to New Zealand in August was surrounded by controversy. There were many questions around whether New Zealand should have let her in.  Aden’s story is not unique, hundreds of other young Western women left to join ISIS but unlike Aden, they now find themselves in detention camps in Syria, unable to go home.  Filmmaker Alba Sotorra was given unprecedented access...

Travel expert Megan Singleton joined Francesca Rudkin to talk us through the do's and don'ts of booking a tour when on holiday. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen above as Katie Bradford and Nick Mills discuss the week's news with Francesca Rudkin on The Sunday Panel See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.