The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Yogurt cheesecake with star anise plums  Cook time: 5 minutes  Prep time: 20 minutes  Serves: 6 Cheesecake   4 leaves of gelatine   250 gm cream cheese 5  00 ml yogurt plain   1 lemon, juiced  ½ tsp vanilla essences   4 tbsp honey   4 cups cold water   Base   1/2 pkt digestives   1/2 pkt Biscoff biscuits   3 tbsp butter   5...

An upside-down jellyfish drifts gently in a shallow lagoon. At first glance, it looks like it’s just floating, but scientists have discovered something quietly astonishing - around midday, the jellyfish takes a brief nap to recover from a disturbed night. The fact that jellyfish, which do not have a brain, are sleeping is amazing, and that discovery may completely reshape how we understand why all...

Helena Bonham Carter is the latest big name confirmed for the upcoming fourth season of The White Lotus. She's one of three new cast members officially announced for the upcoming season, alongside Chris Messina and Marissa Long.  818 director Chris Henry revealed what we know about the upcoming season of The White Lotus so far. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As more stores across Auckland's CBD close their doors for good, Crane Brothers has reaffirmed their commitment to the area. After extending their   High Street lease for another 25 years, founder Murray Crane recently revealed the store would expand into the space vacated by Ruby. Crane says Covid and the subsequent economic downturn have been tough on Auckland, but it's important to control...

Prime Minister Chris Luxon confirmed last week that New Zealand would not be sitting on Donald Trump's newly proposed Board of Peace. The refusal came days after the Government signalled it was considering the offer, and opposing parties have criticised the delayed response. Newstalk ZB political reporter Azaria Howell says the $1 billion seat price was a significant sum for a country of New Zeala...

More health professionals may be able to prescribe ADHD meds from the outset from today - but impacts are expected to be gradual.  From this month, trained GPs and nurse practitioners can start a patients treatment without a specialist's recommendation.  A specialist appointment can take up to a year to secure in some areas. General Practice Owners' Association Chair Dr Angus Chambers sa...

I’ve been fascinated to watch Donald Trump’s Board of Peace change as time goes on. When it was first suggested, it seemed to me to be part of a land grab by the United States.  A real estate consortium whose goal was to raise finance and rebuild Gaza into a new Riviera. A gaudy Trumpist holiday city more for the rich than the dispossessed people of Gaza. But as time has gone on, it’s transmo...

The SailGP season got underway last week, but the Black Foils didn't start out as well as they'd hoped. A collision w ith the Swiss boat  in the opening race has left them  with  significant boat damage and in negative points ahead of the Auckland event in under three weeks.   Black Foils strategist Liv Mackay says the boat is getting repaired ahead of the event, and the team s...

Pati Umaga was once given ultimatum by his father to become a either a church minister or a lawyer - and instead launched a career in music that changed his life. He found success as the bass player of the Holiday Makers, but he was left tetraplegic after a fall. He suffered years of hardship but eventually re-found his purpose as an advocate for the disabled community through his music - and he's...

Workhorse by Caroline Palmer. This is set in a Vogue magazine-like environment, where Clodagh (Clo) Harmon is trying to make her way up the ladder, but struggles because she doesn’t have the pedigree, monied background and social confidence of her colleagues - she’s a workhorse, not a showhorse. It’s been compared in a lot of places to a combination of The Devil Wears Prada and The Talented Mister...

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 25 January 2026, search crews are into their fourth day of the recovery operation at Mount Maunganui, head of the police search team Senior Constable Barry Shepherd shares insights into the complex search. Kiwi Samoan screen legends Nathaniel Lees and Oscar Kightley are bringing the inspiring story of Pati Umaga to life on st...

There's a new trend emerging in the world of travel, and experts say it could help people recharge like never before. 'Skillcations' are designed to help people learn new skills while on vacation, allowing them to return to work feeling motivated without sacrificing relaxation time. BloggerAtLarge.com writer Megan Singleton explained the trend further, and opened up about her experiences with lear...

This week on The Sunday Panel, Newstalk ZB host Roman Travers and host of the Prosperity Project podcast, Nadine Higgins, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!   It's been a bad week for the North Island, following the days of extreme weather. How have we felt about this week's events? How has the disaster impacted us? Many communities, and regions in the...

Everyone wants to make sure they're making an informed choice when it comes to staying healthy, and marketing experts know how to utilise that demand to their advantage. Marketing significantly impacts supplement choices by creating demand through increased advertising exposure, which directly correlates to higher consumption rates. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explained further. LIS...

What does it mean to be 'cool'?   While the word can feel slippery and subjective, a new study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology suggests that people around the world largely agree on what makes someone cool - and the answer transcends culture, language and borders.  According to the research, people deemed cool consistently share six personality traits, whether they li...

Vampire horror movie Sinners has made Oscars history - picking up a record 16 nominations, the most ever for a single film. It beats the previous record of 14 received by  All About Eve in 1951, Titanic in 1998 and La La Land in 2018. Michael B Jordan is nominated for his starring role, alongside British actors Wunmi Mosaku and Delroy Lindo, while Jessie Buckley is tipped to win best actress...

Rātana has kicked off the year in New Zealand politics, as the country eyes up the November 7 election. MPs spoke at the central North Island pā site, with Labour's Chris Hipkins speaking about the importance of using Te Reo Māori. The Greens launched a Members' Bill at the event to entrench Māori seats, and it was announced the Government would invest 10 million dollars into a new Ringatū Marae c...

The search for those unaccounted for in the Mount Maunganui landslide has entered its fourth day - although now the operation is in a recovery phase. Six people are unaccounted for after a large slip swept through the Beachside Holiday Park at the base of the mountain. They include two Pakuranga College students who are aged 15, two 71-year-old friends from Rotorua, a 50-year-old Morrinsville scho...

The recovery efforts are continuing at the Mount Maunganui landslide as families and friends of the six missing victims grieve their loved ones. Those still missing include two Pakuranga College students, two 71-year-old friends from Rotorua, a Morrinsville school tutor, and a Swedish tourist. The operation has now switched from rescue to recovery. NZ Herald senior investigative reporter Michael M...

More and more job hunters are using AI to craft their CVs, but experts are looking to warn them away from the concept. Recent research shows half of Kiwi jobseekers are using AI tools to try and find work, but the trend is proving inconvenient for recruiters - and could be damaging their chances. GoGetta CEO Colleen Getley says everyone is utilising ChatGPT and similar platforms to create their CV...

What a week.   What a heartbreaking, devastating week across the North Island.   The weather raged. Homes ruined. Livelihoods swept away. Communities cut off. And most tragically - lives lost. The power of Mother Nature was on show in full force, reminding us that life can change in a moment. I don’t think there is a New Zealander who hasn’t spent time over the last 3 days thinking of th...

Wagner Moura is a Brazilian actor, filmmaker and producer, and he made history with his first Golden Globes win last week. He won for his role in political thriller The Secret Agent, and he's also earned acclaim for his roles in Narcos, Dope Thief and The Gray Man.  He opened up about his emotional journey on the project, and how important it was to win an award for a role that felt so signif...

On January 15, 2001, Wikipedia officially launched online, giving users a new platform to learn from. While the site's credibility and reliability were questioned in the early days, it is now well-regarded as a globally trusted source of facts. Wikipedia founder and internet entrepreneur, Jimmy Wales, has revealed the platform taught him a lot about trust and information in the digital age - and h...

The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage - I touched on this one in the fiction round up at the end of last year but given time constraints with a number of books in that piece, it really warrants a bit more attention. Lexi Villiers is a trainee doctor in Tasmania when she’s suddenly summarily summonsed back to London by her grandmother the Queen, after her father and twin brother are killed in a ski...

2026 is getting under way, and prospective travellers have outlined their top spots for the new year. Bali, London and Dubai make up the top three, with Rome, Marrakech and New York rounding out the list. BloggerAtLarge.com writer Megan Singleton explained further - check out the full list here. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.