The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

ACT's leader says the party will be ramping up its messaging as it heads towards polling day. The party's holding its AGM and its first rally of election year today, less than a week after TVNZ's Verian poll showed the party at its lowest point since entering Government.  David Seymour says the party's been heavily focused on the work of governing - and has its sights on another term in power...

Nerves are being frayed in Venezuela with another strong 5.6 magnitude aftershock today - following the massive earthquakes earlier in the week. The death toll has surpassed 1400 people - with over 3,000 people injured and thousands still missing. International aid is flowing in, with specialized search and rescue teams also on the ground. Save the Children Venezuela director Fatima Andraca says i...

The World Cup dream is over for the All Whites following yesterday's loss. New Zealand's exited the tournament after group play, losing their final game 5-1 to Belgium. Former All Whites player and coach Ricki Herbert says New Zealand's had some great moments in this year's event, but the country lacks the kind of urgency and determination needed to get ahead. "This has been a team that a lot of p...

Yesterday, an article with Stuff owner and CEO Sinead Boucher was released on their website.   It was a wide ranging interview that included discussion about the significant impact big tech companies such as Google, Meta, and TikTok are having on traditional, New Zealand owned media companies. These platforms attract the vast majority of New Zealand’s digital advertising spend, but due to a l...

A book described as ‘the most devastating royal biography ever’ has been reissued, with new material on the behaviour of the former Prince Andrew revealed. Author Andrew Lownie has updated his book on the former Duke and Duchess of York with a new chapter about Andrew and Sarah's behaviour based off interviews with multiple sources and numerous official information requests. Lownie says the update...

Daughters of the Sun and Moon by Lisa See. Some readers may remember her wonderful book The Island of Sea Women a few years ago which was simply outstanding - she writes terrific historical fiction. This new one is set in1870 when three Chinese women arrive separately in the tiny settlement of Los Angeles where they build new lives amidst racism and hardship. Dove, Petal and Moon navigate heartbre...

Vancouver's getting some extra attention this year as the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues - but what does the region offer outside of football? Vancouver is regarded as a very walkable city and a hugely popular cruise port.  Bloggeratlarge.com writer Megan Singleton revealed what you can do in Vancouver - and what cruises give you the best experience.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/liste...

Broadcaster and journalist Wilhemina O’Keefe and ZB Wellington Mornings host Nick Mills joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  The Green Party’s election tax package has accidentally been released early, with the Herald discovering it online hours before it was meant to be officially launched. Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick was set to appear on ZB and then bac...

Three years ago, OceanGate’s Titan submersible imploded while on a journey to view the wreck of the Titanic, killing all five people on board. Christine Dawood's 48-year-old husband and 19-year-old son, Suleman and Shazhana Dawood, were among the people killed on the historic dive trip.  Dawood has since shared her story of that week, and the subsequent grief following her losses, in a new me...

Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 21 June. 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.

Electrolyte beverages are designed to be easily absorbed in the gut to quickly rebalance mineral and fluid levels - but research indicates they come with risks if you consume too much. These drinks were originally created to prevent dehydration and electrolyte loss in young athletes who sweat and trained for hours in hot weather, which could hinder performance.   Naturopath and wellness exper...

Toasted Reuben sandwich Cook time: 1 hour  Prep time: 10 minutes  Serves: 6 500gm corned silverside   2 bay leaves   1 tbsp black peppercorns   12 slices sourdough, thin sliced   1/2 cup Dijon mustard   6 large gherkins   250gm sliced Swiss cheese Quick   Sauerkraut (make 2 cups)   1 tbsp sunflower oil   1 onion, finely sliced   1 tbsp cr...

When most people think of animals that understand human communication, dogs usually come to mind. But according to a new study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science , goats may deserve a place on that list too. Researchers discovered that goats can use the direction of a human voice to locate hidden food. This is a sophisticated skill previously demonstrated in dogs and human ba...

A new investigation by The Atlantic has uncovered millions of songs, including hits by Aussie and Kiwi legends, have been taken for AI datasets. Lorde, Midnight Oil, Split Enz, Kylie Minogue, Cold Chisel, AC/DC, Crowded House and Flume are among the artists in the mix - along with many others.  Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall says no one's given permission for this - and no one's rea...

A category five performance from the Hurricanes have swept them to their first Super Rugby crown in a decade. They've run in nine tries to one to thrash the Chiefs 60 points to 5 in the final in Wellington. Former All Black and Sky Sport commentator Jeff Wilson says it was a great show for the fans, despite the less than ideal weather conditions.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for...

British Prime Minister Keir ‌Starmer says he will stand in any leadership contest against potential rival Andy Burnham. Burnham's won the Makerfield byelection, earning a landslide 55 percent of the vote.  This month, Burnham said he'd challenge Keir Starmer’s leadership. UK correspondent Enda Brady says Burnham's trounced Reform in the local election, and that sends a clear message to voters...

The National Party is addressing party faithful at its annual conference ahead of the election.  National’s campaign boss has compared ACT and NZ First to bickering children - but he saved the strongest criticism for Labour and the Greens and said the opposition parties would 'ruin' the country's books. Prime Minister Chris Luxon will soon address the conference and announce a Kiwisaver-relat...

The Green Party has its sights set on tackling inequality and corporate greed. It's set to reveal a raft of election tax changes, it says will rebuild the country and put more money in the pockets of 96 percent of New Zealanders.  The changes include new super rich, inheritance and gift taxes, a higher tax rate for big corporations, and a levy on liabilities for the four big banks.  NZ H...

The United Kingdom has had six Prime Ministers in the last 10 years. For a country which needs to hold a general election every 5 years, it’s a high turn-over. So it’s hardly surprising there’s a plot afoot to potentially replace Sir Keir Starmer, but the lengths the Labour Party must go to find someone to do it has been fascinating and almost damning.   Andy Burnham’s victory in the Makerfie...

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 14 June 2026, Succession star Brian Cox is proving you are never too old to try something new.  At the ripe old age of 79 he's directed his first film, he tells Francesca about the experience and he tells us the impact of playing media magnate Logan Roy. Harry McNaughton started out as an 18 year old on Shortland Street...

Harry McNaughton first appeared on Kiwi TV screens as an 18-year-old, playing receptionist Gerald Tippet on Shorty St. Since then, he's built up a presence on the other side of the camera, having worked on other New Zealand TV shows like The Pact, Madam, Under the Vines, and The Sounds. His new show is set to arrive on Three soon - it's called Head Girl and McNaughton is the co-creator and writer....

Actor Brian Cox has taken on a significant array of films, but the 79-year-old Succession star is making his directorial debut. Glenrothan has been described as a 'love letter to Scotland' and it's in cinemas this week. He says he never intended to direct a film, but his producer gave him the idea to take on this project. "I'm not particularly visual as a person... I realised I'd have to get mysel...

Land by Maggie O’Farrell. This is set in Ireland a few years after the potato famine, known as the Great Hunger,  and follows the story of Tomás and his young son Liam who are working for the great Ordnance Survey project to map the whole of Ireland. They stumble across a spring - a source of water with seemingly magical properties which completely changes Tomás and sets a series of events in...

The 'Grandma experience' is gaining popularity among travellers of all ages -but what is it, exactly? The trend refers to actively seeking out traditional analogue experiences from the older generation, including nonna-led pasta classes or the 63-year-old Parisian woman who teaches Macaron classes. GetYourGuide’s platform says bookings for workshops and classes have increased by more than 250 perc...

This week on the Sunday Panel, Newstalk ZB host Roman Travers and Managing Director at 818, Chris Henry, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The Opportunity Party has launched a bid for the Mount Albert electorate ahead of the 2026 election. Do we see this going anywhere? Do we think Kiwis are looking for an alternative to the status quo?  Is it time to...