The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson. This has a hugely implausible premise. Jet Mason is attacked in her kitchen one evening, after which her doctors tell her she’ll be dead by an aneurysm in seven days, so she decides to spend the week hunting down her murderer. It took me a little while to get into the rhythm - the black humour, sarcasm, farce, twisted family relationships, and roving suspicion...

Megan Singleton's continued her travels, and she's recently taken in Thailand's Koh Samui. Koh Samui is an island in the Gulf of Thailand, about half-way down the country, and it's an easy destination for those looking to skip Bangkok.  She recapped her highlights from the trip here. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Sunday Panel, Newstalk ZB host Roman Travers and journalist and editor, Jo McCarroll, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! New reports show Health NZ is hiring less nursing graduates than ever. Why are we training nurses and not employing them?   Butter prices have shot up - and it's been a leading story across the nation's news outlets...

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 27 July 2025, Dame Harriet Walter has taken on her toughest role yet, she tells Francesca what it was like to take on Margaret Thatcher and why her she's nothing like the iron lady. Dr Timoti Te Moke shares his inspirational story from child abuse and prison to junior doctor at 56. Francesca questions whether the Government h...

Bowel movements are one of the easier identifiers of overall health - so what does it mean when things aren't in working order? A person who has a 'lazy bowel' can experience infrequent bowel movements, constipation, and straining, and it can often signify bigger problems. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explains what to look out for, and how we can 're-train' our bowels. LISTEN ABOVE S...

Home-churned butter: Prep time: 5 minutes  Serves: 400g 1 ltr cream   1 tsp fine salt   1 tsp flaky salt   Clean tea towel or Chux cloth  Place the cream and fine salt into a bowl of a bench top mixer with a whisk attachment.  Whisk for 2 minutes on a medium beat. The cream will slowly harden up and start to turn yellow.   Stop the mixer and push the cream back d...

We’ve all heard that flossing daily is key to keeping your gums healthy. But what if your dental floss could one day do more than prevent cavities? What if it could protect your whole body from serious diseases, like the flu?  Research published this week in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering shows that dental floss might be the future of vaccine delivery.  In this unusual experim...

Nearly 30 years after the original, Happy Gilmore's long-awaited sequel arrived on Netflix this week. Adam Sandler reprises his iconic role as he returns to the world of golf after his victory at the Tour Championship in the original 1996 film. Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald and Ben Stiller also reprise their roles from the original, alongside some new faces played by Bad Bunny, Margaret Qualle...

Christchurch entrepreneur Nic Gaviria's business idea designed to address binge eating has landed a new major supporter - and a cash boost. Gaviria was selected from 16,000 business owners around the world to be mentored by Steven Bartlett, a Dragon's Den investor and host of the Diary of a CEO podcast. She says it's been extremely 'validating' to have the business recognized.   "I saw t...

Winston Peters is sounding the alarm over high levels of immigration, pointing to issues within Europe as a catalyst for further changes to our system.  The New Zealand First leader's long rallied against mass immigration, and is hinting at a beefed up policy at the next election. Newstalk ZB political reporter Azaria Howell says NZ First's Shane Jones has also indicated immigration will be a...

Less than half of graduating nurses are getting hired by Health New Zealand. New data reveals only 323 out of 722 mid-year graduates gained entry level jobs in hospitals. The Nurses Organisation says that number used to be as high as 90 percent. President of the National Student Unit, Bianca Grimmer, says it's forcing students into roles they're not exactly after. "Nurses have a purpose and a 'why...

The South Island seems to be pulling ahead of the North as New Zealand crawls out of the recession.  Kiwibank’s latest report reveals economic activity is picking up across most of the country - but recovery remains fragile.  It indicates booms in agriculture and tourism have aided recovery in places like Otago and Southland. Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr says the tide is turning...

Right, all you dropkicks out there - as David Seymour fondly called some voters this week - the electoral laws are changing and you’re being given a good year’s notice to make sure you’re enrolled and your details are correct before advanced voting starts in the general election next year. No enrolments or changes will be accepted after advanced voting starts.   You may think a year is adequa...

The Cowboy Junkies are still going strong as they approach a significant anniversary. This year the band is celebrating 40 years together, and they've managed to stay together and not take any significant breaks, a rare feat for the music industry. Ahead of their upcoming stop in New Zealand this November, lead singer Margo Timmins says it's 'overwhelming' to see that the band's been able to keep...

The Stars are A Million Glittering Worlds by Gina Butson. This is the first novel from a New Zealand writer, about a young woman who leaves home after a tragedy and travels the world for a year, running away from the hurt and running towards something she’s not quite sure of. Her travels take her to Asia, then Central America where, in Guatemala, she befriends two people who have significant impac...

BloggerAtLarge.com writer Megan Singleton's latest stop is in Bangkok, Thailand, and she's been taking it all in. Despite the muggy weather, Megan's been able to get around via water taxi, and it's allowed her to take in some shopping and dining - and she's also experienced the Sky Train. She recapped her experience further here today. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

This week on the Sunday Panel, p artner at Freebairn and Hehir Laywers, Liam Hehir and journalist, TV producer and commentator, Irene Gardiner, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! This week, we saw the Government end open-plan classrooms in schools.  And today, we hear there are significant concerns about NCEA and changes are being mulled over. Both iss...

Supplements are regarded as a healthy choice to give you an extra boost - but do these products really have the benefits they claim they do? Numerous studies have identified tainted supplements or misleading labels, so it's important to do your research before you take them. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explains further - and explains why supplements aren't an insurance policy or a s...

Dry rubbed lamb ribs with quick chilli sauce Cook time: 30 minutes  Prep time: 20 minutes  Serves: 6  600g lamb spare ribs   5 star anise   1 tbsp salt   5 bay leaves   2 tbsp Dijon mustard   5 tbsp house rub   Mike's house rub   1 tbsp each mustard, cumin, coriander seeds, toasted and crushed   1 tbsp mustard powder   1 tbsp garlic powde...

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 20 July 2025, ahead of the release of her new film 'Four Letters of Love', British actress Helena Bonham Carter shares her experience of the vast change in the film industry. Cowboy Junkies lead singer Margo Timmins talks about why the band is one of the few to stay together over 40 years and why they never conformed. Educati...

Most of us know the feeling: the alarm rings and you either spring out of bed ready to face the day, or you groggily fumble for the snooze button.  But why does waking up feel so different from day to day?  New research published in the journal Current Biology has revealed what’s happening inside the brain during those first few seconds of waking up.  Using high-density EEG (electro...

Since launching into the spotlight in the 1985 film A Room with a View, Helena Bonham Carter has gone on to lead a memorable acting career full of iconic roles. Between The Crown , Sweeney Todd , Fight Club , the Harry Potter franchise and Ocean's 8,  her film career has no shortage of iconic performances. Her latest work is a starring role in the new film Four Letters of Love , alongside Gab...

A film of Black Sabbath’s final live show is set to be released in theatres early next year. The event was held earlier this month at the Villa Park venue in the band’s hometown of Birmingham, and a film documenting the sold-out gig  is currently in production from Mercury Studios. The film will reportedly run for 100 minutes, and it promises to be a ' love letter to Ozzy and the pioneering s...

Kiwis have always been among the world's biggest ice cream fans, and this year's Ice Cream and Gelato Awards promises to push the flavour boundaries. Mince & Cheese Pie Gelato, Jelly Tip Brownie Gelato, Hokey Pokey Ice Cream and Kawakawa, Manuka Honey and Ginger Ice Cream are among the flavours being assessed, with creations being judged across 15 key categories.  Chief judge Geoff Scott...

The All Blacks will be feeling satisfied following a scrappy 29-19 win over France to close out a three-test whitewash. The hosts kept the French scoreless in the final 40 minutes of the series in Hamilton as they scored the last 19 points of the contest. Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Elliott Smith says the All Blacks will come out of this series with a lot to learn and improve on ahead of future...