The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

You’ve probably heard the old saying: “Don’t eat cheese before bed, or you’ll have nightmares.” But is there actually any truth to it?  A new study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology suggests there might be. Researchers surveyed over 1,000 volunteers about their sleep, dreams, and eating habits. They found that people with worse symptoms of lactose intolerance (people who don't...

After 57 years of making music - Black Sabbath have performed their final-ever show in the UK. Fans from all over the world packed out Villa Park in Birmingham, watching on as Ozzy Osbourne and his band performed popular songs including War Pigs , Iron Man , and wrapped up with Paranoid .  Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall says the tribute show was opened by other rock icons, including Tool, M...

There's criticism of Treaty requirements for school boards. Education Minister Erica Stanford says a section in the Education and Training Amendment Bill requiring school boards to reflect tikanga Māori in policies and plans wasn't added by her. Prime Minister Chris Luxon says many education regulations mention Treaty obligations - which isn't Stanford's focus. NZ Herald political reporter Jamie E...

Three disallowed tries courtesy of the TMO has made for a scrappy opening match for the All Blacks to begin 2025. They’ve escaped with a 31-27 win over the French in Dunedin, having led 21-13 at halftime. Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Elliott Smith says it was a close match, but the All Blacks found a way to win in the end. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Discussions are taking place over the future of the Census, and one expert is warning there's a factor the Government hasn't considered. Last month, Minister Shane Reti announced the five yearly data collection will be scrapped - instead, he plans to use administrative data from Government agencies and an annual survey.  Wellington barrister Graeme Edgeler says the Data and Statistics Act req...

As the All Blacks took to the field at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin last night to stagger over the line against the French, I thought about the calls I had on Marcus Lush Nights on Friday, talking about the future of our large stadiums - and in particular of Forsyth Barr Stadium and Wellington’s Sky Stadium. It doesn’t seem to matter which city you’re in across the country, stadiums are problem...

After making an impression on millions around the world - and making an appearance in Wellington in 2024, 'The Art of Banksy' exhibit is set to hit Auckland. Banksy is one of the world's most famous artists with a significant global following, but his identity remains unknown - despite exhibitions of his work selling out and attracting interest. Banksy didn't personally curate this exhibit, but pr...

The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb. He’s beloved by loads of readers, especially for his brilliant book I Know this Much is True . This new one is, to a large degree, informed by the years he spent teaching creative writing to incarcerated women in a Connecticut prison. It’s the story of a man whose life is in a downward spiral. Corby Ledbetter is out of work and self medicating when he causes a d...

If you're in a position where you can upgrade your seat for a long haul flight, there's still a debate to be had about which seat is better. Air New Zealand’s Skycouch allows travellers the freedom to lie down on the plane - but how does it compare to the reclining seats in Premium Economy? BloggerAtLarge's Megan Singleton compared the two - and wrote a review on her blog here. LISTEN ABOVE See om...

Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 29 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.

This week on the Sunday Panel, Newstalk ZB Wellington Mornings host Nick Mills and host of the Front Page podcast, Chelsea Daniels, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week - and more! The Government's new sentencing reforms are set to kick in today - what do we make of these? Do we see these new changes making a difference? Lotto Powerball could be about to get a whole lot...

Famed Australian comedian and social media star Jimmy Rees has made a name for himself across a number of platforms - and he's taking his latest tour on the road.  He's set to perform in New Zealand for the first time ever, as well as Hobart, Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne, and Canberra between October and December 2025. He says there's plenty in his act for people t...

When you’re feeling stressed about work, it can be hard to leave it at the office - and this can impact sleeping habits. Poor sleep quality, including interrupted sleep or non-restorative sleep, is associated with a variety of negative consequences - health-related problems, diminished quality of life, and economic costs. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara unpacked the impact of work stres...

Carrot cupcakes  Ingredients  1 tsp baking powder ¾ cup plain flour 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp baking soda ½ cup raw sugar 2 free range eggs ½ cup vegetable oil 2 cups grated carrots ½ cup chopped nuts (can be walnuts or hazelnuts). 2 tbsp raisins 2 tbsp of decoration Icing Juice of 1 lemon  1 tbsp butter, softened 100g cream cheese, softened ½ cup icing sugar, sifted  Method  P...

We’ve all heard that regular exercise is good for you. But a major new study published in Cell might have just found a way to bottle its benefits and deliver them to people who can’t hit the gym. Over six years, the researchers tracked 13 healthy volunteers as they exercised, from a single 5km run to a 25-day running plan and they collected as much data as they could across the body including gene...

The 2025 edition of the New Zealand International Film Festival is set to open in Auckland from July 31st and run until September 10th. The event is speculated to show a wide range of films, from local productions to overseas affairs with international prestige.  Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall unpacked some of the films expected to be screening - and outlined some promising entries. LISTEN...

Cardrona Alpine Resort has officially launched their highly-anticipated Soho Basin - expanding to become  New Zealand’s largest commercial ski area. The expansion was part of a long-term investment program by RealNZ, Cardrona’s parent company, and it increases the area's total footprint to 615 hectares. Cardrona and Treble Cone Chief Mountain Officer Laura Hedley says as soon as the condition...

ACT leader David Seymour's had to step up over the last few days, as Prime Minister Luxon spends time working on relationships overseas. Luxon's been in China and Europe, meaning Seymour's had to address the media as part of a post-Cabinet press conference - and answer questions. Newstalk ZB political editor Jason Walls says Luxon's taken all the necessary steps to ensure both Deputy Prime Ministe...

The Danish Government is set to allow citizens to claim property rights over their features and voices in a bid to tackle the impact of AI deepfakes. The proposed legislation would mean that people would have the right to ask platforms to take deepfake content down if it breached copyright infringement.  Copyright lawyer Rick Shera is sceptical about the prospect of this new law making a diff...

A spate of new sentencing reforms will take effect today, including the sentence discount caps that promise to restore 'real consequences' for crime.  As part of the reforms, judges won't be able to reduce an offender's sentence by more than 40 percent for mitigating factors. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says the Government's top priority is to restore law and order. "Remember, people were...

So, what’s your number?   What’s the amount you think would be perfect to win in Lotto Powerball? The amount that allows you to pay off the mortgage, set the kids up, help family, and maybe fulfil a dream or two - but without it upending your life in a negative way?   We’ve all got a fantasy number, right? I reckon $10 million would be perfect, but to be honest, I’d take anything the num...

In this edition of Great Chats with Francesca Rudkin, we hear from filmmaker Celine Song on her Hollywood hit,  The Materialists  starring Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans.  Author AA Dhand talks his latest thriller, The Chemist. Francesca asks how his experiences with abuse, violence and overdoses while running a late hour pharmacy in the UK informed his writing. &...

Comedian Chris Parker's new live show proved successful at the Melbourne Comedy Festival, and he's ready to unleash it on the Kiwis. Parker's touring Stop Being So Dramatic around the country and he's promised the show is his most personal yet. He says he's expected a more reserved reception from Kiwi audiences - but he knows how to work with that. "We still have this weird mentality sometimes, we...

In a previous life, crime writer AA Dhand dealt with a lot, including overdoses, violence, and abuse, to name a few.  Amit worked on the frontline of the NHS crisis, running his 100 hour pharmacy in Bradford - surrounded by drugs, drug dealers and giving him insight into the lives of addicts and the dealers preying on the vulnerable.  He turned these experiences into a crime thriller, Th...

A Beautiful Family by Jennifer Trevelyan: In 1987, 10 year old Alix and her family are at the beach for the great New Zealand summer, but everything feels a little off - her teenage sister’s desperate to run with the in-crowd, her mother’s wildly distracted and her father is adrift. Alix befriends another holidaymaker, and they hunt for signs of a girl who went missing years ago, while a creepy ne...