The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

One of ZB's resident travel experts, Megan Singleton, has been taking in the sights of the US - and this week, she's opening up about her experience with Dollywood. Dollywood ppened in 1986 in Pigeon Forge on the site of former attractions dating back to the 1960s, and it's a must see for fans of Dolly Parton, or even fans of the old west. Megan Singleton detailed her experience - and revealed why...

This week on the Sunday Panel, broadcaster and journalist, Wilhelmina Shrimpton, and resident economist at Opes Partners, Ed McKnight, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  Peter Burling will join Italian syndicate Luna Rossa for the 38th edition of the America's Cup in an undefined role. What do we make of this? Should we be worried?  A new study o...

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 22 June 2025, comedian Chris Parker on embracing being dramatic and the new edition to his family. Pharmacist turned author AA Dhand opens up about using his experience with drugs, drug dealers and addicts as the premise for his new novel The Chemist. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon heads from China to the NATO Summit and In...

June marks Men's Health Awareness Month - leaving plenty of room to discuss how things can be improved. Research shows men face significant health challenges and often experience poorer health outcomes and shorter life expectancies compared to women. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara unpacked the contributing factors and health conditions behind these stats - and revealed how things could...

Brussel sprouts with bacon and parmesan bake Cook time: 5 minutes  Prep time: 5 minutes  Serves: 4  12 brussels sprouts, stalks removed   4 rashers of streaky bacon, roughly chopped   1 cup finely grated parmesan   1 tbsp sunflower oil   Flaky salt and cracked pepper  Pre-heat a oven to 180*c   Cut stalks off brussels sprouts and cut each brussel into 1...

Most of the studies that have looked at how humans and animals dive into water have focused on understanding the small splash created by their water entry - think Olympic divers and hunting birds.  New research published in the journal Interface Focus has not only done the opposite, by studying how to make the biggest splash, but has done so thanks to a fun New Zealand pastime.  Manu jum...

Back in 2002, director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland released  post-apocalyptic horror thriller 28 Days Later - which proved to be a monster hit. The 2007 follow-up, 28 Weeks Later , wasn't as successful, but the duo came back together to release another sequel.  Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall reveals whether 28 Years Later  lives up to the hype. LISTEN ABOVE See omnys...

There's a high-intensity fitness event set to take place this coming November, and it's designed to beat a Guinness world fitness record. Cantabrian Jared Rogers aims to break the world record for the largest high-intensity interval training - or HIIT - class in a single venue.  Organisers are calling for participants now - and Rogers says he's hoping to attract at least 10,000 participants....

Three groups of construction and infrastructure companies will be bidding to build the next section of the new Northland Expressway after the shortlist was unveiled. Minister Chris Bishop today revealed the three consortia, selected by the NZ Transport Agency, would move on to the next step in the bidding process to build a 26-kilometre, four-lane expressway from Warkworth. NZ Herald political rep...

The Crusaders have revived their Super Rugby dynasty, while inflicting further heartache on the Chiefs. The red-and-blacks have come from behind to win the final 16-12 in Christchurch, for a 15th title. Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Elliott Smith unpacked the highs and lows of the match - and unpacked the Crusaders' strategy. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister says New Zealand has a proper, comprehensive relationship with China. Christopher Luxon is keeping tight lipped about what he talked about behind closed doors with Chinese leaders after his three-day trip drew to a close. Otago University International Relations professor Robert Patman says the trip appears to have been a successful one, based on the reactions from both sides. "...

This week, Steven Spielberg’s terrifying film Jaws turned 50. Yes, 50.   Jaws was released in 1975, and on Friday afternoon I mentioned this on Newstalk ZB and shared how much it affected me when I saw it for the first time.   We were having our first big family holiday - Mum and Dad took us to the Gold Coast to see family, and on the first night my cousin thought it would be a great ide...

Celine Song has generated plenty of interest and acclaim off her directing debut Past Lives - and her new romantic drama Materialists has attracted attention from film fans. Materialists  stars Dakota Johnson as a successful match-maker for New York's elite singles who's torn between two potential suitors of her own. Celine Song says she used her own experiences as a matchmaker to help craft...

A tell-all expose from within our health system was released this week - and it's attracting plenty of interest. Written by Auckland-based ICU doctor, Dr Ivor Popovich, the book shares his journey from med school through the public health system. He talks of bullying, funding and staffing shortfalls through to the inequities between private and public healthcare Popovich says he wasn't sure how hi...

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid, who is well known for terrific books like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and Daisy Jones and The Six. In 1980, Joan Goodwin becomes one of the first women scientists accepted by NASA for the space shuttle programme where she’s part of a close team who work and play together. Vanessa Ford is a brilliant, practical aeronautical engineer and they discover possib...

It's an interesting time to be in the US, with protests erupting across the nation in response the the actions of the Trump administration. Tens of thousands have taken to the streets across all 50 states, with the aim of “rejecting authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics, and the militarisation of our democracy”. Megan Singleton is in Chicago at the moments - and she opened up about the real...

This week on the Sunday Panel, journalist and editor Jo McCarroll and NZ Herald senior writer Simon Wilson joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The private v public healthcare debate continues - how can we keep the waitlists down? There doesn’t seem to be an obvious solution, but this week, the Government is claiming to have 9696 extra elective surgeries, put...

Obesogens are chemicals that disrupt the body's normal controls and promote fat cell formation (adipogenesis) and lipid accumulation. These can potentially lead to obesity.  Common types of obesogens include BPA, phthalates, herbicides, pesticides, PFOA and nonstick cookware and food additives. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara reveals how obesogens affect your body - and how you can...

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 15th June 2025, Oscar-nominated Celine Song on her new film Materialists and how it was inspired by her own experience as a matchmaker in New York. ICU doctor, Dr Ivor Popovich explains why he has spoken out against his employer with a tell-all expose of New Zealand's health system. Middle East correspondent Gregg Carlstrom w...

Lamb shoulder with chermoula  Cook time: 3 hours  Prep time: 5 minutes  Serves: 6  1 lamb shoulder   Chermoula   2 lemons, juiced   1 onion, peeled and diced   10 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed   1 tbsp ground coriander   1 tbsp ground cumin   1 tbsp garam masala   2 tsp turmeric, ground or fresh   1 tsp chili powder   1 tsp...

What if your next medical test involved breathing into a tube instead of drawing blood?  A new study out this week published in the journal Current Biology has discovered that every human has a way of breathing through their nose that is so unique to them, it can be used to identify individuals with incredible accuracy.  These personal "nasal respiratory fingerprints" may even hold power...

After the UK's Download festival saw a significant spike in accidental emergency calls, authorities have urged fans to put their smartwatches on airplane mode. Emergency calls were automatically being made from the moshpit because the tech incorrectly assumed people has been caught in collisions.  Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for...

New Zealand Fashion Week is set to make a return. After the cancellation of last year's event due to economic concerns, Giltrap Group has been secured as a naming rights sponsor for three years.  One of New Zealand’s premier designers, Kathyrn Wilson of Kathryn Wilson Footwear, says everyone's 'delighted' that they can celebrate the industry after a rough few years. "We were really hoping it...

The Prime Minister says his upcoming trip to China is about more than bolstering trade links. Chris Luxon will be meeting with President Xi Jinping and other key members of the Chinese Government while in Beijing next week.  After meetings wrap up in Shanghai, Luxon will be heading to the NATO summit in Europe. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan explained why Luxon's carrying out thes...

Health Minister Simeon Brown says the Government want patients to be able to see the clear benefits of health infrastructure investments. The Government has approved a suite of amendments to the Healthy Futures Act, put in place in 2022, that it hopes will strengthen the performance of Health New Zealand. Brown says these changes needed to be put in place to ensure the health system could be focus...