The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Disney's latest theme park destination will be in the United Arab Emirates, on a relatively new tourist island already packed with amusement parks, a golf course, indoor skydiving and a stadium.  Construction on the project hasn't started as of yet - and industry reports indicate it could take at least six years before the park opens to Disney fans. BloggerAtLarge.com writer Megan Singleton s...

This week on the Sunday Panel, managing director of 818, Chris Henry, and director at Capital, Ben Thomas, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Eurovision 2025 took place today - what do we make of this year's entries? Do we get it? Do we think Austria deserved to win? It's been an interesting week in politics, with political reporter Thomas Coughlan bringing...

One wellness expert has opened up about the physical and mental benefits of getting your hands dirty. Studies have shown that the amount of physical contact with the soil affects the diversity of your gut microbiome and health.  Touching dirt, especially for extended periods like gardening or playing outdoors, can positively impact your microbiome by increasing the diversity and richness of b...

Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 18 May. 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.

What do you get when a group of podiatrists team up with a Barbie doll collector? A research paper published in the journal PLOS ONE that looks into 65 years of Barbie history.  The idea started when one of the authors was watching the 2023 Barbie movie. In it, there was a scene when Barbie steps out of her high heels and her feet flatten for the first time. For those of us who grew up with B...

Palak paneer curry  Cook time: 10 minutes  Prep time: 10 minutes  Serves: 6  1kg spinach paste   500gm paneer   1 onion diced finely   2 tbsp sunflower oil   4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed   1 tsp finely grated ginger   2 finely diced tomatoes (or ½ can chopped tomatoes)   1 tbsp cumin seeds   ½ cup cream or coconut cream for dairy f...

If you've been to Auckland's Aotea Square recently, you may have noticed the large shipping containers that recently appeared. They're part of Darkfield , an immersive audio experience that has travelled the world, including to major international festivals like the Venice Film Festival, BFI London, Tribeca and SXSW. The containers are pitch-black and visitors step inside either the Victorian sean...

Auckland FC is brimming with confidence after winning the first leg of their A-League semi-final 1-nil over the Victory 1-nil in Melbourne. Despite being out of action for a fortnight, the Kiwi side managed to surge ahead - and they're in a good position as they gear up for next weekend's return leg at Mt Smart. Auckland FC CEO Nick Becker says it was a 'tense game' - but the side managed to absor...

This month marks 25 years of celebrating Kiwi musicians and the music industry as part of New Zealand Music Month. A big part of the month includes New Zealand Music T-Shirt Day - a day not just about supporting your favourite Kiwi band but highlighting the work of charity 'Music Helps'.   Several famed Kiwi musicians are involved with the charity, including award-winning producer and songwri...

One expert has labelled this week in politics an 'absolute shambles' amid a series of controversial events. Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden made headlines after dropping the c-bomb in Parliament after critiquing an opinion piece by journalist Andrea Vance that strongly criticised her pay equity changes in the House. NZ Herald political editor Thomas Coughlan unpacked the controversi...

Andrew Little has revealed he's got his eyes on Wellington's future as he outlines plans as a mayoral candidate. The former Labour leader officially launched his campaign for the mayoralty in the capital yesterday.  He's vowing to implement a more transparent, democracy-focused system of decision-making at the council if elected in October. Little says people feel 'disconnected' - and he's ho...

They don’t make them like Tom Cruise anymore.   As the nature of stardom has changed over the last few decades the idea of the classic movie star has slowly diminished. But the latest and final Mission Impossible film, The Final Reckoning, makes it clear Tom is top of the list of good old-fashioned movie stars still out there.  There are several reasons movie stars and stardom aren’t wha...

Kaliane Bradley's The Ministry of Time has been regarded as one of the of successful books of 2024 - and it's got quite a history attached to it. The book was initially written as a fanfiction project intended for a small group of friends over the Covid-19 lockdowns, but it went on to become an instant hit. Ahead of her appearance at the Auckland Writers Festival, Bradley opened up about her creat...

The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey. Set in England in 1979, identical 13 year old triplets are part of a Government scheme where they’re constantly monitored and medicated. They’re overseen by Mothers Morning, Afternoon and Night who teach them from the Book of Knowledge, keep records in the Book of Dreams, and write up their misdemeanours in The Book of Guilt. There’s a slow, insidious creep...

Tens of thousands of travellers have descended on the city of Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis and the election of a new pontiff.  The region's had its' share of time in the spotlight over the last couple of weeks - but BloggerAtLarge's Megan Singleton says there's plenty to explore and experience no matter what. She outlined her tips and recommendations here. LISTEN ABOVE   See...

This week on the Sunday Panel, ZB Wellington mornings host Nick Mills and b roadcaster and journalist Wilhelmina Shrimpton joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  Labour has introduced a new members' bill designed to crack down on tobacco lobbying. Do we need to stop lobbying - or introduce more transparency in the name of health and safety?  Ahead of...

With all the discussion around the importance of work-life balance going on, there's been additional questions raised about what that looks like for women. Many women are navigating the dual pressures of career advancement and family responsibilities, which creates an unrelenting overlap between work and home that often leads to burnout.   Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara unpacks th...

Autumn veggie soup with lemon garlic bread  Cook time: 30 minutes  Prep time: 15  Serves: 6  2 tbsp sunflower oil   1 medium onion, chopped   4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed   3 carrots, peeled and diced   1 cup chopped celery   4 bay leaves   400gm can whole peeled tomatoes   400gm can cannellini beans, drained  1 ltr water & 1 s...

Utes and SUVs make up 9 out of 10 of the most popular cars on our roads - but a new study has revealed the safety risks they pose. Research from the journal Injury Prevention shows that a pedestrian or cyclist is 44 percent more likely to be fatally injured if they are hit by an SUV or light truck (LTV), compared with smaller passenger cars. For children, the stats are even more bleak - a child hi...

Dua Lipa, Sir Elton John and Florence Welch are among a list of stars calling on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to update existing copyright laws to protect them from AI. A letter signed by more than 400 British musicians, writers and artists and addressed to the Prime Minister says failing to give them that protection would mean them 'giving away' their work to tech firms. Flicks.co.nz editor Steve...

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 11 May 2025, author Kaliane Bradley opened up about the creative journey that led to her successful debut novel, The Ministry of Time. Kiwi actress Robyn Malcolm is feeling pretty excited after After the Party got nominated for a Bafta - she joined Francesca to discuss. Francesca speculates about what Donald Trump's latest ta...

A Queenstown brewery has put New Zealand on the global sake map for the first time. The country’s first and only dedicated sake brewery has taken home a gold award for its handcrafted Drip Pressed Junmai Ginjo as part of the Tokyo Sake Challenge. Zenkuro Sake director Richard Ryall says this award comes as the brewery celebrates its 10-year anniversary. "It's been an amazing journey for us to reac...

The 2025 Bafta Awards ceremony is set to take place, and one Kiwi star is feeling hopeful following her recent nomination. Robyn Malcolm's After the Party has been nominated for Best International Series - and she's feeling pretty thrilled about it.  This follows the show picking up a record haul of nine awards at the New Zealand Television Awards last year.  Robyn Malcolm says she's 'bl...

The Government's pushed their new pay equity changes through - and it's prompted some noticeable backlash. The Bill, halting pay equity claims and raising the threshold to lodge a claim based on gender discrimination, passed this week under urgency. Hundreds of protestors turned up outside Ministerial offices around the country in opposition. NZ Herald political reporter Jamie Ensor says these cha...

Access to mental health support is a constant problem - but one Kiwi start-up is working towards a solution. Between the shortage of qualified professionals, long delays and high costs, plenty of New Zealanders aren't getting the help they need. oVRcome specialises in VR Exposure Therapy - and the start-up is expected to showcase the technology at Melbourne’s Digital Health Festival. oVRcome found...