The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 2nd of March, new research reveals more Kiwis are at risk of workplace burnout than ever. Dr Denise Quinlan explains the new pressures impacting Kiwi employees.  Danish actor Claes Bang is going against type as he stars in the new historical thriller William Tell. Speaking of history, Giorgia Kennedy and Zelia Rose Kitok...

The legal aid system could be getting a shake up as the Government hints towards reviewing the scheme to ensure victims’ justice is a priority.   Minister Paul Goldsmith has claimed the system is under pressure, with an increase in the volume of court cases, expenses for third party and specialist reports - and changes to eligibility in recent years.    Law Society President Frazer...

In the first 2025 edition of Great Chats with Francesca Rudkin, former CIA analyst turned thriller writer David McCloskey talks his third book and how he captures CIA life.  New Zealand's own Morgana O'Reilly is a cast member on  The White Lotus  and tells Francesca what it was like on set and what audiences should expect from the hit show's third season.  And Jake Bailey captu...

Kiwi pop duo Foley are excited - and a little nervous - to release their upcoming second album out into the world. The pair's forthcoming second record THAT’S LIFE, BABY! - featuring the lead single of the same name - is set to drop on February 28. Ash Wallace and Gabe Everatt explained that releasing a second album is a different experience than creating a first - as there's a different kind of p...

Samoan-born Miki Magasiva is set to release his first feature directorial debut in the coming days. Magasiva made a name for himself crafting short films and commericials - and his work on miniseries The Panthers won him a best director award at the 2022 New Zealand Television Awards. His new feature film, Tinā tells the story of a Samoan teacher working at a private school while struggling with t...

Nemesis by Gregg Hurwitz. This is a story in the Orphan X sequence, which I’ve loved from the very beginning, but this one takes a darker and more personal turn for Evan Smoak, the hero. Because of the nature of his work and the man he was made to be to do that work he’s never had friends, but 15 years ago he met a man who became the nearest thing to being a friend – Tommy Stojack – a former gunru...

Everyone loves a good airport lounge experience, but it's not always a given for every airline - even if you're a Star Alliance loyalist. Enter Priority Pass - Megan Singleton's newest hack to experiencing airport luxury. Megan reveals how she found out about this - and details her experiences here. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, host of the NZ Herald’s weekly personal finance podcast, The Prosperity Project, Nadine Higgins and partner at Freebairn and Hehir Lawyers, Liam Hehir, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!  The debate about charity tax exemptions was reignited following Destiny Church's antics over the weekend. Labour MP Phil Twyford has wr...

Gut health and weight management are closely linked - and the bacteria in your gut can affect how you digest food, store fat, and feel full.   Gut bacteria can also affect how different foods are digested and produce chemicals that help make you feel full. Wellness expert Erin O'Hara explains how gut health and weight management feed into each other - and what to feed your gut microbiome to o...

Delicious Peach Loaf Cake   Cook time: 60 minutes  Prep time: 10 minutes  Serves: 6  Cup sunflower oil   2 cups plain flour, sifted   1 ½ cups light brown sugar   1 tsp vanilla paste   3 eggs, beaten   1 tsp baking powder   1/4 tsp sea salt   1 cup milk   Grated zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange   1 cup frozen berries   Garnish of 4...

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 23rd February 2025, filmmaker Miki Magasiva talks about how the death of his brother Pua drove the emotion of his incredible debut feature film Tina. Kiwi pop band Foley perform live in studio ahead of their album release this week . Francesca questions China's motive for the military ships practising live firing in the Tasma...

Most people wouldn’t guess ‘fish’ when asked about intelligence in animals, but new research in the journal Biology Letters shows that fish might be smarter than many of us think.  Previous lab studies have shown that captive archerfish, can recognise human faces in controlled settings, however there is little evidence that wild fish can do the same.  To learn more about wild fish, resea...

Christchurch's Electric Avenue has wrapped up - and it's sparked discussion about what it could mean for the future of the city. More than 35,000 people attended the music festival at Hagley Park over Friday and Saturday.  Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall wasn't on the ground - but he was suitably impressed by the lineup. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well, we may have problems getting Chinese tourists back to New Zealand, but the Chinese military seem interested in the region, conducting naval training practices about 130 to 150 nautical miles off the coast of Sydney.  So far, China has complied with international law and the UN Convention on the law on the sea. There is no indication they won’t continue to do so.   This is not an ov...

A new web series dropping this week is set to highlight the stories told by blind and low-vision youth - as well as the accessibility they have to our media. Created by media access services company Able, Sight Unseen showcases audio description, which allows the visually impaired to enjoy shows with an added layer of audio telling them what is happening on the screen.  Co-director Sheldene S...

The Vatican says Pope Francis is in a critical condition after suffering a long asthmatic respiratory crisis. The 88-year-old is being treated in hospital for double pneumonia and chronic bronchitis.  The Vatican has confirmed he is more unwell than he was yesterday - and has undergone a blood transfusion because of a low platelet count.  UK correspondent Enda Brady says the Vatican is s...

There's been growing debate concerning the status - and tax exemptions - of charitable groups. Followers of Destiny Church stormed an Auckland library to protest a drag storytime event and disrupted a rainbow parade last weekend, prompting calls to evaluate their status. Many have suggested Destiny Church's charity status should be revoked, with Labour's Phil Twyford writing to the Charities Regul...

New Zealand and Australian defence forces are watching on cautiously, following China's military drills in the Tasman Sea.  The Chinese Task Group conducted live firing last night from three vessels in its second day of drills.  Defence Minister Judith Collins says its intentions had been broadcast via its radio channels. Former politics professor Stephen Hoadley says Collins has been ca...

The newest season of The White Lotus is set to hit our screens this week - and homegrown actress Morgana O'Reilly is right in the middle of the action. While everyone else looks forward to another season of drama and intrigue in an exotic locale, O'Reilly's feeling the full range of emotions as her on-screen career takes a significant step forward. She can reveal she got to experience 'amazing' en...

Cancer nearly took Jake Bailey's life at 18, but he used the experience to inspire other young people after he survived his brush with death.  Nine years ago, Bailey made the headlines for delivering an  inspirational prizegiving speech weeks after he'd been diagnosed with rapid blood cancer Burkitt’s non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Once in remission, he studied positive psychology to try a...

We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes. Lila Kennedy has a lot on her plate. A recently broken marriage, two wayward daughters, a house that is falling apart, and an elderly stepfather who seems to have quietly moved in. Not to mention a once promising writing career that is now in freefall. So when her real dad - a man she has barely seen since he ran off to Hollywood thirty-five years ago - suddenly app...

British fashion icon Vivienne Westwood may have died two years ago, but her creative legacy lives on - with nearly 50 years of history attached. Some of that legacy arrived in New Zealand this January, with the Vivienne Westwood & Jewellery exhibition taking over Wellington's Te Papa museum. BloggerAtLarge.com's Megan Singleton got a look at the exhibit earlier this week - and shared some of h...

This week on the Sunday Panel, NZ Herald senior writer Simon Wilson and Newstalk ZB Wellington Mornings host Nick Mills joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week - and more!  It's been a busy week for David Seymour, between the Polkinghorne letter and the incident on the steps at Parliament. He's set to take over as the Deputy Prime Minister later this year - do we thin...

Taking on good habits is an easy way to improve your life, but kicking the not-so-good habits can be a little tougher. Creating a healthy lifestyle requires plenty of steps - and bad habits can lead to burnout and loss of energy over time. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara reveals the kinds of habits that can drain you, and how you can work towards giving them up. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystu...

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 16th February 2025, Kiwi actress Morgana O'Reilly spills the goss on season 3 of The White Lotus and what it was like filming the hit show. Jake Bailey was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer at just 18.  He joins Francesca to share what he learned from his journey and how he now wants to help the next generation. A dram...