The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Dissection of a Murder by Jo Murray. Leila Reynolds is a relatively new barrister, married to Julian who’s a Kings Counsel. They both work in the same legal chambers and one day she’s assigned a case, defending a man who is accused of murdering a local well-respected judge. Things get complicated though when her husband Julian is assigned as the Crown Prosecutor in the case and they’re up against...

Rome draws in millions of tourists every year - and with more travellers comes more people looking to take advantage of them. The shell game, the friendship bracelet, the Colosseum ticket tout and the fake police officer are just some of the scams groups run on tourists in order to steal their money. BloggerAtLarge's Megan Singleton reveals how to get ahead of these scams - read more about it here...

This week on the Sunday Panel, Resident Economist from Opes Partners, Ed McKnight, and TV producer, journalist and commentator, Irene Gardiner, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Budget 2026 was revealed last week, and it forecasts a return to surplus in the 2028/29 year. Some experts have raised questions over how likely this actually is - what do we...

Boredom eating is a factor that can make all the difference in weight gain or weight loss - so how can we work around it? When you're snacking too much between meals,  you’re most likely consuming more food than your body needs, which can add to additional issues down the track. Wellness expert Erin O'Hara reveals her tips and strategies for breaking through boredom eating.  LISTEN ABOVE...

Prep time: 30 minutes Serves: 6-8  2 cups red wine   1 cup fresh thyme   6 garlic cloves, crushed   12 baby white onions, outer skin removed, cut in half   2 tbsp oil   Pinch flaky salt and white pepper   400 gm button mushrooms, cut in half   10 rashers streaky bacon   2 cubes chicken stock dissolved in 2 cups of water Cut the chicken legs in half betw...

For decades, one of the biggest challenges of sending humans to Mars hasn’t just been getting there, it’s getting back.  Under current mission plans, astronauts could spend nearly three years completing a round trip to the Red Planet. The journey to Mars alone typically takes seven to ten months, and crews then have to wait for Earth and Mars to align again before returning home.  But no...

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 31 May 2026, Kiwi singer songwriter Georgia Lines has a new album coming, she joined Francesca today to make the announcement live on the show, to talk about her new life in Nashville and the reality of Celebrity Treasure Island. Kate Moss is something of an enigma, shying away from interviews and turning down many requests f...

Marlon Williams has taken out the top honours at this year’s Aotearoa Music Awards. Williams was named Best Solo artist at the ceremony held at Auckland’s Civic Theatre on Thursday night. His single, Aua Atu Rā, was named best of the year and his most recent record Te Whare Tīwekaweka was named Best Album. Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/...

The upcoming FIFA World Cup is a couple of weeks away, and excitement is growing. The players are coming together, New Zealand's own All Whites are on the ground - but there's another Kiwi set to play a signicant role at this year's event. Eden Park turf manager Blair Christiansen has been in the US for a couple of weeks - in his new role as pitch venue manager for New York New Jersey Stadium. "Wh...

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth says New Zealand is 'freeloading' off the American military. In an address at an Asia-Pacific security conference, Hegseth called for nations to spend 3.5 percent of GDP on defence. He says Wellington's plan to boost spending to 2 percent in the next eight years isn't enough. Political commentator Brigitte Morten says recent defence spending moves indicate the Gove...

There's an expectation pharmacies will quickly take up expanded powers to treat patients for a range of common conditions. Under Health NZ's $5 million plan, pharmacists will be able to prescribe medicines for pain, head lice, conjunctivitis, urinary tract infections and the emergency contraceptive pill from Tuesday. Pharmaceutical Society of NZ President, Michael Hammond says all pharmacies can o...

It's been a breakthrough year for New Zealand’s video game industry. The sector hit its $1 billion annual revenue target two years early, and it's on track to double that figure by the end of the decade. NZ Game Developers Association executive director Joy Keene says there are quite a few factors behind this. "We're a very creative country, obviously, we have some number 8 wire kind of thinking....

Well, it wasn’t the most exciting Budget week was it? Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ budget was designed around fiscal restraint, deficit reduction, and a return to operating surplus by 2028/29 (depending on the accounting measure used!). It does appear to make progress toward reducing spending growth. Major savings are expected from restructuring the public service and ending the final-year “fee...

Heather Mitchell is regarded as one of Australia's most well-known and hardest working stars, and she's taking on a new, unique role on stage.  RBG: Of Many, One debuts at Auckland theatre company this week, and will run until June 7th - and Mitchell portrays the late US Supreme Court Justice. It's a one-woman show, where Mitchell portrays Ginsburg from the age of 13 to 97, and she plays nume...

Dave Dobbyn is regarded as a national treasure among Kiwi music fans, and he's set to hit the stage this July. From Th’ Dudes to DD Smash to a highly successful solo career, he's made an impact on New Zealand music, with many of his hits becoming Kiwi anthems. He's set to do a one night show in Auckland later this year, 'Selected Songs Encore' - a follow-up to last year's 'Selected Songs' tour. "I...

Five by Ilona Bannister. This is a highly entertaining and cleverly constructed thriller based on the premise that on a suburban train station one morning there are five minutes until the next train, five passengers waiting, and five minutes until one of them dies. The narrative gives the story of each of these people so that you develop a real understanding of them, all the while wondering which...

Megan Singleton was recently in New Orleans, and she's opening up about the best food she tried there. Brennan's is a historic institution best known for their Bananas Foster, and Megan's written down the recipe for the highly requested dish. Read more here. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, j ournalist Simon Wilson a nd Coast Day host Lorna Riley joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week - and more!  Nicola Willis announced that public service jobs would be slashed, and it's been viewed as controversial. Do we need these cuts? Should a reduction in public service roles also mean a reduction in  politicians? Surely if the...

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 24 May 2026, Dave Dobbyn doesn't agree to many interviews, but today he joins Francesca to reflect on his career, why he never wants to stop performing and how Parkinson's has changed his life. Heather Mitchell has been called Australia's hardest working actress and her latest role shows why.  Heather tells Francesca jus...

The star ratings Kiwis use to hunt out healthy food in the supermarket have been called into question, with experts wondering if they really help.  Some say it can help compare the nutritional profiles of similarly packaged foods, but some say its voluntary nature and algorithms mean it can sometimes be misleading or fail to reflect whole-food healthiness.  Naturopath and wellness expert...

Fish cakes with curry lime mayonnaise  Cook time: 30 minutes  Prep time: 15 minutes  Serves: 6 500 gm gurnard fillets   1 cup milk   4 medium agria potatoes, peeled   Zest of 1 lemon   ½ cup parsley, chopped   1 red chilli, finely chopped   ½ red onion, finely chopped   Salt and black pepper   2 eggs, lightly beaten   1 cup milk   2...

When we think about exercise that improves balance and agility, most of us picture standing workouts like yoga, squats, balance boards, maybe even tai chi. But new research published in the journal  PLOS ONE suggests something surprising - you may be able to improve your balance while lying flat on your back. The researchers found that just 10 minutes a day of simple floor-based exercises imp...

2026 marks the 20th anniversary of The Fred Award, with guests encouraged to dress in 'Gumboot Glam'. The 2026 Comedy Festival is almost over, with the Last Laughs Awards Gala taking place 7PM at SkyCity Theatre tonight. Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall unpacked the nominees further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first Enhanced Games start tomorrow in Las Vegas, with performance drugs allowed in swimming, track, weightlifting and strongman events.  Medical supervision will monitor the 40 elite athletes competing for millions of dollars as it streams online. Sports scientist and former Olympic coach Dr Adam Storey says this competition goes against what New Zealand organisations support, as the nat...

Budget 2026 is set to be unveiled this week, and there's plenty of speculation about what it might bring. Ahead of Thursday's big reveal, new announcements about defence spending, education, and healthcare have been released. Newstalk ZB political reporter Ethan Griffiths says the Government's looking to be 'bold' this time round, with their controversial announcement over public service job cuts...