The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

The early 2000s hit sitcom Malcolm in the Middle  is getting a four-episode revival on Disney+, 25 years after the show first aired. Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek are set to return for the project - but no airdate has been confirmed yet. Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall wonders if this reboot will uphold the legacy of the original - which went on to inspire sitcoms that cam...

The Government is set to update the nation about the state of the books next week - with experts concerned about what this means for New Zealand's future. The update will likely reveal whether or not the country is on track to reach surplus by the 2026/2027 forecast. NZ Herald political reporter Jamie Ensor unpacks the speculation. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Famed UK singer-songwriter Robbie Williams stars in a grand retelling of his life and career - while taking on a new simian alter ego. Better Man  depicts the star's career, from his childhood, to his Take That days, to his solo works, exposing all the pitfalls of fame in between - with Williams being represented by a CGI chimp. He says he felt compelled to do a biopic after a successful meet...

An Auckland MP is concerned about the amount of time police are spending monitoring events - rather than being on the beat in communities. Maungakiekie MP Greg Fleming is floating the idea of allowing police to charge for their presence at some large profitable events.  He says while on patrol with two local community officers, they told him they'd been at a large sporting event.  "They...

A UK-based startup is working on carrying out a bold plan to fix the decline of sea ice in the Arctic. Real Ice's ultimate plan is to re-freeze the Arctic by thickening ice to slow down the damage caused by climate change. Co-founder Simon Woods says this is their third winter of research - and it's promising so far. "We're chasing a moving target here - but at current levels, 1.2 meters of ice sh...

As we close in on the summer break, many of us are rushing to tidy up loose ends - and for the Government this week, it resulted in a swag of media releases. On Friday afternoon they put out 18!  Friday afternoons are a popular time to release average or bad news. The idea being that the media are beginning to clock off for the week and there is less ‘live’ news over the weekend, so hopefully...

Get the very best from Newstalk ZB's Francesca Rudkin as she brings you the top interviews from her chats from The Sunday Session.  Hear from the big names globally as well as those making headlines right here in New Zealand.  Great Chats with Francesca Rudkin is the home of in depth, enlightening and entertaining conversations.  From December 23rd - get the best interviews from the...

To mark the end of the year, Joan Mackenzie has outlined her favourite kids' books for 2024. Her top five consists of: Lisa Carrington Chases a Champion by Lisa Carrington and Scott Pearson  Kuwi’s Fluey Huwi by Kat Quin  Detective Beans: Case of Missing Hat by Li Chen  The Grimmelings by Rachael King  Children of the Rush # 3 by James Russell  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio....

China's visa-free travel extension is expected to boost New Zealand's interest in visiting the nation, according to experts. China launched a 15-day visa-free policy to New Zealand earlier in the year - and they've extended it to 30 days on a 'trial basis' until the end of 2025. BloggerAtLarge.com writer Megan Singleton says this move was done to boost tourism - and travel agencies and businesses...

This week on the Sunday Panel, broadcaster and journalist Wilhemina Shrimpton and economist at Opes Partners Ed McKnight joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Two participants in the Government's pilot boot camp were arrested in Waikato yesterday, following reports of an attempted carjacking involving a machete. Is this a bad start for the new initiative? Shou...

Moana 2 broke box office records in the US over the weekend after its release last week. The sequel to the first Moana film hit cinemas on November 27 - November 28 in New Zealand - and reports claim it's beating box office records for the Thanksgiving weekend.  Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall says it's already become the fifth biggest film of the year worldwide. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio....

Decades ago, the gym used to be a predominantly male space with women mostly doing cardio exercise - but that's all changed. Fast forward to today, and women of all ages and backgrounds are likely to be navigating weight equipment, with research showing women's use of weight-lifting has increased five-fold between 2016 and 2022. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara says there used to be conc...

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 8 December, incumbent Climate Commissioner Rod Carr has issued one last warning about New Zealand's emissions in his last day in the role. Famed QI trivia podcast   No Such Thing As A Fish  celebrated its 10th anniversary this year - with hosts James Harkin and Andrew Hunter Murray joining Francesca to discuss the m...

Kiwi indie-pop star Rita Mae has been making waves in New Zealand since 2021 - but she's been gaining more international attention. In 2023, Rolling Stone tipped her as one of the next Kiwi artists to take over, with the magazine labelling her as an artist with 'a bright future.' She says her new  Kiss The Sky EP was inspired by her own temporary boosts of confidence - and she rode the feelin...

Imagine wearing clothes that could make you blend seamlessly into your surroundings, just like a chameleon or an octopus. New research published in the journal Science Advances just turned this concept from science fiction to science fact.  The new material is able to adapt its appearance to its environment without the need for clunky electronics or high-tech devices using self-adaptive photo...

Christmas in summer means more room for cooler dishes over roasts - and these recipes are a step up from the usual potato salad and coleslaw.  Roasted carrots with mint emulsion and spiced chickpeas  Cook time: 45 minutes  Prep time: 20 minutes  Serves: 12 20 carrots cut in half   2 tbsp sunflower oil   flaky smoked seasalt   Miso emulsion   2 soft boiled eg...

The Green Party reached a significant milestone this weekend, off the back of a tough year for the party. It's been a year full of controversy following the arrest of Golriz Ghahraman, the referral of Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee and the Darleen Tana saga that ended with the Greens using the Waka-Jumping law to oust her. The Party's also had to deal with leadership changes followi...

An unconventional app is bringing Kiwis together through a love of fish heads. Free Fish Heads allows fishers to connect with seafood lovers who are after often-discarded fish parts - including fish heads - for cooking purposes. The app is the brainchild of TV fishing personality Matt Watson, who says there's no excuse for discarding perfectly good food. "It's about making connections with people...

Famed QI trivia podcast No Such Thing As A Fish  celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. In that timeframe, the podcast has recorded over 600 episodes and amassed half a billion listens - averaging a million downloads a week.   Two of the hosts, James Harkin and Andrew Hunter Murray says they've always enjoyed what they do, and they look forward to sharing unusual facts with listeners...

There's hopes the next Climate Change Commissioner can continue to hold the Government to account on climate action. Incumbent Rod Carr is leaving the role today after five years, having led the commission since its establishment in 2019. Carr says the nation is making progress - but it's not moving as quickly as it should be. "Our domestic emissions were always going to be bigger than what we cla...

Last year, there were 116 new Christmas holiday movies released on TV and streaming streaming services in the US. I have watched very few of them, but enough to say with confidence that the majority - were average. Yesterday, filling in on Jack Tame’s show, Chris Schulz spoke about a new Lindsay Lohan film on Netflix. It’s called Our Little Secret , and it’s currently the 2nd most watched film on...

We Burn Daylight by Bret Anthony Johnston. This is a novel based on the infamous 1993 Waco siege between the FBI and a cult known as the Branch Davidians (named after David Koresh, their leader). A cult has been established in the same area, led by a charlatan named Perry Cullen who is known as The Lamb, and the story centres on two star crossed teenagers who are caught up amongst it. Jaye’s mothe...

It's a big weekend for the US, with Thanksgiving and Black Friday bringing Americans together for another year. The holiday has evolved beyond eating turkey and stuffing and lining up outside the shops - and several traditions have been embraced by people all over the world. The famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade is an annual tradition that's gained popularity outside the US - and Bloggeratlarg...

This week on the Sunday Panel, editor and journalist Jo McCarroll and TV producer Irene Gardiner joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week - and more! The Labour Party has gathered for its first annual conference since their election loss - and the theme of the weekend is change. Can Labour turn their image around by 2026? Do they need a reset? Speaking of which - do Chris H...

Research has revealed a poor diet is one of the leading factors behind overall health inequality. Grocery prices and the ongoing cost of living crisis has turned healthy food into another luxury, putting low-income groups at risk of poor health.  Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara says there are cases where poor diet isn't a choice - and it's a significant problem in New Zealand. LIST...