The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. This is sublime. She shares some of the concerns which Charles Dickens had when he wrote David Copperfield – child poverty and exploitation, institutionalisation of kids – and she’s taken these themes and plonked them right into the middle of the Appalachians during the opioid crisis. It is just outstanding – as I said, my book of the year.   No Plan B by Le...

This week on the Sunday Panel, we had ZB Wellington Mornings host Nick Mills and 1 News Business correspondent Katie Bradford discuss the following topics:  Influencers in Iran  Do we want our Government bailing out people who make mistakes overseas? Do you agree we should look at the situation they are in, not the how they got themselves in that situation?  University Cheating Scandal  It has bee...

There’s definitely those embracing it with an ever-growing garden all over their houses and then those that simply can’t keep them alive.  Liz Carlson is the owner of plant shop Node and author of new book House Plants and Design: A New Zealand Guide - she is also a very successful travel blogger.  Liz talked about the importance of houseplants and what they did for her career here today. LISTEN A...

Taking ownership of our health seems like a simple exercise in accountability, but how does that work in practice? A new study out of Japan looks at healthy lifestyle behaviours and how changing your habits can increase your life expectancy and longevity.  Erin O'Hara, naturopath and wellness expert, talked us through the study and explained how watching what you eat or drink, your smoking status,...

This week marks the sad loss of my most favourite ice-cream. Goody goody gum drop! Yes it will still be available in rolling shops but the 2 litre has been removed from the shelves.   So who invented GGGD? The flavour was apparently invented 25 years ago by Murray Taylor, Tip Tops technical general manager. The iconic bubblegum flavoured ice-cream with those Gumdrop candies make for a sweet treat....

In honour of Halloween, Dr Joel Rindelaub explained the spookiest science out there: quantum entanglement. Albert Einstein himself described this science as spooky, and recent work in this field helped three quantum physicists win the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics earlier this year. Dr Joel Rindelaub explained that quantum entanglement refers to the idea that we don't know the state of quantum parti...

The White Lotus, a popular comedy-drama series that took advantage of the Covid-19 restrictions to film in a remote location, will release a second season. This new season features a new cast and is set to take place in Sicily instead of Hawaii, but follows a similar murder mystery premise as the first season.  Flicks.co.nz editor, Steve Newall, joined us to explain what to expect from the new sea...

Julian Lennon, the eldest son of Beatles legend John Lennon is back with a new album 'Jude'. This album title is a nod to his famous father and the song 'Hey Jude' that was written for Julian by Paul McCartney.   In previous years,  Julian has shied away from comparisons or references to his father, but he explained here that this album symbolises an acceptance of his father and his place in Julia...

Six60 were set to kick off their latest tour last night, but Wellington fans were left disappointed after the weather changed their plans. Unfortunately, high winds around Sky Stadium forced the postponement of Six60's first show of their New Zealand tour. Six60 lead singer Matiu Walters joined us to express his disappointment and update the fans on what's happening with the newly scheduled show....

This was a big weekend for New Zealand rugby, with both the Black Ferns and the All Blacks playing on Saturday night.  Schedule clash aside, the Black Ferns thrashed Wales 55-3, the All Blacks kept their nerve for a 38- 31 win against the Brave Blossoms. Spark Sport commentator Scotty Stevenson joined us to discuss the highlights and memorable moments of both matches. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.c...

The Fair Pay Agreements bill was passed in Parliament this week, following a heated debate. The passing of this bill has generated many responses, with Labour and the union organisations celebrating this as a victory. On the opposite end, National has stood against this bill and has promised to repeal it if they get elected next year.   Deputy political editor Jason Walls explained what this bill...

An underworld of contract cheating has been unveiled at major New Zealand universities.   An African academic ghostwriter reveals they've written hundreds of papers for Kiwi students, using a Chinese cheating website.   Universities New Zealand Chief Executive, Chris Whelan, joined us to explain the scope of this issue and what regulations could be put in place to fix this. LISTEN ABOVE   See omny...

Many parents worry about the impact video games can have on children and their development. However, a new study published this week has indicated there may actually be cognitive benefits from gaming.  Lead author, University of Vermont professor Bader Chaarani, explained the study further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on the Sunday Panel, Business Desk Investments Editor and host of Cooking the Books, Frances Cook and Capital PR expert Ben Thomas discuss the following topics: Liz Truss has stepped down from her role as Prime Minister of the UK- what happens now? Is the region ready for Boris Johnson to make a comeback? Or is the time right for the UK to just have an election again? And what does this mean...

After two years of being locked up and restricted by Covid-19 travel rules, the opportunity to see the world is being embraced everywhere. BloggerAtLarge writer Megan Singleton joined us today to share her excitement on her return to travelling from Williamsburg, Virginia. She's been around the US all week, and she's sharing her appreciated for the somewhat under-appreciated region. Williamsburg,...

I love rugby. Like many New Zealanders I grew up watching rugby on the telly. As a kid, it was the only time I was ‘shushed’ by my father. We would always gather as a family to watch an All Blacks test or a Ranfurly Shield game, but it was on the condition we watched it in silence – no chit chat allowed over the commentary – which back in the 70’s when I was little, was listened to on the radio wh...

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan. Yes, a dual effort for reasons which I will explain – this really is classic Jodi. Small town, ethical and moral dilemma, some court room drama - a young man is charged with the murder of his girlfriend, and at the trial it comes to light that not everything is as it seems. His mother is an apiarist, and there’s quite a lot of really interestin...

Packing up and moving away to the south of France is a dream held by many, but author Anna Bibby actually got to live out that experience. A few years ago, Auckland art dealer Anna Bibby bought a rundown house in a small village while on holiday in France.  What came next was a journey of renovation, a winter in a falling down house and a quick fire lesson in French language and culture.  Anna Bib...

Eating well and cleaning up our diets are good habits we should maintain, but what happens when we take it too far?  Focusing on what you eat can easily develop into an obsession, and diet culture can contribute to people having unhealthy relationships with eating and food. Erin O'Hara, naturopath and wellness expert, joined us to talk about how diet culture is linked to eating disorders and how '...

We have a number of hives on the farm which are looked after by Conrad from Hokianga Pure Honey. Conrad is an amazing bee keeper and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to all things honey. We have had our hives for 5 years (apart from the odd bee sting, mainly me). They are reasonably easy to keep and our percentage of honey from the hives each year is well over 60kg. Not to mention the pollin...

The science of how we hear has always been a little bit of a mystery.  Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University have revealed, for the first time and in near-atomic detail, the structure of the key part of the inner ear responsible for hearing. This breakthrough was aided by an unexpected ally- good old round worms.  Dr Joel Rindelaub joined us to take us through the study and the find...

Taylor Swift dropped her latest album, Midnights, on Friday, October 21st, and it's breaking streaming records on Spotify. The numbers are in, and Spotify has confirmed that the album has the highest number of streams in a 24 hour period on record.  Steve Newall, editor at flicks.co.nz, joined us to talk about Taylor Swift's marketing strategy in the lead up to the album and the public reaction to...

Kiwi investigative journalist David Farrier is often drawn to the weird stranger than fiction stories. His new documentary is certainly no exception – it follows the story of a very unique man, Michael Organ. Michael first came to David’s attention through the Bashford Antiques clamping saga. The investigation quickly turns into a game of cat and mouse between Organ and Farrier. The documentary, M...

Three for three for the Black Ferns in pool play at their home Rugby World Cup.  They've thrashed Scotland 57-nil in Whangārei.  They now head into the quarter finals next weekend.  Commentator and author of Sevens Sisters, Rikki Swannell joined us to discuss their performance and what we can expect for Saturday's match next week.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Party's selection process is well underway, with candidates being lined up for the Upper Harbour seat.  National has made it clear that they want to win back this key electorate, and have a few key candidates to choose from. Cameron Brewer, former elected representative on Auckland Council is among the candidates National is endorsing for a seat on the Upper Harbour local council. NZ...