Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

Sir Tony Robinson is one of the world's most recognisable history presenters. After four career-defining series of British sitcom ‘Blackadder', he fronted 20 seasons of the archaeological dig show ‘Time Team'. His humorous hooks and accessible presentation has helped to demystify history and inspire passion in a whole new generation. Robinson has written over 30 children's books, ‘Maid Marian and Her Merry Men', ‘The Worst Jobs in History', and ‘Tony Robinson's Weird World of Wonders!' just a few of the titles. His latest work, ‘The House of Wolf', is his first foray into fiction directed at an older audience, covering the Anglo-Saxons, Alfred the Great, and the making of England in the 9th century. Writing for adults is quite different to writing for children, and Robinson said it scared him “rigid” when he first started. “I had massive imposter syndrome”, he told Jack Tame. “It's ridiculous, isn't it, like I've been on the stage for 60 odd years, and yet when it came to writing a book, terror gripped me.” His subject matter is also a bit of a balancing act, as weaving historical fact with the narrative one wants to convey can sometimes be a challenge. “I did go quite bonkers writing it,” Robinson told Tame. Upon finishing the first draft, his publisher sent it off to reviewers, journalists, and some historical novelists – people Robinson respected. “I was in even more terror,” he revealed. “And then after six weeks, the writer Dan Jones, who wrote a stormingly popular historical novel called ‘Essex Dogs', he wrote a review of it really, and it was so fulsome. “Immediately, all that paranoia that I'd had dispelled completely.” ‘The House of Wolf' is now out, and fans will be able to see him live on stage in 2026 in ‘An Audience with Sir Tony Robinson'. He'll be performing at Auckland's Bruce Mason Centre on February 17th, and at Christchurch's Isaac Theatre Royal on February 18th. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The old seems to be the newest trend. While people are always interested in the newest thing, nostalgia is flooding the musical scene right now – Metallica, Oasis, Tool, AC/DC, and the Pixies are just a few of the acts selling out stadiums and venues at the moment. But what's behind the boom in nostalgia acts? How much longer can it last? Chris Schulz joined Jack Tame to discuss the trend. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nash Falls by David Baldacci Walter Nash is a sensitive, intelligent and kindhearted man. He has a wife and a daughter and a very high-level position at Sybaritic Investments, where his innate skills and dogged tenacity have carried him to the top of the pyramid in his business career. Despite never going on grand adventures, and always working too many hours, he has a happy and upscale life with his family. However, following his estranged Vietnam-veteran father's funeral, Nash is unexpectedly approached by the FBI in the middle of the night. They have an important request: become their inside man to expose an enterprise that is laundering large sums of money through Sybaritic. At the top of this illegal operation is Victoria Steers, an international criminal mastermind that the FBI has been trying to bring down for years. Nash has little choice but to accept the FBI's demands and try to bring Steers and her partners to justice. But when Steers discovers that Nash is working with the FBI, she turns the tables on him in a way he never could have contemplated. And that forces Nash to take the ultimate step both to survive and to take his revenge: He must become the exact opposite of who he has always been. And even that may not be enough. A Short History of Nearly Everything 2.0 by Bill Bryson Bill Bryson can't contain his curiosity about the world around him. A Short History of Nearly Everything 2.0 is the result of his quest to understand everything that has happened from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization – how we got from being nothing at all to what we are today. Now fully updated to reflect the many scientific discoveries in the last twenty years since this book was first published, it explains among much else: Why Pluto is no longer a planet How the number of moons in the solar system has more than doubled in 20 years How scientists used advances in genetics to discover previously unknown species of early humans Why we still don't know what most of the universe is made of How the little Higgs boson transformed physics This journey through time and space will inform a new generation of readers, young and old, as well as those who read this book on first publication with a new perspective based on what we know now. Written in his inimitable style, Bryson makes complex subjects fascinating and accessible to everyone with an interest in the world around them. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Beckoning as a homeland to incredible food, world-class wine, iconic cultural landmarks, and infused with a bohemian spirit, Paris is the epitome of a tourist mecca. Home to over 140 museums and 30,000 bakeries, you've got so many alluring visitor experiences to weigh up than you can poke a baguette at." Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're constantly looking for ways to spot early signs of problems such as depression or bipolar disorder, based on the idea that the earlier we can spot signs the earlier we can intervene. Traditionally in psychology this has relied on asking people to monitor themselves and report back. Lots of problems inherent in this e.g., lack of motivation, lack of awareness, not knowing what to look for, self-fulfilling prophecies, etc. Psychology research is often hampered by lack of more objective ways of collecting information that don't rely so much on self-report of individuals. New methods are emerging which look at how someone's pattern of typing on a smartphone keyboard might predict early onset of depression. Firstly – rest assured this isn't some new and frightening emergence of big-brother watching your keystrokes! For this research people had to download a specific keyboard to use with their phone that feeds back results to researchers about their typing patterns, it didn't capture the content of what they were writing. This is referred to as passive-sensing as doesn't require any extra effort from people, just for them to keep using their phone as usual. A number of interesting findings about depression: When depressed, people have lower accuracy in spelling and more variability in typing speed – possibly reflects slow-down in their thinking. They also tend to have more times using their phone than when not depressed – might indicate loneliness and social withdrawal. When people are depressed, they have much higher rates of using the backspace key than when not depressed – suggests they're making more errors which could be due to slowing down of thinking or lots of ruminating about life and going round and round in their heads. For people with bipolar disorder, they're more likely to have high rates of backspace use when also having increased levels of activity and decreased levels of sleep – both of which are warning signs of a possible manic episode. Other interesting research using technology: Smartphone apps monitoring daily patterns of behaviour reduced reoccurrence of periods of depression. This was done by tracking when people slowed down in their levels of daily activity and had less periods of being outside in daylight. The app would alert them to this change, and suggesting that if the pattern continued, they could get depressed again – this led people to get more outside activity. Some interesting possible implications: Could be really helpful in noticing early warning signs of things like depression in a really unobtrusive way. Imagine linking this data in with AI who could send you info about early warning signs and what to do about them, plus link you in with a psychologist if needed. Potentially gives people the ability to monitor themselves and make small changes in their behaviour to prevent getting depressed and without having to see a psychologist. Nice to have some good news about potential benefits of technology and given we usually focus on how these things can suck us down into the dark underbelly of the internet! LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 22 November 2025, iconic history presenter Sir Tony Robinson discusses his first foray into historical fiction for an older audience, ‘The House of Wolf'. Jack sings the praises of Dimitris as the Christchurch institution celebrates 40 years of souvlaki in The Garden City. Francesca Rudkin reviews the Wicked sequel, Dougal Sutherland discusses a new study showing how mobile phone activity can predict mood and Chris Schulz hails the return of the nostalgia acts. Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They are “on the wing” at this time of the year. Spiders do not have wings of course, but they can fly for many miles – it's called Ballooning. There are many examples of them flying in jet streams, thousands of feet off the ground, across water, seas, oceans. Each year we get the juveniles of those huge Australia Golden Orb-Weaving Spiders in NZ – they grow up to become huge Australian Golden Orb-Weaving Spiders and frighten the life out of New Zealanders! At this time of the year, look up on a fine, sunny almost wind-still day and see what's floating past! Spider silk glands have liquid proteins called spidroins. They're actually kinda gooey and are pressed out gently to form silk; it's strong, yet light and flexible – a fabulous building material that serves many purposes. We all know about the famous “websites” that spiders make to catch flying prey. Take the kids outside on a dew-laden morning to find those webs and see if you can find the owner nearby. Those webs have sticky and non-sticky strands of silk, so the spider can walk on them without getting stuck themselves. New Zealand's famous nursery web spiders build quite elaborate constructions in gorse bushes and long grasses: white nests, with (deep inside) a small silken ball with hundreds of eggs. That nest alone is made of 5 or 6 different types of silk Even the one spider most people love to hate (the Daddy Longlegs in the corner of your ceiling) has a clever trick with silk: it can hold a few dozen eggs in its mandibles with just one strand of silk. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes? Diabetes affects more than 300,000 people in New Zealand and costs the country $2.1 billion a year in health costs (0.67% of GDP!). It occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to control blood sugar. Type 1: Usually begins in younger people; an autoimmune reaction destroys the pancreas so it can't make insulin. Type 2: More common with age; the pancreas wears out over time and doesn't produce enough insulin. What is happening with Type 2 diabetes in New Zealand? Over 250,000 New Zealanders have Type 2 diabetes, previously seen mostly in people over 50. Over the past 25 years, it is increasingly occurring in younger people – even those in their early teens and children. It's particularly effecting Māori, Pasifika, and Asian young people; this pattern was not seen 30 years ago. This is a new and concerning trend. Why is this occurring? The exact cause is unclear, but it is seen worldwide, especially in Indigenous populations. It is complex – caused by more than just lifestyle. Likely involves genetics, strong family history, maternal diabetes in pregnancy, and some lifestyle factors. More research is needed. Why should we be worried? Early-onset Type 2 diabetes seems to have a more aggressive course. Complications such as kidney disease, heart disease, and strokes occur earlier. It's a significant cost to the health system, and an even greater cost to patients, whānau, and communities. What can we do about it? Improve awareness and education. Provide strong wrap-around support for young people with diabetes. Know the symptoms and see your GP – weight loss, tiredness, frequent urination, and excessive thirst. Remember: diabetes can occur at any age. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TikTok's parent company is now one of the world's most successful 'startups' A recent funding round has valued Bytedance, the company behind TikTok, at $480 billion, which is only just behind OpenAI's $500 billion valuation. Even though the US company may be sold or transferred, Bloomberg reports there was fierce interest in the stock sale with seven companies bidding, driving the valuation from $360 billion. Perplexity is bringing its AI browser to Android and beyond The underdog AI company and the first to make an AI enabled browser is expanding to take on Google directly. The Android app is now available, the iOS version is days away from launch, and it's also available for Mac and Windows making it much more widely available than the ChatGPT browser. Perplexity's goal is to be your go to search engine, trying to break Google's 20 year dominance. WhatsApp is getting the Instagram Notes feature You'll now be able to set a 'status' message that can either be seen publicly or just by your contacts. Just like Instagram Notes, the message only stays up for a day by default, but you can set it for longer or shorter if you want. It's another step to seemingly align all the Meta-owned messaging services – Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All Her Fault Every parent's worst nightmare comes true for Marissa Irvine when her young son goes missing. In the race against time to find Milo, Marissa's family starts to implode and murderous secrets are revealed (TVNZ+). The Borderline A border town cop uncovers an illegal drug trade tied to his childhood friend and a ruthless British crime syndicate operating in the scenic 1000 Islands region between Canada and the U.S. Stars Minnie Driver & Stephen Amell (ThreeNow). One Shot with Ed Sheeran One singer. One city. One shot. Ed Sheeran rocks the streets of New York with his greatest hits in this groundbreaking, real-time music experience (Netflix). LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne has been weighing himself with the same bathroom scale for years. Unfortunately, this trusty scale was looking a bit shabby and out of place in their bathroom, so he and his wife decided it was time for a new one. This had an unforeseen problem. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wicked: For Good Now demonized as the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba lives in exile in the Ozian forest, while Glinda resides at the palace in Emerald City, revelling in the perks of fame and popularity. As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, she'll need to reunite with Glinda to transform herself, and all of Oz, for good. Playdate A chance encounter with a stay-at-home dad lands a man in hot water as they find themselves pursued by a team of ruthless mercenaries. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The famed New Orleans Po' Boy is a sandwich to beat all sandwiches. It's messy, generous, and utterly delicious: a baguette stuffed with lettuce and fried prawns (or “shrimp”) and oysters, and with plenty of punchy mayo. Makes 2-4 Ingredients For the sauce, whisk the ingredients below until combined, taste and season to suit you. ¼ cup mayo 2 tbsps. thousand island dressing 1 tbsp hot sauce (or to taste) 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp horseradish (optional) Squeeze of lemon Get the below sorted before you start frying: 1 long soft baguette or 2–3 smaller rolls, split lengthwise Dressing as above for spreading Shredded lettuce Sliced tomatoes Pickles, sliced Fried seafood: 200g raw prawns, peeled and deveined 6 fresh oysters, drained ½ cup plain flour ½ cup fine cornmeal ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional but good) ½ tsp each dried thyme & oregano ½ tsp sea salt + pinch of pepper Oil for frying (neutral oil like rice bran) Method Mix the flour, cornmeal, herbs and spices and salt in a shallow bowl. Pat the prawns and oysters dry – this helps them crisp beautifully. Toss them gently in the flour mixture until well coated. Heat about 1cm of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the prawns and oysters in batches so they don't crowd the pan. They only need 1–2 minutes per side – you want golden, not tough. Drain. To make the po' boys, split the baguette and butter generously with butter, mayo, or the sauce you've made. Add the lettuce, tomato, pickle and then pile in the prawns and oysters. Spoon over the spicy mayo and press the top on. Serve immediately — po' boys wait for no one! LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We weren't big on dining out when I was growing up. Truth is, we couldn't really afford to. With four kids, a mortgage, and decent cooking skills themselves, my parents didn't really buy food. They bought groceries and the odd few rounds of fish and chips on the beach, but apart from that almost everything we ate was prepared in the kitchen at home. That being said, every now and then there'd be a special occasion. Every now and then we'd make our way into the city and Christchurch's historic Arts Centre, where each of us would line up for a lunchtime treat. Back then, Dimitris served souvlakis from a little caravan, tucked into a little corner next to the old gothic revival buildings. Whenever you'd pass by, there would be a little group of people milling about and waiting for their order to be prepared. On a really busy day, the owner, Dimitris Merentitis, would have someone else working with him as he made his way through the orders. You could choose between single, double, or triple meat. Lamb, chicken, or falafel. The Tames always had the same thing: lamb souvlakis with a token bit of salad, and a hearty drenching of beautiful, garlicky, tzatziki sauce. As you stood there waiting, you'd try and size up the people around you to work out how many orders would have to be completed and checked off before yours would be up. I remember being frustrated when someone would appear from a shop or a stall nearby, having ducked away for a few minutes while their order was prepared. Dammit, I'd think, surely, I'm next. I don't know about you, call me a heathen, but as far as I'm concerned there are few gastronomical combinations quite so glorious as hot meat in hot bread. It's about as simple as it gets, pulled straight off the sizzling grill, wrapped in newsprint and passed into your hungry hands. The bread at Dimitris' souvlakis was always so pillowy and soft. You'd navigate the first few bites with relative dignity, but by the time you got down to the last fistful of souvlaki, there was no room for quaint niceties like plastic cutlery. Everything would be soaking with meat juice and sauce. Heaven is a place on Earth. It's funny how people will always find and celebrate good food. Looking back, I recall the point when we crossed the threshold, in our family. Even though as teenagers our friends were always asking their parents to go to McDonalds or KFC, when each of us had a birthday roll around, we'd ask to go to Dimitris. And it turns out we weren't the only ones. We might have thought it was a family secret, but it was a family secret that was apparently shared by half the people in Canterbury. After years and years and years of serving up how every many million souvlakis, Dimitris has built his operation into a gastronomic institution. From the little stand in the Arts Centre to his Greek restaurant and prominent spot in Riverside Market today, Dimitris is a dining destination that I'd argue now ranks among New Zealand's best-loved spots: Queenstown has Fergburger. Wellington has Fidel's. Christchurch has Dimitris. This weekend, Dimitris celebrates forty years of operations in the Garden City. Forty years. So much of the city has changed in that time. The CBD looks completely different. Entire neighbourhoods have gone. But some things have never changed. Lamb. Bread. Lashings of tzatziki. Dimitris' success is sizzling, mouthwatering proof you can't improve on perfection. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An attorney by education, David Baldacci is an acclaimed novelist with a penchant for suspense and legal thrillers. He's written over 50 books, and his specialist knowledge of the US political and legal systems make his stories international bestsellers. ‘Nash Falls' is his newest work, the tale of an ordinary businessman recruited by the FBI to help bring down a global crime network. Baldacci has been writing for over thirty years, and Walter Nash, the protagonist of the novel, is unlike any he's written before. “I've been writing a long time and one of my chief things that I do to keep myself motivated is just to challenge myself,” he told Jack Tame. “Get out of my comfort zone, create characters I haven't created before.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A picture is worth a thousand words, or so the saying goes. Images often convey more meaning and information than can be held in a sentence or two, an image often provoking more emotion or deeper thought. Kevin Milne saw one such image earlier this week – an image of the Earth, taken in 1990, from 6 billion kilometres away: The Pale Blue Dot. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"As a quick hit to recharge when travelling to or from Europe, Doha makes for an eye-opening stopover in the heart of the Middle East. The capital of Qatar pulses with all the flamboyant bling of Dubai, overlaid with deep pockets of old world Doha, where tradition, heritage and culture abound. Doha seems to have nailed the sense of urban intermingling – the fusion of cutting-edge modernity and traditional vibes." Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fourth studio album from Spanish singer Rosalía is a linguistic tour de force. ‘LUX' is symphonic album, recorded in 14 different languages, its song's inspired by the lives of various female saints. Chris Schulz joined Jack Tame to share his thoughts on the album. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Exit Strategy by Lee Child & Andrew Child Jack Reacher will make three stops today. Not all of them were planned for. First - a Baltimore coffee shop. A seat in the corner, facing the door. Black coffee, two refills, no messing about. A minor interruption from two of the customers, but nothing he can't deal with swiftly. As he leaves, a young guy brushes against him in the doorway. Instinctively, Reacher checks the pocket holding his cash and passport. There's no problem. Nothing is missing. Second - a store to buy a coat. Nothing fancy. Something he can ditch when he heads to warmer climes. Large enough to fit a man the size of a bank vault. As he pulls out his cash, he finds something new in his pocket. A handwritten note. A desperate plea for help. Third - wherever this bend in the road takes him. Impressed by the guy's technique and intrigued by the message, Reacher makes it his mission to find out more... Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben & Reese Witherspoon Maggie McCabe is on the brink. A highly skilled and renowned army combat surgeon, she has always lived life at the edge. But now, after a devastating series of personal tragedies, Maggie is thrown a lifeline by a former colleague, an elite surgeon whose anonymous clientele demand the best care money can buy - as well as absolute discretion. Halfway across the globe, one of the world's most mysterious men requires unconventional medical assistance. Desperate, and one of the few surgeons in the world skilled enough to take this job, Maggie enters his realm of unspeakable opulence and fulfils her end of the agreement. But when the patient suddenly disappears while still under her care, Maggie must become a fugitive herself – or she will be the next one who is . . . Gone Before Goodbye. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 15 November 2025, leading legal thriller author David Baldacci joins Jack to discuss the state of US politics, AI and ownership, and their influence on his latest novel Nash Falls. Jack considers the convenience of digital IDs and wallets. Nici Wickes spotlights the mango in her first BBQ firing of the season. Master sommelier Cameron Douglas shares a bright, taut, fresh, salivating wine pick. And Kevin Milne discusses a famous photo that sparked some major inspiration for him this week. Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The holiday season is often filled with waste, but this year could be different. If you're looking to shift your holiday celebrations towards the sustainable, but aren't quite sure how to broach it with your family, Kate Hall has a few tips for you. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tohu Pinot Gris 2025, Awatere Valley, Marlborough RRP from $18.99 The Awatere is located on the eastern site of Marlborough with many of the vineyards at the north-eastern reaches. On a clear day, the North Island is easy to see. This location means many of the vineyards are exposed to the easterly and southerly breezes, but there are significant sunshine hours to ripen the grapes. The wine styles are nearly always fresh and taut, often with a saline quality to the acidity. Lots of citrus and pomaceous fruit flavours are common in the wines. Founded in 1998, Tohu Wines is the world's first Māori-owned wine company. They produce excellent wines including sparkling and Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, and this Pinot Gris. This wine has some delicacy about it, it is bright, taut, fresh, salivating. The varietal flavours of green and red apple, white peach, pear and some honeysuckle deliver the core mid-palate flavours and weight. Salivating and just dry on the palate with textures from lees and acidity creating a vibrant mouthfeel. Well-made, balanced and ready to drink from late 2025 through 2028. The season: rather excellent Warm spring. Near-perfect flowering. Above-average yields. The diurnal shift from warm days to cool night ensured both flavour development and acidity were preserved. Food match: New season sweet corn with lots of butter and sea-salt with this wine is a near perfect match. You can also dip the corn cob into a sour-cream sprinkled with nutmeg for some extra matching. Alternatively, a sweetcorn fritter topped with sour-cream and a slice of smoke salmon works just as well with the Tohu Pinot Gris. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At this time of the year there's only one place I'd love to be: The North Island. These are the largest moths in Aotearoa. They are also very nicely coloured – lots of green and yellow as well as white and orange patches. Their wingspan is up to 150mm, and they're a noisy flyer at night. Females are often larger than males – they lay masses of eggs as they fly through the forest at night. The relatively small caterpillars hatch on the forest floor and commence eating dead wood, infected by fungal material. The funny thing is that these very young caterpillars only move around for 6 to 12 months, after which they move up tree trunks to find out what the wood tastes like… Once they've found a suitable tree with nice bark and yummy phloem and xylem, they will start to build a long-term tunnel system in which they can live 5, 6, or even 7 years. It's a 7-shaped tunnel that goes into the trunk and down (yes, the shape of a 7!), and it lives there for 7 years. The puriri moth “homes” are always protected by a patch of silk that protects the dwelling from enemies such as centipedes and even small birds. The silk is tough enough to keep the predators out. Caterpillars chew on the re-growth of the Cambium at night and bit by bit, which is why it takes so long for these larvae to become “mature”. Once they have reached their final “instar” (size) they turn into a chrysalis (a “Pupa”) that finally becomes that huge green ghost moth that we see flying at this time of the year. The adult moths (which grew to that size in 7 years!) have just 24 hours (and at most to 48 hours), to do all their loving, living, and shopping. They look spectacular and full of protein and eggs…. Which is why Ruru are keen on hunting these insects LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealanders are getting a new ChatGPT feature In a pilot with select countries, you'll be able to have a 'group chat' with ChatGPT. It's available on all plans, and Open AI wants feedback before it's rolled out more broadly. You can invite between 1 and 20 people to join you. Apparently ChatGPT knows when to stay quiet and when to chime in, and you can summon it if you need. Americans can now put their passport on their phone Apple has launched Digital ID in the USA, allowing anyone with a US passport to be able to load it onto their phone. At the moment, the best way to think about it is like having a verified digital copy on your phone with you. You can't use it at the border just yet, but you can use it at security checkpoints for domestic flights. Slowly State IDs are rolling out on the platform too, so it will be interesting to see if hospitality establishments allow this as a form of ID. NZ is working on digital driver's licenses, which had a goal to launch in "late 2025", but it seems they won't be done 'natively' with the Apple or Android software, but will be in a separate app. Is the iPhone "pocket" the next big fashion thing? Apple has partnered with Japanese designer Issey Miyake. The iPhone Pocket is described as a "cloth sling" for your phone that costs $150. If you want it as a cross body, that'll be $230. It looks like a sock with handles on it that then join again at the top, so there's a loop in the middle so you can thread it onto your bag. It's "3D knitted", in wildly bright colours and fits any iPhone (or, non-Apple phone). it's only available in select locations, so might be the next Labubu? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Death Valley Retired actor John Chapel and detective sergeant Janie Mallowan team up to investigate murders each week in Wales (TVNZ+, TVNZ1 from Sunday). I, Jack Wright When Jack Wright dies in what appears to be a suicide, Sally faces an earth-shattering revelation about her husband's will and DCI Morgan makes a shocking discovery (ThreeNow). The Beast in Me Author Aggie Wiggs has receded from public life since the death of her young son, unable to write, a ghost of her former self; but she finds an unlikely subject for a new book when the house next door is bought by Nile Jarvis (Netflix). LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Running Man In the near future, "The Running Man" is the top-rated show on television, a deadly competition where contestants must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins. Desperate for money to save his sick daughter, Ben Richards is convinced by the show's ruthless producer to enter the game as a last resort. Ratings soon skyrocket as Ben's defiance, instincts and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite, as well as a threat to the entire system. Keeper A wife becomes isolated in a secluded cabin and has to fend off an unspeakable evil. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's nothing like a butterflied chicken sizzling on the BBQ – it's juicy, full of flavour, and cooks evenly every time. Pair it with warm tortilla, fresh salsas, limes, and chilli and you've got yourself a fiesta of flavour! Ingredients 1 free range chicken, butterflied (ask your butcher or do it yourself) & brined (optional, see note) 3 tbsps. olive oil 2 tsp sea salt 3 tbsps. tomato chutney 2 limes – zest and juice of one, the other cut into wedges 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tbsp cumin seeds, toasted 1 tsp smoked paprika ½ tsp chilli flakes 2 tsp sea salt and ½ tsp pepper to season 1-2 tortilla per person Salsa – see below Limes, lettuce, guacamole to serve Mango salsa 1 ripe mango, diced finely ½ red onion, diced very finely Small handful of fresh coriander, chopped 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted Juice of one lime ¼ tsp salt Method Heat BBQ to medium-high. Rub chicken with 1 tbsp olive oil and liberally sprinkle with salt. Place chicken on the grill, skin side down, with the BBQ hood down if you have one on your BBQ, or cover with foil or a large roasting dish if not. Cook for 15-20 minutes then flip. Reduce temperature to medium and finish cooking – about another 30 minutes. I rely on a thermometer reaching 85-88 C, stuck into the thickest part of the thigh to tell me it's cooked, but the old ‘tear the drumstick away' method will do the trick too – it ought to come away easily. Mix remaining olive oil, chutney, limes zest and juice, garlic, cumin, paprika and seasoning. Brush this all over the chicken once cooked and return to the BBQ for 2-3 minutes more. Rest the chook. Combine salsa ingredients in a bowl. Warm the tortilla on the grill, set out lettuce, salsa, guacamole, lime wedges and other ingredients and invite everyone to build their own taco! LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I hate carrying my wallet. Not because I'm a prickle pockets —I swear I'll always buy my round!— but because at heart, I'm an optimiser. I don't want something else to remember, a bulge in my back pocket. I want to be able to do everything with the least baggage possible. My wallet has four cards. Just four. Bank card, credit card, driver's license, and my TVNZ access card. Until two weeks ago, I needed a card to get into the Newstalk ZB offices as well, but not anymore. We've moved to a digital swipe system, an app on our phones. Very 2025. I don't carry cash. My wallet has nowhere to put it. Except for the $2.40 in change in the centre console of the family Corolla, I don't have any cash whatsoever. I barely use my physical debit and credit cards; I just pay for everything with my phone. For the best price I still need a real card for the bus, although they've recently changed the system so that in a pinch I can pay with my phone. My library card is digital. Concert tickets are digital. Auckland FC, Air New Zealand – it's all on my phone. If all goes well with the Government's rollout, in a few months we should be able to access digital driver's licenses. In the US they've now gone one step further. As of this week, American citizens with either Google or Apple phones can upload their passports to their devices and store them in digital wallets. The systems scan your passport and then read the little chip. They compare the photo page with a biometric scan of your face. You can use it as ID for domestic travel and although you still need a physical passport for international flights, surely it won't be long until your digital ID does that too. I know what you're thinking. Digital passports, bank cards, driver's licenses. Digital swipe cards for getting into the office. What could possibly go wrong?! And I agree with you! The more that our vital ID and payment systems go digital, the more vulnerable many of these systems might be to failure, power outages, coding errors, or hacking. At least for the near future, there will be traditional options. They're not scrapping plastic driver's licences just yet. But all things being equal, I reckon 2026 might be the last year of my life in which I actually need to carry a wallet. I'm going to be first in line for a digital driver's licence. A year from now, everything I need from my cards I should be able to do my phone. And while I know there are risks, I know it's a single point of failure, I know it'll be even more of a disaster if I accidentally lose my phone. Truthfully my concerns are drowned out by an even stronger impulse. Sure, there are security concerns. But man, just think of the convenience. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An extremely prolific author, Michael Connelly has published more than 40 books. He's created in-depth universes surrounding well-known characters like Mickey Haller in the Lincoln Lawyer and Harry Bosch, who's appeared in 24 of Connelly's novels. His universes continue to grow with a new addition to the Lincoln Lawyer series, ‘The Proving Ground', which sees Haller team up with a journalist to take on big tech, AI, and uncover a whistleblower in hiding, all with billions on the line. Connelly professes to be a fan of technological innovation, exploring things like the internet, DNA analytics, and data storage in previous novels. “AI was kinda like, primed for me.” “For every great discovery and invention, and move forward with technology, there's always somebody out there who is looking to turn it against is,” Connelly told Jack Tame. “And there were a couple of cases that really caught my eye, that made me, you know, say, yeah I know AI is gonna change the world for the better, but are we moving too fast?” Every week there's some new development with AI, whether it's a new problem, a new use, or a new integration into an already existing platform. “The Proving Ground is an exploration of it,” he says. “I don't wanna say it's didactic, or tells anyone how to think, but it does, you know, maybe raise a flag and say, ‘take a look at this.'” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the weather turns warmer, more of us are taking advantage and hanging our clothes outside in the sun to dry. Kevin Milne's not sure if the silly season has just come early, but he's realised he's quite the fan of clothes pegs – one kind in particular. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight is the grand finale, Oasis performing the final show of their reunion tour down under in Sydney, Australia. Every show was sold out, fans ecstatic they're able to see a band they never thought they would after their break up in 2009. Chris Schulz joined Jack Tame as the minutes tick down before the concert begins to provide a vibe check. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Singapore never fails to serve up an electrifying experience, constantly refreshing and enhancing its enticements. After paying my respects to Singapore's beloved water-spout mascot, the Merlion, overlooking Marina Bay, I ventured over to the jaw-dropping botanical blockbuster of Gardens by the Bay, armed with my Go City Explorer Pass. "Take a stroll through Kampong Glam. Once the seat of Singapore's first sultan, the neighbourhood's colourful shophouses are home to a jumble of cafes and boutiques wedged among decades-old perfumeries and fabric merchants." Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Breath of the Gods by Simon Winchester What is going on with our atmosphere? The headlines are filled with news of devastating hurricanes, murderous tornadoes, and cataclysmic fires. Gale force advisories are issued on a regular basis by weather services around the world. Atmospheric scientists are warning that winds – the force at the centre of all these dangerous natural events – are expected to steadily increase in the years ahead, strengthening in power, speed, and frequency. While this prediction worried the insurance industry, governmental leaders, scientists, and conscientious citizens, one particular segment of society received it with unbridled enthusiasm. To the energy industry, rising wind strength and speeds as an unalloyed boon for humankind – a vital source of clean and ‘safe' power. Between these two poles – wind as a malevolent force, and wind as saviour of our planet – lies a world of fascination, history, literature, science, poetry, and engineering which Simon Winchester explores with the curiosity and Vigor that are the hallmarks of his bestselling works. In The Breath of the Gods, he explains how wind plays a part in our everyday lives, from airplane or car travel to the ‘natural disasters' that are becoming more frequent and regular. The Breath of the Gods is an urgently-needed portrait across time of that unseen force – unseen but not unfelt – that respects no national borders and no vessel or structure in its path. Wind, the movement of the air, is seen by so many as a heavenly creation and generally a thing of essential goodness. But when it flexes its invisible muscles, all should take care and be very afraid. The Detective by Matthew Riley For 150 years, women have been going missing. And all of the investigators who went in search of them - from 1877 to the present day - have disappeared, too. Now Sam Speedman, a most unique private detective, is on the case. Brilliant, direct and disarming, Sam is ... different. He's not your average private detective. But then again, this isn't your average case. For not even he will be prepared for what he will find. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A couple of months ago we covered Prosopagnosia – the inability to recognise faces. Following on from that, today we're covering Aphantasia – the inability to see mental images. Most of the time most of us, if asked to remember something or “picture” something in our minds, we create a mental image of the thing or person. For example, if asked to remember what you had for breakfast this morning, many of us will mentally see the weetbix and toast – not always in perfect detail, but there will be a picture of the thing. But for a small number of people, this is just a theoretical idea. They have aphantasia. Estimated to affect about 1% of people – not a disorder in itself but considered one end of a spectrum related to how well or poorly we can visualise things in our mind. Some people become aphantasic after a head injury or damage to the brain. Others have never had it and assume that terms like “mental pictures” were just meant to illustrate the idea of thinking about something, rather than referring to an actual thing that other people do. There's been a growth in the use of the term aphantasia since the mid 2000s after the publication of an article in a neuroscience journal describing the condition, which led others to go “I've got that too!” At the other end of the spectrum is hyperphantasia – mental images are so clear and vivid that it's hard to distinguish them from reality. People are aware that their visions are imaginary though – if you don't realise this it's an hallucination. Some things that are associated with aphantasia: over-represented in people who work in maths and IT roles; much poorer autobiographical memory; also much poorer recognition of other people's faces and probably some overlap with prosopagnosia; occurs more in people with autism. For hyperphantasia – much better autobiographical memory and over-represented in artists. Interestingly, people with aphantasia typically report that they do dream and see images in dreams. There are some indications that there are differences in brain wiring for people at either end of the mental imagery spectrum but no conclusive proof yet! Some suggestion that most children have very strong mental imagery but that they lose this ability as they grow, and the brain goes through a “pruning” process whereby it loses connections that aren't so useful or needed. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 8 November 2025, an author who is very familiar with bestseller lists, Michael Connelly joins Jack to discuss being an unofficial voice for Los Angeles, and how the devastating fires changed his perspective on the city and prompted him to start over for his new book ‘The Proving Ground'. Jack considers what makes a good meal, and how much a Michelin Star means. Strawberries are here and Nici Wickes shares her favourite way to serve them while the season is still early. Kevin Milne champions a humble tool: the clothes peg. Clinical psychologist Dougal Sutherland delves into a condition in which people are unable to see mental images. And music correspondent Chris Schulz is vibe checking live from Sydney as Oasis get ready to perform the final gig of their reunion world tour. Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Christmas on its way, the season of spending is fast approaching. The allure of credit cards becomes stronger at this time of year as people try to figure out how they can afford everything they need to. Financial planner Lisa Dudson joined Jack Tame to give some advice on how best to balance credit cards and build good habits. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three reactions to the concept of “feeding your plants”: Plants feed themselves through Photosynthesis (you don't need to feed your plants!) They'll pick up elements in the soil that they need for growth and development – nobody feeds the plants in a native forest. What's scientifically needed for our gardens is a soil test that indicates which chemical elements are lacking in soil. This is about the Science of Fertilisers. This is the time of the year when soil temperatures are the best for plant growth. Roots work over time to extract minerals, dissolve them in water, and transport them through the phloem bundles to the leaves of plants, where photosynthesis puts it all together and creates carbohydrates and chemicals that allow cell-elongation (growth). Plants use three main elements for bulk growth “food”: Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium (K), which are generally known as NPK (their chemical symbols). N is used to make green stuff: leaves and Chlorophyll (LAWNS, LETTUCE, SPINACH, HEDGES). P is good for root development and plant health (CARROTS, PARSNIPS, POTATOES, etc). K (potash) is for sex: flowers and fruits (TOMATOES, APPLES, STRAWBERRIES, FLOWERING PLANTS). Other elements needed for a plant to function are needed in much smaller quantities: Mg (Magnesium), S (Sulphur), Ca (Calcium), Cu (Copper), Fe (Iron), Zn (Zinc), Mn (Manganese), and a heap more of those minor “trace elements”. There are a few different types of fertilisers: “General” Fertiliser – for general growth. Usually something like N-P-K 7-3-6 or 12-4-13 (note how Phosphorus is usually less than the N and K). Potato fertiliser: N-P-K 3-9-6 also good for carrots and parsnips. Tomato or rose fertiliser, which is usually higher in potash (K): N-P-K 3-4-9. This helps to stimulate flower and fruit growth. Of course you can always use the general fertiliser (which tends to be highest in Nitrogen) and simply add a few handfuls of Superphosphate (P) if you grow root crops, or handfuls of Sulphate of Potash (K) if you want to up the dose of K (potash) for flowers and fruit. Organic fertilisers usually have lower concentrations of elements, and they are often less prone to fertiliser run-off into water courses. Chicken poo (a “natural” organic fertiliser) has a high content of Nitrogen which can burn plants – I would always send it through a cycle of composting before use. I use General fertiliser on my young tomatoes to get them growing up and create a strong climbing vine before the flower buds are formed. Once they start flowering, I assist the plants with more potash to keep on making fruit – I just switch to a higher potash fertiliser such as Wet&Forget's Seaweed Tea. Seaweed Tea and Seafood Soup were designed to quickly fertilise lawns and large amounts of vegetables. It has this clever system of watering your plants and enriching the soil. I use the contents of Soup and Tea in watering cans – often in a very mild (or “weak”) solution. In the tunnel house I do this almost every day to water the tomatoes; with small amounts of tea or soup I add a little bit of fertiliser with every watering - works brilliantly! LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia is going to force the streamers to make Australian content It'll focus on those with more than 1 million Australian subscribers, which means Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video will all be included. The law will require them to spend at least 10% of their total Australian expenditure or 7.5% of their Australian revenue on new Australian drama, children's, documentary, arts, and educational programs. The bill was not introduced earlier as the Aussies first waited out the 2024 US presidential election and later feared that its winner, Donald Trump, could counterattack with tariffs. Elon Musk's trillion-dollar pay package Tesla shareholders overwhelmingly approved a pay package that could make CEO Elon Musk, already the world's richest person, the world's first trillionaire. His new deal has some rather lofty targets and if met would give him stock valued at a trillion dollars. These include: Delivering 20 million Tesla vehicles and one million robots Getting 10 million subscriptions to Tesla's Full Self-Driving feature Bringing one million self-driving Robotaxi vehicles into commercial operation Earning up to $400bn in core profit Eventually lifting Tesla's overall market value to $8.5tn, currently $1.4tn Elon is calling this not a new chapter but a "new book" for the company, really centring around autonomous projects. Optimus is designed to be an autonomous humanoid robot performing "unsafe, repetitive or boring tasks”. He's already worth around half a trillion dollars so even if only some of his goals are met, he's the closest human to reaching a net worth of a trillion dollars. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hack Examining the "News International" phone hacking scandal, through the work of Nick Davies, a journalist who uncovered evidence of phone hacking, as well as the investigation into the murder of Daniel Morgan, a private investigator (TVNZ+, from Sunday). Death by Lightning Presenting the story of James Garfield, who rose from obscurity to become America's 20th President and Charles Guiteau, the man who assassinated him (Netflix). Playing Gracie Darling When Joni's best friend Gracie vanished at 14 during a séance, it haunted her; 27 years on, a girl vanishes when a group of local kids are playing "Gracie Darling" and Joni must face her fears to uncover the truth (ThreeNow). LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bugonia Two conspiracy-obsessed men kidnap the CEO of a major company when they become convinced that she's an alien who wants to destroy Earth. Ballad of a Small Player When his past and his debts start to catch up with him, a high-stakes gambler laying low in Macau encounters a kindred spirit who might just hold the key to his salvation. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I love strawberries but this early in the season they can lack flavour. My advice is to warm them up! Roast or grill or in a pan with some sugar and lemon juice and you'll find them a different berry altogether – jammy, sweet, and full of flavour. Ingredients: 2 cups strawberries, hulled and large ones halved or quartered 1 tablespoon brown or white sugar Juice from one orange 1 vanilla pod, halved and seeds scraped Yoghurt or cream to serve Handful of hazelnuts, toasted and chopped Method: Gently heat strawberries in a pan on the stove top or in the oven, with sugar, orange juice, and vanilla until they slump a little. Serve with yoghurt or cream and sprinkled with hazelnuts. Serving suggestions: Spooned over brioche toast or toasted croissant topped with fresh ricotta. In a bowl with quality vanilla ice cream, a lick of balsamic vinegar or grind of black pepper and crushed hazelnuts. Make or buy some crepes and fill them with roasted and cooled strawberries with chopped pistachios folded through Greek yoghurt or whipped cream. Spooned on top of a homemade Basque Cheesecake or a bought sponge cake, for a glorious ruby red crown.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It arrived in the hands of a waiter, who moved with the lightness and grace of a ballet dancer across the restaurant floor. It had a fleshy colour. A creamy, brown kind of hue. It was inflated to the size of a balloon, but the shape was slightly less uniform. “Asparagus,” said the waiter. “Prepared in this pig's bladder.” I don't know how many bladder-based meals you've had in your life but that was a first for me. The asparagus, I should say, was absolutely delicious. But not so amazing that I personally felt compelled to give up roasting food in my oven in favour of bladder cooking, from then on. I was dining at Eleven Madison Park. It's an extraordinary fine-dining restaurant at the foot of Madison Ave in New York, just across the way from the Flatiron Building. Tom Brady had his penthouse across the road. I once saw Rupert Murdoch walking his dog in the park outside. And the food at ELP is as fancy as the neighbours. As a winner of three Michelin Stars, Eleven Madison Park is widely considered one of the very best restaurants in the world. The Michelin Star system is certainly an effective marketing tool. It has been with me. I've sought out other Michelin-starred restaurants in New York, including when Kiwi Matt Lambert won a star for his work at The Musket Room. I've dined in Bilbao, where they have a higher concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants than anywhere on Earth. I've lined up early and eaten at what was the world's cheapest Michelin starred restaurant – dim sum in Hong Kong. As much as anything, I've treated eating at most of these places as an experience. A rare treat. Not so much as a source of nourishment, but as food for memories. As the Michelin judges turn their attention to our restaurant scene, I just hope they don't come here expecting the absolute finest of fine-dining. I appreciate they look at a range of restaurants, but for a few exceptions, la-de-dah's not really us. We don't do fussy. We don't do fiddly. We do a more casual, relaxed style that befits our culture. Really good ingredients cooked well and more often than not, designed to be shared. It's funny, as incredible as my night was at Eleven Madison Park, the single best meal of my life wasn't at a Michelin-starred restaurant. There were no white tablecloths, no sommelier-curated wine list. It was in tiny, legally questionable firetrap of an apartment in Paris, that my best mate called his home. I'd flown in with another mate the day before, and the three of us had gone for a long jog by the Seine to try and kick the jetlag. On the way back home, we stopped by one of the local farmers' markets and picked up some gooey cheese, tomatoes, salami, and baguette. We sprawled out on the floor of the apartment, cutting off hunks of each and stuffing them into our mouths. It was heaven. And that's the thing about the best meals. Ultimately, it's not the truffle mousse or the poached dodo's egg or even the inflated pig's bladder that makes the magic, it's the people. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.