The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Australian actress Melissa George has been on our screens for years, and she's taking on a new Kiwi comedy-crime drama. She started out as Angel Parrish on Home and Away, and she's made a name for herself in other international projects like Mulholland Drive, Grey's Anatomy, Friends, The Slap, among others. She's now starring in Ms. X, which is available on ThreeNow, and she's revealed she was into the show from the first script reading. "It was the first time I had to adapt, to change who I was in order to get along with the person in front of me. And that was the sign that I knew I'd found my match." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Back in 2023, former Labour Minister Kiri Allan hit a low point - and had to step down from politics. After crashing her car while over the alcohol limit, she resigned from Labour and her political career came to an end. She's shared her story and opened up about what happened that night in Wellington in her new memoir, Go Hard or Go Home. "I carried a lot of shame, guilt...as the book says, my world shattered down and it's all my fault. So I carried that for quite a long time, and it was very hard to come out of the cave, knowing that you'd let so many people down. So it was a long period of healing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. This was actually released last year, but has had huge word of mouth enthusiasm for many, many readers and was voted onto the new Whitcoulls Top 100 last month. It's now out in a second format and is the story of a woman's life told through letters which she writes to a number of people important to her - some of whom are well known writers with whom she has an affinity, such as Ann Patchett, Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry - but also letters to her friends, her son, her brother and many others. It's warm, illuminating of a life well lived and I adored it. The Girl with the Seven Lives by Vikas Swarup. He was the author of Q and A which was made into the wildly successful movie Slumdog Millionaire, and he's back with a similarly quirky story about Devi, a young woman being held at ransom by a masked man who insists that over the course of a single day she recounts the seven very different episodes in her life for which he holds her to blame, whilst threatening to sell her off to the highest bidder as people affected by her various actions over the course of her life seek revenge. It's cleverly constructed and tells a very Indian story of the many lives lived by one woman. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Megan Singleton's just returned from a multi-generational holiday in Fiji and she's outlined how to plan a similar big trip - without everything blowing apart. They stayed at the Shangri La Resort on the Coral Coast, because it was important to find a location that appealed to a group aged 4 to 80, with a good beach, activities and a wide range of dining options. She outlined her experience further here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, Newstalk ZB host Kerre Woodham and Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Newstalk ZB celebrates 100 years today. What are our favourite memories of the station? What stories do we remember? What role does radio serve in a changing market. So Chris Luxon hasn't been having a good week - with new polls and the MMP announcement raising some concerns. There's growing calls for some new leadership in the National Party - do we see Luxon bouncing back? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 9 August, in July 2023 Kiri Allan hit rock bottom. She joins Francesca today to share her story of the burnout and the car crash that ultimately ended her political career. Melissa George first appeared on our screens 33 years ago as 16 year old Angel on Home and Away. Melissa tells Francesca what brought her back down under for local Kiwi series Ms X, after many years living overseas. Today marks 100 years of ZB. Long time station manager Bill Francis shares his memories with Francesca and talks of some of the more memorable moments that make ZB what it is today. And what was everyone eating back in 1926 when ZB first appeared? Mike Van de Elzen has been looking back through the archives and shares a recipe that is as good today, as it was back in 1926. Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The winter season brings colds and seasonal illnesses, and they can slow you down and get spread to other people. Colds are usually caused by viruses and symptoms typically last about a week, but the most severe symptoms only occur for two to three days Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara reveals how to ease symptoms for a quick recovery - and which remedies work the best. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Classic bombe Alaska Cook time: 10 minutes Prep time: 30 minutes Serves: 6 Start by scooping 6 balls of ice-cream and place them into the freezer to harden. Now, make up the sponge by sifting flour and baking powder together. Fold lightly into egg mixture, sugar, salt, & vanilla. Then fold in the butter. Pour into greased 20cm tray. Bake at 200 for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool before cutting into small discs slightly bigger than the ice-cream scoop. You will have heaps leftover. Now make up the Italian meringue, one cooled place into a pipping bag. It's now time to make up the bombe - Place the scoop of ice-cream onto of one sponge disc. Pipe the meringue mixture around the ice-cream, starting from the bottom and layering up around the ice-cream to the top. Try to ensure all theres no gaps exposing the ice-cream Take a blow torch and burn the outside of the meringue until well colored. If you don't have a blow torch crank up your oven on grill and quickly cook the bombes until till dark Just before you serve pour over some brandy and light at the table! Be careful! Italian meringue Cook time: 12 minutes Prep time: 30 minutes Serves: 12 350gm sugar 80ml water 6 egg whites In a pot, bring the sugar and water to a boil, turn down the heat to medium and continue to cook till the sugar reaches 110*c. Throughout this time use a pastry in cold water to keep the inside sides of the pot clean. Once you reach 110*c, start whisking whites in a bench top mixer. You want the whites to be just foaming, if this is reached before sugar is ready, turn mixer down to low speed to stabilize the whites until sugar is ready. When sugar reaches 120*c take off the heat and slowly pour into whipping whites at a medium speed, Turn mixer up faster as the sugar blends in. (take care not to pour sugar onto beater as it will spin it around bowl and not into the whites) When all sugar is in, turn mixer to high and beat until cool and glossy. The end product should be extremely glossy and quite dense to touch. Place into a piping bag ready to be used. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you love dogs but can't own one because of allergies, scientists may have a solution. In a new study, published in The CRISPR Journal, researchers used CRISPR gene editing to remove the gene responsible for producing the major protein called Can f 1 that triggers dog allergies in many people. Using CRISPR-Cas9, the scientists edited skin cells taken from the beagles. CRISPR acts a bit like molecular scissors, cutting DNA at a precise location. In this case, they introduced a tiny one-letter insertion into the Can f 1 gene that disrupted its instructions, preventing the protein from being made. Those edited cells were then used in somatic cell nuclear transfer, the same cloning technique used to create Dolly the sheep. The DNA from an edited cell was placed into a donor egg, creating an embryo carrying the genetic change. The team produced 25 embryos and implanted them into a surrogate beagle. Two embryos developed successfully and became puppies called Bailey and Alfie. The researchers then sequenced the puppies' DNA to confirm that the intended genetic change was present and checked if any other parts of the genome were accidentally edited. Next the scientists collected saliva, hair and dander from the edited beagles. They also collected samples from a normal beagle, a standard poodle and a goldendoodle. Using a laboratory technique called a Western blot, which detects specific proteins, they searched for Can f 1. The results showed the normal beagle, poodle and goldendoodle all produced the allergen but the gene-edited dogs didn't. This also reinforced something many allergy specialists have said for years: poodles and doodles still produce the major dog allergen despite often being described as hypoallergenic. Finally the experiment involved testing these new Beagles on humans with known dog allergies using a classic skin prick test. Tiny drops containing extracts from different dogs were placed on the volunteer's arm before gently pricking the skin. If the immune system recognised the allergen, a raised itchy bump called a wheal would appear within about 20 minutes. The normal beagle, poodle and goldendoodle produced the expected allergic reaction, but extracts from Bailey and Alfie produced no detectable skin reaction at all. So far, Bailey and Alfie appear to be developing normally with no obvious health problems linked to the missing gene. For decades we've treated allergies by trying to change the person, using medications or immunotherapy to calm the immune system. Instead of changing the immune system, the researchers changed the source of the allergen. Whether gene-edited allergy-friendly dogs eventually become widely available remains to be seen. There are still ethical, regulatory and practical questions to answer. But scientifically, it's an elegant demonstration of what modern gene editing can achieve. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2026 New Zealand International Film Festival has gotten under way, and there's still a chance to check out something new this weekend. It's a packed programme with screenings running all over the nation, but there's plenty of unconventional pieces made by directors from New Zealand and beyond. Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall outlined his picks. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing calls for another look at solar power and renewable energy following a chilly week for the nation. The recent cold snap has brought a power warning across the country, with Transpower expecting record electricity demand. The current Government, Labour and the Greens are all considering changes when it comes to solar power in our country, but is solar the answer to our energy issues and rising power bills? Rewiring Aotearoa research and development lead Josh Ellison says power bills have been on the rise over the last few years - and they're outpacing inflation. "It's been increasing a lot faster than inflation and a lot faster than it should be increasing, and so I think the shock gets bigger every year." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's electoral vote success will be on the minds of its newly ranked MPs, with a fight for list positions potentially on for election night. The party's 2026 list sees no adjustment to its top eight, while James Meager jumps to 18 and Melissa Lee falls to 30. Former Minister and commentator Peter Dunne says this list was reasonably predictable, with a lack of notable changes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The man who stood at the helm of Newstalk ZB for 17 years has weighed in on its 100-year anniversary. Today marks a century since the radio station's first broadcast. Bill Francis joined ZB in the early 80's and became station manager in 1993. He says it was a tough start, with the station dropping from number one in the market to number six - forcing it to change its format. "Once it got back in front, you know it's just never really stopped, it continues to be Auckland's radio station - a first choice. Which is wonderful. So yeah, I'm delighted that ZB rolls on." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today marks 100 years of ZB. There have been numerous different versions of the station over that time, different station names, frequencies, and formats. There have been many memorable hosts, a change in accents from British to casual modern Kiwi and, of course, an almost incomprehensible amount of coverage of all the major - and minor - domestic and global events of the last 100 years. Given the media has always been a challenging, competitive and changeable industry, that ZB is still here, healthier and stronger than ever, 100 years after its first broadcast, tells us that the community, comfort, entertainment, discussion and analysis it works hard to provide means something to our listeners. And the listeners are the point of it all. We're only here because of our wonderfully diverse, interested and curious listeners from all around the country who text and call to agree or disagree agreeably with us, our interviewees, or each other. You will all have your own memories or moments of ZB - and I would love to hear them throughout the show today. You can text on 9292. I started listening to Newstalk ZB properly when I had my two children. I was working part time - mostly nights and weekends, and was fortunate enough to spend my days with the kids. As amazing as it was being in a bubble with my baby and a toddler, by 4pm I was pretty desperate for some adult company, so I'd listen to Larry Williams' drive show. Unknown to Larry, I chatted to him, nodded furiously in agreement, and probably blew raspberries when I begged to differ. He made me feel connected to the world and reminded me there were more things to think about than toilet training, mushed up food and the chaotic state of my house. Larry helped get me through those pre-school years, and I will always be grateful. And that's where I think, in my humble opinion, Newstalk ZB really gets it right. For thousands of New Zealanders, the voice coming through the speakers isn't just information. It's company on a sleepless night, a familiar voice during the morning commute, or someone to share a joke or raspberry with while making dinner. In a world increasingly shaped by personalised algorithms and endless scrolling tailored just for us, radio brings people together. It lets us share our stories with each other, learn more by debating issues together, and connects us with others who feel the same way. Coming from a television background, I was a bit snobby about radio -TV people tend to believe television is the superior format. But all it took was one show back in 2018 and I was hooked on the immediacy of radio. What I've learnt over the last 9 years is that while radio might be one of the oldest forms of media it is still one of the most human. Here's to another hundy! However that looks. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last year, social media personality Louis Davis was named New Zealand TikTok Creator of the Year - off the back of his family life as a stay at home dad to three girls. He has a global following of over 3 million, and last year alone his content racked up 3 billion views. He says his goal is to tell stories while avoiding stereotypes about his background. "If this is all you're going to see about Māori men and you live on the other side of the world, in the UK or you live in Africa or you live in the Bahamas and this is the only thing you see about my people, you're going to know that we're a people of goodness." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dying Days by Anthony Byrt. Set in May, 1945, near the end of the Second World War, Tito's Yugoslav army and the Allies are in a tense standoff in the city of Trieste. When a group of Kiwi soldiers go missing, tensions escalate and the unlikely pairing of a British MI6 officer and a New Zealand intelligence officer is flung together to locate them. The Queen and Her Presidents by Susan Page. During Queen Elizabeth the Second's time on the throne, 13 US Presidents came and went, from Harry S. Truman to Donald Trump. This is a fascinating and charming account of those relationships, full of anecdotes and history and reinforcing her reputation as a masterful diplomat and a woman of enormous influence. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New York is an infamously expensive city, especially when it comes to accommodation, but there are many things you can see and do if you're on a budget. Despite the city being 'frightfully' expensive - Megan Singleton has outlined her affordable hotspots, including the Brooklyn Bridge, the Staten Island Ferry, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum - and of course, the pizza slices! For more of Megan's travel tips and advice, check here. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, Coast Day host Lorna Riley and Newstalk ZB host Roman Travers joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! A new MSD report has confirmed that child poverty has gotten worse over the last few years. How can we fix these alarming statistics? What can we do? Winston Peters has prompted backlash over his controversial comments targeting a Green MP. Does there need to be more accountability? Particularly given Winston is Foreign Minister and this made global headlines? Phone etiquette - do we need a warning every time someone tries to call us? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Millions turn to social media every day for entertainment, advice and information - including health advice from artificially generated sources. Some of the videos appearing online were not created by real health experts, with plenty of content designed more around selling products over helping people answer their health questions. Misleading AI-generated health influencers are fake online personalities and computer-generated medical videos using deepfakes, fabricated doctor personas, and false product endorsements to sell unproven supplements. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 2 August, Richard E Grant has been on the acting scene for almost 40 years but his latest role but be his maddest yet. He tells Francesca what drew him to the raucous period drama Savage House and the unusual wrap present co-star Claire Foy bought him. NZ TikTok Creator of the Year Louis Davis is an internet sensation with over 3 million followers globally. His wholesome content centres around family life as a stay at home dad, he joins Francesca to share how that has inspired his new book. Dr Claire Achmad ended her tenure as Children's Commissioner on Friday, she shares what still needs to be addressed when it comes to the wellbeing of children in New Zealand. And New York can be an expensive place to visit but our travel contributor Megan Singleton has all the tips for free and cheap things to do in the big apple. Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richard E Grant's been taking on unusual roles in his acting career, and his latest project, Savage House, is no exception. Over the last few decades, he's made a name for himself with roles like Dracula, The Age of Innocence, Star Wars and Can You Ever Forgive Me. He's playing Sir Chauncey in the new raucous period drama, and it promises to give audiences a memorable experience. "In this case, I wanted to know what happened to this character, from the beginning, middle, all the way to the end." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Beef, pumpkin and bean burrito Cook time: 25 minutes Prep time: 25 minutes Serves: 6 300gm beef mince 3 tbsp sunflower oil 1 onion, peeled & diced 4 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed 1 can whole-peeled tomatoes 2 tbsp Mike's house rub 1/2 pumpkin, peeled & diced 3 carrots, peeled & diced 1 can black beans, drained 3 cups cooked rice 1 cup grated tasty cheese salt and pepper 6 flour wraps Pre-heat your oven to 180*c. Toss the pumpkin and carrots in oil and season. Spread out onto a tray and bake for 25 minutes, remove and cool. Heat a medium sized pan and add in the onions and garlic. Sauté for few minutes before adding the beef mince and house rub. Continue to sauté before adding in the whole-peeled tomatoes. Cook for a further 10 minutes before turning off, allowing to cool. To make up the burritos, carefully combine the mince, pumpkin, carrot, beans, rice and seasoning. Place 4-5 tbsp of beef onto each wrap and top with cheese. Wrap up tight and then wrap in tin-foil. Place into the oven for 25 minutes before serving. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You probably think of a sauna as somewhere to relax, recover after exercise, or simply warm up on a cold day. However, scientists have discovered that just 30 minutes in a sauna may temporarily change the way your immune system behaves. New research published in the journal Temperature found that just one single sauna session caused every major type of white blood cell to increase in the bloodstream. These are the cells that help defend you against infections, clear away damaged cells and coordinate your body's immune response. Most of the time, many of these cells aren't constantly travelling around your body. Instead, they wait in places like your bone marrow, spleen and lymph nodes until they're needed. You can think of them like emergency services. You don't keep every police officer, firefighter and ambulance driving around every street all day. Most are stationed at their bases, ready to respond when something happens. But every now and then, it can be useful to have more of them out on patrol. That's essentially what the researchers think happened during the sauna. The heat appeared to temporarily send more immune cells into circulation, giving them the opportunity to move through the body looking for signs of infection, damaged tissue or anything else that doesn't belong. Scientists call this immune surveillance. In the experiments the researchers recruited 51 adults with an average age of 50. Each volunteer spent 15 minutes in a traditional Finnish sauna heated to around 73°C, cooled off with a two-minute shower, then returned to the sauna for another 15 minutes. Blood samples were taken before the sauna, immediately afterwards and again 30 minutes later, allowing the researchers to watch how the immune system responded in real time. Blood tests revealed that every major type of white blood cell increased immediately after the sauna. Neutrophils, the body's first responders to infection, and lymphocytes, which help recognise and destroy infected cells, both surged into the bloodstream before returning to their usual levels about 30 minutes later. That suggests these cells weren't being created from scratch. Instead, they were temporarily moving out of their storage sites and into circulation before returning home again. The scientists also measured 37 different cytokines, the chemical messenger molecules that immune cells use to communicate with one another. Surprisingly, despite the dramatic movement of white blood cells, very few of these signalling molecules changed. The researchers think this means the immediate response to a sauna is driven more by moving immune cells around the body than by switching the immune system into a highly inflammatory state. While the study didn't go on to look at whether people who regularly took saunas had a stronger immune system, it does show that your immune system isn't sitting still while you're relaxing, but instead is working harder than ever. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The flash mob dancer who stole the show at the Commonwealth Games says they wanted to entertain the crowd with something flashy - but not too serious. Scotland's CJ Miller, known as 'Mop Man', has delighted audiences with half-time performances using household appliances as props, often coming out as a cleaner before breaking into dance. The 25-year-old says the props were not their idea. "I was instructed - here is your vacuum, here is your mop, have fun. And I was like - what about me makes you think that I would find this fun? But you know what, I was proven wrong." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Universal Studios is launching two Ozzy Osbourne-inspired haunted houses designed to take guests on a 'Crazy Train' trip through his life and career. The two new developments are coming to Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood, and will cover the decades of his life and his creative output. Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They say you're never too old to learn something new, and one Kiwi entrepreneur is using this as the basis for her new education initiative. Frances Valintine recently launched the Love Heart Social Learning programme, and it's designed to educate Kiwis over 60 and encourage connection. She says she's been working in education for years and seen Kiwis in their late 40s and beyond return for masters degrees and she felt inspired to use this for a social enterprise. "It's extraordinarily important, all the studies have come out around cognitive decline, Alzheimer's', dementia, etc - a lot of it comes through loneliness and lack of connection to people, but also the lack of keeping your mind busy. So people often take up reading or they go into book clubs, they might do other things that they haven't done before." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Rotorua business leader told Prime Minister Christopher Luxon about the city's struggling economy at a function, prompting the PM to tell business owners to 'be adult'. Luxon was in Rotorua last week with appointments including the recent Business Chamber Westpac Smarts Breakfast. Newstalk ZB political reporter Ethan Griffiths says Luxon's comments have prompted outrage, with Labour condemning him for 'lecturing' business owners about the state of the economy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's been more setbacks in reducing the number of New Zealand children living in poverty. A recent Ministry of Social Development report shows almost 169,000 children were living in material hardship last year, up from 160,000 the year before. The report says rising expenses have significantly lifted hardship since 2023. Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad, who's set to finish up in the role, says children in poverty haven't been made a priority since 2022. "After the Child Poverty Reduction Act was passed in 2018, actually, we did see a measurable decrease in child material hardship, for example. But then from 2022, what we have been seeing is that over that time is that there has been a measurable increase in child poverty." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are about 97 days until we vote in the general election. I hope most of those days are better spent than with this week's spite and showboating. Winston Peters has spent decades proving he can bluster his way through most controversies, but his performance in the house has brought his role as Foreign Minister under scrutiny. Let's be clear, neither Peters nor the Green MP Lawrence Xu-Nan covered themselves in glory in the House this week. Their exchange during a public debate where Peters told Xu-Nan to "go back to your own country" was attention seeking and designed to generate headlines as these days viral clips are valued more in modern politics than persuasive arguments and debate. Xu-Nan interjections about Peter's vaccine status were provocative but, considering his position, Peter's response was worse. If Peters was simply the leader of New Zealand First this week, the temptation would be to shrug, roll your eyes and file the skirmish away under “classic Winston”. Political theatre has always been part of his brand, and he probably calculated the exchange would resonate with his base. Election campaigns reward sharp elbows. But Peters is also NZ's Foreign Affairs Minister and spends his time, we would hope, nurturing our relationships with other nations. When your words prompt a formal diplomatic protest from China and make headlines around the world, they stop being just domestic political theatre. China is New Zealand's biggest trading parter, and the Foreign Minister's job is to advance New Zealand's interests, not create diplomatic fires. Ministers often survive offensive remarks, but Foreign Ministers should be held to a different standard because every word can have a diplomatic consequence. Peters knows this better than anyone. Decades of experience don't excuse the lapse, they make it harder to defend. Christopher Luxon's response - 5 out of 10. He deserves some credit for calling the comments “outrageous”, “very offensive and completely inappropriate", and racist, but stopped short of imposing any consequences, and expressed confidence in Peters as Foreign Minister. So, strong diagnosis, weak prescription from the Prime Minister. As you would expect the opposition has called for Peter's sacking, a position backed by former leaders Helen Clark and Don Brash. Everyone is using this spat as a means to campaign. Luxon's told a public meeting on Friday that the answer was "pretty simple." "Party vote National," he said. With three months until the election we can unfortunately expect more provocation, more culture war politics and more headline chasing. This may energise parts of New Zealand First's base, but it risks alienating other voters who are sick of the drama and desperately looking for rational, thoughtful conversations about issues and what matters. There is a reason the Opportunity Party is doing well in the polls. It's not necessarily about their policies - the party also appeals to people who are fed up with the status quo and the same politicians playing the same tiresome games. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Goldenhorse lead singer Kirsten Morrell denies her new solo project has been a long time coming - but it kind of was. Over 20 years ago, iconic Kiwi pop band Goldenhorse was putting out music - but since the group broke up, Morrell stayed involved in the scene. She released her first solo album in 2010 and her second album, Morrelium, recently came out last Friday. "I'd been pent-up creatively for years, I didn't feel permission because of the Goldenhorse hiatus thing - I didn't feel a permission to be me or to be free creatively." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi actor Karl Urban's managed to find significant success overseas, but he's returned to New Zealand for his new role in an upcoming local film. Between The Boys, Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, and Thor: Ragnarok, his credit list of big international hits is extensive. He returned to star in Andrew Nicol's new film I, Object back in 2024 and he says it's great to be filming near where he grew up. "I was actually shooting over in Australia and I was approached to do the voice of one of the objects in the movie, and then I promptly got another callback saying - 'would you consider the role of Frank?' And it seemed to me I've had a lot of fun doing that and I really wanted to work with Andrew." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No Prisoners by Ellis Blake. Hannah Lyon is a brilliant physicist whose husband disappears and when the police don't take much interest, takes matters into her own hands, uncovering not only the truth of what happened to him, but also another dark secret from her family's past. Set in New Mexico, this is actually written by a Kiwi author. Getting Away with Murder by Shari Lapena. Jill and Ted live the good life in Manhattan, but when their extravagance and poor investments catch up with them they come up with a deadly plan to secure their future. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Megan Singleton's journey's continue - and she's currently seeing what Fiji has to offer. She's on a 'multi-generational' holiday, and she's observed there seems to be a lot to offer for young families, from pools, to beaches to dining. She joined Francesca to explain further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday panel, director at 818 Chris Henry and partner at Freebairn and Hehir Liam Hehir joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Stuart Nash has stepped away from NZ First after accusing Napier MP Katie Nimon of being lazy - and copping backlash from all sides of the political aisle. Are we surprised about this? Do we think this is the right call? National recently announced that if they got re-elected, they'd gradually extend paid parental leave to 30 weeks by 2029, with a longer-term goal of reaching 40 weeks. Do we think this is a good idea? Is National taking advantage of the Stuart Nash controversy? There's a new trend - dopamine apps let you fill out a food delivery order or an online shopping cart without delivering anything. But do we think this is a good idea? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 26 July, one of our most successful acting imports has returned home to film a rate local film. Karl Urban talks his new kiwi film I, Object and pays tribute to the late Sam Neill and talks of his impact on the local film industry. Goldenhorse lead singer Kirsten Morrell is back with her first solo album in a few years. Kirsten tells Francesca why she returned to writing music after a long break. Could New Zealand have its first comprehensive cancer centre within the next decade? Head of University of Auckland's new Department of Cancer Sciences, Dr Ben Lawrence, has a grand new vision and joins Francesca to talk about how he plans to make it reality. And Erin O'Hara tells what really happens to your body when you skip meals Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether you are intermittent fasting, working through lunch or skipping breakfast, going too long between meals can have some serious consequences on your health and metabolism. Food helps to power every system in our bodies, so pretty much every part of your body is impacted when you skip a meal or fast. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explained further - and how we can create healthy routines to support our metabolism. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dutch style pancakes with lemon curd Cook time: 20 minutes Prep time: 5 minutes Serves: 6-8 6 lemons 4 medium eggs, lightly beaten 350 gm caster sugar 120 gm unsalted butter, cubed Pancakes 1 cup plain flour 1 tsp caster sugar Pinch of salt 1 egg 3/4 cup trim milk 2 tbsp oil for frying Using a microplane, zest the lemons and squeeze the juice of all. Place juice and zest into a heat proof bowl, along with the lightly beaten eggs, then stir in the sugar. Bring a pot of water to the boil and place the bowl over the top. Whisk whilst cooking out the egg, continue to cook till the mixture reaches 76*c or starts to thicken like a runny custard. Remove from the water. Add in the cubed butter, one at a time. Continuing to whisk until all the butter is added. For the pancakes Sift flour and combine with the sugar and salt. Add egg and gradually whisk in the milk. Stand in the fridge for at least an hour. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan, pour in the pancake mix in batches (1/4 cup of mix makes one pancake), tip the pan to spread out the batter across the pan. After 2 minutes turn and cook for a further 2 minutes. Place the pancake onto a pan and spread over some curd and roll up. Serve hot! LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you reach for a caffeine-filled drink first thing every morning, you've probably heard conflicting advice over the years. Caffeine is good for you, caffeine is bad for you. So which is it? A new scientific review published in the journal Circulation suggests we've been asking the wrong question. Instead of asking whether caffeine is healthy, we should be asking what the caffeine comes packaged with. Your morning coffee and an energy drink might contain similar amounts of caffeine, but they are not the same when it comes to your heart. Studying caffeine sounds simple, give people caffeine and see what happens. The problem is that researchers usually aren't studying caffeine in isolation, they're studying coffee. And coffee isn't simply a caffeine delivery system, it's a remarkably complex drink containing hundreds of biologically active compounds, including antioxidants and anti-inflammatory molecules that appear to have health effects of their own. Rather than conducting one new experiment, researchers reviewed decades of evidence, bringing together large population studies involving hundreds of thousands of people, randomised controlled trials, genetic research and laboratory experiments to build the clearest picture yet of caffeine and heart health. The findings were reassuring for coffee drinkers. For most healthy adults, consuming up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day (3-4 cups of regular coffee) appears to be safe. Surprisingly people who drank moderate amounts of coffee (even decaf) consistently showed lower risks of heart disease, stroke, heart failure and Type 2 diabetes. Scientists think those benefits may have less to do with caffeine itself and more to do with the antioxidants in coffee which appear to improve blood vessel function, increase insulin sensitivity and even influence the bacteria living inside our gut. Coffee isn't just delivering caffeine; it's delivering an entire chemical cocktail that may help offset some of caffeine's effects. Energy drinks contain similar amounts of caffeine to coffee, but they also contain ingredients such as taurine that may increase how quickly caffeine is absorbed. Unlike coffee, these highly concentrated caffeine drinks were associated with: increased blood pressure abnormal heart rhythms cardiovascular problems, even in otherwise healthy young adults. The caffeine molecule may be identical, but the delivery system isn't. Ever wondered why one person can drink an espresso after dinner and sleep perfectly, while someone else lies awake after a lunchtime coffee? Researchers estimate that 30–50 percent of the differences in how people tolerate caffeine are inherited. Much of that comes down to variations in a liver enzyme called CYP1A2, which controls how quickly caffeine is broken down. Fast metabolisers clear caffeine quickly, slow metabolisers can experience stronger and longer-lasting effects, even after drinking exactly the same cup of coffee. That's why there is no universal "safe" amount that works for everyone. Finally, how you brew your coffee matters. Unfiltered coffee, including French press, Turkish coffee and some espresso preparations contains higher amounts of a compound called cafestol, which can raise LDL ("bad") cholesterol. Paper filters remove most of it meaning your brewing method may influence your heart health just as much as the amount of coffee you drink. This study doesn't suggest everyone should start drinking coffee, but instead, highlights that foods are more than the sum of their ingredients. Coffee delivers caffeine alongside hundreds of naturally occurring compounds that may work together to produce health benefits. Energy drinks often deliver concentrated caffeine alongside ingredients that appear to amplify cardiovascular stress. The stimulant may be the same, but the biology isn't. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's looking likely that System of a Down and Faith No More will be announcing a new tour very soon. Teaser images have been spotted around Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane - as well as Wellington. Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall reveals what we know so far. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Psychologist and bestselling author Nigel Latta has been honoured with a special in memoriam award at the Aotearoa New Zealand Book Industry Awards. Nigel Latta passed away last September and his last book, 'Lessons on Living', was published he day he died. His widow, psychologist Natalie Flynn, says it was a 'lovely event' where she got to celebrate the impact of his work and books. "His last one seems to have resonated with so many people and touched so many lives - look, his aim while he was living was to help as many people as possible." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stuart Nash appears to be calling time on his political career, ruling out any form of comeback. Nash has apologised to Napier MP Katie Nimon, after calling her 'lazy' for taking maternity leave. The controversy, which included MPs calling Nash sexist, prompted the former Labour cabinet minister to withdraw as NZ First's Napier candidate. Newstalk ZB political reporter Azaria Howell says Stuart Nash already had a controversial reputation, and he's been warned in the past before this incident. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A group of experts are looking to turn around New Zealand's lagging cancer survival rates. Auckland University recently launched its new Department of Cancer Sciences, in the first step of eventually creating our first comprehensive cancer centre. The university's Department of Cancer Sciences head, Dr Ben Lawrence, says the country can do better in treating cancer and providing clinical care for impacted individuals. "I think what we have to recognise is that it wasn't that long ago when our cancer outcomes were the same as Australia's, but over the last 20 years, they've unfortunately drifted apart." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.