The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Acclaimed Australian director Baz Luhrmann is the man behind films like The Great Gatsby, Moulin Rouge, Romeo and Juliet - and he's spent time exploring Elvis Presley's work. Luhrmann directed the 2022 Elvis biopic, and it was during that production process that he discovered hours and hours of unseen Elvis concert footage down a Warner Brothers salt mine. He used the footage to craft EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert. "There's not a frame of AI in this movie and there's no visual effects - I'd like to say the only visual effect is the effect Elvis has on the audience." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz. This is the latest in the series of thrillers about Evan Smoak, otherwise known as Orphan X - who was trained by the Government from childhood in the art of black ops but has since left the scheme and now uses his skills and talents to do good. He goes by the name of The Nowhere Man and when people in distress call on him he goes to their aid, his only stipulation being that they must pass on his contact number to someone else who needs his help - and in this latest outing, his help is indeed very badly needed. These books are great fun - a combination of Evan's superhuman fighting skills, luxury tastes, digital whizz sidekick, and a willing suspension of disbelief. Strangers by Belle Burden. Belle Burden is American royalty - she's a descendant of Cornelius Vanderbilt and her grandmother was the legendary Babe Paley. She thought she was happily married to a hedge fund guy and when Covid hit New York City the family relocated to their country estate where he promised to look after them during the pandemic - then one week in she received a phone message from someone to say that her husband was having an affair with this man's wife and her world fell apart. Her husband walked out, saying he didn't want anything to do with her or their kids and largely stuck to his words. This is a meditation on betrayal, on being blindsided by the loss of her marriage, and on how badly some super rich men will behave given half a chance. Clearly money wasn't an issue for the author either, but to have the rug pulled out from under her during such uncertain times and then to write about it with such grace and clarity makes for a very good read. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The final piece of Barcelona's Sagrada Familia has been laid in place. This brings the church to its maximum final height 144 years after work began. BloggerAtLarge.com writer Megan Singleton explained the significance of this development. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Whakaari/White Island exploded around tour guide Kelsey Waghorn, she was convinced this was the end of her life. Waghorn is among the 25 people who were seriously injured but survived the December 9 eruption in 2019 - while 22 were killed in the eruption. She shared a full account of her story in her new book, Surviving White Island. "You look at the video of the eruption - and it's the first time I got shown the video of the eruption, in hospital...and it was just all hectic." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Sunday Panel, journalist and editor, Jo McCarroll, and host of The Front Page podcast, Chelsea Daniels joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was recently arrested after being accused of sharing confidential information with the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein while he was trade envoy for the United Kingdom. What does this mean for the royals? Do we need to oust Charles as our head of state? After the Government backtracked on their housing intensification plan, Heather du Plessis-Allan wrote a piece in the Herald defending the concerns from Auckland residents over housing. Do we think this is justified? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 22 February 2026, acclaimed film director Baz Luhrmann is returning to the world of Elvis with a stunning new concert documentary. Baz talks about finding hours of unseen footage in old Warner Brothers salt mines and the arduous job of bringing the King back to life no the big screen. When Whakaari-White Island erupted in December 2019, tour guide Kelsey Waghorn thought she was going to die. She joins Francesca to talk about how she survived and her lengthy recovery from her burns. Former US Under Secretary of Commerce and Security talks about Donald Trump's reaction to his tariffs being ruled illegal, while Francesca calls for the US to take the UK's lead in investigating those involved with Epstein, so his victims can finally have justice. And after 144 years of construction, Sagrada Familia has hit a major milestone. Travel blogger Megan Singleton shares an update and some travel tips for anyone off to see Barcelona's famous church. 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.

Spiced passata sauce Cook time: 30 minutes Prep time: 5 minutes Serves: 4-6 12-15 ripe tomatoes 2 sticks rosemary 10 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed slightly 1 tbsp flaky salt 2 tbsp sunflower oil 1 fresh chili, stalk removed and cut in half 1 tbsp honey Start by turn on your oven to 220*c Cut the tomatoes in half and lay onto a roasting tray, sprinkle over some flaky salt, smashed garlic, chili and rosemary. Drizzle with a little oil and fire into the oven to roast. Roast at for 30 minutes or until the tomatoes just start to collapse and colour. Remove and allow to cool, using a potato masher or stick blender to puree the tomatoes into a sauce. Now pass the sauce through a sieve to remove all the seeds and any skins. Place the sauce back into a pot and bring up to a simmer, skimming off any fat raising to the surface. Add honey and check the seasoning - and it's ready to bottle. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A bonobo named Kanzi was sitting at a table across from a researcher. On the table are two completely empty clear cups and an empty clear jug. The researcher pretends to pour juice into both cups. Then she pretends to dump the juice out of one of them, turning it upside down and shaking it as if to show it's empty. Then she asks Kanzi, “Where's the juice?” There is no juice, but most of the time, Kanzi points to the cup that is supposed to still contain the imaginary juice. The study, published in Science, is the first controlled evidence that a nonhuman ape can represent something mentally that isn't physically there, and keep track of it as events unfold. In the study, three controlled experiments were used to test whether an ape could actually track a pretend object in a consistent, rule-based way. In the first experiment, Kanzi watched the pretend pouring and pretend dumping, and then had to identify which cup still 'had' the invisible juice. Even when the researchers moved the cups around, he usually pointed to the correct one. That suggests he wasn't just memorising a position, he was mentally tracking the imagined contents. But maybe, you might think, he believed there was real juice hidden in there somehow. So the researchers ran a second experiment to rule that out. This time, one cup had real juice in it and the other had pretend juice. When asked what he wanted to drink, Kanzi overwhelmingly chose the real juice, so he clearly understood the difference between imagination and reality. In a third test, they switched from juice to grapes. The researcher pretended to take a grape from an empty container and place it into one of two jars, then pretended to empty one jar. When asked, 'Where's the grape?' Kanzi again pointed to the jar that was supposed to still contain the imaginary grape. This matters because imagination has long been considered one of the defining features of being human. Human children typically start pretend play around age two, and even younger babies show signs they understand make-believe scenarios. But until now, scientists hadn't demonstrated this ability under controlled conditions in other animals. Humans and bonobos share a common ancestor from around six to nine million years ago. If the roots of imagination stretch back that far, then this capacity didn't suddenly appear with us. It may be part of a much older cognitive toolkit. If apes can think about things that aren't present, if they can hold an imagined object in mind and update that representation as events change, then their experience of the world may be far richer than we've assumed. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

William Shatner is set to boldly go in a new musical direction with his latest project. The 94-year-old Star Trek actor confirmed he's got a heavy metal album in the works, featuring original songs and covers from Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall explained the project further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police are continuing to raid Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's former home - Royal Lodge. The former Prince was arrested and accused of sharing confidential information with the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein while he was trade envoy for the UK. The Government's considering removing him from line of succession to the throne. He is eighth in line. Royal Editor at the Mirror Russell Myers says some are questioning if the monarchy can survive this. "While that might be slightly premature at the moment, I think that certainly, we've reached such a point where I think we're really in a sort of crisis period for the monarchy." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Conservation Minister says National wants more consistent policy for Auckland's Hauraki Gulf. National says it will ban commercial fishing in all 12 high protection areas and 5 sea floor protection areas. It will also review the rules which allow bottom trawling in some corridors. Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says some activities would still be allowed under these changes. "We've discussed this matter with a lot of Aucklanders, a lot of New Zealanders - they're not very happy with that situation, and we've decided it's important to revert to the original intent." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump is pushing ahead with another round of global tariffs, just a day after being told last year's levies were illegal. In a post on social media, Trump confirmed he'll lift the tariffs to 15 percent, higher than the 10 percent rate he announced yesterday. The move comes after a Supreme Court ruling found his sweeping trade measures from last year were unlawful. Former US Under Secretary of Commerce and Security Bill Reinsch says this will make it harder for Trump to threaten and bully other countries with even higher tariffs. "He won't be able to do that anymore, and I think that's why he's really unhappy. It's also a significant limitation on Presidential power, the real importance of this decision is historic." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well, there is absolutely no question what the biggest story in the world was on Friday. Words used to describe the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, were 'historic', 'jaw dropping', and 'stunning'. It has been described as a huge moment in the history of the modern royal family. But there were other royal commentators who weren't surprised at all with how Andrew's 66th birthday unfolded. They'd been watching the pressure build and felt Friday's events were a long time coming. If you have read Andrew Lownie's biography of Andrew and his former wife Sarah Ferguson, called Entitled, you will be familiar with the controversies during his decade lone tenure as a tax payer funded civil servant. When I spoke to Lownie last year he felt there should be a parliamentary, and crime agency, enquiry into Andrew's role as the Special Trade Envoy, and that it could lead to criminal charges. It was announced overnight that a cross party business and trade committee will meet on Tuesday to discuss exactly this. In response to the unprecedented arrest of a royal family member, Buckingham Palace made it clear the royal family had not been given a heads up that Andrew was about to be arrested and investigated for suspicion of misconduct in public office. And yet, King Charles III quickly offered up an impressive and upfront statement, giving the impression Buckingham Palace were prepared for this day too. Respectable working members of the family are already under pressure when out in public to answer questions about Andrew. With an arrest, investigation, and potential charges and a trial, this crisis could be in the public eye for years. King Charles recognises this, and by putting duty ahead of his brother in his statement he continues the institution's distancing from Andrew and his many messes. In a crisis this big, the royal family's philosophy of 'never complain, never explain' simply isn't going to cut it and is coming to an end. It is important to note that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor denies any wrong-doing, and that his arrest is not related to accusations of sexual assault or misconduct. What I find sad about all this is how hard it is for the many women raped and sexually assaulted as girls, by Jeffrey Epstein and allegedly some of his mates, to seek justice. Lawyers, academics, and ambassadors have lost their jobs, but the focus and interest has shifted to the exposure and workings of a rich and powerful global network, rather that the real victims in this story. Never-the-less, the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is a timely reminder that in the UK - at least - no one is above the law. Before they look morally bankrupt, it's time the American Department of Justice acted likewise and got back to seeking justice for the real victims in this sordid episode. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Miriam Margolyes, Judy Davis and Jacki Weaver are teaming up to star in an unconventional road trip comedy set in 1970s New Zealand. Three elderly nuns set off on a mission in their car powered by God to track down a lost boy in search of heaven, and the film promises to be entertaining and heartfelt. Miriam Margolyes says she's delighted to be involved in this film and she's enjoying working with her 'awe-inspiring' co-stars. "I'm out of my depth, really, with them - I think they're just astonishing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Lucy Hone is well-regarded as a resilience expert and she's got plenty of personal and academic experience with devastating grief. Grief comes in many forms - not just with death, but divorce, estrangement, dementia, redundancy, and Hone's put her findings into a book. She says some people are more 'mentally agile' than others and that learning how to balance emotions is a key skill. "They're also typically good at being able to focus their attention on the things that they can change - and somehow accept the things that they can't. And I'm not going to pretend that that's easy or sugarcoat it, but all of my work is about helping people." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spies and other Gods by James Wolff. This spy thriller is set apart from others by being narrated by a kind of collective voice of MI5 - it's the spies watching the spies. Sir William Rentoul, head of the service, takes great umbrage when an anonymous whistle-blower lays a complaint and a smart young parliamentary researcher is brought in to investigate. MI5 are particularly adept at ensuring she makes no progress, but she becomes a part of something much, much bigger, and which also gets Sir William back into the field after years driving an MI5 desk, with predictable results. The Dead Speak by Thomas Coyle. The author learned the science and art of forensics with the Metropolitan police in the UK, before eventually moving to New Zealand, after which he became involved in victim identification after the Boxing Day tsunami, and the Christchurch earthquake in 2011. It's a fascinating account about the training involved, and the painstaking processes which forensic investigators follow in the course of their critical work. It's an easy read although as he says, not for the faint of heart, with a good dose of black humour. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the new year getting underway, blogger and travel expert Megan Singleton revealed how to make the most out of your next big trip. She's revealed how to save money on international bank fees, how to prepare for airport security and what to do if your luggage gets damaged. Read more of her tips and tricks here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, Wellington Mornings host Nick Mills and Director at Capital, Ben Thomas, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Does the Government need to move with urgency to get CAR T-cell therapy publicly available as soon as possible? Do we have faith they'll move quickly enough? Safety's been called into question after a collision at yesterday's SailGP event in Auckland landed two athletes in the hospital. Do changes need to be made? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New research has revealed the best predictors of daily movement and exercise, and it goes deeper than willpower. Researchers followed and analysed 70,000 people over 3.5 years to challenge some of the most common assumptions about motivation and discipline. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explained the results. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 15 February 2026, British Australian actress Miriam Margolyes chats her upcoming new film Holy Days and pushes back on rumours she might not have long left to live. We often think of grief as death but we all experience living losses too. Dr Lucy Hone is a specialist in resilience psychology and talks to Francesca about recognising other forms of loss and grief and how we can all cope with the hard things in life. Sailing Professor Mark Orams calls for changes to Sail GP following the Black Foils major crash on the first day of the Auckland event, while Francesca pushes back on suggestions the Winter Olympics are elitist. And scientists have found coffee consumption might reduce your dementia risk ... or have they? Dr Michelle Dickinson clears up the latest in coffee research. 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.

Lamb in a bag Cook time: 45 minutes Prep time: 10 minutes Serves: 6 1 leg of lamb, bone out 2 onions, peeled and diced 4 cloves garlic, peeled 2 tsp tumeric 2 tsp cumin seeds, roasted and crushed 2 tsp coriander seeds, roasted and crushed 2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce 2 tbsp soya sauce Juice of 1 lemon 2 tbsp sunflower oil 1 tsp flaky salt Optional 1 can chipotle in adobo sauce' Preheat your oven to 180*c, fan bake. Place the lamb leg into a bowl and pour over all the remaining ingredients. Massage marinate into the meat, cover with cling-film and place into the fridge to marinate for as long as you can. Overnight would be awesome! To cook, take a large oven bag and place the lamb along with the marinate into the bag and then onto a roasting tray and into the middle of the oven. Cook for 45 minutes, after this time, remove and allow to rest for at least 20 minutes. Remove the bones and shred the remaining meat back into the bag with the jucies. Serve with soft tortilla, coriander and salsa. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're holding a cup of coffee or tea right now, here's a small piece of encouraging news. A large study published in the journal JAMA suggests that people who drink two to three cups of caffeinated coffee or tea a day have about a 15-20 percent lower risk of developing dementia compared to people who avoid these drinks altogether. The researchers analysed data from more than 130,000 men and women followed for up to 43 years as part of two major US health studies. Participants regularly reported what they ate and drank, whether they developed dementia, and how their cognitive abilities changed over time. The people who drank the most caffeinated coffee or tea had an 18 percent lower risk of dementia compared to those who drank little or none. The benefit seemed to plateau at around two to three cups of coffee or one to two cups of tea per day. Decaf coffee showed no clear link to reduced dementia risk. Regular caffeine drinkers also reported slightly less cognitive decline and performed a bit better on some objective brain function tests. Now we have to remember there may be other factors. It's possible that people who drink tea and coffee differ in other ways, maybe they're more socially engaged, more active, or have different sleep patterns. For example, people with poor sleep (which is linked to higher dementia risk) might avoid caffeine which could skew the results. There are plausible biological reasons for the link. Tea and coffee contain caffeine and polyphenols, which may: Improve blood vessel health Reduce inflammation Lower oxidative stress (damage caused by free radicals) Improve metabolic health Caffeine is also associated with lower rates of type 2 diabetes, which is itself a risk factor for dementia. But caffeine isn't purely good. In some people it raises blood pressure, and high blood pressure is a major driver of dementia risk so more isn't better. Experts estimate that up to half of dementia cases worldwide could potentially be prevented or delayed by addressing known risk factors like high blood pressure, smoking, obesity, hearing loss, poor sleep, and lack of exercise. So while your morning coffee might be part of a healthy pattern, it's not a magic shield. The real protective factors are the familiar ones: regular exercise, balanced nutrition, good sleep, social connection, and mental stimulation. If anything, this research offers gentle reassurance. If you enjoy your daily coffee or tea, there's no strong evidence here that you need to give it up for brain health and there may even be a modest benefit. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following the release of their 2025 album, More, Pulp are set to play a long-awaited gig in New Zealand. This visit will be the band's first in over 13 years, and they'll be playing Auckland's Spark Arena next weekend. Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the end of an era for iconic music festival Splore, with the event concluding for good this year. The festival's organisers confirmed that declining ticket sales forced them to pull the pin on the event. Splore festival director John Minty says it was important to wrap things up on a high note, but it's been sad for the crew. "We've created a family and a beautiful sort of community - obviously with our crew, but also with all the Splore-ers. And when we announced this was going to be the last one, there was definitely a lot of sadness." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT leader David Seymour outlined his party's strategy for the 2026 election this morning. Over 100 people piled into the Rydges Hotel in Christchurch for Seymour's State of the Nation speech. Former Minister and commentator Peter Dunne says ACT is polling well and if they handle their campaign well, they could find themselves in a similar spot to the last election. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing calls to find pathways to bring CAR-T cell therapy to New Zealand. The current trial of the life changing cancer treatment is set to end at later this year, but there's no clear path to making it available through the public health system. Malaghan Institute Clinical Director Rob Weinkove says this treatment will improve many people's outcomes. "Much of the infrastructure is there and I think one of the main motivations of setting up this trial here is just to skill up, because it's clear the big international pharmacies weren't going to come to New Zealand, we're a small market." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Safety's been called into question after a collision at yesterday's SailGP event in Auckland landed two athletes in hospital. The opening day of racing was called off early - when New Zealand's Black Foils lost control and went spinning into France. Kiwi Louis Sinclair suffered compound fractures in both legs and a French athlete was also injured. Sailing professor Mark Orams, says the crash looked deadly - and almost felt inevitable on the back of the previous two races. "There were so many close misses, there were so many teams that were really struggling to control the boat under really tough conditions on a very compressed course." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What an incredible weekend of sport, with the T20 Cricket World Cup, Super Rugby Pacific, and SailGP sweeping into Auckland – more on that in a minute - some of the world's best trail runners hit Rotorua for the Tarawera Premier Ultra-trail Marathon and the Winter Olympics continues to provide stunning performances, triumphs and disappointments, scandals and feel good moments. I've been interested in the chat around the Winter Olympics over the last week. The Winter Olympic Games is often criticised for being filled with elite, niche sports that struggle to capture broad public appeal. Unlike the Summer edition, which features globally accessible competitions like athletics, swimming and football, the Winter Games is based on disciplines which require specific climates, facilities, and funding. Sports such as biathlon (cross-country skiing and shooting), snowboard cross (kind of BMX racing for snowboarders), and curling are unfamiliar to many viewers outside Europe and North America. They demand snow tracks, ice rinks, and mountain ranges - resources unavailable in much of the world. As a result, participation is concentrated among a relatively small group of nations, reinforcing the perception that these are rarefied pursuits rather than widely played global sports. But for me, this exclusivity underscores why these athletes deserve celebration. Winter Olympians dedicate their lives to mastering extraordinarily demanding disciplines under harsh conditions. They train for years in sub-zero temperatures and in many cases risk injury at high speeds as they refine their skills in sports where success is often decided by fractions of a second or points. The limited global infrastructure for many of these sports makes reaching elite level even more impressive; pathways are narrower, funding scarcer, and margins for error smaller. That they are largely broadcast on pay tv in New Zealand also fuels the idea these sports aren't hugely common. But uncommon or not, if you've been watching over the last week, surely you'll agree the camera work has been spectacular and the events have been incredible to watch. My whole family have become obsessed with ice dancing and figure skating - and there have been some serious controversies and sides taken during the week, even though none of us could get ourselves around an ice rink. And really, isn't all sport at the top-end of competition elite - or as we like to call it ‘high performance sport'? On the global stage, rugby is niche. So is netball. The America's Cup is an elite sport, and the coast to coast this weekend attracts a small number of super athletes who will traverse the South Island. Doesn't make their accomplishments any less impressive. The Olympics exists not merely to platform the most popular sports, but to honour excellence at the highest level. That some of those sports are not broadly accessible does not diminish the skill required to compete. In the last week we've seen human resilience, sportsmanship, courage, and technical mastery - all done in what can be very challenging environments. So niche or not, our Kiwi athletes and their fellow competitors represent the pinnacle of their disciplines - and that alone warrants recognition and celebration. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pod Save America is one of the world's most successful news and politics podcasts and the team's set to take their show to our shores. The Hopefully Just Visiting tour will have live shows across Australia and New Zealand, with the one-off Auckland show taking place at Bruce Mason Theatre this week. Founder and podcast co-host Tommy Vietor says it's hard to encourage people to pay attention to politics, and he's hoping the podcast can help with that. "We're noticing that after the 2016 election - there are people who have never thought about politics before, never knocked on a door, never made a phone call... the challenge is, around the presidential elections, the electorate just looks totally different." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2023, comedian Tom Sainsbury released his award-winning murder mystery podcast Small Town Scandal. The podcast is being re-launched as a television show coming to Neon and Sky, with the series following disgraced journalist Toby Buchanan as he investigates the murder of his millionaire uncle. The show stars Sainsbury himself, as well as Kiwi actress Morgana O'Reilly. "It's changed from the podcast, there are some characters that are exactly the same and some storylines that are the same - but we've had to expand it, change it, change the ending, all that kind of stuff." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Sisterhood Rules by Kathy Lette, who must be one of the funniest women in the world. It's about twin sisters who have been estranged for five years, ever since Verity stole Isabel's husband - but they come together to take their mother in hand when they discover that she's taken up with a much younger man and is having a fabulous time, running through the money which might otherwise be their inheritance. It's full of jokes, puns and Kathy's trademark wit but she's making a serious point - that the bonds between women are what keep us all sane, and that we need to have one another's backs. Seed by Elizabeth Easther, who is a New Zealand journalist, book reviewer, playwright and author. This is also about the bonds between women - in this case between four women, each of whom is struggling with conception or pregnancy and the various modern ways by which those things might happen - fertility treatments, dating apps, autonomy over decisions affecting their own bodies and the impacts of these things with the people in their lives. It will speak very strongly to readers of a certain age - specifically, women who find themselves in the midst of those years, and it feels very true, and very real. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thai Airways recently confirmed the return of its non-stop flight route from Auckland to Bangkok - set to launch in the second half of 2026. The Covid-19 pandemic saw a halt to flights, which included the direct link between the two cities, shutting down in March 2020. BloggerAtLarge.com writer Megan Singleton explained further - and revealed her itinerary for a perfect four days in Thailand. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well, congratulations to all the parents out there of school-age children - most returned to school last week, only then to be home again for the long weekend. Anyway, as of tomorrow, there's a sense the year begins proper now and we can all get on with 2026. I am no longer a parent of school children, and to be honest I find that a relief. Getting your child educated isn't always straight forward. But if I was, I would be pleased with Education Minister Erica Stanford's announcement this week about changes to reporting a child's progress in primary and intermediate schools. As a parent who had to suffer through the pointless student led conference era whereby your child would present you with a curated collection of their recent work - this is welcome news. Not only did the student led system not provide a parent with any practical information as to how their child was progressing, or what they could do to help, but it replaced valuable one-on-one time a parent could've had with a teacher getting those details with something a parent could pop in and do at the beginning or end of the day on their own anyway. The one thing that was drilled into me as a parent of a new entrant was that we're all in this together. Your child's learning success doesn't just come down to a competent teacher, preferably in a single classroom with adequate teacher aid support - it requires parents to participate in and take responsibility for their child's education. But if you don't have a clear understanding of where your child is at, whether they're thriving or quietly struggling, and probably more importantly, knowing how you can help them along, then we're not really all in it together. We're all just floundering. These early years are critical for establishing foundational literacy and numeracy skills - if you struggle during these years you're more likely to continue to struggle. The use of 5 clear progress markers to describe your child's learning progress has taken a bit of flak for being, shall we say, a little too sophisticated, but it comes with an explanation of why a progress marker was chosen, so I'm sure parents will get their heads around it. More importantly, it comes with information for how parents can support the next learning steps, and will be followed up with twice-yearly progress check-ins for students in Years 3-8 which will allow parents to see progress over the year. None of this is intended to add pressure or judgement on children, or undermine the student voice. But if it provides the better clarity and more detailed reporting on academic achievement that Stanford promises it does, then it's another step in the right direction to provide students with the support they need to flourish. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 8 February 2026. Rural New Zealand, an automatic mower and murder ... Tom Sainsbury and Morgana O'Reilly share all the behind the scenes details of bring Tom's award winning podcast to life on the tele. Pod Save America is one of the worlds most listened to new and political podcasts. The team head to New Zealand this week. Pod co-host and former Obama staffer Tommy Vietor joins Francesca to discuss a divisive time in US politics. Tenby Powell has returned from six months of humanitarian work in Ukraine, he talks about what it's like on the ground and just how much things have changed in the four years of this war. Francesca applauds changes to assessments and reporting changes in schools as a win for parents trying to help their children. And if you need a Super Bowl snack, Mike van de Elzen has his chicken wings with hot sauce recipe for you. 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.

Today on the Sunday Panel, partner at Freebairn and Hehir lawyers, Liam Hehir, and journalist and TV producer Irene Gardiner joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Is this the year of Winston? How much power does he have in the current election year? Should we worry about him potentially becoming Prime Minister? It's been a big few days for entertainment - the Grammy Awards took place last Monday and we've got the Super Bowl coming up. Do we mind that more celebrities are using their platforms to get political? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meal prepping is viewed as an easy way to stay healthy and get ahead of a busy week - but how can we make the most of it? A busy schedule is one of the top reasons why people choose quick takeout meals, which are often high in calories and a contributor to expanding waistlines. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara revealed how to take advantage of meal prepping. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crispy chicken arms with hot sauce Cook time: 2 minutes Prep time: 45 minutes Serves: 2 12 plump free range chicken wings 1 cup red wine 6 tbsp soy sauce 2 cups Panko crumbs 5 tbsp poppy seeds 5 tbsp sunflower oil 1 cup flour 3 eggs, beaten with 1 tbsp water Salt and black pepper Mike's hot sauce 1 tbsp sunflower oil ½ red onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp tomato paste ½ tsp ground cumin 1 tbsp smoked paprika 400gm diced tomatoes ¼ cup water 4 tbsp soft brown sugar 3 tsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp salt & white pepper 3 fresh red chili, chopped seeds and all Preheat oven to 180*C (fan-forced). Separate the wings at the first joint. Set aside the first joint of the wings for making stock. Place the remaining plump wings into a pot with wine and soy sauce. Add just enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain, then place chicken wings in fridge to cool. In a large bowl, mix together the Panko crumbs, poppy seeds, oil, salt and pepper. Place flour and eggwash in two other separate bowls. remove skin from chicken and pass through flour, then eggwash, then poppy crumb. Place on a baking tray and bake for 25 minutes. Serve with hot sauce Mike's hot sauce Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Reduce heat, add tomato paste, cumin and smoked paprika and stir. Add all remaining ingredients. Stir until combined, and cook until slightly thickened (approx. 10 minutes). Taste and adjust salt, pepper and hot sauce if necessary. Blitz until smooth. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From dirty blowouts to spit-up and stomach bugs, parents quickly learn that unpleasant messes are part of everyday life. Now, new research published in the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology suggests that this constant exposure doesn't just test patience - it actually permanently changes how the brain responds to disgust. The study found that long-term exposure to bodily waste significantly reduces parents' disgust reactions, and that this effect can last well beyond the childcare years. The findings, shed new light on how caregiving reshapes the brain and may have implications for professions where managing disgust is part of the job. Disgust is a basic human emotion that evolved to protect us from disease. The familiar 'yuck' response triggered by spoiled food, dirty environments or bodily fluids helps keep us away from potential sources of illness. It's not just psychological, the body often reacts automatically, with nausea or an urge to move away. What scientists have long debated is whether repeated exposure over months or years can truly dull this reaction. Parenthood offered a natural test case. The researchers studied 99 parents and 50 non-parents, analysing both questionnaire responses and observable behaviour, such as how much participants looked away from unpleasant images. The study included parent-specific scenarios and visuals, including pictures of heavily soiled nappies. As expected, non-parents showed strong avoidance when viewing images of bodily waste. Parents, however, reacted very differently, but only once their children had begun eating solid food. Parents of weaning or weaned children showed little to no avoidance of soiled nappies or even other forms of bodily waste. Their reactions suggested that prolonged, unavoidable exposure had desensitized them to disgust. Notably, this reduced response wasn't limited to child-related messes; it extended to bodily waste more generally. By contrast, parents whose youngest children were still exclusively milk-fed showed disgust responses similar to those of non-parents, even if they had older children. This surprised researchers and suggests that disgust may remain heightened during the earliest months of infancy, when babies are especially vulnerable to infection. The researchers believe this pattern may reflect an evolutionary adaptation. Strong disgust early on could help protect fragile infants from disease, while later desensitization allows parents to provide hands-on care when children are older and more resilient including when they're sick. The study suggests that parenthood can fundamentally reshape how people experience a deeply ingrained emotion. Researchers say these insights could help inform strategies to support healthcare workers, caregivers and others whose jobs require regular contact with unpleasant substances. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another Grammy Awards has come and gone, with rapper Bad Bunny making history as the first Latin artist to win Album of the Year in the 68-year history of the event. During his acceptance speech, the singer addressed ICE and earned a standing ovation from the crowd for remarks about the Trump administration's illegal immigration crackdown and subsequent clashes. Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall recapped the event, discussed the other big winners and speculated ahead of Bad Bunny's appearance at the Super Bowl halftime show. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jono Ridler's on a record-setting journey to swim the 1350km length of the North Island's east coast. The journey is expected to take 90 days to complete, and he's doing it all unassisted, meaning it's all done in togs, cap and goggles with no wet suit in sight. Live Ocean co-founder Blair Tuke is heavily involved in Ridler's journey and he says he's covered over 550km so far as he reaches the Bay of Plenty. "In a week, he'll be halfway, so he's going really nicely...it's just an incredible human endurance feat that he's taking on." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi charity founder Tenby Powell has been recognised by the Ukrainian President for his humanitarian efforts in the country's red zones. Zelenskyy awarded Powell the Order of Merit for the work his charity Kiwi K.A.R.E has carried out - with the organisation raising over $7.5 million to help fund recovery during the ongoing conflict. Tenby Powell says a majority of the newer casualties are caused by drones - and that's impacting the ongoing humanitarian efforts being carried out by the charity. "We now have drone identification handheld devices, but all that does is identify that there's a drone in an area, usually in close proximity, which gives the guys a chance to exit the vehicle if they feel that they are under direct threat." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another Waitangi Day has come and gone, but questions have been raised about the political drama that impacted this year's events. Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour faced some hecklers, but the big event overshadowing the weekend was Senior Labour MP Peeni Henare announcing his departure. Newstalk ZB political reporter Ethan Griffiths explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.