Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

"Bobbing about on my bucket list for far too long, I’ve finally just enjoyed my first foray to heart-stealing Hamilton Island. Glamourous and gorgeous in equal measure this holiday jewel in the Whitsundays archipelago completely smashed my expectations. With an embarrassing surfeit of island vacay options in Queensland, I had assumed Hamilton Island, or Hamo as the locals call it, might just be another pleasant dime-a-dozen speck o...

There’s a common belief that having a pet is good for one’s wellbeing. You often hear stories about how looking into a dog’s eyes gives you an emotional boost or that using real and fake animals in rest homes boosts residents’ moods, but it turns out it’s not a guaranteed path to better mental health – reality is more nuanced.  

Some studies do find that pet owners report lower anxiety and loneliness, and greater life satisfac...

Manhattan Down by Michael Cordy  

On the anniversary eve of the 9/11 terror attack, New York swelters under a heat dome of record temperatures. Even the global leaders assembled at the UN HQ are forced to admit that the climate crisis has reached boiling point and the world's time is running out.  

That same day, at precisely 5-25 p.m., everyone on Manhattan Island - every man, woman and child, including all the world lea...

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 30 August 2025, the grand dame of crime fiction, Lynda La Plante joins Jack to discuss how her characters fit in the modern world of publishing and her new book ‘Scene of the Crime’. 

Jack weighs up the balance between transparency, trust, and the public service. 

As thoughts turn towards summer, travel correspondent Mike Yardley explores Hamilton Islan...

Iron deficiencies are an important but often hidden issue – the most common mineral deficiency in the world. Not having enough iron in the body can lead to a range of health problems.  

Why is iron so important in the body?  

• It’s important for making red blood cells in our blood, which carries oxygen around the body.  
• If we don’t have enough iron, we don’t produce enough red blood cells – we call ...

Understaffed 911 call centres are turning to AI to help  

911 callers come with some of the most urgent and serious issues, most of the time. But people also, stupidly, call 911 for noise complaints, lost wallets, and more. People see 911 as the way to reach the police.   

This means the operators are run off their feet dealing with all sorts of nonsense. Now there's a startup training its AI agents on 911 calls to h...

Atomic  

Two civilians get caught up in a cartel's uranium smuggling across North Africa. Facing a nuclear threat, they must decide whether to save themselves or stop the bomb delivery while evading agencies and traffickers (TVNZ+). 

King & Conqueror   

In the mid-11th century, noblemen Harold of Wessex and William of Normandy are exploited as pawns in royal plots on both side of the Channel. The coro...

The Courier smiled as he deposited the two catalogues on our door-step – he knows we’re Nature Nerds, and so do the lovely folk at Kings Seeds.   

We both settled in front of the fireplace, going through the Nurture/Nourish reading. I was checking all the tomato varieties and other food delicacies, while Juuls browsed all the pretty stuff in Kings Seeds line-up.  

Always interesting to see how two people focus on the...

Caught Stealing  

When his punk-rock neighbour asks him to take care of his cat for a few days, New York City bartender Hank Thompson suddenly finds himself caught in the middle of a motley crew of threatening gangsters who all want a piece of him. 

The Thursday Murder Club  

Four retirees spend their time solving cold case murders for fun, but their casual sleuthing takes a thrilling turn when they find...

This is surely the quickest dinner at under 15 minutes from start to finish and you can serve it hold or cold!  

Serves 2  

Ingredients  

• 160g dried soba noodles  
• 2-3 cups good quality vegetable stock  
• 150-200g fresh NZ salmon, 3cm cubed  
• 2-4 stalks broccolini, halved lengthwise  
• ½ cup snow peas, halved lengthwise  
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil  
• Black or white sesame seeds to serve &n...

Whether it’s the government, international organisations, higher education, or the media, one of the defining dynamics of the social media age is the deteriorating trust in public institutions. 

It’s extraordinary, really. At a time when humans are on the whole wealthier, healthier, and more dominant than at any other time in our species’ history, we’re more distrustful of the institutions that are supposed to serve us. 

...

A true New Zealand music legend, Don McGlashan has written some of our most-loved tunes. 

From ‘Anchor Me’ in his time with the Mutton Birds, through to his incredible work as a solo artist and his compositions for film and television. 

In 2023 McGlashan went on a very special tour around New Zealand, and off the back he’s released his first solo live album – ‘Take It To The Bridge’. 

Although he’s been part of the m...

"The Sunshine Coast’s sparkling reputation as a powerhouse of premium local produce continues to raise the bar. Brimming with over 900 food and drink producers, grazing from this constantly replenished larder of goodness helps underpin the region’s bragging rights as holiday heaven. I’m just back from a fresh dip with the Sunshine Coast, after indulgently noshing and sipping my way around her beachfront and hinterland hotspots."

Re...

The third album from Icelandic singer-songwriter Laufey, ‘A Matter of Time’ represents a shift towards vulnerability and emotional expressiveness. 

Her two earlier albums were heavily influenced by the ‘Great American Songbook’, filled with her now iconic blend of jazz, classical, and pop influences. 

‘A Matter of Time’ is a look inwards, Laufey’s interest in seeing how she could draw out the “most flawed parts of [hersel...

Wolf Hour by Jo Nesbo   

This killer has a story. 

When a small-time crook is shot down in the streets of Minneapolis, all signs point to a lone wolf, a sniper who has vanished into thin air. 

To tell it, he needs to get caught. 

When the shooter strikes again, it’s maverick detective Bob Oz they call in to crack the case. They don’t think this victim will be the last. 

And this wolf wants the world to...

Growing your own vegetables is one way to stay sustainable in the kitchen, but it’s not the only way to keep your food habits sustainable.  

It’s not just about the garden, there are simple kitchen swaps that reduce waste and packaging, and Kate Hall joined Jack Tame to run through a few of them, including: 

• DIY basics: making your own yoghurt, bread, or soda water (less packaging, fewer additives).  
• Preserving...

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 23rd  August 2025, music legend Don McGlashan joins Jack to discuss his first ever solo live album, ‘Take It To The Bridge’, recorded during his very special 2023 NZ tour. 

Jack reflects on the official confirmation of famine in Gaza.

Good things come in twos and Francesca Rudkin contrasts two brand new comedy films – NZ film Workmates and the Liam Nees...