The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

The Clarke Gayford-produced documentary chronicling the premiership of his wife and former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern promises an intimate look at the former leader.

Besides interviews and archival footage, it also includes home footage shot by Gayford and is described as a look into both Ardern’s administration and private life

Clarke Gayford says he wanted the documentary to reveal the honest bits of Ardern's tumultuous p...

Clown Town by Mick Herron. This is the latest novel in his Slow Horses series, about Jackson Lamb and the cast of MI5 misfits and rejects that he manages in Slough House. They are brilliant books and this one is no exception. There are several seasons of an Apple TV series based on the books which is wonderful television, but as always, the books are even better. Highly recommended for anyone who likes spy stories, and eccentric, i...

Turns out you can get more out of Air New Zealand's flexichange service than previously expected.

BloggerAtLarge writer Megan Singleton recently revealed you can change the destination and date as part of the flexichange package on domestic flights - which can come in handy for unexpected events.

Megan revealed how you can take advantage of this travel hack - read more here.

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This week on the Sunday Panel, Wellington Mornings host Nick Mills and broadcaster and journalist Wilhelmina Shrimpton joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! 

Late-show host Jimmy Kimmel was unexpectedly pulled off the air after after he made controversial comments in the wake of Charlie Kirk's death. What do we make of this? Is this concerning for the future of free speech?

Te Pati Māori's...

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 21 September 2025, former 'First Bloke' Clarke Gayford on his involvement in new documentary 'Prime Minister' and why he filmed candid footage of Jacinda Ardern's time in office.

German investigative journalist Sonke Iwerson talks about his new book 'The Tesla Files' and how he came to investigate the Elon Musk firm.

Republicans and right wing conservatives ar...

This Sunday is World Gratitude Day - and it's prompted discussion about the surprising health benefits that come with being thankful.

Practicing gratitude offers significant physical and psychological health benefits, including lower blood pressure, improved immune function, better sleep, reduced stress, decreased anxiety and depression, and enhanced self-esteem.

Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara reveals the best ways to p...

Smoked chocolate crème brûlée 

Cook time: 35 minutes 

Prep time: 10 minutes 

Serves: 6 

400ml cream  

4 tbsp caster sugar  

100g good quality dark chocolate  

1/2 tsp vanilla paste  

5 egg yolks  

1 whole egg  

6 tbsp caster sugar (for the caramel top) 

Preheat oven to 140*C (NOT fan-forced).  

If you have a cold smoker, place the cream into a roasting tray and co...

If you’ve found yourself holding a book at arm’s length or squinting at your phone in dim light, you’re not alone. Almost everyone develops presbyopia as they get older. It’s a natural part of aging where the eye’s lens loses flexibility, making it harder to focus on nearby objects. 

Traditionally, the go-to solution has been reading glasses, or, for some, surgery. But now, a surprising contender is on the horizon: eye drops.&...

The Black Ferns are determined to wrap their World Cup campaign with a medal, quickly turning their attention to the bronze playoff next week.

They've surrendered their World Cup title, defeated by Canada in the semi-finals in Bristol.

Sports journalist Alice Soper has voiced disappointment with this weekend's loss.

"On the other hand, as a fan of women's rugby, there is a beautiful story attached to this Canadian team, so you kind...

New reports show the economy is worse off than previously thought and it's sparked debate about what - or who - is to blame.

GDP data shows the economy shrunk 0.9 percent in the June quarter - a more significant dip than the 0.3 percent forecast by the Reserve Bank and similar figures from most economists.

Newstalk ZB political reporter Azaria Howell says economic conservatives are calling for a bigger reduction in spending, while ...

The Auckland apartment market is so dire that a developer is renting instead of selling all the units in one new block.

Ockham Residential CEO William Deihl said all the new 10-level 77-unit Whetū in Pt Chevalier would be rented, not sold - sparking discussion about whether apartments have value in the current market.

Mt Hobson Group urban planning expert Hamish Firth says apartments can still suit Kiwi buyers - at a certain age an...

Late-show host Jimmy Kimmel's been meeting with top Disney executives since he was pulled off air earlier this week.

ABC put his talk show on hold indefinitely after he made controversial comments about the Charlie Kirk killing.

US associate law professor Jacob Schriner-Briggs says there's a strong case for Kimmel to sue.

"Typically, the First Amendment only applies to Government actors, which is to say that private entities cannot...

Dame Robin White is well-regarded as one of New Zealand's most significant living artists, and she teamed up with Dame Gaylene Preston for a new project.

Grace: A Prayer for Peace traces White’s evolution as an artist and her creative output fuelled by the world around her.

"We knew one another through our work, but we didn't know that. And then when we ran into one another Rita Angus exhibition - we kind of met in the flesh, but t...

Kiwi chef Al Brown is well-regarded as one of New Zealand's top foodies, and he's back with a new book for novice fishermen.

Fans of Al’s work will have seen his love of all things fish in his many cookbooks, restaurants and TV shows, and his book Hooked: Learning to Fish aims to teach Kiwis a thing or two.

He says he has a massive love of fishing and lots of positive memories around fishing - and he used that insight to help craft...

Fulfillment by Lee Cole. Two half brothers lead very different lives. When they converge on their mother’s home in rural Kentucky, the rivalry between them intensifies with potentially terrifying consequences. This is a story about class, privilege, family, brotherhood and ordinary people living ordinary, messy lives - and what it takes to find fulfilment.

All the Way to the River by Elizabeth Gilbert - who is of course the author ...

Destination Facebook groups are a useful tool to utilise while travelling - and they can help you be better prepared in the face of disaster.

Between natural disasters, adverse weather conditions or mosquito outbreaks, online communities can be useful to get perspective from the locals to prepare for all kinds of scenarios.

BloggerAtLarge writer Megan Singleton explained further - read more about it here.

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It’s been a sad week. Humanity has not been at its best.

A police officer almost lost his life and we got a glimpse into the harsh reality of life in the bush for three young children. A conservative activist lost his life practicing politics in the US. And a trial begun here against a mother who is alleged to have killed her children, drugging them and then placing them in a suitcase and leaving them at a storage unit.  

And ...

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 14 September 2025, celebrity chef Al Brown might just be one of our keenest fisherman, he joins Francesca to talk about his life long love of fishing and how to best prepare your catch.

Two of our arts greats, Dame Gaylene Preston and Dame Robin White have joined forces, they join Francesca to talk about their friendship and that new film.

Washington DC Bureau...