The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin - Hallgatás Online

Irish actor Ciaran Hinds has spent five decades in the film industry, including distinctive roles in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, There Will Be Blood, Munich and Game of Thrones. His latest project, The Three Urns, will be available for Kiwi audiences too check out soon - as part of the upcoming British and Irish Film Festival. He says the film follows the story of a man on a mission, but there's some extra details that won't surface until the end. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Taika Waititi is well-regarded as one of New Zealand's most successful directors - and he's got a new project in the works. He's known for directing films like Thor: Ragnarok, Jojo Rabbit, Boy, Hunt for the Wilderpeople and What We Do in the Shadows, but the new sci-fi film Klara and the Sun promises to show fans a different experience. He says he didn't feel the need to 'Taika' this project up too much, and add as many jokes as he's used to using. "Cause it's a really beautiful story, it's kind of bittersweet as well, and I want to retain all that and not make it a super silly film." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam & Eve by Jeffrey Archer. Sadly, this is his last work of fiction but is a great way to end an extraordinary career. Many readers will recall Kane & Abel which is considered by many to be amongst his finest work - and lovers of that will love this one. It begins on Armistice Day, 1918, when two very different children are born. One is the daughter of an Earl, the other the son of a shepherd who works on the Earl's estate. Despite their different circumstances they form an extraordinary bond and on a September night in 1940 as Hitler prepares to invade Britain, their actions will change his mind. Inter Alia by Suzie Miller. She wrote a wonderful play, and novel, called Prima Facie which was a legal story as is this. Jessica is a judge in London. Her husband resents that she’s been appointed to the bench when he hasn’t, and hey have a teenage son with social issues about whom they worry. They’re thrilled when he’s invited to a party, but things don’t go as planned and in the weeks and months afterwards,…

Travel expert Megan Singleton's on her latest adventure to Hawaii, and she's noticed it's still busy in the off-season. She took a look at the Pearl Harbour memorial ahead of the infamous bombing's 85th anniversary, and experienced a sunset harbour cruise. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, journalist and editor, Jo McCarroll, and Director at 818, Chris Henry, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Do we know who we're going to vote for yet? Early voting opens next week - are we ready for it? What do we need to see in the coming days? The Taxpayers' Union recently released a controversial attack ad directed at Labour - and made with AI. Do we think this is fair campaigning? What's with the supermarket chicken bags being sold on eBay? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 18 October. Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The spring season is well underway, which means there's more pollen in the air. Spring hay fever (allergic rhinitis) affects about 20 percent of New Zealanders, with symptoms typically peaking between September and November. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explained why these conditions are more likely to impact some people, and how they can work around it all. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spring risotto with peas, rocket and asparagus Cook time: 30 minutes Prep time: 10 minutes Serves: 6 600ml vegetable stock 1 onion, finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, crushed 1/2 white wine 3 Tbsp sunflower oil 250 gm Arborio rice 100 gm butter 1/2 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan 1 cup fresh peas 1 bunch asparagus 2 small leeks 1/2 cup chopped fresh rocket Shaved parmesan to serve Blanch the peas, leeks and asparagus in some lightly salted boiling water and refresh in an ice bath. Drain and aside. Next, make the risotto. Start by frying the onions and the garlic together in a large frying pan with the sunflower oil. Add the rice and toast on high for 5 minutes while stirring with a wooden spoon, we are looking for a toasty brown color. Turn the pan down and add the wine and reduce fully. Gradually add the hot stock, a little at a time until the rice is al dente. Turn of the heat and stir in the butter and the grated Parmesan. Add the blanched peas, aparagus, leeks and the rocket and stir to combine. Serve with…

If you've ever spent hours memorising vocabulary and grammar in a new language, only to find yourself completely lost when a native speaker starts talking, your ears might be part of the problem. New research published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology suggests that people who are better at detecting tiny differences between sounds may have an advantage when learning a new language. The challenge is that our brains spend years learning which sounds matter in our native language. We become so good at recognising familiar sounds that we struggle to distinguish unfamiliar ones. For example, Cantonese speakers learning English may find it difficult to distinguish certain vowels, such as the sounds in cat and bed. It's not that their hearing is worse, but that their brains have learned to organise sounds differently. To investigate this, researchers studied Japanese learners of English and tested how accurately they could distinguish subtle differences in sounds. Rather than just playing English words,…

There's plenty of new streaming shows for TV fans to get into, and Steve Newall outlined his picks for the week. Small Prophets is a short form comedy series that's been available in the UK for a few months, and it recently made its debut on Apple TV. Crystal Lake is a horror series available on Neon, and it follows the origin story of horror icon Jason Voorhees. Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After months of hype and excitement, Olivia Dean's sold-out concert took place at the new Western Springs Bowl - but it wasn't without some issues. Three songs in, the concert was stalled for 40 minutes following some technical issues. Newstalk ZB host Andrew Dickens says it was an 'amazing' experience with a huge crowd of fans, ignoring the technical troubles. "I think the system had some computer glitch to it, I think they had to reload and reset everything computerised. I know a lot of people have said - well, we don't know what happened there." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Greens say their trades policy will end up providing a boost to the local economy. If elected, the party will abolish the training wage, and introduce a $2000 equipment grant to help cover tools, uniforms and course materials. Newstalk ZB political reporter Ethan Griffiths says this is in contrast to ACT's plan to reduce the training wage and freeze the minimum wage. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A dominant first half has earned the All Blacks a 43-21 victory in the second test against the Wallabies in Sydney. The visitors carried a 36-7 lead into the break as an improved second half from Australia just wasn't enough. Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Elliott Smith says it was a match of 'two halves' and the Australian side could have taken the lead in the right circumstances. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

GPs hope a $400-million-dollar political pledge results in more competitive pay packets. The ACT Party is promising the funding boost if elected, which is designed to help practices offer competitive remuneration and retain staff. It's worth about six percent of GPs budgets. Royal College of General Practitioners President Dr Luke Bradford says it shines a light on the issues they face right now. "It's an absolute privilege, looking after people all the way through their life course, and their whole families. But it is a hard sell when, on average, there's a $100,000-per-year pay difference between GPs and hospital doctors." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is about now in an election campaign when you start weighing up the benefits of a 4-year term, right? Attack ads? Tick. Scare tactics? Tick. MPs in a Gang furore? Tick. The release of basic, sensible and unspectacular policies? Tick. Debates in which no one shines? Tick. It’s hardly been an inspirational election campaign has it. Too many familiar faces with the same unconvincing rhetoric. Do we really want to do this again in another three years? It feels too soon. Earlier this year, the Government scrapped plans to put a four-year Parliamentary term to a referendum. And there are undoubtedly legitimate concerns over a longer term leading to less constraints on power, less accountability, a need for stronger checks and balances within Government, and our wavering trust in politicians. But if a referendum was being held on November 7th, I’m sure many would be attracted by the chance to avoid, for an additional year, having to go through another dispiriting election campaign like this one. Made worse by…

Kiwi comedian, actress and director Alice Snedden has relocated to the UK, and she's got a new project for fans to stream on Neon. Snedden's best known for the BBC show Starstruck, as well as the likes of Funny Girls, Jono and Ben, Educators and Taskmaster NZ. She says she always goes back to creating things she's going to have good time on, and her new show, Break Clause, has a relatable premise. "If you're a young couple - even living just the two of them together is pretty aspirational, the idea that they could sustain a place on their own or anything like that is absurd." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Psychologist John Aiken is best known for matchmaking and advising the contestants on Married at First Sight - but he's got a new project lined up. Lessons on Living is a three-part series inspired by the late Nigel Latta, with the original book being released last year on the day he died. John Aiken explained that he's carrying on the conversation Nigel started, and it's very different to what he's used to. "It was a chance to really deep dive on some of the key elements to building resilience, and doing it by interviewing really powerful Kiwis, and also doing experiments and also getting to know Nigel's nearest and dearest." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's all sorts of new and exciting ideas happening in the world of travel - and even New Zealand-made developments are getting credit. BloggerAtLarge.com writer Megan Singleton explored the benefits and opportunities that come with bigger projects like Etihad Rail and Viking's new hybrid hydrogen powered cruise ship. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

American Hagwon by Min Jin Lee. She wrote the wonderful book Pachinko some years ago and this is another masterpiece. John Koh is a South Korean businessman who’s badly betrayed by his boss and struggles to find another job, in the midst of the 1997 Asian financial crisis. He’s most concerned about the future of his kids, and the family move from Seoul to Sydney and then to Los Angeles looking for the good opportunities which never come. The next generation get involved in a hagwon, which is essentially a cramming school for students – but unlike the typical hagwon which is entirely driven by the desperate need for academic success, they’re more interested in developing well rounded and less stressed students. Partita by Barbara Kingsolver. Author of the equally brilliant The Poisonwood Bible and Demon Copperhead amongst others. Lydia Bohusz is a young, naïve, supremely gifted pianist who leaves Appalachia for college where her prodigious musicality promises a brilliant future - until an affair and its…

This week on the Sunday Panel, journalist Simon Wilson and host of The Prosperity Project, Nadine Higgins, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! New data shows over a third of young Kiwis are not enrolled to vote - two weeks ahead of enrolment closing. Are we doing enough to engage young people? How important is it that we get young people enrolled and voting? Do we think the law change to stop election day enrolments will have an impact on this election? National has recently announced they'll be campaigning on students being required to stay at school until they complete year 11, rather than being able to leave when they turn 16. It also wants more uniform school start and finish dates. Do we think this is a good idea? Do we see this working for voters? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 11 October, MAFS relationship expert John Aiken has taken on a new challenge. He joins Francesca to talk about bringing the last work of Nigel Latta to life in new tv show 'Lessons on Living'. Kiwi director, comedian and writer Alice Snedden is back with a new show 'Break Clause'. Alice joins Francesca to share what it's like trying to make a name for yourself in the UK tv industry. Francesca questions US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's decision to livestream an execution. With two weeks until enrolments close, more than a third of young people are still no enrolled. On a Roll is a youth led campaign to get young people enrolled, volunteer Adriana Bird lets us know why that demographic is slow to enrol and what could be done to get them more engaged in politics. And Michelle Dickinson shares why joint exercise might just be the key to a happier marriage. Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on…

Frozen vegetable yellow curry with crispy pork Cook time: 60 minutes Prep time: 20 minutes Serves: 6 400gm Brined pork belly 2 tbsp sunflower oil 2 cups frozen mixed vegetable 2 cups fresh spinach leaves 1 cup of curry paste 2 can coconut cream 1 cup vegetable stock 2 tbsp brown sugar 3 tbsp thai fish sauce Juice of 2 lemons 1 cup mint leaves 1 cup coriander leaves Curry paste 1 onion, peeled & diced 6 garlic cloves, peeled 2 stalks of lemongrass 1 knob ginger 2 tbsp curry powder 2 chilli, you choose! 1 cup of coriander stems, left over from the leaves 1/4 cup sunflower oil 1 tsp salt 6 makrut (kaffir) lime leaves (optional) Pre-heat a oven to 170*c Place the brined and dried pork onto a oven tray and place in the oven for 1 hour. To finish, turn the oven to grill to crisp up the skin. To make the curry paste, bend all the ingredients together until smooth. Heat a cast iron fry-pan. Add in the yellow curry paste and fry over a medium heat until the paste become fragrant. Add the coconut cream along with…

The state of the health system is a big talking point in this year's election, but there's debate to be had about preventative steps as well. Despite the well-documented benefits of preventive measures, many people fail to engage in proactive preventive health behaviours - and there's also societal factors that add to declining health, like housing, income, and food systems. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara unpacked the debate further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if one of the simplest ways to improve your marriage wasn't couples counselling, a romantic holiday or an expensive date night, but something as ordinary as going for a walk together? New research published in the journal Family Relations suggests that couples who exercise together may communicate better, resolve disagreements more peacefully and experience less conflict in their marriages. The study looked at nearly 1,700 married couples that were part of a larger research project called the Couple Relationships and Transition Experiences (CREATE) study, which investigates relationships during the early years of marriage. They examined two different types of physical activity: exercise that husbands and wives did individually, and exercise they participated in together. They then compared those exercise habits against three measures of relationship health: Communication: How well couples talked, listened and understood one another. - Conflict resolution: How effectively couples worked through…

The Celebrity Traitors UK is back for another season - where UK stars need to guess each other's motives for a cash prize for the charity of their choosing. The first season was well-received, but what can this new season offer viewers. Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall explained further - and whether this show could be a good distraction during a busy election season. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mental Health Awareness Week is set to get underway for another year, with this year's theme being 'Belonging Matters.' More Kiwis are reporting feeling lonelier than ever, according to new data - and schools, workplaces and other communities are being encouraged to give people opportunities to connect. Mental Health Foundation CEO Shaun Robinson says economic troubles, global tension and lack of trust are pushing us all away from each other. "That has created a climate of blame, and finger-pointing - we know that there are worsening levels of trust around the world and that is also affecting New Zealand. All of that tends to push people away from one another." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The election season is well and truly under way, with the first debates of the campaign taking place last week. The cost of living, the health system and education were among some of the major issues discussed on the campaign trail. Former Minister and commentator Peter Dunne says the first leaders' debate fell 'flat' and it's still a very close race for both major parties. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks have ensured the Bledisloe Cup's air miles are limited for another year. The 50-19 win over the Wallabies at Eden Park has extended the run to at least 25 years between series wins for the Australians, who last defended the Cup in 2002. Former All Black and Sky Sport commentator Jeff Wilson says the Kiwi side will have learned some lessons following their string of losses to the Springboks. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The election is a month away and enrolment is due to close in two weeks - but new data shows a significant number of eligible young Kiwis aren't enrolled. Recent data from the Electoral Commission shows only 63.4 percent of people aged between 18 and 24 are enrolled to vote, and questions have been raised. On a Roll campaign volunteer Adriana Bird says this age demographic is more mobile, meaning updating their enrolment details can fall by the wayside. "This age bracket is very mobile when it comes to updating details as well, you often have young people that are moving flats, moving accommodation, moving in and out of halls that struggle with kind of knowing how to navigate the system in that way." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are some crimes so horrendous that finding the right words to describe them is almost impossible. The 2009 Fort Hood shooting in Texas, in which Nidal Hasan killed 13 people and wounded 32 others, is one of them. Hasan was convicted and sentenced to death. Now, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says his execution by firing squad, scheduled for December 3, will be livestreamed so the public can watch. The reasoning, apparently, is that people need to understand there are serious consequences for crimes like this. Really? I think we already understand. There can be no argument about the enormity of what Hasan did, or the devastation inflicted on the victims, their families and colleagues. The justice system has imposed its ultimate penalty. But why do we need to watch? What does livestreaming an execution actually achieve? Is it about transparency? Or has the business of justice, or vengeance, become a performance, with the execution the grand finale, the final episode? I have never watched a beheading.…

Amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, one filmmaker has made a start on depicting history as it continues to unfold. The Wizard of the Kremlin is an adaptation of the book of the same name and it follows the political landscape of post-Soviet Russia and President Vladimir Putin's resulting rise to power. French filmmaker Olivier Assayas says making a movie about modern history comes with risks and concerns - since the world can change in five minutes these days. "You're dealing with a battleground that's very much alive, and anything can happen, including major events that would make your movie worthless or pointless. I always had in the back of my mind - okay, we're shooting, we're rewriting this, we're preparing this, we're shooting this, where will we be in a year?" LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sir Tony Robinson has made a name for himself as an actor, an author and a historian - and he's set to bring his stories to New Zealand shores for another tour. Following the success of his tour in February, he's set to bring An Audience with Sir Tony Robinson: The Regional Encore Tour across New Zealand this November. Robinson says he's looking forward to experiencing the 'variety' all of New Zealand's cities can offer him, especially in the regional areas. "It's the same with my career - when I'm doing something, it's like part of my brain's going, next one, next one, what happens next?" LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stations by Louise Kennedy. Róisín and Red are kids in the same small Irish town, some years later meeting up again in a precarious London squat where Red has discovered booze and drugs and sidelines Róisín who has to make her own life. For 25 years they’re haunted by each other, and what might have been. Nothing But the Truth by Stuart Greive KC. With over five decades working in law, few have had as much experience of New Zealand courtrooms as Stuart Grieve KC. Having had a front-row seat for many of the most notorious cases in our recent history, he's also seen the evolution of our legal systems and society over the years. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 4 October. Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Royal Caribbean recently acquired a 50 percent stake in operator ​Sandals Resorts International for $3 billion. This move is aimed at expanding Royal Caribbean's land-based offerings for tourists in order to boost travel spending and give people more experiences. BloggerAtLarge.com writer Megan Singleton says this will likely lead to a mix of land and cruise-based all-inclusive experiences for travellers. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, journalist and broadcaster, Wilhelmina O’Keeffe, and Coast Day host, Lorna Riley, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The Green Party has announced plans to introduce an overnight rail service between Auckland and Wellington, a passenger rail between Christchurch and Dunedin, and to extend the Te Huia train route to Tauranga. Do we support this? Will this be good for tourism? Price gouging is back in the news again, after the Electric Avenue music festival in Christchurch sold out. People were re-selling tickets at marked-up prices and one Airbnb property manager cancelled a client's booking and re-listed it - from $1032 to $9210. What do we make of this? Can we really regulate price gouging? Jobseekers are sounding the alarm over 'ghost interviews' that harvest data to train artificial intelligence. There's calls to ban these - how concerning is this development? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the recent opening of Auckland's CRL, more local pubs and restaurants will see a boost in potential visitors, and Mike's compiled his recommendations for a CRL food and drink adventure. The Waitemata station features the Queen's Rooftop Bar, the Te Waihorotiu Station is close to the Irish bar Father Teds , and for the Karanga-a-hape Station, Mike recommends the Lebanese Grocer. Maungahau Station, or Mt Eden, features the Galbraith Alehouse - with a big selection of brews to choose from. From there, Mike recommends getting off at Morningside, where you'll find the Urbanaut Brewing Co just across the road. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine your phone suddenly flashes with an emergency alert in the middle of the night and you must leave your home immediately. What do you grab? Researchers have been investigating what people would want to take with them during a disaster as part of the Wellcome Trust-funded After the End project, which is investigating how people experience and recover from crises. 1,000 adults were asked to imagine receiving an emergency alert telling them to leave their home immediately and take enough supplies to last for the next three days. They were then asked what they would want to take with them. Most participants forgot to pack essential survival items including food, water, essential medicines, cash, important documents and batteries or power banks. Only four people out of the 1,000 surveyed reported being already fully prepared for a disaster with a pre-packed emergency bag. Then, the researchers asked if they could take one more item what would it be. Their answers didn't simply list more survival equipment…

The line-up for Laneway 2027 has been released, with Fontaines D.C., Slayyyter, Adéla and Hayley Williams set to headline. The event will take place at Auckland's Western Springs on February 21, and pre-sale tickets will be available from October 7th. Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall unpacked the full line-up, and noted this will be the first New Zealand performance for some acts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government books were opened up last week, and they unveil a somewhat more promising outlook ahead of the election. The Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update shows the planned 2028/29 surplus - will be nearly $2 billion dollars bigger than forecast, and the Crown will borrow less. Political commentator Brigitte Morton says the focus is now on Labour to respond to this with their own announcements and financial updates - including their pay equity plan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, Australia's ban on credit and debit card surcharges took effect, and it's sparked debate as to whether we should follow suit. National expressed interest in implementing a similar rule with the Retail Payment System (Ban on Merchant Surcharges) Amendment Bill, but it appears to have stalled following backlash. Retail NZ CEO Carolyn Young says this ban led to Australian businesses increasing prices - and it's likely Kiwi businesses will have to do the same if these changes were made. "In such a tight environment, everyone's struggling - consumers are struggling, businesses are struggling - that 2 percent or 2 and a half percent or 3 percent can make a difference around whether a business survives or doesn't survive." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2026 election season is well under way, with ACT officially set to get their campaign going this weekend. According to the Herald's most recent Poll of Polls, ACT is on 8 percent support - but leader David Seymour isn't fazed by this figure. Seymour says they're up to 11 percent in the most recent poll, and the figures in the Poll of Polls are 'questionable' - given how Opportunity performed. "There's never been a poll where they've done better than ACT - you say we're on 8, the latest polls has actually got us on 11... it uses a very questionable formula." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week I thought I would distract myself from talk of tax, fiscal holes and pledge cards by heading to Tauranga to help my parents pack in preparation for a move from a house into an apartment. I am a bit of a hoarder. Not in an unhealthy way. My hoarding is very organised - in plastic boxes and tucked out of sight - but I do hold onto things longer than is practical. Walking into my parents half packed house and observing the number of boxes piling up I realised the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree. This is not the first time my parents have downsized and they’re very good at having a clean out, and yet my mother still keeps finding children’s paintings, athletics club certificates and school reports. Turns out I placed first in the 100m and 400m in 1980 at the Eastern Suburbs Amateur Athletic Club - that’s as good as it got when it came to my athletics career. I played a ‘child’ in the Jill Proudfood School of Ballet Christmas Recital in 1982 according to the programme my mother still had. And I…

Kiwi comedian Joseph Moore has been working behind the scenes as a writer on many iconic TV shows like Taskmaster, 7 Days and Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee - and he's hit the big time overseas. Earlier this year, he got chosen from hundreds of applicants to write for the new Saturday Night Live UK - and he's proven popular, with his 'Pub Song' skit going viral. He says he'd already moved to the UK with his wife, comedian and actress Laura Daniel, but he didn't expect to score something like this. "When we moved, we didn't know that SNL UK even in the works, let alone that it existed - but it was never going to happen...so to have landed here has surpassed anything that we were imagining." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 27 September. Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult. This is Jodi doing what she does best. It’s the story of Molly Fitzgerald and her husband Jesse (he was a character in Jodi’s much loved book My Sister’s Keeper and there is a reference to that previous work in here, although it wouldn’t matter if you haven’t read the previous book - it’s just a nice continuation for anyone who did). Molly’s mother died in the Twin Towers in the 9/11 attacks and she’s made her career working in emergency response. But things aren’t quite what they seem and a serious incident sparks the discovery that everything that Molly and Jesse had thought to be true was in fact a lie. That Woman by Silvia Cartwright. She is of course a notable New Zealander - she was our first female High Court Judge and our second female Governor General. She chaired the Cartwright Commission in a major enquiry at National Women’s Hospital, and was a judge of war crimes in Cambodia, along with many other achievements throughout her long career. This is her revealing story…

The school holidays have gotten underway, with many Kiwis jetting off for the break. Air New Zealand has recently confirmed Rarotonga is now the most popular South Pacific destination for Kiwi travellers, and travel expert Megan Singleton has looked into why this is. She highlighted the accommodation choices, the food, the beaches and snorkelling tours - with plenty of options available for all kinds of travellers. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, Resident Economist at Opes Partners Ed McKnight and host of The Front Page Chelsea Daniels joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The election campaign has officially launched and the big Leaders Debates are due to take place - with the first one happening on Thursday October 1st. Do we see these upcoming debates changing the minds of prospective voters? Or are these just for political nerds? Meta's new smart glasses are officially available in New Zealand. Is this a sign technology has gone too far - or has the horse bolted? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all want to live long and healthy lives, but there's a difference between living longer and living longer well. Biological age measures the health and functional state of your cells and tissues, reflecting how well your body is aging compared to your chronological age. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explained further, and revealed the sleep and nutrition steps to take to improve biological age. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike's chicken enchiladas Cook time: 40 minutes Prep time: 15 minutes Serves: 4-6 4 flour tortilla wraps 3 cups shredded left over chicken 1 large onion, peeled and sliced 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tbsp sunflower oil 1 can black beans, drained 2 cans diced whole peeled tomatoes 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 tsp dried mixed herbs 2 tsp smoked paprika 2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp chilli powder Salt and cracked pepper 1/2 cup soft feta, crumbled 1/2 cup grated cheddar Salt and cracked pepper Coriander for garnish Salad greens for the table Pre-heat oven to 180*c Heat a large cast pan over a medium heat and add in the oil. Then the onions and garlic. Sauté until they start to caramelize. Add in the spices and herbs and sauté for a further minute before adding in the whole peeled tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook out for 10 minutes and reduce slightly before turning off to cool. Remove about 1 cup of sauce and set aside for later. With the remaining sauce add in the drained beans, shredded chicken and crumbled feta. Season.…