The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Kiwi chef Tom Hishon has launched his first cookbook and he aims to teach people new and exciting ways to make breakfast. Hishon is behind the popular Auckland eateries Orphans Kitchen, Daily Bread and Kingi, and his new book Good Morning will help you bring his recipes into your own kitchen. He says there's plenty of 'amazing sections' in the book that can help beginners and experts alike. "There's a whole section on toast, which is what initially drew me into cooking - it was making my own breakfast. And then there's some really technical sections as well, with the baking and all those things as well." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All In by David Baldacci: the latest in the Travis Devine series – Travis works for the Department of Homeland Security and is called in to help when a journalist is shot and left for dead on a NYC street and the intelligence analyst she was working with disappears without a trace. Travis’s search for answers takes him to Sydney where he discovers that Australia’s richest family appears to be involved, up to its neck, but how and why is unclear and he teams up with a local detective to figure out what’s going on; and how to stop it. Pacy, clever, with lots of twists and turns. The Steps by Sylvester Stallone. Sly looks back over his life and career, with insights into the young man who made his breakthrough with Rocky and became one of the most unlikely heroes of Hollywood. Along the way he talks about his violent and impoverished childhood, his determination to make something of himself and how he went about it, the success which eventually came and his refusal to make compromises for an easy life. It’s a…

Megan Singleton's embarked on her next adventure to Japan, and she's taking a tour group around the region to see what it can offer. She's getting a look at the busy city and she's been exploring the Team Labs interactive experience, the Shibuya Crossing, and the Tokyo Sky Tree. Read more about her experience here. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Sunday Panel, Capital director Ben Thomas and editor and journalist Jo McCarroll joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The election is over and done, but we still won't know the winner until the end of the month. Have Luxon and the right bloc won? Is Luxon going anywhere? What do these results say about the stability of the National Party? What did we make of last Friday's big Outlook outage? Is this a sign we've all become too dependent on technology? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Supplement companies and influencers are big on encouraging people to take pills, powders or infusions to live longer and stay healthier, but do these claims really stack up? The health benefits of these products have been called into question and it's unclear if these are fully healthy - or how much research has been carried out into them. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 15 November. 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.

Roasted kumara with Israeli couscous grapes and spent lemon 4 kumara, cut into wedges 3 tbsp sunflower oil 1 cup Israeli couscous 3 cups veggie stock 2 cups black grapes 1 cup pickled red onions (or just sliced thin if you are short on time) 1 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted Sea salt Coriander for garnish 1 batch spent lemon dressing 1 batch pickled red onions Pre-heat the oven to 180*c Place the kumara into a large bowl, coat with 2 tbsp of oil and season with flaky salt. Lay out onto a oven tray and bake for 30 minutes or until the ends start to burn. Cook the couscous in boiling veggie stock until tender and drain. Heat a large cast iron pan until it's VERY hot. Place the grapes into a bowl and add the remaining oil and a pinch of salt. Place into hot pan and turn until well colored and almost totally burnt. Remove and set aside. To serve, pull together the cooked kumara, couscous, burnt grapes, pickled red onions, toasted pumpkin seeds and then coat with spent lemon. Combine and plate. Garnish with fresh…

We tend to think of menopause as the moment a woman's ovaries retire as they stop releasing eggs. This results in the reduction of their production of hormones like oestrogen as their reproductive job is essentially finished. However, new research published in the scientific journal Aging Cell, challenges the idea that our ovaries become largely inactive once their reproductive role ends. Researchers examined ovarian tissue donated by 28 post-menopausal women to try and understand if tissue from a 55-year-old woman look biologically similar to tissue from a 75-year-old woman? The researchers used mass spectrometry to measure 5,812 groups of proteins across the ovarian samples they discovered significant differences. In women in their 50s, the ovaries contained relatively higher amounts of proteins involved in regulating genetic information, maintaining cell structure and supporting normal cellular processes. In women aged 70 and older, there was a shift towards proteins associated with immune responses,…

After plenty of hype and speculation, the new You Can See Everything documentary is finally available to Kiwi audiences. The three-hour-long film is based on Elizabeth Holmes, the infamous Theranos founder who was convicted of fraud. Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall explained what viewers need to know before checking out this 'bizarre' project. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The final of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup is set to take place tonight, and there's hope for a good outcome for New Zealand. The Kiwis and the Kangaroos will face off tonight - in the fifth time New Zealand and Australia have clashed in a league World Cup final. Lance Hohaia was part of the Kiwis squad that won the World Cup in 2008, and he says this year's team is full of 'stars' and they've played really well. "Obviously, we've made it to the final, which we haven't done for 13 years, that's always a plus as well. So yeah, dangerous team against the Aussies, they're a quality outfit." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2026 election wrapped up last weekend, but there's still a lot of uncertainty around the results. Preliminary results show National, ACT and New Zealand First would be able to form a Government with just a one seat majority, but the Electoral Commission won't publish the final results until November 27th. Former Minister and commentator Peter Dunne says there's still a measure of doubt about who's really won, but it's likely Chris Luxon will be confirmed as the next Prime Minister at the end of the month. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Microsoft says its 365 services are fully restored, after a 24-hour outage sent online telecommunications into chaos. Some servers were taken offline and others overloaded with traffic when routine automated checks went awry. The disruption to Outlook and Teams impacted businesses and organisations all over the world. Auckland University computer science lecturer Ulrich Speidel says people might question their reliance on the service. "A lot of them are going to ask - do we need a secondary system that we can use in case Outlook fails or Teams fails? What would we be using? Would it be best to switch to a different system altogether?" LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks have been on the wrong side of the biggest rugby upset since the Springboks lost to Japan in 2015. A written-off Welsh side has shocked the All Black 35-28 in Cardiff, despite being forced to make more than 200 extra tackles compared to the tourists. Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Elliott Smith said this result defied the odds, with some Welsh pundits factoring in an All Blacks victory. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I can’t think of many things more unsettling as a teenager, than sitting an exam, concentrating hard, putting your knowledge onto a screen, and then watching it all disappear. Not because you pressed the wrong button. Not because you forgot to save. Not because you didn’t charge your computer. But because the technology failed. This is what happened to students sitting the NCEA Year 12 English exam. And while computers occasionally have a mind of their own, the consequences of this major technical failure are very real for the young people caught up in it. Year 12 matters. These aren't simply practice runs for the big finale in Year 13. Year 12 results are often used for university and course applications, early entry decisions and scholarships. For some students, these grades help determine which doors open and which remain firmly shut. And then there's the question of fairness. Some students were allowed to continue working on paper with additional time, while others had to leave classrooms because the…

Whale Harbour by Mary Beth Keane. The eleven Joyce brothers live in a remote part of Ireland where, after losing their mother, their unreliable father remarries which accelerates their understanding that they’ll all eventually become part of the diaspora, leaving for opportunities elsewhere. When his time comes, in the upheaval of a move from Connemara to Montana, Macdara breaks a promise which will haunt him and nine of his brothers for the rest of their lives. I loved this - it’s wonderful. Nothing to Lose by Nix Adams. The author was living in Australia when her young son died, which sent her into a spiral of grief and despair which took years to climb out of. Nix descended into drugs and crime and did a stint in a Melbourne prison which was where her recovery started and has gone on to demonstrate incredible strength and commitment, regaining custody of her other children and building a new life back home in Aotearoa. She began posting snippets of her life on social media which has grown to have millions…

Nix Adams is best known for her social media presence and victory on Celebrity Treasure Island, but there's more to her story than that. She's survived intergenerational trauma, losing a child, meth addiction, and a short stint in prison - which ultimately inspired her to turn her life around. She's shared her journey of survival and starting over in a new memoir, Nothing to Lose. "It's been pretty scary, I've shared bits and pieces over the years, but to have it all in your hands is pretty freaky, actually." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Irish comedian and tv host Dara O'Briain has always known he was adopted and he's worked that detail into his standup comedy routines. His 2023 tour focused on his journey to find his birth mother, and his upcoming tour - set to arrive in New Zealand later this month - will share the story of finding his birth father. He's promised the show will be a 'romp' as it's a 'lovely' story to tell. "I'm lucky to have got in under the length of it being a long and involved story." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chain Reaction by Lee Child and Andrew Child. The latest outing from the two brothers is the 31st in the Jack Reacher series and for me, it held up very well. General Susan Turner is a former colleague of Jack’s from his Pentagon days, and when someone on her team is brutally murdered she needs someone she can trust to work out what happened and why, Jack being the obvious candidate. She tracks him down and the mission rekindles their previous relationship as they take on the bad guys, set in a modern world where data farms are the new big thing and not everyone is on the right side. It’s full of action, as always with Reacher, but there’s some great human interaction as well and is less one dimensional than some in the series. King’s Ransom by Matthew Reilly. This is the second in a new series featuring an autistic detective, Sam Speedman, who is called on to help with a case when the world’s richest man and some of his family are kidnapped in New York and the kidnappers demand that five of America’s…

The summer season is over for another year in the US, and tourism in Hawaii has seen a noticeable decline. Visitor numbers are down, and there's less flights in and out of the region, according to new reports. BloggerAtLarge.com writer Megan Singleton was recently there, but she cited a weakening dollar and growing political discontent in America. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, partner at Freebairn and Hehir Liam Hehir and journalist and TV producer Irene Gardiner joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week - and more! We've got one week of the election campaign left to go - but is is too negative? What have we made of the campaigning across the board? Winston Peters said people are sick and tired of it and that this campaign has been among the worst he's seen. Is he right? How do we see the election playing out? What are our predictions? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 1 November. 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.

Your brain and your gut communicate with each other all the time, and certain emotions can impact how your body feels. Often, when people experience gut symptoms like diarrhoea or constipation, they attribute them to gut problems rather than to stress or the nervous system. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explained this process further - and revealed some techniques to address stress. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coddled eggs with beans and meatballs Cook time: 25 minutes Prep time: 30 minutes Serves: 6 250gm beef mince 150gm pork mince ¼ pumpkin, grated 2 tsp Dijon mustard 400gm tin whole peeled tomatoes 400gm tin chickpeas in spring water, drained 400gm tin white haricot beans, drained 1 onion, finely diced 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 3 tbsp chopped fresh thyme 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 4 eggs 1 tbsp sunflower oil 5-6 sprigs sage (optional) Salt and black pepper Preheat the oven to 180*C. Mix the mince, mustard, pumpkin and 1 tbsp fresh thyme in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Roll the mix into golf sized balls. Heat a little oil in a cast-iron frying pan and shallow fry the meatballs, just enough to colour the outside. Set aside. Now add a little more oil to the pan and sauté the onion, garlic and remaining thyme. Add the tomatoes, beans and Worcestershire sauce, cook for one minute. Pour this mix into a large baking dish (about 50cm square). Place the meatballs into the tray then gently crack the…

Good news if you like taking a hot bath as new research, published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology I, investigated how our blood vessels respond to heat compared with exercise. Researchers recruited 25 adults aged between 45 and 70, with an average age of 59 who were all classified as overweight or obese and were relatively physically inactive. Each volunteer took part in two different experiments. In the first experiment, participants sat in a hot 40°C bath for 30 minutes. In the second experiment, the same people spent 30 minutes cycling on a stationary exercise bike at a moderate intensity, working at around 60–70 percent of their maximum heart rate. The scientists measured their heart rates, core body temperatures and blood pressure before and during the experiments and had the volunteers swallow tiny electronic temperature sensors that transmitted readings from inside their bodies. The researchers used optical coherence tomography which allowed them to examine microscopic blood vessels in…

Director Lance Oppenheim's newest project is set to examine the impact of one of the most infamous reality shows out there. To Catch a Predator ran from 2004 to 2007, and the series and host Chris Hansen are back under scrutiny in Primetime, a new film starring Robert Pattinson. Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite some tough economic conditions impacting the hospitality sector, one big industry success story is set to hit a milestone. Tala, the famed Samoan restaurant, celebrates three years in business this Tuesday, and it's accomplished a lot over those years. Bookings are up, wait-lists are growing, and demand has only surged since Tala became the world’s first Michelin-starred Samoan restaurant earlier this year. Chef Henry Onesemo says he's very thankful for the restaurant's success. "It's huge, we are super grateful for where we're at. We opened in the middle of a recession, and then just to see it grow incrementally within the last three years has been a testament to the community." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's revealed it was behind a complaint to the Electoral Commission, regarding Harry Mowbray's Split the Vote website. Mowbray's taken the website down after the Commission started looking into a potential advertising breach - and National says this is a deliberate attempt to confuse voters in a very close election. Newstalk ZB political reporter Azaria Howell says the issue of vote splitting is causing tensions among the right bloc, especially given the state of the polls. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent polling predicts a tight race in the US midterm elections next week, and there's a lot at stake for President Donald Trump. Both the House and Senate are currently controlled by the Republicans, and the fate of Trump's final two years in office could rest on the outcome. US political analyst Dan Schnur says it's likely the Democrats will take at least one of them, and that could have consequences for Trump. "Historically in the US, the party that does not hold the presidency easily does much better in those midterm elections than the President's party." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With less than a week until New Zealanders have their say at the polls, our political leaders have become remarkably good at telling us who they won’t work with. Christopher Luxon has ruled out Labour, the Greens, Te Pāti Māori and The Opportunity Party. Chris Hipkins has ruled out National, ACT and New Zealand First. David Seymour has drawn his own line against the left, but would consider Opportunity. Winston Peters has made it abundantly clear that Labour and Opportunity aren’t on his Christmas card list. The Greens, meanwhile, have kept their options open, although their preference for a change of Government is hardly a secret. And then there’s The Opportunity Party, led by Qiulae Wong, which has pitched itself as willing to negotiate across the political spectrum - albeit with serious reservations about serving in a Government with Peters as Foreign Minister. Welcome to MMP: the electoral system in which everybody wants the numbers, but not necessarily the people and parties that come with them. The two…

Film director Travis Knight and his studio Laika have built up a name for themselves in the world of stop-motion animation, but his newest project is his most ambitious one yet. Wildwood is in theatres now, after 16 years in development - and it took 6 years of filming, 233 handmade puppets and over a thousand artists to get it all done. There's already plenty of Oscar buzz around this project, with early speculation claiming it could take home the prize for Best Animated Feature. Travis Knight says it was 'bittersweet' getting this wrapped up. "Now we're finally sharing this thing that we've been working on for years with the rest of the world and I'm really thrilled by the response so far." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oscar-winning actor Ke Huy Quan's had a memorable Hollywood career, but there's more to his story than the fame and accolades. He got his start as a child actor, having starred in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Goonies - but he took a hiatus after he couldn't find any new roles in his 20s. Two decades later, he made a big professional comeback and won an Oscar for his role in the hit film Everything Everywhere All at Once. But before his big film career, he was a refugee escaping a war-torn Vietnam, and he's exploring that part of his life in his new memoir Never Say Die. "I never thought I would have the courage to write this book, but I'm really glad I did." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

London Station by David McCloskey. This is the fourth book in his series about Artemis Aphrodite Procter, a CIA operative who’s a bit of a maverick and does things by her own rules. The author used to work at the CIA and clearly knows his way around and some of the background in the stories is fascinating. In this new one, Artemis has been (reluctantly) appointed as the Chief of the CIA London’s station just as the American administration wants to cut ties with their UK counterparts and diplomatic change is in the air. This is as good as the previous titles. Peck & Peck by Bonnie Garmus – who wrote the brilliant Lessons in Chemistry which has now been loved by thousands of readers. This is her first book since, about a young man who gets a job at the most prestigious, secretive and dysfunctional poetry journal in the world: the renowned Peck & Peck. Batter Gray (named after his mother’s dog) is an unusual individual who ends up working for an even more unusual business. It’s quirky and clever. LISTEN ABOVE…

Three years after the devastating fires tore through the village of Lahaina, Megan Singleton visited the seaside town as part of her day in Maui. Officials have been working to rebuild residential homes, and it's expected more new businesses will be opening in 2028. Amid the ongoing recovery efforts, Megan shared what Maui has to offer - read more about her experience here. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, Newstalk ZB Wellington mornings host Nick Mills and Resident Economist at Opes Partners Ed McKnight joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week - and more! Enrolments are due to close tonight, with early voting beginning on Monday. 92 percent of eligible Kiwis are enrolled, but only 69 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds are enrolled. Do we think officials have done enough to get people enrolled? How could they reach more people? JetBlue has teamed up with Virgin Voyages to launch a child-free holiday package made exclusively for travellers over 18. Do we see this catching on? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 25 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.

Neurowellness is an emerging health and wellness framework aimed at regulating the autonomic nervous system. New data indicates anxiety and mental health problems are on the rise, with Gallup’s 2025 global survey of 144 countries finding that 40 percent of people are reporting high anxiety on any given day. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara unpacked the phenomenon further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roasted pineapple and lime custard layered meringue Cook time: 30-40 minutes Prep time: 30 minutes Serves: 6 1/2 fresh pineapple 1 tsp sunflower oil 1 tbsp dark brown sugar Lime leaf custard 200ml milk 300ml cream 6 makrut leaves, lightly crushed 1 vanilla pod, scraped and seeds discarded 5 egg yolks 100gm sugar Brown sugar meringue 125ml egg whites (approx. 4-5 eggs) 250gm soft brown sugar Soft cream if required Preheat oven to 180*C. Using a sharp knife, slice skin off pineapple. Cut pineapple in half length ways and remove core. Slice each half thinly. Lightly oil a roasting tray and lay out pineapple pieces in a single layer. Sprinkle with sugar and roast for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. For the custard Place milk and cream in a heavy-based saucepan with vanilla pod and makrut lime leaves. Heat to boiling then remove from heat. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until light and creamy. Slowly whisk in hot milk and cream. Place in a clean saucepan and stir over a low…

Could blocking out noise during surgery stop you from feeling sick afterwards? If you've ever had surgery under general anaesthetic, you might remember waking up feeling nauseous, dizzy or desperately wanting to vomit. It's a surprisingly common side effect of anaesthesia, and despite doctors routinely giving patients medications to prevent it, many people still experience it. A new clinical trial suggests that simply covering patients' ears during surgery could significantly reduce their chances of feeling sick afterwards. The research, presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2026 annual conference in San Diego, raises an intriguing question about how much information our brains continue to process when we're under general anaesthetic. The researchers recruited 192 adults aged between 18 and 65 who were undergoing keyhole surgery and randomly divided them into two groups. The first group underwent surgery as normal, receiving standard general anaesthesia and medications to help prevent nausea. The second group…

New data has revealed only 4 percent of music streamed in New Zealand over the 2025-2026 timeframe was made by Kiwi artists. Despite revenue being up, it's harder for Kiwi musicians to earn their share, with more people gravitating towards international artists. Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall says the streaming share for Kiwi artists has dropped over 28 percent over the last 5 years, despite the growing number of homegrown acts bringing crowds to their shows. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Celebrity Michelin star chef Josh Emett was appointed Air New Zealand's culinary ambassador earlier in the year - and his new menu officially launched today. Emett’s dishes will be available as part of some Premium Economy and Business Premier long haul services out of Auckland and North America. He says this Kiwi-inspired menu has been in the works for the last six months. "First and foremost, you've just got to create delicious food - that is consistent and that definitely has a point of interest. We've dialled into great Kiwi ingredients, we've got a gorgeous venison dish with golden kumara chutney and then we spice the beetroot with kawakawa." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gangs remain a contentious topic during this election campaign, following another week of high-profile incidents. Labour's Kerrin Leoni has resigned after a video emerged of her campaigning at a whanau event, with gang members present. A photo recently emerged of National's Tama Potaka standing next to patched members of the Mongrel Mob., prompting Labour's Chris Hipkins to accuse Luxon of 'double standards'. Former Minister and commentator Peter Dunne says these events have slowed down Labour's political momentum, and the damage has been done. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a new treatment aimed at reducing melanoma, and it's seeing positive developments. An mRNA-based melanoma vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of death or cancer coming back among patients by 42 percent. The vaccine has undergone a phase III trial, led by experts in Australia and New Zealand. Kiwi oncologist Dr Gareth Rivalland led the New Zealand part of the research, and he says this is the first treatment that's added to existing immunotherapy methods - with a significant jump in benefits. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's hope for a last minute rush tonight, as a significant number of Kiwis still aren't enrolled to vote in the election yet. The deadline to enrol to vote is midnight tonight, with voting starting from Monday until election day on November 7. Chief Electoral Officer Karl Le Quesne says they're hoping 100 percent of eligible people will enrol to vote. "We want to see that rise, and we're getting a lot of enrolment transactions coming through at the moment - so we know it'll keep going up." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you were feeling a little election fatigue before this week, you may now be reaching for the remote, the mute button and possibly something stronger than a cup of tea. We’ve had the policies, the debates, voting strategies and enough political point-scoring to qualify as an Olympic sport. Voters have listened patiently to arguments about the cost of living, health, education and the economy. All important stuff, of course. But even the most devoted political tragic can only take so many announcements before wondering whether anyone has actually come to fix anything. Then along comes the gangs controversy. Suddenly, the campaign had a fresh lease of life - although not the sort any party leader, or voter, wanted. Photographs of Green and Te Pāti Māori politicians at a Mongrel Mob gathering sparked fierce criticism. Labour leader Chris Hipkins condemned their judgement and ruled those parties out of police and corrections portfolios in a potential Government. Then Labour candidate Kerrin Leoni appeared in…

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.