Real Life

Nicola Toki, CEO of Forest and Bird talks to John Cowan about the impact of regulatory change and her run in with Prince William

Nicola Toki is a New Zealand conservationist and Chief Executive of Forest & Bird since 2022. Born in Invercargill, she grew up exploring the South Island, moving...

Miriama Kamo, author and 'Marae' presenter, talks to John about Matariki and what she's up to now after the end of Sunday

Miriama Kamo is a Christchurch-born journalist, author, and TV presenter of Ngāi Tahu and Ngāti Mutunga descent. She’s spent over two decades telling powerful stories...

Habitat for Humanity Group CEO, Alan Thorp, talks to John Cowan about getting kiwis into healthy homes

Alan Thorp is the Group Chief Executive Officer of Habitat for Humanity New Zealand, a role he’s held since 2021. With a background as a Chartered Accountant and...

Brian Kelly MNZM, Host of Country Sport Breakfast, talks to John Cowan about his decorated career

Brian Kelly MNZM has been named a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to broadcasting. Raised in Whanganui, he began his career in 1970 with...

Billy T Award winner Hoani Hotene joins John Cowan to discuss his journey into comedy

2025 Billy T Award winner Hoani Hotene (Ngāti Hauā) is a comedian from Petone, Lower Hutt. Bursting onto the Wellington comedy scene in 2020, Hoani quickly made...

Businesswoman Sian Simpson talks to John Cowan about building communities and helping others find joy

Siân Simpson is an award-winning global businesswoman, community builder, and broadcaster. She is a sought-after public speaker and whose online content has received...

Andrew Little talks to John Cowan about working across party lines and the support networks he leans on

Andrew Little was born in New Plymouth in 1965 and attended New Plymouth Boys' High School. He started working young—his first job was digging trenches for a methanol...

Author Rachel Paris describes to John Cowan her transition from law to writing books piquing Hollywood's interest

Rachel’s debut novel, See How They Fall, will be published this year by Hachette in Australia and New Zealand and by Penzler Publishers in the United States. The...

Lead singer of Voom, Buzz Moller, talks to John Cowan about the 20 year gap between albums and his idea of success

Buzz Moller is a New Zealand musician and actor, originally from Upper Hutt. He went to Upper Hutt High School, Rathkeale College and later studied at the University...

Doctor turned author, Adam Kay, joins John Cowan to talk about his experience of the UK's NHS that led to his new career

Adam Kay is a BAFTA-winning author, screenwriter, comedian, and former junior doctor, best known for his brutally funny memoir This is Going to Hurt. The book became...

Musician Derek Lind tells John Cowan all about what his Christian faith means to him this Easter Sunday

Derek Lind has been writing songs and making music since the late 1970s, with seven albums to his name — including his latest, SOLO (2015). His songwriting has earned...

Auckland Councillor Josephine Bartley tells John Cowan about her journey to the city council

Josephine Bartley has been showing up for the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki community for over a decade — first on the Local Board, then as a city councillor. She’s the first...

The Mad Butcher tells John about his struggles with education and pushing Sir Tim Shadbolt off a wharf

Born in Wellington in 1944, Peter struggled at school with what would now be recognised as dyslexia. He left Wellington Tech at age 15 and worked as a telegram delivery...

Kahira Olley MNZM talks to John Cowan about how her experiences with abuse led to her abuse support and advocacy work

Kahira Olley (Ngāti Rongomai, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Toa), after experiencing family violence for 25 years, established the Save Our Babies Charitable Trust and initiated...

Minister for Justice, Paul Goldsmith, tells John Cowan about his family history and his history with Taekwondo

Paul Goldsmith is a dedicated New Zealand politician, currently serving as the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Minister of Justice, Minister for Media and...

Comedian Ruby Wax joins John Cowan ahead of her NZ visit

Ruby Wax, born on April 19, 1953, in Evanston, Illinois, is a British-American actress, comedian, writer, and mental health campaigner. She gained fame on TV shows...

Musician Delaney Davidson tells John Cowan about how he describes his music and cooking steak over a tin can

Delaney Davidson, from Auckland, New Zealand, is a multi-talented singer-songwriter, producer, and instrumentalist. The son of John William Davidson and Glyn Ellen...

New Territorial Commander for The Salvation Army, Janine Donaldson, tells John Cowan about her new post

Commissioner Janine Donaldson is the Territorial Commander for The Salvation Army in New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa, and serves as the Chair of the Territorial...

Pete Wolfkamp tells John Cowan about his building philosophy and early stint as a youth worker

Peter Wolfkamp’s passion for carpentry began at the age of one and has only grown over the years. He is a Licensed Building Practitioner with extensive experience,...

Flava's K'Lee McNabb tells John Cowan about her family and careers in music and radio

K'Lee (Kaleena Renae McNabb, born 1984) is a New Zealand pop singer who rose to fame in the early 2000s with hits like "Broken Wings" and "Can You Feel Me?" Her...

NZ jazz legend, Nathan Haines, recounts his journey through cancer and addiction to release his new album, Notes

Nathan Haines is a renowned New Zealand jazz musician, born in 1972 in Takapuna, Auckland. Growing up in a musical family, with his father Kevin being a leading...

World Vision's Jonathan Fletcher joins John Cowan to discuss his life and career in humanitarian development work

Jonathan Fletcher has extensive experience in fundraising, partnerships, and business development, with a focus on supporting vulnerable children. Since March 2013,...

Newstalk ZB host Jack Tame talks with John Cowan about his work in the US and talking to Rihanna about test cricket

Jack Tame is a New Zealand television and radio journalist. He is the host of TVNZ’s political show Q+A and a presenter at Newstalk ZB. Tame grew up in Christchurch...

Broadcaster Pam Corkery calls in from Aussie to tell John Cowan about her career, convent school and more