The Sunday Session
9am-12pm Sun
THE SUNDAY SESSION WITH FRANCESCA RUDKIN
9am-Noon
Sink into your Sunday with the best session around.
This is the show that delivers a little bit of everything.
News, opinion, analysis, lifestyle and entertainment – we’ve got your Sunday morning listening covered.
Subscribe to the Sunday Session Podcast
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'Helps you face the world': Peta Mathias reflects on life and style in new book
Chef, author and broadcaster Peta Mathias lives a wonderfully full life, full of gastronomic tours of the world's top food destinations. When she's not leading foodie...
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Pike River: Actress Melanie Lynskey reveals why the story needed to be told
New Zealanders will get an insight into the Pike River tragedy that continues to be felt by relatives - and on the West Coast. A film based on the 2010 explosion...
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Whitcoulls Recommends: The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny and Last Rites
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai. Sonia and Sunny live, study and work in America, but their families back home in India worry about the loneliness...
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Megan Singleton: Rarotonga's certainly gotten busier!
Megan Singleton's latest travel adventure has taken her to Rarotonga, and she's noticed more people seem to be flocking to the islands. Between the variety of accommodation...
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The Sunday Panel: Why don’t people take local body elections seriously?
This week on the Sunday Panel, Director at Capital, Ben Thomas, and NZ Herald senior writer, Simon Wilson, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of...
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Erin O'Hara: Does eating healthy require more than willpower?
New research indicates making healthy choices might require more effort than updating your grocery list. A new study claims women's eating habits are more socially...
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Francesca Rudkin: How do we get good candidates and voters engaged in local body elections?
So, guess what - according to Local Government NZ, voter turnout around the country for the local body elections has been dismal. Surprised? On Friday afternoon,...
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Mike van de Elzen: Onion tart-tatin with asparagus and fried haloumi
Onion tart-tatin with asparagus and fried haloumi Cook time: 30 minutes Prep time: 30 minutes Serves: 6 1 batch short crust 2 small red onions, peeled and sliced...
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Revealed: What replaced the classic mid-life crisis?
For decades, researchers have documented a curious pattern in happiness, where people tend to start adult life feeling relatively positive, dip into unhappiness...
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The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast: 12 October 2025
On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 12 October 2025, Kiwi Emmy nominee Melanie Lynskey is back in New Zealand for the premiere...
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'Enduring presence': Tributes rolling in following Diane Keaton's death
Hollywood superstar Diane Keaton is being remembered for a legendary career spanning decades. A family spokesperson told People magazine the 79-year-old has died...
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Local elections 2025: Results rolling in, Dunedin race remains tight
Results from this weekend's local elections are still rolling in, with some races still too close to call. But Auckland's Wayne Brown and Christchurch's Phil Mauger...
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'Grateful': Tim Macindoe confirmed as Hamilton’s new mayor
Former Hamilton West MP and current Hamilton city councillor Tim Macindoe's won the mayoral race in Hamilton. He's committed to bringing down wasteful spending and...
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'Humbled': Christchurch mayor acknowledges voting margin after winning second term
Re-elected mayor Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger is calling for a rethink to local election voting systems. Mauger says he's humbled by the margin of his victory...
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'Very pleased with the result': Andrew Little outlines priorities after winning Wellington mayoralty
Andrew Little is laying out his priorities as he takes the Wellington mayoral chains. He won a landslide in the capital, getting more than 34,000 votes. His nearest...
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'Making progress': Wayne Brown outlines commitments after winning second term as mayor
Wayne Brown says his second term will see the continuation of cutting wasteful spending. He surged to victory, scoring 90,000 more votes than nearest opponent Kerrin...
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Suzanne Lynch looks back on long-running career in new memoir
Kiwi pop icon Suzanne Lynch's had a long-running music career, and she's looking back on her legacy in a new memoir. Lynch got her start at 14 after a chance encounter...
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The Impossible Fortune: Richard Osman unveils latest crime thriller
TV personality and author Richard Osman recently took a brief writing hiatus, but he's returned with the latest instalment in the Thursday Murder Club book series. The...
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Whitcoulls Recommends: Gravity Let Me Go and Boleyn Traitor
Gravity Let Me Go by Trent Dalton. Noah Cork should be on top of the world. His new true crime book is a bestseller, but strange things happening around him are...
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Explained: Do scented alarm clocks really work?
The Holiday Inn Express recently unveiled a new morning alarm system that's designed to be more pleasant than a blaring clock. The Holiday Inn Express Breakfast...
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Francesca Rudkin: I was reminded just how much I take for granted
I had an interesting experience this week, one that reminded me that sometimes even the obvious needs to be pointed out. For a very brief moment I got a small...
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The Sunday Panel: Could the Government have done more with bowel cancer screenings?
This week on the Sunday Panel, Chelsea Daniels from the Front Page podcast and TV producer, journalist and commentator, Irene Gardiner, joined in on a discussion...
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Mike van de Elzen: Beef and black bean empanadas
Beef and black bean empanadas Cook time: 15 minutes Prep time: 30 minutes Serves: 6-8 300gm beef mince 2 whites onions, peeled and diced 1 can cooked black...
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The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast: 05 October 2025
Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 5 October. Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every...
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Erin O'Hara: Why is walking after eating beneficial?
The start of daylight savings means longer days - and the extra light can help motivate people to get outside and get some exercise. Walking after meals offers numerous...
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Revealed: What one unlucky Covid patient taught researchers about viruses
Most of us have had to take a few days off work or school because of the flu or Covid-19. But imagine being sick with Covid, not for a week or two, but for 750 days! That’s...
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The Life of a Showgirl: Does Taylor Swift's new album live up to the hype?
Taylor Swift's much-anticipated 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, dropped on Friday after weeks of hype and speculation. For this album, the 35-year-old...
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'Not substantial': Expert raises concerns over bowel cancer screening age changes
Experts say better staffing numbers will be key to improving bowel-cancer screening. The screening age is set to lower to 58 for Northland, Auckland and the South...
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Ethan Griffiths: What's going on with Te Pāti Māori?
The past few weeks have been chaotic for Te Pāti Māori following Takuta Ferris’ social media posts and the decision to remove Mariameno Kapa-Kingi as party whip. These...
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All Blacks v Wallabies: Kiwis beat Aussies in Perth, narrowly miss Rugby Championship win
The All Blacks have picked up a bonus-point 28-14 win over the Wallabies in Perth, but it hasn't been enough to win the Rugby Championship. South Africa's landed...
