In 2020, a few weeks after Ireland entered one of the longest COVID lockdowns in the world, Patrick Dexter began uploading videos online of him playing the cello outside his cottage in County Mayo. In a matter of weeks, his life had changed forever. Producer Hugh Hick and Documentary on Newstalk bring you an intimately-told story of music and lands…

Real Americans by Rachel Khong. A big multi-generational story told in 3 parts. In the beginning, Lily is living a penurious life in NYC when she meets a mega wealthy man at a party who whisks her off to Paris and they eventually marry. When their parents meet, the dynamics are very weird and uncomfortable. Lily eventually finds herself living on t…

BloggerAtLarge's Megan Singleton shares her tips and tricks for getting around Disneyland - and unpacks the changes to their iconic rides and FastPass system. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By Newstalk ZB

This week on the Sunday Panel, broadcaster and journalist Wilhelmina Shrimpton and partner at Freebairn and Hehir Lawyers, Liam Hehir, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week - and more! In light of Winston Peters' 'defamatory' comments, it seems like the coalition Government is having more and more internal clashes. A poli…

We all have our moments where stress and anxiety are too much to bear - so how can we stop ourselves from feeling overwhelmed? Anxiety has been found to weaken your stress coping abilities, and 'task paralysis' can add to anxieties. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explains how to get around the extra stresses of day-to-day life. LISTEN A…

Parsnips in a soup with curry oil Cook time: 35 minutes Prep time: 20 minutes Serves: 6-12 1 kg parsnips, peeled and chopped 3 white onions, peeled and chopped 10 cloves garlic 3 tbsp sunflower oil 1 cup white wine 1.5 ltr vegetable stock 2 cups cream salt Curry oil 1 tbsp coriander seeds 1 tbsp cummin seeds 2 tbsp garam masala 1 tsp turmeric 1/2 c…

Why do we like our beer cold but our sake warm? This was the question posed by two scientists who were out drinking together. Their results have just been published in the journal Matter. The researchers measured the contact angle of different solutions that had varying concentrations of water and ethanol - which is the most common form of drinking…

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld managed to dominate the headlines ahead of the release of his newest Netflix project. Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story was overshadowed by Seinfeld's statements about the state of comedy, where he took pot-shots at the 'extreme left'. Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall explains why a cast of comedians and big acting names couldn'…

Australian sailor Lisa Blair has undertaken plenty of adventures - and gone on to break records and inspire a documentary. In 2022, Lisa became the fastest person to sail around Antarctica solo, non-stop and unassisted, something only achieved by two other sailors. Her first attempt at that feat went on to inspire the new documentary 'Ice Maiden'. …

New reports suggest filmgoers are less interested in sex scenes than ever. Data shows there has been a 40 percent drop in sexual content in major Hollywood movies than there was at the start of the millennium. Founder of Intimacy Co-ordinators Aotearoa Tandi Wright says societal changes have led to audiences reconsidering intimate scenes in films. …

Kiwi indie band The Beths have enjoyed plenty of success and international acclaim. Their 2022 hit Watching The Credits got a shout-out from Barack Obama as part of his summer playlist, and they've made their Coachella debut last month. Lead singer Liz Stokes says they played to a full tent - with lines outside their performance. "There's definitel…

Not all agree with the cancellation of this year's New Zealand Fashion Week. Event organisers pulled the pin after financial pressures on the industry and made it a bi-annual event, starting from next year. Fashion PR agency Showroom 22 director Murray Bevan says he feels a midway point could've been reached. "When the chips are down, sometimes you…

A nightmare run for the Green Party as further accusations come out about Julie Anne Genter. The MP's now being accused of grabbing Wellington business owner Nicola Cranfield, during a heated exchange. It's the latest of several alleged altercations that have come to light involving Genter, after her outburst in Parliament on Wednesday night. ZB po…

There's pleas for the Government to hit the brakes on education overhauls, amid concerns changes are being implemented without sector consultation. It follows commitments to crack down on cell phone bans, attendance and implement a structured literacy approach by 2025. New Zealand Principals' Federation President Leanne Otene says it's importance t…

So, there’s a dog-fight brewing in Auckland - literally - and it got me thinking. Now I know this is potentially a controversial question - especially coming from someone who’s only had cats as an adult - but should you really have a dog in the city if you don’t have time to walk it yourself? Recently, a dog died after being mauled by other dogs th…

Return to Blood by Michael Bennett: sequel to Better the Blood from a couple of years ago, featuring Hana Westerman who in the first book was a detective in Auckland, but she’s moved now to a small town looking for a fresh start. A skeleton is found in the sand dunes near her house – the bones of a young Maori woman who’s been missing for five year…

Tourists may think twice before visiting Venice, with a new entrance fee set to be put in place. The tax will be levied on tourists who come to the Italian city for just a day. BloggerAtLarge writer Megan Singleton says this move has been met with scepticism from residents and critics alike. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info…

This week on The Sunday Panel, Front Page host Chelsea Daniels and producer and commentator Irene Gardiner joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week - and more! Is health the best area to be making cuts in? Is there a difference between making cuts, and making cuts to bring an organisation back to budget? Are we concerned tha…

There's a lot of hype around 'free-from' diets - but will they do people more harm than good? There's been an uptick in people avoiding certain ingredients for dietary reasons, including gluten, dairy, eggs, and soy. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara unpacks this trend - and examines the drawbacks. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener …

The New Zealand International Comedy Festival begins this week - and one Kiwi comic is set to make a return to the stage. Actress, writer and Billy T nominee Alice Snedden has been making waves overseas, having written and directed international hit series Starstruck with Rose Matafeo. She says it's been difficult returning to the world of stand-up…

Chorizo paella with green chili and coriander: Cook time: 45 minutes Prep time: 5 minutes Serves: 6 2 tbsp sunflower oil 1 white onion, peeled and diced 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 2 chorizo sausage, sliced 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 1/2 cup red wine 1 1/2 cups long grain rice 3 cups vegetable stock 2 tsp tomato puree 1/2 tsp salt good crack of…

I am not a robot. It’s a common box that you have to tick on many websites as you log in - which apparently proves that you are a human, and not a robot. Many people however, seem to be more robot than human as they struggle to get the correct answers - which in some cases could mean the difference between getting tickets to a sell-out show or not.…

Comedy, action and romance come together in The Fall Guy - now playing in theatres. Starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, the film explores the world of stunts and movie-making it between romantic drama and brewing conspiracies. Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall examines whether or not this film is worth a watch. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/lis…

Irish author Marian Keyes is back with her 16th book - My Favourite Mistake. She's already sold 35 million books over the course of her career, and even has a Netflix adaptation in the pipeline. Keyes says she felt inspired to write about relationships, friendships romances and community during a turbulent time in the world. "I've subsequently disc…

Kiwi kids will return to school tomorrow - but the cellphones won't be part of the experience. The Government's ban on phones in schools kicks in from term two, meaning students won't be able to use them during the day, including lunch time and breaks. NZ Secondary Principals' Council chair Kate Gainsford says schools across the country already hav…

Prime Minister Chris Luxon has pulled no punches in his first Cabinet reshuffle during his tenure. Media Minister Melissa Lee and Disabilities Minister Penny Simmonds have both been dropped from their portfolios, after a string of controversies surrounding them. ZB political editor Jason Walls says Luxon has acted on the number one rule in politics…

It was amazing to see so many people out commemorating ANZAC Day at Dawn Services and parades around the country this week. We may move chronologically further away from the horrors of World War I, but it’s heart-warming to see so many people continue to honour the sacrifices made by our servicemen and women at any point in history, and currently. …

WARNING: This interview mentions suicide and may be distressing. Reports of online 'sextortion' are on the rise, according to experts. Recently, police have issued a warning claiming reports of online child exploitation have quadrupled in the last five years. Bloomberg investigative journalist Olivia Carville says the FBI has labelled this issue a …

Here on Documentary and Drama on Newstalk, Ben Finnegan has travelled to the African country of Malawi to look at the effects of climate change, and how organisations like Trócaire are helping them in 'Low Emissions, High Price: Climate Change in Malawi'.

Broadcaster and Podcaster Brodie Kane joins Director at Capital and political commentator Ben Thomas on The Panel. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By Newstalk ZB

Ava DuVernay is a critically acclaimed, Hollywood film-maker who's not afraid to push the boundaries. She's behind films such as Oscar nominated Selma, and documentary 13th. Her latest film has been labelled rebellious and radical - based on the book Caste by Pulitzer Prize winning author Isabel Wilkerson, the film is called Origin. Ava joined Fran…

Studies show about a third of people wake throughout the night, with various reasons for sleep disruptions. Erin O'Hara is a naturopath and joined Francesca Rudkin to discuss ways to get better sleep. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By Newstalk ZB

Bacon and Egg Pie Cook time: 40 minutes Prep time: 10 minutes 1 packet of flaky puff pastry, 5 sheets 10 fresh eggs 150g streaky bacon, cut into 1 cm dice ½ white onion 1 stick of rosemary (optional) ½ tsp flaky sea salt and cracked pepper 2 T sesame seeds Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Take a heavy 26cm EngelElzen cast-iron or similar pan and li…

Scientists off the coast of south-east Alaska used an underwater speaker to play a recording of a humpback whale greeting call. A humpback whale broke away from its group and approached the vessel, in which is thought to be the first time humans and whales have communicated with each other in the humpback language. Nanogirl Dr Michelle Dickinson di…

Steve Newall from flicks.co.nz joined Francesca to chat nominations for the Aotearoa Music Awards, as well as Zendaya's new film Challengers. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By Newstalk ZB

Last weekend in the aftermath of the Bondi Mall stabbings, we saw a prime example of how badly wrong the internet can go. For 14 hours, Sydney student Ben Cohen was widely named and wrongly identified as the killer - and it spread like wildfire internationally. By Sunday morning, his name had made its way into the mainstream media - with Australia'…

In 1944, Phyllis 'Pippa' Latour parachuted into Nazi occupied Normandy as an undercover agent. Had she been discovered, she would have been shot instantly - however Pippa made it out. In fact, she was one of the last female special operations agents to get out of France Alive. After the war, Pippa ended up here in New Zealand, but never told a soul…

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has had a busy week in Southeast Asia. ZB Political Editor Jason Walls discussed with Francesca Rudkin what came out of this trip, as well as further AUKUS Pillar 2 talks. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By Newstalk ZB

I’m not sure the government thought through the timing of this week’s release of guidelines around kids’ illness and school attendance. Half way through the school holidays, I can assure Associate Education Minister David Seymour that after another week most parents will be happily marching their children off to school, snotty nose or not. Which is…

On Friday, Mike McRoberts announced his news presenting journey would come to an end. The final 6pm NewsHub bulletin on July 5th will also be Mike's last... after a 40 year career in the media, half of which was spent in the prime-time news slot. Mike McRoberts joined Francesca Rudkin to discuss his decision to step away. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudi…

Citadel is a group of musicians formed at the Kinsale Road Accommodation centre in Cork city in 2018, who refuse to be put down by the system. They are from different countries, such as Burundi, South Africa, DR Congo, Angola and Tanzania. The musicians perform songs from home, accompanied by rhythms and tunes from around the world. Citadel have pl…

Documentary and Drama on Newstalk brings you the almost forgotten true tale of Laurence Carroll, a working-class Dubliner turned sailor, who embarked on a journey that traversed continents, identities, and cultures.  This documentary, titled Laurence Carroll’s Mindful Anarchy: U Dhammaloka, The Irish Buddhist of Rangoon, tells the story of an Irish…

The Borrowed Hills by Scott Preston. Set amidst the foot and mouth scare in Cumbria in 2001, this is the story of two men, William and Steve, who have neighbouring sheep farms and are forced to destroy all their stock. They attempt to hide the remnants of one of their flocks from the authorities, and then when William falls in with a criminal shyst…

If you're about to embark on a first cruise or you're carrying out a post-Covid bucket list adventure, there's plenty you should be aware of before you set sail. BloggerAtLarge's Megan Singleton recommends returning to the ship on time during planned excursions, and taking advantage of the dining room- among more travel tips. Read more of Megan's a…

This week on the Sunday Panel, Coast's Lorna Riley and senior PR consultant at One Plus One Communications, Damien Venuto, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week- and more! There's growing concern locally produced Kiwi content could be facing more difficulties. On top of the Newshub and TVNZ cuts, there's fears TV shows li…

Dietary fibre supplements are enjoying a resurgence in the world of wellness. Research shows fibre has plenty of benefits- it helps with regulating bowel movements and gut health, weight management and blood sugar regulation. Naturopath and wellness expert explains the benefits of fibre, and other ways we can get it besides supplements. LISTEN ABOV…