Episodes

  • Comedian Courtney Dawson: Raising a Teenager, Being Arrested, and How She Copes When No One Laughs

    Comedian Courtney Dawson: Raising a Teenager, Being Arrested, and How She Copes When No One Laughs
    Apr 19 2026
    This week meet the fabulously hilarious comedian, Courtney Dawson. We discuss her experience as a young mum, her Te Reo Māori journey and the highs and lows of performing stand-up comedy. When her jokes bomb, she leans into it! Courtney talks Celebrity Treasure Island, I test out her work as an Agony Aunt, and how to make the most of a trip to Australia for a court hearing (hint: it involves Dreamworld). Courtney Dawson will perform at the NZ International Comedy Festival from May 1st to 24th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 1 min
  • From Raglan to Morrinsville, Honolulu to Hollywood, the Story Behind Alex Tarrant's Acting Career

    From Raglan to Morrinsville, Honolulu to Hollywood, the Story Behind Alex Tarrant's Acting Career
    Apr 12 2026
    This week the super talented Alex Tarrant - star of NCIS Hawaii - reflects on the often windy and bumpy road that has led him to where he is today. It wasn't until a significant life event that he realised acting and the industry surrounding it were his "people". And, on the podcast, we learn for the first time about this significant life event that occurred when he was at high school. Alex is based in Hawaii and has landed brilliantly big roles both locally and abroad as his star continues to shine. The latest role, one of the most challenging for him thus far, is playing 28th Māori Battalion hero Haane Manahi in Sgt Haane. SGT HAANE will have ten days of Special Commemorative Screenings 20-29 April 2026 including ANZAC DAY, followed by a wide release from 30 April. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    54 mins
  • Elisabeth Easther on Playing Shorty Street Villain, Her Iconic Mum, and a Novel Years in the Making

    Elisabeth Easther on Playing Shorty Street Villain, Her Iconic Mum, and a Novel Years in the Making
    Apr 5 2026
    Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of miscarriage. If you need support, please find more information at https://wheturangitia.services.govt.nz/miscarriage/support-resources Meet the beautifully talented writer, actor, playwright, and novelist, Elisabeth Easther. You'll surely remember her as "Evil Nurse Carla" on our beloved Shortland Street back in the 90s. Now, a best-selling author with Seed, she shares how and why the novel was more than a decade in the making. And, while it's fiction, it is based on real-life experiences, personal loss, and the messy, complicated reality of fertility struggles. Elisabeth shares her stories of miscarriages, resilience, and how she turned pain into something meaningful through storytelling. Also hear some cracking yarns about her fantastic parents, why she'd win the Olympics if reading books was a sport and discover her pretty solid knowledge of birds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 10 mins
  • You’re Allowed to Cry, Just Not on the Footy Field: Kate Thomson’s Rule for Rugby

    You’re Allowed to Cry, Just Not on the Footy Field: Kate Thomson’s Rule for Rugby
    Mar 29 2026
    Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of mental ill-health and suicide. Support is available any time from Lifeline, details at https://www.lifeline.org.nz/ This week on Kiwi Yarns, I sit down with Kate Thompson - star of the recently released documentary No Tears On The Field. The film follows a grassroots women's rugby season in Taranaki, and the backstories of what it takes to get to the field. Kate talks the rise of women’s rugby in New Zealand, the realities of balancing farm life with sport, and the importance of community. She also opens up about mental health in rural areas, losing loved ones, and the role rugby plays in keeping her grounded. Plus, her relationship with her mum is something pretty special. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    59 mins
  • Brodie Kane on Building A Media Empire After Redundancy

    Brodie Kane on Building A Media Empire After Redundancy
    Mar 24 2026
    What do you do when you're staring down a $700,000 mortgage and suddenly lose your job? For beloved broadcaster Brodie Kane, redundancy at the start of the pandemic was the push she needed to build her own media empire. We talk about the reality of being your own boss, redefining home ownership by buying with her mum, and why she still identifies as a girl from Waikuku Beach. This episode was made possible thanks to our friends at enable.me. Financial coaching and strategic advice. Pay down debt. Grow wealth. Retire well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    45 mins
  • Why the Heartwarming Bromance and Healthy Masculinity of Jay Reeve and Duncan Heyde Should Be Celebrated

    Why the Heartwarming Bromance and Healthy Masculinity of Jay Reeve and Duncan Heyde Should Be Celebrated
    Mar 22 2026
    What happens when two very different minds click in all the right ways? The Rock's Jay Reeve and Duncan Heyde (aka Jay and Dunc) on the special relationship that’s powered their success on-air and beyond. From side hustles to global podcast growth, and maintaining healthy relationships while staying busy, the lads open up about how they navigate it all. There’s plenty of honesty around mental load, family life, and the general chaos that comes with chasing every opportunity that life throws. We also discuss what keeps the lads grounded! We talk about the power of strong connections, strong partners, and being good dads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 28 mins
  • How Pene Pati Took Samoa to the Biggest Opera Stages in the World

    How Pene Pati Took Samoa to the Biggest Opera Stages in the World
    Mar 15 2026
    From growing up in South Auckland to performing on the world’s biggest opera stages, Pene Pati shares a wonderful yarn of the long road (including all the speed bumps) that got him there. His is a story about resilience, family, identity, and the challenges he still faces before he walks out infront of an audience. He opens up about the pressure of the industry, the reality of rejection, and why he still sometimes feels like an outsider in the traditionally European opera world. Let's not forget the great joy he brings us with being one-third of our beloved Sol3 Mio! We talk the sacrifices that come with living overseas, and the big dreams he still carries. One day, he hopes the world’s biggest opera houses will be singing Māori and Samoan songs too. Tenor: My Name is Pati is out now in New Zealand cinemas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 10 mins
  • Saving Our Smallest Lives: World-Renowned Dr Kirsten Finucane’s Remarkable Career at Starship Hospital

    Saving Our Smallest Lives: World-Renowned Dr Kirsten Finucane’s Remarkable Career at Starship Hospital
    Mar 8 2026
    Imagine being responsible for a heart no bigger than a walnut. This week I sit down with Dr Kirsten Finucane, the legendary former Chief Surgeon at Starship, to talk about a career spent performing life-saving miracles on New Zealand’s most vulnerable children. Kirsten opens up about the grit it takes to handle high-stakes surgery and why she finally decided it was time to trade the operating theatre for conservation work in Central Otago. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 14 mins