Kiwi Yarns

Award-winning Actress Sara Wiseman on "Ape Camp," Doing Things That Terrify You, and The Vine of The Dead. 31.05.2026 1j 13mnt

Our beloved actress, Sara Wiseman has spent three decades gracing our screens - from stunt work during the Xena: Warrior Princess era to starring in A Place To Call Home and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. You better believe we'll find out what it takes to become an ape at "ape camp". Sara also discusses the moments that nearly made her quit acting and why she finds taking acting classes just as important now as ever. And my word, does Sara love adventures! From trekking the Camino de Santiago, hiking Yosemite and a fascinating story about the "Vine of the Dead" - the a powerful psychoactive Amazonian tea Ayahuasca. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eugene Bareman's Mission to Stamp Out Street Violence — Why His UFC Stars Are the Best People for It 24.05.2026 1j 16mnt

What happens when one of the most respected coaches in world MMA starts using his platform to tackle violence outside the cage? This week on Kiwi Yarns, we sit down with City Kickboxing head coach Eugene Bareman. From coaching UFC stars like Israel Adesanya, Dan Hooker and Kai Kara-France, to launching the Walk Without Fear Trust after the tragic loss of friend and fighter Fau Vake, Eugene opens up about purpose, leadership and the responsibility that comes with influence. We talk about the rise of MMA in Aotearoa, the reality behind UFC culture, why martial arts can transform lives, and the lessons Eugene wants young people to hear before it’s too late. There’s also plenty on family, discipline, adversity and what keeps him grounded through the chaos of life at the top of the sport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Life as a Woman Inside the Armed Offenders Squad: Sergeant Eseta Autagavaia 17.05.2026 52mnt

We see our country's Armed Offenders Squad in the most serious of circumstances - but who are the people behind the helmets and balaclavas? This week I met the amazing Sergeant Eseta Autagavaia, who, alongside being one of the few women in New Zealand Police's AOS, also plays netball at a professional level. She talks about how physically and mentally challenging getting into the AOS was, and how that experience and being on the netball court complement each other. From pre-planned jobs to unpredictable moments demanding calm under pressure, she shares how her mindset is her biggest weapon. A fascinating look at the life of a pretty inspiring young woman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pax Assadi on religion, embracing the embarrassing and his family escaping Iran 10.05.2026 1j 22mnt

Award-winning comedian Pax Assadi is having a massive month as his new book, Mortified, hits the shelves. The book contains the most embarrassing things that have happened in his life, including a legendary mishap in a Pakistani mosque. Pax wants us all to lean into our cringe, and why he’s over the curated perfection we see on social media. We talk about his family’s escape from Iran, and his Baha'i faith, the concept of progressive revelation, and how his spiritual beliefs shape his view of a fractured world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Woman Who Does It All: Broadcasting Star Laura McGoldrick on Sport, Family and Life With Guppy 03.05.2026 1j 9mnt

Laura McGoldrick is everywhere. And that’s an understatement. The Sky Sport Presenter is in the bach this week for a really solid heart-to-heart. From our accidental wedding in Vegas, to the raw reality of motherhood and navigating devastating miscarriages. Laura is hands down one of the most talented broadcasters on our screens, and it’s through hard work, hard slogs and dogged determination. She deserves the flowers every day of the week. How she shuts out the noise of being in the public eye, how she does it all and still has time for more - and, is Ashwagandha the key to her success (spoiler: we don’t think so). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Kiwi Yarns Special: The Story behind Jono Ridler’s remarkable 1367km North Island Swim. With Special Guest, Jo Kane 26.04.2026 1j 39mnt

This week is an incredibly special episode with Jono Ridler - the open water, ultra marathon swimmer who, on Saturday 4 April, 2026, completed a 1367 kilometer swim - the length of the North Island. Jono didn’t do this swim for accolades or records, he did this swim because of his love for the ocean, and to raise awareness that we aren’t doing enough to protect it. Jono’s Swim4TheOcean campaign is a call to end bottom trawling - because we are the last country still doing it in the south Pacific High seas. Hear how he got through the hard days, the jellyfish stings, the shark sightings, the vomiting, the cold water, the rough seas. This is a remarkable story, and in my opinion, will go down as one of the greatest endurance feats ever by a New Zealander. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Comedian Courtney Dawson: Raising a Teenager, Being Arrested, and How She Copes When No One Laughs 19.04.2026 1j

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

From Raglan to Morrinsville, Honolulu to Hollywood, the Story Behind Alex Tarrant's Acting Career 12.04.2026 53mnt

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

Elisabeth Easther on Playing Shorty Street Villain, Her Iconic Mum, and a Novel Years in the Making 05.04.2026 1j 10mnt

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

You’re Allowed to Cry, Just Not on the Footy Field: Kate Thomson’s Rule for Rugby 29.03.2026 59mnt

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

Brodie Kane on Building A Media Empire After Redundancy 24.03.2026 44mnt

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

Why the Heartwarming Bromance and Healthy Masculinity of Jay Reeve and Duncan Heyde Should Be Celebrated 22.03.2026 1j 27mnt

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

How Pene Pati Took Samoa to the Biggest Opera Stages in the World 15.03.2026 1j 9mnt

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

Saving Our Smallest Lives: World-Renowned Dr Kirsten Finucane’s Remarkable Career at Starship Hospital 08.03.2026 1j 14mnt

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

Trump, Flying Dildos, Fake Facts and the Future of NZ Media With the Spinoff’s Toby Manhire 01.03.2026 1j 14mnt

The media landscape in Aotearoa is changing at breakneck speed and we’re all feeling the noise. Brodie sits down with The Spinoff’s Toby Manhire to talk about the reality of the newsroom today. From the closure of Newshub to the rise of AI, Toby shares why he’s still optimistic about journalism in an election year. Plus, he gives us his personal plan for avoiding total news burnout. Find out more about Toby's upcoming event, 'Breakfast with Papers' here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Renee Stewart on Breathwork, Boundaries, and Big Adventures 22.02.2026 1j 1mnt

This week I'm joined by yoga teacher and dancer Renee Stewart, who opens up about forging her own path from the global dance stage to the world’s most remote corners. If there was ever a competition for 'coolest parents' at parent teacher interviews, Renee could be a front runner with Rachel Hunter and Rod Stewart. Renee shares what it’s really like to cross the terrifying Drake Passage to reach Antarctica, and the pull back to her Kiwi roots. It’s a warm, honest chat about movement, mental tools, and finding your own flow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let Her Finish coming soon... 18.02.2026

Hello there beautiful listeners! Brodie, Gracie and Tegan here with some exciting news to share and, we wanted you to be the first to hear it from us.This year, we're bringing you Let Her Finish. The podcast will appear right here, so nothing for you to do. We cannot wait to see you all in a couple of weeks xxx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Edward Cowley on Drag, Fatherhood, and 40 Years of Rainbow Reform 15.02.2026 1j 9mnt

I'm joined by an absolute legend of the Aotearoa drag scene in the bach this week. Edward Cowley, better known as the iconic Buckwheat, joins me to mark a massive milestone: the 40th anniversary of the Homosexual Law Reform Act. From the secret nightclub stairs of the 80s to being a Samoan father of three, Edward shares it all with heart and a bit of sparkle. We dig into the grit behind the glamour, why Pride is still so vital in 2026, and the power of a really good headpiece. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Phoenix Restart: Bev Priestman on Her Toughest Year 08.02.2026 1j 1mnt

This week we're joined by Olympic gold winning coach Bev Priestman for a deeply personal conversation. Bev opens up about the 'survival mode' she had to endure following the Canadian football team drone scandal at the Paris Olympics. We talk about finding peace in North Canterbury, the challenge of leading our Wellington Phoenix, and why she’s ready to earn back the trust of the game she loves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Louis Davis on the Dark Side of Social Media, the Power of Whānau and Creating His Dream Life 01.02.2026 1j 25mnt

Welcome back to Kiwi Yarns, and welcome to our new bach! We're kicking off 2026 with a man who has clocked up billions of views just by being his gorgeous self. Louis Davis opens up about the 'delusional confidence' his parents gave him, and how he navigated the jump from a small town in the Far North to rubbing shoulders with Hollywood stars like Jason Momoa. We also speak about the dark side of social media, and Louis shares his mission to change the stereotype of Māori men. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices