Kiwi Yarns

This week I'm joined by two-time Olympic gold medallist, and Black Ferns Sevens superstar Michaela Blyde. I can confirm both gold medals including the fresh one from Paris are present for this interview! A fascinating look into life as an elite athlete at the Paris Olympics, and at the same time an incredibly wholesome chat with a beautiful young woman from Taranaki.

Today’s guest is New Zealand Paralympian number 156 - gold medal-winning Wheel Black, Jai Waite. Jai is also an internationally recognised and award-winning documentary maker.His latest is Wheel Blacks: Bodies on the Line - out this week - and it follows the Wheel Blacks as they battled to rise above declining resources to try and qualify for the 2024 Paris Paralympics.Jai became paralysed from the chest down with limited function in his arms and hands after diving into a wave and hitting a sandbar in Greece on his OE. Four years later, he would return to win a Paralympic Gold in Athens.

Today’s guest is often described as a serial entrepreneur and innovator.Cecilia Robinson is the founder and co-CEO of Tend Health. She dropped out of university to start her first business, then went on to build the hugely successful My Food Bag.She is a champion of women, a mother of three children and and is passionate about sharing her wisdom and supporting women in business - which you know we love!

Here's a podcast I'm wrapping my earholes around! On Easter Monday 2021, police were called to the home of a successful professional couple in the affluent Auckland suburb of Remuera. They found the body of Pauline Hanna.In his emergency call, her husband, Philip Polkinghorne, said she killed herself. Sixteen months later he was charged with her murder. As this podcast is released, he's currently on trial at the High Court in Auckland.Stuff's groundbreaking series returns to take you inside the Polkinghorne trial: Hear the witnesses, follow the evidence, wait for the verdict.

Today’s guest is the former Prime Minister, Sir John Key.The money trader-turned-politician-turned-board chair with a real passion for golf served as New Zealand’s 38th Prime Minister from 2008 until 2016.Sir John’s famously been called a “rich prick” a “smiling assassin” and even “bland”. We discuss all of those names, why he's comfortable with his wealth, the most important lessons his mother taught him, yarns with Obama, the state of the world, and political regrets.

What's better than Chris Parker, or Tom Sainsbury? Chris Parker AND Tom Sainsbury in the same room together on the same podcast.Both have come on Kiwi Yarns individually, but they've achieved so much since then and are doing so many wonderful things that I thought we ought to sit them down together for a glorious catch up.And they're such great mates! We decided their next venture should absolutely be a style-guide book - think New Zealand's Trinny and Susannah.We talk about Tom being 75% gay and Buddhist and a queer sperm donor, and Chris crying throughout his wedding whilst suffering from gastro.You'll feel like you're in the same room as them, which I felt very lucky to be!

Josie Pagani works in aid, politics, trade and media and has recently become the chief executive of ChildFund New Zealand. She's a well-respected, international and political commentator and her mahi has taken her all over the world. From rubbing shoulders with world leaders, to nearly ending up in a KGB jail in Russia as a teenager, Josie shares some amazing stories, and offers some much needed intelligent, thoughtful conversations on some big issues.

Brodie's been unwell this week (winter!) so in her absence, we're re-upping an oldie but a goodie ahead of the Paris Olympics later this month.Enjoy this episode from the archive with kiwi champion rower Emma Twigg and her amazing story about how it all went right on the day.===Olympic rowing champion Emma Twigg personifies a never-give-up attitude and we all were witness to that when she won Gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.Many of us Kiwis cried when she crossed the finish line, because we felt the heartbreak she'd had with a fourth in London and another fourth in Rio. And this time, she'd done what she always knew she could do.

Today’s guest is actress and presenter Shavaughn Ruakere.There are many reasons Kiwis love Shavaughn - whether it’s the nostalgia of What Now, the heartbreak of her beloved character Roimata being taken from us so tragically on Shortland Street (I'm still not ok about it), her stunning dancing on Dancing with the Stars, or calling out the Fboys on Fboy Island - she's lit up our screens for nearly two decades. She talks about how hard the hustle of acting is, and a new challenge she's been facing with perimenopause.

Today’s guest is award-winning journalist Mark Crysell.I tell you one thing about award-winning journalists like Mark Crysell is they have GREAT stories to share. Like travelling to North Korea, working as Europe Correspondent for TVNZ and fighting for the little guy on Fair Go.Mark is a wonderful storyteller, and puts a lot of it down to his love for adventure, connecting with people and being a chilled out surfer from Taranaki who used to go to school to eat his lunch and hang out with his mates.We talk about the worrying media landscape in Aotearoa - after the show he's worked on for many years - Sunday - was scrapped by TVNZ earlier this year.