Episodes
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Today’s guest is such a phenomenal woman who I had the pleasure of meeting in 2018 when I ran my first ever marathon, raising money for the CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury Trust. Catriona Williams is the founder and driving force behind the charity - which supports researchers in the bid for a cure for spinal cord injuries. Catriona was one of the country’s leading international equestrian riders - but a serious riding accident in 2002, left her a C6/C7 tetraplegic and confined to a wheelchair. As you’ll hear though, this is a woman who really doesn’t let anything get in her way. I'm pretty sure you'll all have a girl crush (like me) after this one!
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Kendra Cocksedge is one of the best rugby players in the world, and has been at the top of the sport at an international level for 14 years. She is an absolute weapon with the rugby ball, and good luck to anyone who tries (see what I did there) to get in her way on the footy field.
At the moment, she is taking some time out from playing rugby after battling mental fatigue - so we talk about how she's doing, and how important it's been for her.
This is such a cool chat, Kendra is such a fantastic role model for young kids. Actually, grown ups could learn a thing or two too!
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Kara Rickard is a smart, funny and very talented broadcaster. A proud wahine Māori with three beautiful children, Kara is a music and martial arts enthusiast and cancer survivor. She's a respected name in radio but after a decade at George FM, decided to put the mic away at the end of last year.
A really lovely, insightful yarn.
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Today's guest makes something in a jar that brings so much joy to so many Kiwis, including my own mother who I have seen scoop it out of the jar with a spoon on MANY occasions!
Pic Picot is the man behind Pic's Peanut Butter, which has become a bit of a national treasure. The funny thing is, Pic only started making peanut butter when he'd retired, in order to make a couple of hundred bucks a week. Now, Pic's Peanut Butter World (the factory in Nelson) pumps out 25,000 jars a day, destined for all parts of the globe.
What's even funnier is the successful recipe was a fluke! Absolutely great chats with a great Kiwi!
Pic's new book, entitled: Pic: adventures in sailing, business, and love is available atwww.picspeanutbutter.com/nz/ and at Whitcoulls, Paper Plus, The Warehouse, Foodstuffs supermarkets, and independent booksellers nationwide. RRP: $29.95.
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It would be fair to say today’s guest is one of New Zealand’s most-loved Dads. His name is Jordan Watson aka How To DAD. He lives in Tauranga with his wife (How to MUM) and three daughters AND girl dog. He's a dad who makes videos about Dad stuff. A dad who’s first dad video started off as a bit of a laugh six years ago and now he’s got books, he's done a Ted Talk, and his videos have hundreds of millions of views.
He's hilarious, he's awesome and he's a top notch Dad!
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Guled Mire is coming to us from New York, after winning a Fulbright Award to study at the Ivy League-listed Cornell University. Not a bad achievement for a young man who dropped out of school at the age of 16 after being told university wasn't really for people like him. The former refugee drew on the strength from his mother - who as a solo parent, fled Somalia in the midst of civil war with her nine children, spent time in a refugee camp in Kenya before bringing her family to New Zealand for a better life.
But what does "better life" in New Zealand actually mean? Unfortunately for Guled and so many other refugees here, it's just not that straight-forward.
So, Guled has drawn on his own experiences to become a leader, a role model, a man who works extremely hard to ensure ethnic youth of refugee and migrant backgrounds have a voice and every opportunity they can in New Zealand.
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Today’s guest is the wonderful Toni Street - and I’m pretty sure it would be fair to say there’s really not much this woman can’t do. She is an incredibly talented TV presenter and radio host, sports commentator, she’s a dab hand in the kitchen, she’s played both cricket and netball at a representative level, and she’s a superstar Mum to her three beautiful children. We have a lovely chat about her success, but also her strength and resilience through some really tough times. Toni is a remarkable woman with the most infectious smile and it's always a joy to speak to her!
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A warning: this episode will be discussing suicide and mental health issues.
Today's episode is with three very special young women in one of the most powerful, brave and important interview's I've ever done.
The Cool Change NZ "sisters", Grace Curtis, Tori Wheelans and Georgie Harris say they’ve been brought together by tragedy, but say they hope they can make the most out of their sad situations.
Grace, Tori and Georgie all lost their Dads to suicide. In the midst of unfathomable trauma, they created Cool Change NZ- as a platform for them to speak out about their grief, to discuss how to get through trauma and to campaign for change.
Where to get help:
Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.
Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357
Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO (24/7). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.
Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (24/7) or text 4202
Samaritans: 0800 726 666 (24/7)
Youthline: 0800 376 633 (24/7) or free text 234 (8am-12am), or email talk@youthline.co.nz
What's Up: online chat (3pm-10pm) or 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787 helpline (12pm-10pm weekdays, 3pm-11pm weekends)
Kidsline (ages 5-18): 0800 543 754 (24/7)
Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254
Healthline: 0800 611 116
Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
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Jacqui Maguire is a registered clinical psychologist, a mental health and wellbeing thought leader, and someone who has the amazing ability to explain all the stuff that’s going on in our heads - from the complicated to the not so complicated - she just gets it.
Jacqui has just released a wonderful new book to help parents and children together. It's called When the Wind Blew: A Book for Little People with Big Feelings.
She's crafted the book that "magically entwines children’s storytelling and evidence-based psychology to support children navigate the emotional rollercoaster of unexpected change."
The amazing thing about Jacqui is she explains things in simple terms and wants to help as many people as possible navigate this rather tricky world. Think of this episode as a really helpful and free therapy session!
Here's the link to buy her book: https://jacquimaguire.co.nz/product/when-the-wind-blew/
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Now I’ve been a big fan of Jodie Rimmer since the early 2000s when she was on "The Strip" - man I LOVED that show! The award-winning actress Jodie is someone who lights up the screen in such a huge variety of roles, resulting in her being a much loved woman here in New Zealand. More recently, she’s been the hilarious narrator on The Bachelor and Bachelorette. Jodie is an absolute delight to chat to, and my word did she drop some names of well known people I did NOT know were involved in "The Strip" (I'm looking at you Taika Waititi)!!
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I am extremely grateful that over the years I’ve worked with some wonderful New Zealanders - and today’s guest is no exception. He’s a kind, caring and hilarious soul who graces our television screens every morning on TVNZ's Breakfast. Matty McLean delivers us our weather with a smile on his face and a warmth you simply can't fake. And my word he tells a GREAT yarn (numerous included in this episode)!
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Aesha Scott keeps me entertained with her bright, bubbly and refreshingly honest daily life updates on her Instagram stories. But Aesha will also be known by many as the hard-case Kiwi who took centre stage on the highly addictive reality show, Below Deck. She’s recently back from an epic travel journey across the United States in a converted ambulance. Aesha has an extremely positive and amazing outlook on life, and I'm pretty sure I had a smile on my face through this entire episode - she's an absolute gem!
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When I saw today’s guest cross the finish line a few weekends back at the Tarawera Ultramarathon I knew immediately I wanted to talk to her. Ruth Croft smashed the 102 kilometre race (yes, that says 102 kilometres) - with a course record of 9 hours, 21 minutes and 3 seconds. Ruth's running journey is a fascinating one in which she admits over the course of her career she has fallen in and out of love with it on more than one occasion. It's a fascinating look into what goes into training for such a massive race. What's next you ask? Nevermind 102 kilometres, Ruth's now preparing for a 100 mile race in the US (and yes, that says 100 miles)! Legend!
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Today's guest is beaming in from sunny Nelson. Jessie Cross is someone who has fit quite a lot into her 28 years. She has a background in law and science, working in the legal industry and in social enterprise. But, like many, when Covid hit last year she lost her job. Jessie then set up “The Not so Redundant Club” to support other people who have lost their jobs. She has since completed a yoga teacher training course and started working for the Nelson Tasman Climate Forum - and has just received the inaugural Kāmahi Trust Coaching scholarship. A great young woman out there doing her bit for the world!
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Today's guest is Brad Smeele - a legendary world champion wakeboarder, and an extremely talented Kiwi who spent the better part of a decade killing it on the world stage. In 2014, Brad won a global award for “Trick of the Year” for nailing a double tantrum to blind (we will find out about what that is but know it's a big trick) - the first person in the world to do so. But, that very trick would a few weeks later change his life - Brad took a heavy crash trying to land it - and broke his neck so badly he was left quadriplegic. By his own admission, he's battled through some pretty dark times since the accident, but hearing how he has navigated through that is a remarkable story. He's currently in the middle of finishing a book, and learning how to dive - so you can only imagine how epic his outlook on life is!
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Today's guest is someone who’s played a very significant part in shaping not only my career, but I dare say thousands of journalists around New Zealand. Jim Tully was a graduate in the inaugural year of Canterbury University’s Journalism programme - a programme he would go on to run for 25 years - teaching bright-eyed, excited students who were ready to take on the world. This year, he was honoured with a New Zealand Order of Merit for services to journalism and education, just over 50 years after he walked into the Auckland Star for his first journalism job in 1969. He tells a great yarn!
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Chris Parker is a very charismatic, talented and award-winning comedian and actor, and it would be fair to say he was a shining light for many people during New Zealand’s 2020 lockdown 1.0 and 2.0. When we were all stuck in our homes, Chris took to Instagram and basically could nail every type of lockdown character there was - from iso-baking, to at-home travel blogs, even mastering Dr Ashley Bloomfield. He basically became a public service we were all crying out for. He also learnt the art of felting, which resulted in his work being displayed in Auckland Museum! He's such a wonderful soul!
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Today’s guest is a bright, bubbly 24-year old woman I now have the pleasure to call a friend. Georgie Ferris brings a whole new meaning to “living everyday as if it’s your last”, because she is very realistic about the fact that she won’t get as many days as most of us.
Everyday, Georgie's body is failing her. She has Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and a number of really awful complications brought on by that. But Georgie's outlook on life is remarkable. There's no doom and gloom and there certainly doesn’t seem to be any fear. She's a young girl making the most of every single day by belting out a pretty epic bucket list - to make sure she does everything she’s always wanted to do.
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Welcome back everyone! I’m so excited to speak to more great New Zealanders this year, and my first guest for 2021 is the wonderful Kristina Cavit, Founder & Director of The Kindness Institute.
Kristina is one of those people, who seems to spend most of the hours in her day helping other people.
In 2018 she was named a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to youth and community, one of a number of awards she’s received.
Kristina spends time working with marginalised communities facing stress and trauma here and around the world.
There are so many remarkable things she has done, and is continuing to do, and it was an absolute pleasure to have some of her time. I hope you enjoy!
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Today’s guest is the wonderful Wendy Petrie - who for the past 14 years has greeted us on our television screens bang on 6pm, on New Zealand's biggest news show, One News. This year, Wendy was very publicly made redundant - and dealt with it in the utmost professional and dignified manner. The superstar journalist, presenter, mother, marathon runner, is always so positive and discusses life without the news.
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