Afternoons
Jesse Mulligan hosts a lively mix of curious and compelling content, covering daily stories and big questions. The show features interviews, music, and segments that engage listeners with a wide range of topics.
Episodes
How long is this cold snap going to last?
We understand it is winter, but we've all been talking about the freezing temperatures this week. Yesterday Christchurch was -4.7 and Taupo fell to -5.6 While this morning Hamilton Airport was -3.2 .. their coldest temperature measured this year. Even Aucklanders have been shivering into their lattes with temperatures in the low single digits. Heather Keats is Head of Weather News at MetServi
Why the "She'll be right" attitude doesn't cut it anymore
'She'll be right' - is a classic kiwi idiom, however a new book says that kind of traditional, laid back optimism is no longer adequate to the challenges facing New Zealand. Facing Up to Our Future: Challenges and Choices for New Zealand brings together 21 of the country's leading thinkers. It looks at many of the big challenges facing our country and sets out practical ways of dealing with t
You're looking for happiness in the wrong place
We're taught to look for happiness in big moments and major life achievements. But according to cultural critic, game designer and Atlantic writer Dr Ian Bogost, we may be looking in the wrong place. He argues that some of life's richest pleasures are hiding in experiences we barely notice like the feel of a key turning in a lock, the physical satisfaction of operating a machine, or simply pa
TV Critic: The Witness & The Burroughs
Afternoons critic Caitlin Cherry joins Jesse to share what she's been watching: The Witness (Netflix) and The Burroughs (Netflix)
Expert Feature: How to train your dog
Dog Behavioural Consultant and Trainer Selina McIntyre answers your questions.
Jesse Goes Clubbing: NZ Rocketry Association
Jesse speaks to Evan More from the NZ Rocketry Association.
OZ Update: What's happening in Australia?
Brad Foster, our man on the ground in Australia, joins Jesse to discuss what's hitting the headlines there.
The Playground Designed by Kids, for Kids
A new $100,000 Pamona Street playground in Invercargill has shaped through community consultation and input from local schoolchildren, giving young people a real say in what they wanted The project was led by the council's play advocate Dr Damien Puddle - AKA Dr Play - he joins Jesse.
Tiny Waikato Brewery Crowned New Zealand's Best
A small brewery running out of an old farmhouse in the Waikato has been crowned overall champion brewery at this year's New Zealand Beer Awards held in Dunedin. Brewer Daryl Bryant is behind Karamu Barrelworks
Explainer: Parental Leave
National says if it's re-elected, it'll extend paid parental leave from 26 weeks to 30. But what difference would another month actually make? Is New Zealand's scheme keeping pace with the realities of modern family life, and what are the biggest gaps that still need addressing? Stephanie Pow is the founder of Crayon, a startup focused on reducing financial stress at life's biggest moments. S
The Pre-Panel : Your daily dose of stuff and nonsense
Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.
Critter of the Week
Nicola Toki and Jesse put the spotlight on an endangered critter.
Weekend Stuff - Laundry!
The Housekeeper's Rachael Quin joins Jesse to talk laundry! Most people hate it and have a constant pile of clean laundry in a pile on a sofa or the chair in a bedroom. For Rachael, the best way to keep on top of laundry is to do smaller loads often. Modern washing machines can sense the amount in the drum and will adjust water accordingly.
Tom on the Film 'Dead Calm'
Tom in Te Puna shares his history living on Hamilton Island whilst the film 'Dead Calm' was shot there.
Food: Fish Pie
Martin Bosley chats to Jesse and shares his recipe for fish pie.
Film Review: The Invite
Afternoons critic Kate Rodger joins Jesse to discuss all things film. This week she's looking at The Invite, Dead Calm and what's coming in the New Zealand International Film Festival.
Freaky Friday: Keith
It's time for Freaky Friday, your home for the spooky and the unexplained... We've had UFO sightings, ghostly encounters, eerie coincidences.... If you've got a spooky story to share ... we'd love to hear from you - email afternoons@rnz.co.nz or text 2101. Today we're chatting to Keith.
Helping our young people prepare for the future
A new tool kit is going out to 500 classrooms across the country .. and it's all about helping our young ones shape the future. Christchurch-based social innovation lab Tokona te Raki wants rangatahi to see themselves not as passive bystanders, but as active participants in the world around them. The initative is called Mo Apopo Future Makers, and it's going to reach around 16,000 students. P
Commonwealth Games 2026: What do you need to know?
The 2026 Commonwealth Games are officially underway in Glasgow! Scotland stepped in after Victoria pulled out as host, and the result is a more compact Games this time around. About 3000 athletes will compete across 10 sports and 4 venues through to the 2nd of August. More than 110 New Zealand athletes are taking part, with some of our most successful Olympic and World champions amongst them.
What makes some songs stick in your head?
Whether music is good or not is entirely subjective .. or is it? What makes some songs catchier than others? We wanted to get an expert opinion. Dr Patrick Savage knows a bit about this; he is a musicologist at the University of Auckland and joins Jesse.
What do the US tariffs mean for NZ?
We're starting the show talking business because US President Donald Trump has announced that New Zealand will face trade tariffs of 12.5 percent. We're one of 60 countries who've been set new tariffs. To help explain what that means and who it will affect Jesse is joined by RNZ Business Editor Corin Dann.
Political Group Chat
Welcome to the politics group chat - Afternoons' chance to discuss the issues that have cropped up this week ...with Jesse in the Auckland studio is comedian and commentator Tim Batt .. political scientist Dr Lara Greaves and from Feilding, screenwriter and Free Speech Union member Dane Giraud. Today we're looking at whether it's okay for non Māori to give their children a Māori name, the und
Your Money with Mary Holm
Mary Holm is with Jesse in the Auckland studio to talk about personal money matters - this week she's turning her attention to what you should do when shares and KiwiSaver funds wobble. Spoiler Alert - ignore the wobbles and stay the course!
A-Z of Aotearoa: X for Xena Warrior Princess
Time for the A-Z of Aotearoa, this is our series working the way through the alphabet and putting the spotlight on people, places and things that make New Zealand, New Zealand. We've come to X and what else could we do for 'X' but 'Xena: Warrior Princess'? The fantasy series premiered in 1995 and quickly became one of the biggest fantasy series of its era. The character of Xena was only ever
Relationships
It's time to talk relationships now, Jesse is joined by Professor Kirsty Ross from Massey University's School of Psychology If there are any topics you would like Kirsty and me to cover.. drop Jesse a line at afternoons@rnz.co.nz
Actor Thomasin McKenzie on her next gig as Audrey Hepburn
Actor Thomasin McKenzie first grabbed our attention in the 2018 film 'Leave No Trace' before hitting the big time with Taika Waititi's 'Jojo Rabbit'. Since then she's starred in a long list of critically acclaimed films and TV shows .. next on the agenda, Thomasin will portray Hollywood legend Audrey Hepburn in the highly anticipated movie 'Dinner With Audrey'. She chats to Jesse.
How Christchurch is becoming a world leader in diabetes research
New technology being developed in Christchurch means the city is being recognised as a global leader in diabetes research. Here in New Zealand, more than 350,000 people live with diabetes. Professor Martin de Bock from the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of Otago in Christchurch recently delivered a lecture on all the exciting innovations. He chats to Jesse.
Why a Waikato mum wants a rethink over toy standards
New rules will soon mean that if a children's toy meets US or EU safety standards, it will be deemed compliant in New Zealand. The Government says it's a common-sense move that will ease costs for toy importers and bring New Zealand up to date with modern safety standards. It also notes it would not reduce the safety of toys sold in New Zealand. But not everyone is convinced. Hamilton mum Jes
The pre-Panel: Your daily dose of stuff and nonsense
Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.
Up Close and personal with filmmaker Andrew Niccol
New Zealand writer and director Andrew Niccol is turning his attention to facial recognition for his next film I, Object. We caught up with him to discuss the film amongst other things!
Easy Eats: Turkish red lentil soup
Wednesdays here on Afternoons means Easy Eats - that's when Kelly Gibney shares a recipe that is light on time and heavy on flavour, this week she's sharing her recipe for Turkish red lentil soup.
Heading Off to Uluru!
Each week we like to take you on an adventure ... all without leaving the comfort of your home .. we call it Heading Off and today we're off to Uluru ... also known as Ayers Rock. If you have a holiday story you'd like to share - send us a text on2101 or email jesse@afternoons.co.nz - we love to learn about your travel tales .. whether remote or local. Lynne King joins Jesse.
Stories from Antartica!
Now usually at around 1:45 pm on a Wednesday we talk to Claire Concannon host of RNZ Podcast Our Changing World about what she's discovered in the world of science. This week Our Changing World is looking at another podcast called 77 Degrees South and rather than chat to Claire about that, we thought we'd go straight to the source. Journalist Maia Ingoe has written and produced 77 Degrees Sou
How did the play, pause and stop icons become media symbols?
It's one of the world's most recognisable icons - used across languages, writing systems, and cultures. The single right-pointing triangle has become synonymous with the play function ... inherently suggesting the start of something. But how did it become the sign for play? Dr Jason Kennedy is a senior lecturer in the department of Animation, Visual Effects & Game Design at Auckland Universit
How did the play, pause and stop icons become media symbols?
It's one of the world's most recognisable icons - used across languages, writing systems, and cultures. The single right-pointing triangle has become synonymous with the play function ... inherently suggesting the start of something. But how did it become the sign for play? Dr Jason Kennedy is a senior lecturer in the department of Animation, Visual Effects & Game Design at Auckland Universit
Why don't WomenzShed get the same funding as Men's Sheds?
Men's sheds have become familiar community spaces around Aotearoa. These are places where men can learn practical skills, meet new people, and ultimately improve their wellbeing. But my next guest says women who want those same opportunities face a shortage of accessible spaces, tools, and funding. Nikki founded WomenzShed in 2022, and the organisation has now helped more than 500 women devel
Why don't WomenzShed get the same funding as Men's Sheds?
Men's sheds have become familiar community spaces around Aotearoa. These are places where men can learn practical skills, meet new people, and ultimately improve their wellbeing. But my next guest says women who want those same opportunities face a shortage of accessible spaces, tools, and funding. Nikki founded WomenzShed in 2022, and the organisation has now helped more than 500 women devel
What could Auckland's central suburbs look like in the future?
The future look of Auckland housing is a step closer to becoming a reality after Auckland council voted in a plan to allow intensive housing around central transport hubs. The move is a response to a government requirement for the council to allow for more than 1.4 million homes to be built in in the city. It could see 15 storey apartment buildings being built along side heritage homes in cen
What could Auckland's central suburbs look like in the future?
The future look of Auckland housing is a step closer to becoming a reality after Auckland council voted in a plan to allow intensive housing around central transport hubs. The move is a response to a government requirement for the council to allow for more than 1.4 million homes to be built in in the city. It could see 15 storey apartment buildings being built along side heritage homes in cen
The pre-Panel: Your daily dose of stuff and nonsense
Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.
Feature Interview: Could plastic be affecting our fertility?
For decades, Dr Shanna Swan has studied the relationship between environmental chemicals and human reproduction. Her research has helped drive a global conversation about declining fertility, reproductive health, and the potential effects of chemicals found in everyday products. Dr Swan worked with 6 couples with unexplained infertility to see what might happen if they eliminated as much plas
Podcast Critic: What Became of Jack?
Afternoons critic Jemima Huston is with Jesse to share what she's been listening to: ABC Unravel: What Became of Jack? ABC What's that Rash?
Book Critic: Whistler by Ann Patchett and other releases
Afternoons critic Kate Langdon joins Jesse to share her takes on some recent releases. London Falling - Patrick Radden Keefe Whistler - Ann Patchett Yesteryear - Caro Claire Burke
Mayoral Minutes with Upper Hutt Mayor Peri Zee
It's time for Mayoral minutes .. where we speak with a local mayor about the challenges they're facing ... how they're working to solve them... and what makes their community special. Today we're heading to Upper Hutt - North of Wellington - from where Mayor Peri Zee joins Jesse.
Suzy Eddie Izzard on her latest project
Suzy Eddie Izzard has spent more than three decades traversing the worlds of stand-up comedy, acting, and activism. She's back in New Zealand with something a little different, a one-person production of Shakespeare's Hamlet. On a largely bare stage, she plays every character, from Hamlet and Claudius to Ophelia and Polonius. The production played Auckland last week and is now at the Sounding
Why is it so hard for booksellers to get NZ books?
A new industry report has taken a look behind the counters at New Zealand's independent bookshops, and it's revealed the biggest threat to our booksellers isn't a lack of interest in reading - it's the supply chain to actually get the books. The report gathered data from 49 bookstores and the people who run them, with one saying international publishers who choose to publish Kiwi books are "s
The photographer determined to change how we think about beauty
An Australian photographer is on a mission to change the way we think about beauty. Laugh Lines is a project that aims to capture one thousand makeup-free portraits of women around the world. It is the brainchild of Cait Miers, she joins Jesse.
What can we expect from the UK's new prime minister?
Andy Burnham has become the UK's seventh prime minister in a decade. And he seems to have wasted no time getting down to business in his new job, already setting out a 10-year-plan for Britain .. and choosing his new cabinet. From here it looks like he's hit the ground running .. but can he maintain that pace? Marcus is a public law specialist with firm Franks Ogilvie but was previously a min
Do we really have an abundance of oil and gas reserves?
The pre-election promises are coming thick and fast. One of the latest, from New Zealand First would see a $1 billion investment to survey the country's offshore basins for oil and gas supplies. The aim is to shore up domestic fuel supply. It's a pretty large chunk of change and it's not the only big number being thrown around on this issue so we wanted to know how realistic it is. University
The pre-Panel: Your daily dose of stuff and nonsense
Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.
Feature: Parenting boys
Many of the struggles we see in men don't begin in adulthood, they begin in boyhood. Developmental pediatrician Dr Billy Garvey knows that because he's lived that. Now he works with thousands of children and families, and he's the co-host of the Pop Culture Parenting podcast. He's become one of Australia's leading voices on child development, regularly speaking to packed audiences of parents
TV Critic: Little House on the Prairie - the 2026 edition!
Afternoons critic Ruwani Perera joins Jesse now to share what she's been watching - 'The Five-Star Weekend' (Hayu) 'Little House on the Prairie' (Netflix).
Expert Feature: What is media training?
It's time for our expert feature - where we invite an expert in their field to join us to answer all your questions. Today we're looking at the world of media training - and we're thrilled to have award-winning journalist, broadcaster and media trainer Mary Lambie in the studio with Jesse.
Jesse Goes Clubbing: Snowline Ski Club
What better time to go clubbing than 2pm on a Monday? There is no better time surely. Every Monday Jesse joins a club for a day - if you'd like him to become a member at your club text us on 2101 or email us afternoons@rnz.co.nz This week he is chatting to John from the Snowline Ski Club.
OZ Update: What's happening in Australia?
Brad Foster our favourite Australian joins Jesse to talk about what's hitting headlines over the Tasman.
Here Now
On Here Now this week the focus is on a bilingual class at a school in east Christchurch with a difference. L'Aurore is a new bilingual French and English classroom at Haeata Community Campus in the east Christchurch suburb of Aranui. The class has been going for one year, and has doubled in size. In the class the students, who all have a family connection to France, are immersed in the Frenc
The NZer who has come up a device to help detect cancer
Falling Walls is an international competition which gives early career researchers 3 minutes to pitch a breakthrough idea. This year's Aotearoa NZ leg was won by University of Otago cancer researcher Dr Judy Ann Cocadiz. Her winning pitch - "Breaking the Wall of Late Cancer Detection", is about a Cancer Society-funded device designed to help detect cancer by capturing tiny fragments of tumour
A new national week to celebrate kids' reading
For the first time, there's going to be a national Children's Book Week, with events happening all over the country from the 15th to the 21st of August. It's called Reading Around Aotearoa, and it's built around the simple theme of encouraging more children to discover the joy of reading. Juliet Blyth is the Chief Executive of Read NZ Te Pou Muramura, which is leading the celebrations, and sh
Explainer: Sexual Consent
We want to talk about consent because National is promising to modernise our laws around sexual consent if it gets re-elected. The party says it wants to ensure consent is actively given .. meaning there must be a "yes" rather than the absence of a "no". Justice spokesperson Paul Goldsmith said the "yes" could be communicated by words or actions and that silence was not consent. So what would
Spain for the win! We celebrate with a fan
We're starting today's show with sport because two amazing things have happened this morning .. Ryan Fox won the 154th British Open by just one stroke .. becoming the second New Zealander to win it .. Sir Bob Charles being the first of course back in 1963. What an absolute triumph for him. Love your thoughts on that win on 2101. Also triumphant were Spain in the World Cup Football final .. be
The pre-Panel : Your daily dose of stuff and nonsense
Wallace Chapman and Emile Donovan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.
Critter of the Week: New Zealand's Crayfish Flatworm
Nicola Toki joins Emile for Critter of the Week, this week they are turning their attention to New Zealand's Crayfish Flatworm. If you have ever caught one of our koura (freshwater crayfish) and looked closely at their claws, you may have seen something looking back at you. You are seeing Temnohaswellia, hitch-hiking flatworms that rely on the koura to find it its next meal.
Weekend Stuff: DIY with Stan Scott
Stan Scott joins Emile to chat about DIY projects you could do about the house.
Music 101: Kara Rickard on what's on this weekend
Kara Rickard (host of Music 101 on Saturday afternoons) talks about what's happening on her show and the music scene over the weekend.
Food: Chewy Coconut, Oat & Chocolate Slice
Emile chats to The Hungry Cook also known as Olivia Galletly about her recipe for coconut, oat and chocolate slice. Inspired by her love for a Kingston biscuit, a chewy coconut and oat base with a toasted coconut and dark chocolate fudge top. Olivia loves that it's equal parts base and fudgy top, really great textures and a huge hit of coconut.
Film Review: Find out how The Odyssey stacks up
Afternoons critic Dominic Corry is in the studio with Emile to share what he's been watching. This week he reviews The Odyssey and Islands - both in cinemas now.
Freaky Friday
Freaky Friday is the home for your terrifying tales, spooky stories, and occult occurrences. If you've got one you want to share let us know via 2101 on text or Afternoons@rnz.co.nz via email. Today we're joined by Vivian in Christchurch.
How female athletes are filmed is changing
How athletes are presented on our screens shapes the way we view them .. close ups show the pain and the joy .. while wider shots give us a sense of scale and spectacle. But some of the images we're shown are going to change because new guidelines released by the European Broadcasting Union are asking TV directors to change the way they present women's athletics. The basic ask: focus on the a
What is it like to work as an old age carer?
It's been well reported that Aotearoa New Zealand is facing a severe shortage of aged care workers. Some groups estimate we'll need an extra 16,000 workers over the next three years alone. So, what does working in that field look like? Well, our next guest is the perfect person to help answer that question. Darren McKean runs the Ranfurly Manor residential care centre, but before this job he
The Dunedin Printing Company used by some of music's
A Dunedin printing company is producing merchandise for some of the biggest names in music. The Print Room recently produced official merchandise for The Rolling Stones and Gracie Abrams, who join a list including Olivia Dean, Olivia Rodrigo, and Lucy Dacus. Nowadays they seem to be the go-to guys for screen-printing, and they've just expanded into Australia. That's where co-founder Jon Thom
Politics: Could this be the year of the swing voter?
Because in the latest RNZ Reid research poll, more than half the people surveyed said they could be persuaded to vote for a different party. Which says a lot about the state of the parties currently ... but also got us thinking about what political parties need to do to target these so-called swing voters and how much energy would go into creating policies that could appeal to them. Clint Smi
The pre-Panel: Your daily dose of stuff and nonsense
Wallace Chapman and Emile Donovan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.
Political Group Chat for 16 July
Our new weekly segment where we discuss the issues that have been in the news over the past week or so. Joining Emile this week is Victoria University's Dr Lara Greaves, from somewhere between Rotorua and Auckland is comedian and commentator Tim Batt and from the heart of Feilding is FSU member and commentator Dane Giraud.
History with Dr Grant Morris
This week in our chat with historian Dr Grant Morris we're looking at lectures. Specifically, we want to talk about university lectures and how they have changed over the years and indeed whether what many of us know as a "lecture" even exists anymore.
Solving the World's Problems with Holly Bennett
On Thursdays we like to solve some of the world's problems so we get in friends of the show and experts in their fields to share what wrongs they would like made right. Today Emile is joined by Holly Bennett from the Ahwi Group and she wants to talk about lobbying through the lens of te ao Maori.
NZ Sporting History: Road Cycling's Linda Villumsen
NZ Sport History is our regular segment where we talk to athletes who have changed the game. Today we're thrilled to have Linda Villumsen with us. Linda is often described as Denmark's gift to New Zealand road cycling ... that's because she switched allegiance to New Zealand when she became a citizen in 2009. She went on to win a world title, and medals at three consecutive Commonwealth Games
Group Chat: The star-studded football World Cup half time show
Our chance to talk about the topics that might not make the news but certainly could feature in your social media feeds or your group chats. Joining Emile for Afternoons Group Chat is Culture 101 host Perlina Lau and Afternoons Senior Producer Olivia Wilson. Today they're talking about the World Cup half time show, dogs in restaurants and why Moana Live Action isn't doing well at the cinema.
More of us are using AI are therapists - should we be?
There is nothing all that new about using AI in healthcare .. indeed just this morning there was another article about how AI tools can mean doctors spend more time with patients and less time on administration. But what's not so positive is people choosing to use AI instead of a professional. It seems more and more of us are treating AI chat bots as 24/7 therapists .. using them to talk thro
The international quiz that celebrates kids reading!
The Kids Lit Quiz is an international competition for 10-14 year olds who love reading. It was founded by New Zealander Wayne Mills, who noticed that while there were plenty of competitions for the sporty kids, there wasn't really anything to celebrate young people who loved books. This year's world final was held here in New Zealand, taking place in Paihia on Friday. Ben Watson from the team
Football Fever! What can we expect from the World Cup Final?
To football now and as you'll surely know the hopes of English football fans were dashed this morning, as England was dispatched from the World Cup by Argentina in a tense 2-1 semi-final. The Argentinians have now booked a spot in the final on Monday with Spain .. breaking hearts all over England .. so just how awful are the British press going to be .. and what can we expect from the final.
