John Aiken on the Nigel Latta advice that stayed with him

John Aiken is used to giving advice on Married at First Sight. But when he needed help with his own parenting, he turned to Nigel Latta. Returning to Ask Me Anything, John joins Paula Bennett to discuss bringing Nigel’s work to the screen in Lessons on Living, coping with grief and the three princ…

Chris Hipkins on the conversation that changed everything

What makes Chris Hipkins tick away from the political spotlight? In the first of two conversations with the major party leaders, Paula Bennett asks Hipkins about his Lower Hutt childhood, his student protest days and the unexpected conversation that put him on the path to becoming prime minister. …

Brooke van Velden on leaving politics and what comes next

Brooke van Velden is preparing to leave Parliament after six years as an MP and three as a Cabinet minister. At just 33, she could have had decades of political life ahead of her. Instead, van Velden says she wants to find out what else is out there — as she also prepares for another major change,…

Mark Law on the daring Whakaari rescue that saved lives

Former NZSAS soldier Mark Law has lived the kind of life that barely sounds real. He completed SAS selection at just 18, survived a terrifying parachuting accident, worked armed security around diamond operations in Angola, hunted deer from helicopters and nearly died from a flesh-eating disease. …

Why Charlotte Glennie still believes in journalism

Award-winning journalist Charlotte Glennie joins Paula Bennett to reflect on a remarkable career that took her across Asia and into some of the world’s biggest stories. She opens up about the eight-metre fall in Croatia that nearly killed her, the long recovery that followed, reporting on the afte…

From murderer to doctor of psychology: Paul Wood on making real change

At 18, Paul Wood was convicted of murder and sent to prison. Eleven years later, he left with undergraduate and master’s degrees, before going on to earn a doctorate in psychology. Dr Wood joins Paula Bennett to discuss the environment that shaped his early life, the reality of maximum-security pr…

The question that saved Dame Sophie Pascoe’s life

Dame Sophie Pascoe joins Paula Bennett to discuss life beyond elite swimming, the challenges of motherhood with a disability, and the severe depression she experienced after the Tokyo Paralympics were postponed. She reflects on the teammates who recognised she was struggling, the simple question t…

Hannah McQueen on where we go wrong when our income goes up

After building and selling EnableMe, Hannah McQueen is tackling another challenge through Age Brightly. She joins Paula Bennett to talk about wealth, purpose, business and why New Zealand needs to rethink ageing.

'It's a bit of bullshit' - Petra Bagust on our obsession with independence

We've been told success means standing on our own two feet, but Petra Bagust isn't so sure. The broadcaster and Grey Areas podcast host talks about her late ADHD diagnosis, why she's embracing aging, what caring for her parents has taught her about community, and why "nobody is truly independent"

The time MKR's Colin Fassnidge went crazy in the jungle

Colin Fassnidge reckons New Zealand pies are better than Australia's and he's not afraid to say it. The My Kitchen Rules judge and star of Off the Grid joins Paula Bennett to explain why food became his passport to the world and reveal the experience that eventually sent him to therapy. Now he want…