Bad news for France's National Rally party as leader Marine Le Pen's been barred from running for office for five years. 

She's been found guilty of embezzling European Union Funds to finance the party. 

Le Pen will be ineligible to run in the 2027 presidential election. 

Paris Correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking there's no one else in the party with the energy to run a successful campaign. 

She says voters are voting for her, as all the far-right parties have a clan at the centre of them. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Bad news for France's National Rally party as leader Marine Le Pen's been barred from running for office for five years.&nbsp;
She's been found guilty of embezzling European Union Funds to finance the party.&nbsp;
Le Pen will be ineligible to run in the 2027 presidential election.&nbsp;
Paris Correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking there's no one else in the party with the energy to run a successful campaign.&nbsp;
She says voters are voting for her, as all the far-right parties have a clan at the centre of them.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.

Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.

The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more.

The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show. Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda. The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more. The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.

Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.

The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion,...

The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Catherine Field: France Correspondent on Marine Le Pen being banned from running for office

A nod to Dunedin. 

The place of my birth and a bunch of fairly happy years in the early part of my radio career. 

We were back last month for the graduation of a daughter, now plying her trade in the medical profession. 

Everything about it was awesome. It is what every city in this country should aspire to. 

Christchurch has, rightly, got a lot of headlines for doing things well. And Dunedin is not Christchurch. 

It has not been rebuilt or re-imagined and many bits of it are the same as when I worked there 30 years ago. 

But a lot of bits are better. 

The Ebb hotel is brilliant. It's perfectly placed and you walk everywhere. 

Perhaps most importantly, everywhere we went, and I mean everywhere, people were friendly. 

Not just friendly, but inquiring and helpful. 

Not a shop was entered where we got anything but help and interest and advice and service. It was like New Zealand used to be, or that’s the way it seemed when you live in Auckland. 

From restaurants to cafes, to an art gallery, to hotels and bars and rental car operators, every single interaction delivered. I honestly cannot remember the last time that happened. 

I asked my daughter whether she would miss it. She said six years was plenty, so maybe living and visiting is different. 

Mind you, the lady at Michael Hill said she had moved from Auckland and would never be back. 

The airport is still too far from town. They built it with a vision, ironically, that the city would spread across the Taieri. It didn’t, well not enough, and I think we can conclude it never will. 

It was sunny that weekend and 23 degrees and everyone told us how unusual all that was. 

So maybe we got lucky – good weather, nice hotel, we bought three paintings, plane arrived and took off on time, daughter won some prizes so we were full of pride, food was good and service was professional and friendly. 

So maybe we were lucky. Or just maybe, Dunedin rocks. 

A nod to Dunedin.&nbsp;
The place of my birth and a bunch of fairly happy years in the early part of my radio career.&nbsp;
We were back last month for the graduation of a daughter, now plying her trade in the medical profession.&nbsp;
Everything about it was awesome. It is what every city in this country should aspire to.&nbsp;
Christchurch has, rightly, got a lot of headlines for doing things well. And Dunedin is not Christchurch.&nbsp;
It has not been rebuilt or re-imagined and many bits of it are the same as when I worked there 30 years ago.&nbsp;
But a lot of bits are better.&nbsp;
The Ebb hotel is brilliant. It's perfectly placed and you walk everywhere.&nbsp;
Perhaps most importantly, everywhere we went, and I mean everywhere, people were friendly.&nbsp;
Not just friendly, but inquiring and helpful.&nbsp;
Not a shop was entered where we got anything but help and interest and advice and service. It was like New Zealand used to be, or that’s the way it seemed when you live in Auckland.&nbsp;
From restaurants to cafes, to an art gallery, to hotels and bars and rental car operators, every single interaction delivered. I honestly cannot remember the last time that happened.&nbsp;
I asked my daughter whether she would miss it. She said six years was plenty, so maybe living and visiting is different.&nbsp;
Mind you, the lady at Michael Hill said she had moved from Auckland and would never be back.&nbsp;
The airport is still too far from town. They built it with a vision, ironically, that the city would spread across the Taieri. It didn’t, well not enough, and I think we can conclude it never will.&nbsp;
It was sunny that weekend and 23 degrees and everyone told us how unusual all that was.&nbsp;
So maybe we got lucky – good weather, nice hotel, we bought three paintings, plane arrived and took off on time, daughter won some prizes so we were full of pride, food was good and service was professional and friendly.&nbsp;
So maybe we were lucky. Or just maybe, Dunedin rocks.&nbsp;

Mike's Minute: An ode to Dunedin

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/8cc07f3b-5335-46e6-878b-b3d90165fb13/transcript

There’s an appetite for live comedy in New Zealand at the moment.  

Major international players such as Jimmy Carr and Matt Rife have had their success, and now attention is shifting to local acts. 

And Jeremy Corbett is a big part of that – headlining the upcoming ‘Weekend Laughs’ comedy showcase, is the star act for a show in Matakana next month, and is the host of our longest running comedy show ‘7 Days’, which is setting up for its 18th season.  

He’s been doing comedy for over thirty years, telling Mike Hosking the real success is sticking around.  

When ‘7 Days’ first went to air in 2009, Corbett had much lower expectations for its longevity.  

"If you’d asked me, I would have gone, I reckon we could get five years,” he explained. 

"Someone said to me, how, y’know, what’s the success?”  

“And I think just sticking around, much like yourself Mike, if you stick around long enough, they can’t get rid of you.”  

LISTEN ABOVE 

There’s an appetite for live comedy in New Zealand at the moment. &nbsp;
Major international players such as Jimmy Carr and Matt Rife have had their success, and now attention is shifting to local acts.&nbsp;
And Jeremy Corbett is a big part of that – headlining the upcoming ‘Weekend Laughs’ comedy showcase, is the star act for a show in Matakana next month, and is the host of our longest running comedy show ‘7 Days’, which is setting up for its 18th season. &nbsp;
He’s been doing comedy for over thirty years, telling Mike Hosking the real success is sticking around. &nbsp;
When ‘7 Days’ first went to air in 2009, Corbett had much lower expectations for its longevity. &nbsp;
"If you’d asked me, I would have gone, I reckon we could get five years,” he explained.&nbsp;
"Someone said to me, how, y’know, what’s the success?” &nbsp;
“And I think just sticking around, much like yourself Mike, if you stick around long enough, they can’t get rid of you.” &nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Jeremy Corbett: Kiwi Comedian talks comedy, success, and 18 seasons of 7 Days

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/be88c5f6-22ca-4a37-8d1f-b3d9016425e3/transcript

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 22nd of January, we go to Davos to react to Trump's speech on Greenland at the World Economic Forum. 

We get the word from Tony Brown as to whether he is still interested in the All Blacks coaching job, and if he'd leave his South Africa contract early for it. 

Comedian Jeremy Corbett talks the 18th season of 7 Days and headlining a couple of upcoming comedy shows. 

Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 22nd of January, we go to Davos to react to Trump's speech on Greenland at the World Economic Forum.&nbsp;
We get the word from Tony Brown as to whether he is still interested in the All Blacks coaching job, and if he'd leave his South Africa contract early for it.&nbsp;
Comedian Jeremy Corbett talks the 18th season of 7 Days and headlining a couple of upcoming comedy shows.&nbsp;
Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Full Show Podcast: 22 January 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/5fa21ea0-313e-44d0-bf67-b3d90150b9ea/transcript

Catherine Field: France Correspondent on Marine Le Pen being banned from running for office

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