Ask Me Anything with Paula Bennett

For the final guest of the season, Paula is joined by 'That Guy' Leigh Hart. They dig into his intriguing childhood and early years dabbling in a variety of careers such as building the Channel Tunnel, and the troubles he got up to while overseas, before eventually breaking out on Sportscafe and Moon TV. And Leigh shares his advice for controlling your own brand and career, and how he's kept a handle on the various different fields he has worked in.

Leigh's new show is Paid to Talk - live Fridays 3-4pm on Radio Hauraki, and as an extended podcast on iHeartRadio and all platforms. 

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This week, Paula is joined by children's entertainment legend, and recent King's Birthday honoree, Suzy Cato. They dig into Suzy's career in front of the camera and what impact that's had on her life, and get her advice for connecting with children. Plus, Suzy discusses how she got through some of the tough times in her life - including being made redundant at the height of her popularity - and insights into her life, including not knowing her biological father. 

Stream Suzy and Friends wherever you get your podcasts. 

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This week, Paula's guest is Dr Ivor Popovich, an intensive care doctor in Auckland. He has worked across different hospitals and specialities for the last 10 years and will fully qualify as a specialist in August, but he has had first-hand knowledge of the state of our health system in that time. 

He has written a book - A Dim Prognosis: Our Health System in Crisis – and a Doctor’s View on How To Fix It - and joins Paula to discuss his career journey and what he thinks our health system needs. 

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This week, Paula's guest is Silver Fern turned commentator, broadcaster and Breakfast co-host, Jenny-May Clarkson. She discusses her new memoir, Full Circle, and her life story - from her rural upbringing, losing two of her brothers, her time with the Silver Ferns, moving into broadcasting, becoming a mum to twin boys in her 40s, and how she came to claim back her Māori identity. 

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This week, Paula's guest is celebrity chef and businesswoman Nadia Lim. They discuss her successful career as a chef, author, farm owner and founder of My Food Bag, and how Nadia has capitalised on the opportunities in her life to get where she is today - and what she has learnt from the risks she took and the mistakes she made along the way.

Easy Weeknight Meals - 10th Anniversary Edition is in bookstores this week. 

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This week, Paula's guest is motivational speaker and author Jake Bailey. They discuss his cancer diagnosis nearly 10 years ago and the viral speech that followed it, and how that has shaped his life since - and why he is ready for that part of his story to no longer define him. And Jake offers advice he has learned for overcoming adversity - and how to not only be resilient, but how to thrive during difficult times.

Jake's new book, The Comeback Code, is available now. 

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This week, Paula's guest is Matilda Green, who has recently started as the fill-in host on The Hits Drive show. They discuss 10 years since she appeared on The Bachelor and found love with her husband-to-be, Art, and how that experience has changed her life. She shares advice for living your life on social media, and how to get a handle on people's perceptions and misconceptions of you. 

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This week, Paula's guest is Australian author, Trent Dalton, who returns to Auckland for a special talk about his acclaimed career, including Boy Swallows Universe. 

They discuss how his life story influenced his debut novel, what his family thinks about being a part of his fiction, meeting his idol Eddie Veder, and he shares his advice for being optimistic and why he doesn't think it's naive to view the world with positivity. 

Details for Trent's talk and other events at the Auckland Writers Festival, head to writersfestival.co.nz. 

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This week, Paula's guest is comedian and TV host, Guy Williams. They dig into his ADHD diagnosis, why his family is full of a lot of performers, his time spent on our screens, and his new standup show, If You Mildly Criticise Me I’ll Say It’s Cancel Culture and Turn To The Alt-Right.

And Guy digs into his TV show, New Zealand Today, why he likes visiting small towns, and how he approaches interviews with people he doesn't agree with. 

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This week, Paula's guest is award-winning actress Rebecca Gibney. They talk about her career in New Zealand and Australia, her favourite roles, receiving Australian TV's highest honour, and her new show on Three, Happiness. And Rebecca shares advice she's learnt from decades in the TV industry, and why at 60 she is not slowing down. 

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