From growing up in South Auckland to performing on the world’s biggest opera stages, Pene Pati shares a wonderful yarn of the long road (including all the speed bumps) that got him there.

His is a story about resilience, family, identity, and the challenges he still faces before he walks out infront of an audience. He opens up about the pressure of the industry, the reality of rejection, and why he still sometimes feels like an outsider in the traditionally European opera world.

Let's not forget the great joy he brings us with being one-third of our beloved Sol3 Mio! We talk the sacrifices that come with living overseas, and the big dreams he still carries. One day, he hopes the world’s biggest opera houses will be singing Māori and Samoan songs too.

Tenor: My Name is Pati is out now in New Zealand cinemas.

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Imagine being responsible for a heart no bigger than a walnut. 

This week I sit down with Dr Kirsten Finucane, the legendary former Chief Surgeon at Starship, to talk about a career spent performing life-saving miracles on New Zealand’s most vulnerable children. 

Kirsten opens up about the grit it takes to handle high-stakes surgery and why she finally decided it was time to trade the operating theatre for conservation work in Central Otago. 

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The media landscape in Aotearoa is changing at breakneck speed and we’re all feeling the noise. Brodie sits down with The Spinoff’s Toby Manhire to talk about the reality of the newsroom today. From the closure of Newshub to the rise of AI, Toby shares why he’s still optimistic about journalism in an election year. Plus, he gives us his personal plan for avoiding total news burnout.

Find out more about Toby's upcoming event, 'Breakfast with Papers' here.

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This week I'm joined by yoga teacher and dancer Renee Stewart, who opens up about forging her own path from the global dance stage to the world’s most remote corners. If there was ever a competition for 'coolest parents' at parent teacher interviews, Renee could be a front runner with Rachel Hunter and Rod Stewart. 

Renee shares what it’s really like to cross the terrifying Drake Passage to reach Antarctica, and the pull back to her Kiwi roots. It’s a warm, honest chat about movement, mental tools, and finding your own flow.

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Hello there beautiful listeners! Brodie, Gracie and Tegan here with some exciting news to share and, we wanted you to be the first to hear it from us.
This year, we're bringing you Let Her Finish. The podcast will appear right here, so nothing for you to do.

We cannot wait to see you all in a couple of weeks xxx

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I'm joined by an absolute legend of the Aotearoa drag scene in the bach this week. 

Edward Cowley, better known as the iconic Buckwheat, joins me to mark a massive milestone: the 40th anniversary of the Homosexual Law Reform Act.

From the secret nightclub stairs of the 80s to being a Samoan father of three, Edward shares it all with heart and a bit of sparkle.

We dig into the grit behind the glamour, why Pride is still so vital in 2026, and the power of a really good headpiece.

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This week we're joined by Olympic gold winning coach Bev Priestman for a deeply personal conversation. Bev opens up about the 'survival mode' she had to endure following the Canadian football team drone scandal at the Paris Olympics.

We talk about finding peace in North Canterbury, the challenge of leading our Wellington Phoenix, and why she’s ready to earn back the trust of the game she loves.  

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Welcome back to Kiwi Yarns, and welcome to our new bach!  We're kicking off 2026 with a man who has clocked up billions of views just by being his gorgeous self. 

Louis Davis opens up about the 'delusional confidence' his parents gave him, and how he navigated the jump from a small town in the Far North to rubbing shoulders with Hollywood stars like Jason Momoa.  

We also speak about the dark side of social media, and Louis shares his mission to change the stereotype of Māori men. 

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What a year it’s been. A huge thank you to all our incredible guests for joining us and sharing their stories. The kōrero throughout 2025 has been raw, real, uplifting, entertaining and inspiring.

In this bonus Best of episode, we revisit some of our favourite moments from the past year, featuring Samantha Hayes, Matt Watson, Tami Neilson, Eru Kapa-Kingi, Martin Guptill, Sara Qasem, Jo Kane, Russel Norman, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe and Paul Henry.

We can’t wait for more outstanding yarns in 2026.

Mā te wā.

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For the final episode of the year, I thought it fitting to invite someone whose job is literally to explain things, and ask him to put it all into context.

Not all of it is good news, but it’s important we reflect on the good, the bad and the ugly in this tumultuous world.

Fear not, though - award-winning journalist, good friend and Stuff’s Explainer Editor Lloyd Burr joins me for plenty of laughs, a dose of therapy, some wisdom and advice, and a proper go at brioche buns.

Thank you, as always, for your wonderful support. Look out for Kiwi Yarns highlights over the next few weeks, and I’ll see you for more yarns with brilliant Kiwis in 2026.

Mā te wā!

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