Kiwi Yarns

Rebecca Gibney is everything I’d hoped she’d be – and more.

If I say Packed to the Rafters, Halifax f.p., The Flying Doctors, Sensing Murder – you say Rebecca Gibney.

Rebecca Gibney – and I don’t think you can refer to her by just her first name – has been a fixture in film and television for over 40 years, working across both Aotearoa and Australia.

And while she celebrated her 60th birthday last year – making it clear that her foot is still very much on the throttle – Rebecca Gibney was honoured with a thoroughly deserved Hall of Fame Logie: a lifetime achievement award recognising her exceptional career.

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I've known Ali Mau for 13 years. We first met when I started working as a producer on Q+A at TVNZ, and she was the host of Fair Go.

She took me under her wing, taught me how to do piece-to-cameras, and has been a mentor and dear friend ever since.

Like many others, I did not know about the abuse she had suffered as a child until I read her book.

It is confronting and brave, and by the end, it hit me in both the gut and the heart.

But what it - and this interview with Ali - shows is a strength beyond words.

We also explore her career, her passions, and an incredible story about her competing at Horse of the Year.

*Warning: this episode discusses sexual abuse

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Samantha Hayes was just 23 when she became the presenter of Nightline - the country's youngest presenter at the time.

Since then, she has cage-dived with sharks without the main part of the cage (wild), brought the Mongrel Mob and Black Power together for an interview for the first time, and been in most Kiwis’ living rooms as co-anchor alongside Mike McRoberts on ThreeNews.

2024 was tumultuous, to say the least, for Sam. She was dealing with the end of her relationship with the father of her two children when the very public and shocking announcement of Newshub’s closure came barreling through. Sam also lost a very dear friend in 2024.

As you’ll hear, these are all things she is processing while learning to navigate a new life - whilst still maintaining utter professionalism and storytelling as she now presents the news solo for ThreeNews in its relatively new format with Stuff.

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Today’s guest is Silver Fern number 151, Courtney Tairi.

The former netball international and award-winning broadcaster was born and raised in Sydney, but, in her own words, her whānau and blood are Kiwi. Tainui is her tribe, Waikato is her river, Maungatautari is her mountain, and her subtribe is Ngāti Korokī/Kahukura.

Courtney has just left Sky Sport after ten years, stepping out on her own as an independent wahine in media.

She also shares the monumental change in her life after completing full immersion kura.

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Today’s guest works in a space that, I’ll admit, I am not remotely close to being an expert on.

But when I heard Charlotte Hill, founder of True North, speak at a women’s event late last year, I was intrigued enough to open my mind and learn more. And what better way to do that than right here on Kiwi Yarns!

Human Design claims to provide insights into energy dynamics, decision-making, and life purpose, with the goal of helping people better understand themselves.

This episode is a fascinating discussion, and even if this isn’t typically your sort of thing, I encourage you to give it a listen. I think there could be a lesson in there for everyone!

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Mike and Joelle Legg have over a million followers on every social platform they’re on and are loved worldwide for their funny, relatable marriage content.

They met at a flat viewing 19 years ago, have two boys, and recently swapped the hustle of Tāmaki Makaurau for a quieter life in Whangamatā.

Joelle opens up about her experience with postpartum depression and the vital support Mike provided, while Mike reflects on his transition from owning Auckland’s Boxing Alley gym to becoming a full-time content creator - setting a goal to make a viral video every day!

But with social media playing such a big role in their lives, how do they protect their kids from screens?

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Artist, illustrator, and designer Dick Frizzell is one of New Zealand’s most recognisable artists, with a ginormous back catalogue (I don’t know if you call it that in the art world) of famous works spanning pop art, stunning landscapes, commercial illustrations, and even school journals.

We explore all things art, from Dick's journey to finding his place in New Zealand’s art scene to his soon-to-be-released book, Hastings: A Boy’s Own Adventure - a memoir he describes as a nostalgic love letter to his hometown of Hastings in the 1950s and ’60s.

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Brynley Stent and Kura Forrester are two brilliantly talented comedians, actors, and writers. They’re also close friends who have just bared their souls in a new TV show all about being single.

The Billy T Award winners travelled up and down the motu in search of love, delivering plenty of laughs along the way. But Bryn and Ku’s Singles Club also reveals a rarely seen, more personal side of both of them.

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Today’s guest is triple gold medal-winning Paralympian Anna Grimaldi, fresh off a Halberg Award win and delivering one of the best speeches of the night.

The personal milestones Anna has achieved since becoming a para athlete are nothing short of remarkable. While we often focus on sporting achievements, it’s equally fascinating to look beyond the results and gain insight into the person behind the headlines.

This is a compelling, open, and raw discussion with Anna.

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Richard Adams is a former British Army officer who served in Afghanistan. He shares how his experiences there moved him to establish Taskforce Kiwi, a disaster relief charity made up of Defence Force veterans and former emergency service workers.

The organisation provides crucial support to communities, offering assistance during and after natural disasters—which, as we know, are becoming all too frequent.

His incredible mahi has earned him a place as a semi-finalist in this year's New Zealander of the Year Awards.

*Warning: This episode discusses suicide. For free help, text or call 1737, 24 hours.

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