Olive and Mabel are two labradors who've become social media stars thanks to a series of short, funny videos made by their owner, Scottish sports broadcaster Andrew Cotter.

Consultant clinical virologist at Cambridge University, and one of BBC Radio 5 Live's Naked Scientists, Dr Chris Smith returns to digest emerging COVID-related science and research. This week; the latest on post COVID-19 immunity, the ongoing race to a safe and effective vaccine, how the UK ended up back in lockdown, and why is Denmark culling millions of mink?

With democratic candidate Joe Biden looking likely to win the US presidency, it's time to delve into his background and ambitions. And to ask how he is going to deal with a deeply divided America, ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic and struggling with ongoing racial and political unrest. Evan Osnos is a staff writer for The New Yorker covering politics and foreign affairs. His new book is called Joe Biden; The Life, the Run, and What Matters Now.

Popular UK standup comedian and actor Bill Bailey's a bit of a renaissance man - with interests ranging from music to bird watching. After appearing on TV shows including QI, Black Books, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Spaced, his latest foray onto the screen is as a competitor in the wildly popular BBC dance contest Strictly Come Dancing No surprise then that ballroom dancing is listed as one of 30-odd things that bring him joy in his new book Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide To Happiness: alongside scuba diving, laughing, wild swimming, sky diving...and of course crazy golf!

How is New Zealand contributing to the urgent global quest for a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine? American vaccine expert Dr Fran Priddy recently joined The Malaghan Institute as Clinical Director of the Vaccine Alliance Aotearoa NZ (VAANZ). VAANZ is a multidisciplinary team of local and international collaborators specialising in vaccine research, development, and manufacturing. Dr Priddy has spent much of her career researching and developing clinical vaccines for infectious diseases including HIV. We'll ask her about the current vaccine contenders, and the tricky process of getting a vaccine out of the lab, into trials, and then production.

It's exciting times for fans of iconic band Crowded House. There's a new single out and an album on the horizon (their first new music in a decade), and they've just announced a 10 date NZ tour in March 2021. The band's line-up features founding members Neil Finn and Nick Seymour along with producer and keyboardist Mitchell Froom, guitarist and singer Liam Finn and drummer Elroy Finn. Neil's only 2 weeks out of quarantine, having returned with his family from LA, where he been based while touring as a member of Fleetwood Mac.

Kim Hill reads listener feedback from the show.

Renowned polar photographer, director and cameraman Max Quinn covers a 50-year career spent working in the world's coldest places in his book A Life of Extremes. Quinn learned his trade as an NZBC cameraman then as a Director of Photography on homegrown TV dramas, before he joined TVNZ's Natural History Unit in Dunedin in 1987. Over the years he's filmed for many of the world's top broadcasters including National Geographic and Discovery Channel. In 1991 he wintered over in Antarctica for 11 months to film documentaries on the Emperor Penguin and about winter life at Scott Base. More recently he's been working on nature documentaries across the globe, and last year completed filming on a 3-part wildlife series set in Brazil.

From the TVNZ photocopier room to winning an Emmy last month - New Zealand born cinematographer Barry "Baz" Idoine has come a long way. His CV is extensive and impressive, including credits on Rogue One, American Sniper, The Master, There Will Be Blood, Erin Brockovich and even Waterworld. His Emmy was for his work on season one the mega hit Star Wars spinoff The Mandalorian - which introduced the character of The Child (aka Baby Yoda). The production pioneered the use of StageCraft tech which generated digital backdrops and sets in real-time using a game engine. Season 2 of The Mandalorian screens on Disney+ from Oct 30.

Unjoo Moon is the Australian director of I Am Woman, a biopic about the singer Helen Reddy. Reddy emerged as a feminist icon in the early Seventies when her song 'I Am Woman' became an anthem of the women's liberation movement. It also became a number one hit for Reddy and co-creator Ray Burton, selling over one million copies. Troubled by health problems in her later years, Reddy died in Los Angeles last month (aged 78), with the song reaching number 2 in the Australian digital sales chart shortly afterwards. I Am Woman screens nationwide from November 5.