Mrs Brown's Boys started as a little idea for a radio show in Ireland back in the 90s. 

Now it's one of the UK's biggest comedy exports, as well as one of New Zealand's most popular shows. 

The smash hit has gone from TV to stage and a musical is the next cab off the rank, which is coming to New Zealand next week.

Brendan O'Carroll, who created the show and stars as Mrs Brown, told Mike Hosking the show came about completely by accident. 

He believes the success comes down to the fact that it is very different to many other options. 

"Comedy just got a bit snarky. Comedians started to be more clever than funny. I think Mrs Brown has found an audience that comedy left behind.

He says that New Zealand humour is very similar to Irish humour, which has helped make it successful here. 

The show has proved unpopular with critics, but O'Carroll says that the negativity does not bother him. 

"The only opinion which matters to me is the audience."

LISTEN TO BRENDAN O'CAROLL TALK WITH MIKE HOSKING ABOVE

The Prime Minister's admitting some "affordable" KiwiBuild homes will still be unaffordable to some and the Government might bring in ways to lower the barrier to entry.

She says the Government's looking at making a portion of the homes rent-to-buy or shared equity.

Jacinda Ardern says this would make it easier for those who might struggle to afford the homes, as suggested by MBIE.

She told Mike Hosking if loan-to-value restrictions ease, the deposit needed on a home will also fall.

"What our discussion proves is that it is hard. We have to get the balance right, but the alternative is to just do nothing."

 

LISTEN TO JACINDA ARDERN TALK WITH MIKE HOSKING ABOVE

Get enough sleep last night? You’re not the only one.

Clinical psychologist Professor Vicki Culpin reckons not enough shut eye is not only is bad for your health - it's bad for business' bottom line.

She estimates in Britain alone, 200,000 working days a year are lost to sleeplessness.

So what needs to change?

Professor Culpin told Mike Hosking what she thinks needs to happen to ensure that both individuals and businesses can benefit.

LISTEN TO VICKI CULPIN TALK WITH MIKE HOSKING ABOVE

Today, we will learn who the 13th leader of the National Party is going to be.

Simon Bridges, Amy Adams, Steven Joyce, Judith Collins and Mark Mitchell are all vying to be Bill English’s replacement.

The party caucus will make their decision this morning, and all the talk is it's a two-horse race between Bridges and Adams.

Former National Leader Don Brash and former National PR Man Ben Thomas joined Mike Hosking to share their takes on who will win.

Brash says the party must remember it s choosing a leader of the Opposition rather than a Prime Minister.

" The Leader of the Opposition is the toughest job in Parliament. You're expected to have an informed opinion on everything the Prime Minister has an opinion on, and you only have a small fraction of her resources."

Both Thomas and Brash says Judith Collins is the best person for the role, but in reality, it's likely to be Simon Bridges who wins.

LISTEN TO THE PANEL ABOVE

The Volvo Ocean Race arrives in Auckland today, and will be bringing a few Kiwis home with it.

Blair Tuke is just a few kilometres away from reaching New Zealand on Spanish boat Mapfre.

The America's Cup sailor says day has just broken, the boat's travelling at 12 knots and is 16 kilometres from Three Kings Islands.

Tuke is expecting to arrive at North Cape in four hours.

The 28-year-old told Mike Hosking Auckland will be the best stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race without a doubt.

He says he hasn't been back in New Zealand since September and says he is excited to nearly be back.

"Before that it was America's Cup, so not much time in New Zealand over the last year, so very much looking forward to getting home and seeing friends and family, and it's a pretty cool way to do it."

LISTEN TO BLAIR TUKE TALK WITH MIKE HOSKING ABOVE

An HR expert says scrapping the youth wage will deny jobs to those who need them most.

The Government plans to remove the controversial reduced wage while also increasing the minimum wage.

Treasury is warning that will hurt young, unskilled workers trying to enter the workforce.

Human resources expert Max Whitehead told Mike Hosking that will be particularly true, once the minimum wage is increased.

"You imagine any employer, what would you do; do you want an adult, or do you want a school leaver on $20 an hour."

 

He says the Government will do well to heed the warning.

"The people that are going to suffer are our youngest. The Maori, Pacific Islanders, the regions; these people who need the boost aren't going to get it."

LISTEN TO MAX WHITEHEAD TALK WITH MIKE HOSKING ABOVE

Mrs Brown's Boys started as a little idea for a radio show in Ireland back in the 90s. 

Now it's one of the UK's biggest comedy exports, as well as one of New Zealand's most popular shows. 

The smash hit has gone from TV to stage and a musical is the next cab off the rank, which is coming to New Zealand next week.

Brendan O'Carroll, who created the show and stars as Mrs Brown, told Mike Hosking the show came about completely by accident. 

He believes the success comes down to the fact that it is very different to many other options. 

"Comedy just got a bit snarky. COmedians started to be more clever than funny. I think Mrs Brown has found an audience that comedy left behind.

He says that New Zealand humour is very similar to Irish humour, which has helped make it successful here. 

The show has proved unpopular with critics, but O'Carroll says that the negativity does not bother him. 

"The only opinion which matters to me is the audience."

LISTEN TO BRENDAN O'CAROLL TALK WITH MIKE HOSKING ABOVE

The Prime Minister's admitting some "affordable" KiwiBuild homes will still be unaffordable to some and the Government might bring in ways to lower the barrier to entry.

She says the Government's looking at making a portion of the homes rent-to-buy or shared equity.

Jacinda Ardern says this would make it easier for those who might struggle to afford the homes, as suggested by MBIE.

She told Mike Hosking if loan-to-value restrictions ease, the deposit needed on a home will also fall.

"What our discussion proves is that it is hard. We have to get the balance right, but the alternative is to just do nothing."

 

LISTEN TO JACINDA ARDERN TALK WITH MIKE HOSKING ABOVE

Get enough sleep last night? You’re not the only one.

Clinical psychologist Professor Vicki Culpin reckons not enough shut eye is not only is bad for your health - it's bad for business' bottom line.

She estimates in Britain alone, 200,000 working days a year are lost to sleeplessness.

So what needs to change?

Professor Culpin told Mike Hosking what she thinks needs to happen to ensure that both individuals and businesses can benefit.

LISTEN TO VICKI CULPIN TALK WITH MIKE HOSKING ABOVE

The Government's Kiwibuild homes might still be out of reach for its target market.

An MBIE briefing paper suggested the $500,000 houses might not even be affordable for first home buyers within 10 years,

It estimated a household income of $114,000 a year is needed to buy one of these houses, but the current median is $90,000.

Property Institute CEO Ashley Church says inflation always meant prices were going to steadily climb.

"A new home that costs 600 grand now for a first home buyer, is going to cost in 10 years time, in 2028, somewhere over a million bucks. That's actually not an excuse not to not do it, it's actually a reason why we should be doing this right now."

Church says the Government could strike a special financing agreement with banks to lower the restrictions.

He says the Government could guarantee a buyer's deposit for a few years if they don't have the cash, or loans could be interest only.

"There are some solutions to these things but we have to be innovative about it. We've got to build these homes. I know it's tough, I know these prices look scary, but if we don't do it now, it's going to be much worse in 10 years."

LISTEN TO ASHLEY CHURCH TALK WITH MIKE HOSKING ABOVE