Welcome to Kiwi Yarns - those yarns you have where you sit down, put the kettle on, pour a whiskey or crack open a beer. I honestly don‘t mind. Anyway! We‘re sitting down and we’re yarning to some great New Zealanders, their back stories, their front stories, even stories where they went sideways, we will go there. It’s a place where we celebrate the great people of this glorious nation.

Brodie Kane

We see our country's Armed Offenders Squad in the most serious of circumstances - but who are the people behind the helmets and balaclavas? This week I met the amazing Sergeant Eseta Autagavaia, who, alongside being one of the few women in New Zealand Police's AOS, also plays netball at a professional level. She talks about how physically and mentally challenging getting into the AOS was, and how that experience and being on the netball court complement each other. From pre-planned jobs to unpredictable moments demanding calm under pressure, she shares how her mindset is her biggest weapon. A fascinating look at the life of a pretty inspiring young woman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Life as a Woman Inside the Armed Offenders Squad: Sergeant Eseta Autagavaia

Award-winning comedian Pax Assadi is having a massive month as his new book Mortified hits the shelves. The book contains the most embarrassing things that have happened in his life, including a legendary mishap in a Pakistani mosque. Pax wants us all to lean into our cringe, and why he’s over the curated perfection we see on social media. We talk about his family’s escape from Iran, and his Baha'i faith, the concept of progressive revelation, and how his spiritual beliefs shape his view of a fractured world.

Pax Assadi on religion, embracing the embarrassing and his family escaping Iran

Laura McGoldrick is everywhere. And that’s an understatement. The Sky Sport Presenter is in the bach this week for a really solid heart-to-heart. From our accidental wedding in Vegas, to the raw reality of motherhood and navigating devastating miscarriages.

Laura is hands down one of the most talented broadcasters on our screens, and it’s through hard work, hard slogs and dogged determination. She deserves the flowers every day of the week.

How she shuts out the noise of being in the public eye, how she does it all and still has time for more - and, is Ashwagandha the key to her success (spoiler: we don’t think so).

Broadcasting superstar Laura McGoldrick on Sport, Family and Life with Guppy

This week is an incredibly special episode with Jono Ridler - the open water, ultra marathon swimmer who, on Saturday 4 April, 2026, completed a 1367 kilometre swim - the length of the North Island.

Jono didn’t do this swim for accolades or records, he did this swim because of his love for the ocean, and to raise awareness that we aren’t doing enough to protect it.

Jono’s Swim4TheOcean campaign is a call to end bottom trawling - because we are the last country still doing it in the south Pacific High seas.

Hear how he got through the hard days, the jellyfish stings, the shark sightings, the vomiting, the cold water, the rough seas.

This is a remarkable story, and in my opinion, will go down as one of the greatest endurance feats ever by a New Zealander.

The Story behind Jono Ridler’s remarkable 1367km North Island Swim

This week meet the fabulously hilarious comedian, Courtney Dawson.

We discuss her experience as a young mum, her Te Reo Māori journey and the highs and lows of performing stand-up comedy. When her jokes bomb, she leans into it!

Courtney talks Celebrity Treasure Island, I test out her work as an Agony Aunt, and how to make the most of a trip to Australia for a court hearing (hint: it involves Dreamworld).

Courtney Dawson will perform at the NZ International Comedy Festival from May 1st to 24th.

Comedian Courtney Dawson: Raising a Teenager, Getting Arrested, and More

This week the super talented Alex Tarrant - star of NCIS Hawaii - reflects on the often windy and bumpy road that has led him to where he is today.

It wasn't until a significant life event that he realised acting and the industry surrounding it were his "people". And, on the podcast, we learn for the first time about this significant life event that occurred when he was at high school.

Alex is based in Hawaii and has landed brilliantly big roles both locally and abroad as his star continues to shine. The latest role, one of the most challenging for him thus far, is playing 28th Māori Battalion hero Haane Manahi in Sgt Haane.

SGT HAANE will have ten days of Special Commemorative Screenings 20-29 April 2026 including ANZAC DAY, followed by a wide release from 30 April.

The Story Behind Alex Tarrant's Acting Career

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of miscarriage. If you need support, please find more information at https://wheturangitia.services.govt.nz/miscarriage/support-resources

Meet the beautifully talented writer, actor, playwright, and novelist, Elisabeth Easther. You'll surely remember her as "Evil Nurse Carla" on our beloved Shortland Street back in the 90s.

Now, a best-selling author with Seed, she shares how and why the novel was more than a decade in the making. And, while it's fiction, it is based on real-life experiences, personal loss, and the messy, complicated reality of fertility struggles. Elisabeth shares her stories of miscarriages, resilience, and how she turned pain into something meaningful through storytelling.

Also hear some cracking yarns about her fantastic parents, why she'd win the Olympics if reading books was a sport and discover her pretty solid knowledge of birds.

Elisabeth Easther on Being a Shorty Street Villain, Her Novel and More

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of mental ill-health and suicide. Support is available any time from Lifeline, details at https://www.lifeline.org.nz/ 

This week on Kiwi Yarns, I sit down with Kate Thomson - star of the recently released documentary No Tears On The Field. The film follows a grassroots women's rugby season in Taranaki, and the backstories of what it takes to get to the field.

Kate talks the rise of women’s rugby in New Zealand, the realities of balancing farm life with sport, and the importance of community. She also opens up about mental health in rural areas, losing loved ones, and the role rugby plays in keeping her grounded. 

Plus, her relationship with her mum is something pretty special.

You’re Allowed to Cry, Just Not on the Footy Field:Kate Thomson’s Rule for Rugby

Brodie chats with Jay and Dunc about the brotherhood behind their massive success. They open up about mental load, being good dads, and why their unique connection keeps them grounded.

Why the Bromance and Healthy Masculinity of Jay and Dunc Should Be Celebrated

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. 

How Pene Pati took Samoa to the biggest opera stages in the world

Discover Kirsten's remarkable career as Starship Hospital's paediatric heart surgeon and her commitment to the Hearts for Kids Trust, bringing life-saving surgeries to Pacific kids. 

World-Renowned Dr Kirsten Finucane’s Remarkable Career at Starship Hospital

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.

Life as a Woman Inside the Armed Offenders Squad: Sergeant Eseta Autagavaia

Episode Notes