Afternoons for Friday 27 June 2025

1:15 The surprising demand for animal x-ray images. Yes, you read that right.

Eryn Gribble is a Wellington artist, and a while back she came across a box of around 600 animal X-rays at a garage sale.

She was struck by the quote, "weird and macabre" images, and wound up using them to create lampshades and other art pieces. 

Believe it or not, they're flying off the shelves. 

1:25 Fast-paced thriller adaptation of Romeo & Juliet hits Auckland

Romeo, Mercutio, and Benvolio joined Jesse in studio to act out a scene from the most famous love stories of all time.

1:35 Celebrating the stories of legendary West Coasters.

A new app will give West Coasters a window into Hokitika's heritage. 

It's called 'Legendary Coasters', and it's focussed on the area's social history as well as its landscapes. 

For a time Hokitika was one of the country's most populated towns, and the app will teach you all about the colourful characters that came and went during New Zealand's goldrush in the 19th century. 

1.40 How to take an award-winning photo

Two Dunedin teenagers have wowed the judges of Tūhura Otago Museum's Wildlife Photography Awards. 
They also happen to be brothers. 

Seventeen-year-old Sam McGee took out the overall winner title, beating more than 4000 entries from around the world, and was placed first in the youth wildlife category.

His fifteen-year-old brother Monty, debuted at the competition and was named a runner up in the wildlife youth category. 

1:45 Freaky Friday: The tale of the Maldives' Jetty Lady

Freaky Friday is home to all of your weird, unexplained, and occult stories. 

This Friday we are joined by Rachel, who's currently in Vietnam, but her story stems from a holiday in the Maldives.

If you have a story to share with us, please send it to Afternoons@rnz.co.nz.

2:10 Find out if the new F1 movie is worth seeing.

Film critic Kate Rodger gives her hot takes on Brad Pitt's new film F1 and Kōkā.

Kōkā is not only the first movie by writer/director Kath Akuhata-Brown, but also the first feature to use the original dialect of East Cape iwi Ngāti Porou. 

 2:20 NZ Live - Jazmine Mary

Despite being born in Australia they've been a mainstay of the Auckland Music scene since 2012, so we're claiming them.

As well as their solo work you might know them as one half of the group Pony Baby... 

Jazmine Mary's third album "I want to Rock and Roll" was released earlier this month via Flying Nun Records.

3:08 The recipe to a perfect winter meal - homemade pork and sage sausages

Cold weather means warm meals, and today we've got a beauty to share with you.

Julie Biuso from sharedkitchen.co.nz shares her recipe for homemade pork and sage sausages with orange scented apple sauce. 

Click here for the recipe. 

3:16 Music 101: Lorde opens up about her "existential crises"

Lorde spoke to RNZ's Tony Stamp ahead of the launch of her new album, 'Virgin'.

Tony shares details of their conversation with Jesse and also what else is on Music 101 this weekend.  

3:25 How to help our four-legged friends in stormy weather.

Bad weather abounds for much of the country today and this weekend.

So how do you make sure your four-legged friends are looked after when the weather is extreme?

Dr Megan Alderson, founding director of The Strand Veterinarian and creative director of Vet Thrive is here to help. 

3:35 Critter of the Week - Spotlight on the stars in our forests

This week's critter of the week will resonate with highly observant nature lovers.
You may have noticed strange little markings covering the surface of leaves, turns out these are actually tunnels created by some of our leaf mining insects.
Insects like the leather-leaf star miner. 
 As the name suggests, the caterpillars of these small brown moths make distinct star shapes on the leaves they mine through. As we have been looking at stars in the sky lately with the rising of Matariki, there are even more stars to find in our forests!

3:45 The pre-Panel

Wallace Chapman previews tonight's instalment of The Panel.