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Firsts, Favourites and Funerals: Scotty Stevenson
Scotty 'Sumo' Stevenson has been commenting on and writing about major sporting events for the past 20 years. He joins Summer Weekends to talk about the highlights and lowlights, and to play songs that have meant a lot to him over the years. Audio
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Elvises return to annual Elvis in the Park
10 Jan 2026This Sunday, a bevy of Elvis impersonators and enthusiasts will assemble at Auckland's Cranwell Park to mark the king's 91st birthday. Emile speaks to one of… Audio
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Doomsday comedy with Jonas Skogstroll
10 Jan 2026Norwegian goat farmer, former Jehovah's Witness and stand-up comedian Jonas Skogstroll is in Auckland about to kick off his Doomsday Comedy tour with NZ… Audio
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Why you should give yourself grace if you 'break’ a resolution
10 Jan 2026UK science writer David Robson dials in to share some evidence-backed tips for making and keeping meaningful New Years resolutions amidst a sea of… Audio
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What’s next for Venezuela?
10 Jan 2026There's uncertainty and fear in Venezuela following the capture and removal of its president Nicolás Maduro by the US. Tulia Falleti is a Professor of Political… Audio
Sunday 11 January 2026
9:08 Cryptic Clues with Wendy Wethey
To warm up your brain for 2026, cryptic crossword writer Wendy Wethey joins Summer Weekends with a series of clues.
Tune in after the news at 9am and 10am, be the first to text in the right answer to 2101, and win a copy of Wendy's own New and Infused with Zeal: 52 Cryptic Crosswords.
Saturday's solutions:
- Assessment could cause harm to Charles, perhaps - MARKING (Charade clue)
- Energetically cleans gown to wear to the theatre - SCRUBS (Double definition clue)
Photo: 123rf
9:10 What happens to the human body at high heats
With a heatwave bringing temperatures in New Zealand up to 37 degrees (and up to 45 degrees in Australia), Emile Donovan chats to physiologist Grant Lynch – based at the University of Sydney's Heat and Health Research Incubator. He joins Summer Weekends to share some science-backed hacks for keeping yourself cool in a heatwave, and at what point the human body starts cooking from the inside out.
Photo: 123rf
9:20 Cider's forgotten, ancient history
Dr Trevor Fitzjohn is the owner of Teepee Cider, a boutique, traditional method cider orchard and producer in the Wairarapa. A retired history-lover with a personal library of over 1,000 rare books, his apple varieties and techniques harken back to the golden age of cidermaking in England in the 17th and 18th centuries.
He joins Bonnie Harrison to share the ancient origins of apples, why cider should be considered wine, and what makes a good drop.
At Trevor Fitzjohn's Wairarapa cider apple orchard, fruit is harvested naturally, when it falls off the tree. Photo: Teepee Cider
9:50 Hot day, cold treat
As it heats up around the country, we’ll head to Hastings, where temperatures are expected to reach a whopping 38-degrees celsius! Emile and Bonnie will be checking in with Vaughan Currie from Rush Munro’s, New Zealand’s oldest ice creamery, to find out how they’re keeping Kiwis cool.
Rush Munroes ice cream in Hastings Photo: Simon Cartwright Photography Ltd
10:08 Cryptic Clues with Wendy Wethey
To warm up your brain for 2026, cryptic crossword writer Wendy Wethey joins Summer Weekends with a series of clues.
Tune in after the news at 9am and 10am, be the first to text in the right answer to 2101, and win a copy of Wendy's own New and Infused with Zeal: 52 Cryptic Crosswords.
Photo: 123RF
10:15 Tennis wrap-up with Dave Worsley
RNZ's man on the ground at the ASB Classic joins Emile to recap a thrilling week in Auckland.
10:20 Firsts, Favourites and Funerals: Jude Dobson
Legendary broadcaster Jude Dobson joins Summer Weekends to play significant songs from her long and varied career: from Sale of the Century, to her top-charting book with Pippa Latour, The Last Secret Agent, and what she says will be her last screen project.
Photo: Auckland Writers Festival
11:10 Kees Meeuws: Rugby and reinvention
Kees Meeuws played 42 tests for the All Blacks between 1998 and 2004 - and once held the record for the most tries scored by a prop in test rugby. He’s an art enthusiast, a proud resident of Ōtepoti, a dad of six, koro, and real estate agent. Kees is with Emile to talk about life after rugby and what 2026 has in store.
Kees Meeuws performs the haka before the All Blacks take on South Arica in 2003, in Dunedin. Photo: Photosport
11:25 Feng shui: Why your bed shouldn't face your door
How do you make a dark space feel light? How can you arrange your bedroom to make it feel more cosy? Architect, TikTok star and feng shui practitioner Cliff Tan (Dear Modern) joins Bonnie Harrison to give some tips on freshening up your home in the new year.
Photo: Dear Modern
Cliff Tan's videos fixing followers' feng shui problems have a following in the millions. Photo: Dear Modern
11:45 The octogenarian YouTuber flying high with kite videos
Eighty-five year-old Jim Nicholls is one of New Zealand's hottest influencers.
He's a big name in the world of kites and he's got thousands of fans from around the world tuning into his YouTube channel.
He's a fountain of knowledge: his videos are all about how to fly kites, how to have fun with kites, where to buy kites and what elevates one model over another.
Jim joins Emile from Christchurch to share the joy.
