Saturday Morning With Jack Tame

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 22 November 2025, iconic history presenter Sir Tony Robinson discusses his first foray into historical fiction for an older audience, ‘The House of Wolf’.   Jack sings the praises of Dimitris as the Christchurch institution celebrates 40 years of souvlaki in The Garden City.  Francesca Rudkin reviews the Wicked sequel, Dougal Sutherland discusses a new study showing how mobile phone activity can predict mood and Chris Schulz hails the return of the nostalgia acts.  Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They are “on the wing” at this time of the year. Spiders do not have wings of course, but they can fly for many miles – it’s called Ballooning.    There are many examples of them flying in jet streams, thousands of feet off the ground, across water, seas, oceans. Each year we get the juveniles of those huge Australia Golden Orb-Weaving Spiders in NZ – they grow up to become huge Australian Golden Orb-Weaving Spiders and frighten the life out of New Zealanders!   At this time of the year, look up on a fine, sunny almost wind-still day and see what’s floating past!  Spider silk glands have liquid proteins called spidroins. They're actually kinda gooey and are pressed out gently to form silk; it’s strong, yet light and flexible – a fabulous building material that serves many purposes.  We all know about the famous “websites” that spiders make to catch flying prey.  Take the kids outside on a dew-laden morning to find those webs and see if you can find the owner nearby. Those webs h

What is the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes?   Diabetes affects more than 300,000 people in New Zealand and costs the country $2.1 billion a year in health costs (0.67% of GDP!).   It occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to control blood sugar.   Type 1: Usually begins in younger people; an autoimmune reaction destroys the pancreas so it can’t make insulin. Type 2: More common with age; the pancreas wears out over time and doesn’t produce enough insulin.     What is happening with Type 2 diabetes in New Zealand?   Over 250,000 New Zealanders have Type 2 diabetes, previously seen mostly in people over 50.   Over the past 25 years, it is increasingly occurring in younger people – even those in their early teens and children.   It’s particularly effecting Māori, Pasifika, and Asian young people; this pattern was not seen 30 years ago.   This is a new and concerning trend.     Why is this occurring?   The exact caus

TikTok's parent company is now one of the world's most successful 'startups'   A recent funding round has valued Bytedance, the company behind TikTok, at $480 billion, which is only just behind OpenAI's $500 billion valuation. Even though the US company may be sold or transferred, Bloomberg reports there was fierce interest in the stock sale with seven companies bidding, driving the valuation from $360 billion.     Perplexity is bringing its AI browser to Android and beyond  The underdog AI company and the first to make an AI enabled browser is expanding to take on Google directly. The Android app is now available, the iOS version is days away from launch, and it's also available for Mac and Windows making it much more widely available than the ChatGPT browser. Perplexity's goal is to be your go to search engine, trying to break Google's 20 year dominance.      WhatsApp is getting the Instagram Notes feature   You'll now be able to set a 'status' message that can either

All Her Fault  Every parent's worst nightmare comes true for Marissa Irvine when her young son goes missing. In the race against time to find Milo, Marissa's family starts to implode and murderous secrets are revealed (TVNZ+).      The Borderline   A border town cop uncovers an illegal drug trade tied to his childhood friend and a ruthless British crime syndicate operating in the scenic 1000 Islands region between Canada and the U.S. Stars Minnie Driver & Stephen Amell (ThreeNow).     One Shot with Ed Sheeran  One singer. One city. One shot. Ed Sheeran rocks the streets of New York with his greatest hits in this groundbreaking, real-time music experience (Netflix).    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne has been weighing himself with the same bathroom scale for years.  Unfortunately, this trusty scale was looking a bit shabby and out of place in their bathroom, so he and his wife decided it was time for a new one. This had an unforeseen problem.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wicked: For Good  Now demonized as the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba lives in exile in the Ozian forest, while Glinda resides at the palace in Emerald City, revelling in the perks of fame and popularity. As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, she'll need to reunite with Glinda to transform herself, and all of Oz, for good.    Playdate   A chance encounter with a stay-at-home dad lands a man in hot water as they find themselves pursued by a team of ruthless mercenaries.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The famed New Orleans Po’ Boy is a sandwich to beat all sandwiches. It’s messy, generous, and utterly delicious: a baguette stuffed with lettuce and fried prawns (or “shrimp”) and oysters, and with plenty of punchy mayo.   Makes 2-4     Ingredients  For the sauce, whisk the ingredients below until combined, taste and season to suit you.   ¼ cup mayo   2 tbsps. thousand island dressing   1 tbsp hot sauce (or to taste)   1 tsp smoked paprika   1 tsp Worcestershire sauce   1 tsp horseradish (optional)   Squeeze of lemon   Get the below sorted before you start frying:   1 long soft baguette or 2–3 smaller rolls, split lengthwise   Dressing as above for spreading   Shredded lettuce   Sliced tomatoes   Pickles, sliced   Fried seafood:   200g raw prawns, peeled and deveined   6 fresh oysters, drained   ½ cup plain flour   ½ cup fine cornmeal   ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional but good)   ½ tsp e

We weren’t big on dining out when I was growing up.  Truth is, we couldn’t really afford to. With four kids, a mortgage, and decent cooking skills themselves, my parents didn’t really buy food. They bought groceries and the odd few rounds of fish and chips on the beach, but apart from that almost everything we ate was prepared in the kitchen at home.   That being said, every now and then there’d be a special occasion. Every now and then we’d make our way into the city and Christchurch’s historic Arts Centre, where each of us would line up for a lunchtime treat.   Back then, Dimitris served souvlakis from a little caravan, tucked into a little corner next to the old gothic revival buildings. Whenever you’d pass by, there would be a little group of people milling about and waiting for their order to be prepared. On a really busy day, the owner, Dimitris Merentitis, would have someone else working with him as he made his way through the orders. You could choose between single, double, or triple me

An attorney by education, David Baldacci is an acclaimed novelist with a penchant for suspense and legal thrillers.   He’s written over 50 books, and his specialist knowledge of the US political and legal systems make his stories international bestsellers.  ‘Nash Falls’ is his newest work, the tale of an ordinary businessman recruited by the FBI to help bring down a global crime network.   Baldacci has been writing for over thirty years, and Walter Nash, the protagonist of the novel, is unlike any he’s written before.  “I’ve been writing a long time and one of my chief things that I do to keep myself motivated is just to challenge myself,” he told Jack Tame.  “Get out of my comfort zone, create characters I haven’t created before.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A picture is worth a thousand words, or so the saying goes.  Images often convey more meaning and information than can be held in a sentence or two, an image often provoking more emotion or deeper thought.  Kevin Milne saw one such image earlier this week – an image of the Earth, taken in 1990, from 6 billion kilometres away: The Pale Blue Dot.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"As a quick hit to recharge when travelling to or from Europe, Doha makes for an eye-opening stopover in the heart of the Middle East. The capital of Qatar pulses with all the flamboyant bling of Dubai, overlaid with deep pockets of old world Doha, where tradition, heritage and culture abound. Doha seems to have nailed the sense of urban intermingling – the fusion of cutting-edge modernity and traditional vibes." Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fourth studio album from Spanish singer Rosalía is a linguistic tour de force. ‘LUX’ is symphonic album, recorded in 14 different languages, its song’s inspired by the lives of various female saints. Chris Schulz joined Jack Tame to share his thoughts on the album. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Exit Strategy by Lee Child & Andrew Child   Jack Reacher will make three stops today. Not all of them were planned for.  First - a Baltimore coffee shop. A seat in the corner, facing the door. Black coffee, two refills, no messing about. A minor interruption from two of the customers, but nothing he can't deal with swiftly. As he leaves, a young guy brushes against him in the doorway. Instinctively, Reacher checks the pocket holding his cash and passport. There's no problem. Nothing is missing.  Second - a store to buy a coat. Nothing fancy. Something he can ditch when he heads to warmer climes. Large enough to fit a man the size of a bank vault. As he pulls out his cash, he finds something new in his pocket. A handwritten note. A desperate plea for help.  Third - wherever this bend in the road takes him. Impressed by the guy's technique and intrigued by the message, Reacher makes it his mission to find out more...     Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben & Reese With

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 15 November 2025, leading legal thriller author David Baldacci joins Jack to discuss the state of US politics, AI and ownership, and their influence on his latest novel Nash Falls.  Jack considers the convenience of digital IDs and wallets.  Nici Wickes spotlights the mango in her first BBQ firing of the season.  Master sommelier Cameron Douglas shares a bright, taut, fresh, salivating wine pick.  And Kevin Milne discusses a famous photo that sparked some major inspiration for him this week.  Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The holiday season is often filled with waste, but this year could be different.  If you’re looking to shift your holiday celebrations towards the sustainable, but aren’t quite sure how to broach it with your family, Kate Hall has a few tips for you.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tohu Pinot Gris 2025, Awatere Valley, Marlborough RRP from $18.99   The Awatere is located on the eastern site of Marlborough with many of the vineyards at the north-eastern reaches. On a clear day, the North Island is easy to see. This location means many of the vineyards are exposed to the easterly and southerly breezes, but there are significant sunshine hours to ripen the grapes.   The wine styles are nearly always fresh and taut, often with a saline quality to the acidity. Lots of citrus and pomaceous fruit flavours are common in the wines.   Founded in 1998, Tohu Wines is the world’s first Māori-owned wine company. They produce excellent wines including sparkling and Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, and this Pinot Gris.   This wine has some delicacy about it, it is bright, taut, fresh, salivating. The varietal flavours of green and red apple, white peach, pear and some honeysuckle deliver the core mid-palate flavours and weight. Salivating and just dry on the palate with textures fr

At this time of the year there’s only one place I’d love to be: The North Island.   These are the largest moths in Aotearoa. They are also very nicely coloured – lots of green and yellow as well as white and orange patches. Their wingspan is up to 150mm, and they’re a noisy flyer at night.   Females are often larger than males – they lay masses of eggs as they fly through the forest at night.   The relatively small caterpillars hatch on the forest floor and commence eating dead wood, infected by fungal material.    The funny thing is that these very young caterpillars only move around for 6 to 12 months, after which they move up tree trunks to find out what the wood tastes like… Once they’ve found a suitable tree with nice bark and yummy phloem and xylem, they will start to build a long-term tunnel system in which they can live 5, 6, or even 7 years.   It’s a 7-shaped tunnel that goes into the trunk and down (yes, the shape of a 7!), and it lives there for 7 years.  The p

New Zealanders are getting a new ChatGPT feature   In a pilot with select countries, you'll be able to have a 'group chat' with ChatGPT. It's available on all plans, and Open AI wants feedback before it's rolled out more broadly. You can invite between 1 and 20 people to join you. Apparently ChatGPT knows when to stay quiet and when to chime in, and you can summon it if you need.      Americans can now put their passport on their phone   Apple has launched Digital ID in the USA, allowing anyone with a US passport to be able to load it onto their phone. At the moment, the best way to think about it is like having a verified digital copy on your phone with you. You can't use it at the border just yet, but you can use it at security checkpoints for domestic flights. Slowly State IDs are rolling out on the platform too, so it will be interesting to see if hospitality establishments allow this as a form of ID.   NZ is working on digital driver's licenses, which had a goal to launch in

Death Valley   Retired actor John Chapel and detective sergeant Janie Mallowan team up to investigate murders each week in Wales (TVNZ+, TVNZ1 from Sunday).    I, Jack Wright   When Jack Wright dies in what appears to be a suicide, Sally faces an earth-shattering revelation about her husband's will and DCI Morgan makes a shocking discovery (ThreeNow).    The Beast in Me  Author Aggie Wiggs has receded from public life since the death of her young son, unable to write, a ghost of her former self; but she finds an unlikely subject for a new book when the house next door is bought by Nile Jarvis (Netflix).    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.