Kiwi singer Tusekah's been building up a reputation as one to watch, and it seems like some other major artists have taken notice.

She's supported a range of notable artists including PJ Morton, Deva Mahal, and Olivia Dean on tour.

She says opening for Olivia Dean represented a lot of firsts for her, and she revealed that getting the gig was just a matter of reaching out and staying persistent.

"It was just really surreal - and then the support that I got from her audience was amazing as well, so I'm super grateful to have had that opportunity."

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On this day in 1943, the actions of young 28th Māori battalion solider, Lance Sergeant Haane Manahi, changed the course of World War II in North Africa.

Just before midnight, Manahi led a group of soldiers up a vertical cliff to capture the Tunisian town of Takrouna from Axis powers - he took hundreds of prisoners, carried injured comrades down the mountain and protected locals from danger.

Up until now, Haane’s story has largely been kept alive through his descendants but it’s now been turned into a film.

Sgt. Haane was directed by Tearepa Kahi and stars Alex Tarrant - and the pair are committed to bringing this story to life.

"I knew there were things about his story that were familiar, and when you're a storyteller, you want to get off the beaten track and into the unknown world. So it was sort of sitting down with what was unknown, what remained - what stones remained unturned."

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The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke. This is set on a remote Scottish island to which seven aspiring authors have been invited, and when they arrive find that the reclusive famous author who lives there has died, and his publisher is desperate to find someone who can write the last chapter of his unfinished manuscript. There is an enormous payday for the successful writer, but as they settle in for the contest the bodies start to pile up and they find that they’re writing crime in the middle of a crime scene. Evelyn Clarke, the author of this is actually two people, both of whom are established writers and they’ve taken the opportunity through this novel to skewer the publishing industry whilst delivering a very Agatha Christie-esque mystery thriller.

Other People's Bodies by Megan Nicol Reed. Set in Auckland, this is the story of a group of women who join a gym which is operated by an enigmatic man named Lars, where they discover friendship, shared goals and become drawn more and more into his orbit. As things go on though, something in the dynamic changes and his influence and control of their lives becomes overbearing and somewhat sinister. Lars is married to Priya, in a relationship where the power balance is uneven, and she reaches a point, watching, where she must decide if she should step out of the shadows and intervene, whatever the cost.

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Megan's on another visit to New Orleans and she's found some new spots to check out.

She's being checking out the local cuisine and exploring the bars - and the historic Storyville Museum.

Read more about her experiences here.

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This week on the Sunday Panel, TV producer, journalist, and commentator, Irene Gardiner and host of The Front Page podcast, Chelsea Daniels, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more!

Is National in a pickle? The party underperformed in another poll and it's sparked discussions about Luxon's future as a leader. Do we see him lasting ahead of the election? Do we see him getting rolled?

The new Michael Jackson biopic is out in theatres this week - will we see it? Can we separate the artist from the art?

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On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 19 April 2026, today in 1943, Sergeant Haane Manahi changed the course of World War II in North America. A film has been made about his heroic efforts, director Tearepa Kahi and lead actor Alex Tarrant tell Francesca talk about the little known soldier and why they wanted to tell his story.

South African born Kiwi artists Tusekah is on the rise, she joins Francesca in studio for a live performance of her latest single 'Lay Me Down'.

After a short reprieve, the Strait of Hormuz is closed again. Geopolitical analyst Dr Geoffrey Miller talks about how moves by Iran and the US in the last 24 hours could threaten any peace deal between the two countries.

Francesca has embraced AI for one of life's more mundane jobs - has it converted her thinking on using it more in the future?

And science has found a healthier way to produce a crispy French fry, Dr Michelle Dickinson with all the details.

Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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The standard 'dad bod' is characterised by increased abdominal fat and reduced muscle definition - and one expert has issued a warning about it.

These changes typically happen due to a combination of lifestyle changes, metabolic shifts, and hormonal changes after becoming a father.

Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara reveals how you can can improve your health and avoid the related issues.

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Cook time: 40 minutes

Prep time: 25 minutes

Serves: 6

300gm self raising flour, sifted

100gm brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla paste

Pinch salt

150gm butter

1 egg, beaten

Plain flour for rolling

Filling

1 cup raisins

3 tbsp brandy

4 tbsp warm water

3 apples

2 stalks rhubarb, peeled and diced

juice of ½ lemon

3 tbsp brown sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp icing sugar

Pre-heat a oven to 180 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, vanilla and salt. Cut butter into small cubes and add to flour mix. Rub together until the mix starts to fine breadcrumbs. Add beaten egg and continue to mix. Once dough is formed, remove from bowl and knead by hand to form a ball. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Take 2/3 of the pastry, wrap and return rest to fridge. Using plenty of flour, roll out to 1cm thickness on a clean work surface. Lay the pastry over your floured rolling pin, and then gently lay it in a greased 20cm tart tin. Press gently into the tin and use any leftovers to patch rips or holes. Return to the fridge while you prepare the filling.

Soak raisins in brandy and warm water for 10 minutes. Peel apples, then cut into thick slices around the core. Place in a large bowl with lemon juice, brown sugar and cinnamon. Drain raisins, add to apples and toss to coat, add in the rhubarb. Retrieve tart base from fridge and arrange apple mix inside. Roll out reserved pastry to at least same diameter as the tart and cut into 2-3 cm strips. Using a long palette knife, lift strips off work surface and lay over apple filling in a lattice pattern. Brush the pastry lattice with water and dust with icing sugar. Bake for 40 minutes, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

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