Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

Apple makes a surprise acquisition   Apple isn't known for being an M&A machine, but has made a $2 billion deal (according to the FT) to purchase an AI company – surprise, surprise. Q.ai is a four-year-old startup in the speech detection space, which can understand whispered speech and improve speech detection in noisy environments. They also have a patent to read your lips and understand micro-expressions on your face. I'd expect to see this new tech deployed on the Vision Pro and the AirPods. Q.ai has 100 employees – that's $20m of value per employee.     Apple beat Wall Street’s expectations   They announced $143.8 billion in revenue for Q4, which was about 4% higher than expected. CEO Tim Cook said the iPhone 17 was seeing “unprecedented demand”. The stock didn't pop, with fears around memory prices surging, supply chain issues, and Apple's seeming lack of AI strategy.     Amazon let 16,000 people go  A staggering number, and it was done by email. Some woke at 3am to a text telling them to check their email. They say it's to remove layers of bureaucracy and “increase ownership”. Amazon has 1.57 million staff across its businesses, and this was in their corporate division of 350,000 personnel, meaning a cut of about 4.6%.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wonder Man  Hollywood actor Simon Williams is thrust into the world of superheroes as he gets powers of his own, and becomes the new superhero Wonder Man (Disney+).     Memory of a Killer   Losing one's memory is a devastating hammer blow for anyone, but for Angelo, the stakes couldn't be higher. His hit man job would be perilous enough, but there's an added pressure: Angelo lives two totally separate lives -- fearsome NYC hitman, and sleepy upstate Cooperstown photocopier salesman and father.   Having built and maintained a brick wall between his two worlds, Angelo has seamlessly juggled and compartmentalized for years. But now that's all about to change, because Alzheimer's is a foe he can't outrun, and he knows too well how this ends, as his older brother is already lost to the condition (Neon).    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Secret Agent   In 1977, Marcelo, a technology teacher, moves from São Paulo to Recife during Carnival to escape his violent past and start over. He finds the city full of chaos, and his neighbours begin to spy on him.    Nouvelle Vague   The story of New Wave icon Jean-Luc Godard making Breathless, told with the same rule-breaking, freewheeling style he used to make it.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This dish magically transforms kūmara from side dish to star performer, and I can’t get enough of it.    Serves 2-4      Ingredients   2 orange kūmara, halved, skin on   2 tablespoons olive oil    1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses    1 teaspoon smoked paprika   ½ teaspoon sea salt   4 tablespoons pumpkin seeds   Small handful of mint & coriander   ½ cup fresh pomegranate arils/seeds   Yoghurt Dressing   ½ cup Greek yoghurt    1 tablespoon tahini   1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses   ½ teaspoon sea salt      Method  Heat oven to 180C. Line a tray with baking paper.    Mix oil with pomegranate molasses and paprika and rub/brush all over the kūmara. Lay out on the prepared tray, sprinkle with salt and roast for 45 minutes or until soft and cooked through.   Toss in the pumpkin seeds in the final 5-10 minutes and they will toast and puff up.   To make the yoghurt dressing, whisk yoghurt with tahini, pomegranate molasses, and salts until combined.    Serve the warm kūmara drizzled with yoghurt dressing and scattered with mint, toasted pumpkin seeds, and pomegranate seeds.      Nici’s note: Use pumpkin or cauliflower in place of kūmara if you like.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our house this week, the juggle gets real.  After a year’s maternity leave, my wife is heading back to work. With a nearly-one-year-old and a nearly-nine-year-old, we’re balancing the two kids with two working parents. Every day is logistical jiu jitsu.   My wife has been making this point for ages, but as we’ve counted down the days to the new normal, I’ve come to appreciate its salience more than ever. Even though young people are the key to our future, economic and otherwise, somehow we’ve created a society that makes things incredible tricky for many young families.  First of all, to have a reasonable middle-class, home-owning life, most households need two working parents. There are exceptions of course, but I reckon most need two working parents. It’s my sense that this didn’t use to be the case. In the post-war years it was quite normal to have households with one working parent. It wasn’t that families were flush with cash! It’s just that relative to incomes, housing and the cost of living was more affordable.  So, two working parents for most middle-class households. Many jobs, if not most, will require staff to work an eight-hour day – 9am-5pm. But school, oh no, that’s a six-hour day – 9am-3pm, which means if you’re on pickup duties, you probably need to be checking out of work at about 2.30.  Consider the holidays. Standard leave provisions for a fulltime worker in New Zealand are four weeks annual leave plus the public holidays. That means that in a two-parent house, if the parents never have more than a long weekend off together, they can cover eight weeks a year.  But kids? They get at least twelve weeks of school holidays. Hmm.  I’m convinced school holidays programmes and after school care were not nearly as common or necessary when I was a kid, let alone in the 60s, 70s, and 80s.    For younger children, it’s just as challenging. Sure, the Government has increased its maternity provisions (my Mum got nothing, back in the day!), but while they provide 20 hours free childcare for children over the age of three, maternity payments are only for the first six months of a baby’s life. Even though supposedly a child’s first 1000 days are the most important, there’s a two-and-a-half-year gap in support.    So what is a family to do if their grandparents aren’t around or available every day to help? One parent can choose to stay home with the child, or a parent can go back to work and effectively redirect all of their income into childcare. Neither option is amazing.   New Zealand’s birth rate has massively dropped off in the last few decades. Same with our fertility rate. We don’t yet face the same kind of population crisis that afflicts the likes of Italy and South Korea, but as the eldest of four, something tells me the sale of Mitsubishi Chariots has dropped off in recent years. You don’t see anywhere near as many bigger families as you were the norm a few decades ago.  And I want to be clear: we are very, very fortunate. I’m lucky to be pretty well-paid. We have support. We make it work. But it’s still a real hustle. And what for the working families who don’t have the same income, support close by, or flexible employers, or more help with childcare?  For so many families it must be more than a juggle. It’s a real struggle.    And I’m not sure that’s in anyone’s interest. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is a globally acclaimed celebration of military tradition, music, ceremony, and cultural performance.   It has been running for 75 years and in that time has only ever been performed overseas on five occasions.   And for the first time in a decade, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will return to New Zealand – performing for the very first time at Auckland’s Eden Park in February with the theme ‘The Heroes Who Made Us’.    Staff Sergeant David Fiu is a standout member of the NZDF Army band and will be taking part in what is set to be a phenomenal event.  He told Jack Tame he’s been fortunate to attend the Tattoo in Edinburgh seven times during his career with the NZ Army.  “I certainly do not take that for granted,” Fiu said.  “I really check myself when I’m there because it’s probably easy, midway through the season, to sort of get a little bit complacent.”   It’s a bucket list moment for many, Fiu explained to Jack Tame, and many people come at that time to experience Edinburgh itself.  “So you only can give, give off your best, otherwise you’re sort of selling them short.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An ode to a Kiwi-created sport.  The Manu World Champs are currently underway, with the Grand Final taking place in mid-March.   It’s such a quintessentially Kiwi sport, and Kevin Milne would love to see it grow even further.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

January is nearing its end, but there’s plenty to come throughout the rest of the year.  Chris Schulz joined Jack Tame to preview some of the albums set to release this year, and delve into some of the rumours floating around the music scene.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Winner by David Baldacci  The Dream  She is twenty, beautiful, dirt-poor, and hoping for a better life for her infant daughter when LuAnn Tyler is offered the gift of a lifetime, a $100 million lottery jackpot. All she has to do is change her identity and leave the U.S. forever.  The Killer  It's an offer she dares to refuse...until violence forces her hand and thrusts her into a harrowing game of high-stakes, big-money subterfuge. It's a price she won't fully pay...until she does the unthinkable and breaks the promise that made her rich.  The Winner  For if LuAnn Tyler comes home, she will be pitted against the deadliest contestant of all: the chameleonlike financial mastermind who changed her life. And who can take it away at will...     On the Edge by Kate Horan   Desperate people do desperate things...  Sixteen years ago, teenage Maddie Marshall's body was found on a desolate beach near her hometown, Carrinya. Vibrant, feisty Maddie was the only daughter of a high-profile politician. The case was the talk of the town but was ultimately never solved.  Nel Foley, daughter of the town doctor and Maddie's best friend, was the last known person to see her alive, and the Carrinya rumour mill was vicious. Nel fled the town and has never been back. Until now.  Now a 32-year-old city GP, Nel returns after her father's sudden death, determined to get in and out as quickly as possible. Begrudgingly, she agrees to run his clinic for a few weeks, but during that time she meets local mum Sophie Warner and that changes everything.  Sophie's husband Ryan, a prominent local real estate agent, was Maddie's boyfriend and Nel is certain he played a role in her death. When Nel discovers that Ryan is not the loving husband and father that he seems, she decides she must prove what he did all those years ago. But as she starts to unravel the past, she discovers the truth is far more complex than she could have imagined.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A spree of global travel industry specialists have been reading the tea leaves, seeking to map out what are the trends to look for, in the way we travel, where to travel to, and what we're travelling for. Mike Yardley sifts through the lists of touted travel trends to identify the most commonly pinpointed features. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 24 January 2026, standout member of the NZ Army band SSGT David Fiu joins Jack ahead of their performance in the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, set to take place in Auckland next month.  Jack shares the change of perspective becoming a parent has had on his reaction to natural disasters.  Nici Wickes shares comfort food with a summer twist.  Mike Yardley tracks the hottest trends in travel for 2026 and explains why grocery stores are becoming hot spots.  Plus, Oscar nominations are out. Francesca Rudkin gets stuck into one of the high hitters 'Marty Supreme' and shares her thoughts on the Best Picture picks.  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.

Turns out that not only is swearing good for pain, but it may also increase performance.  In many situations where physical effort or performance is required, people often hold themselves back, and holding back emotionally can lead to underperforming physically as well.  Dr Dougal Sutherland joined Jack Tame to discuss the growing evidence that “letting it all hang out”, aka shouting, grunting, and even swearing, can benefit your performance.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In my Gum trees I have a good colony of Aussie Silk Moths, aka gum emperor moth caterpillars – they live and feed on gum trees (but also on liquidambar).  Now’s the time to look for them in the “wild” – in the South Island they occur all the way down to Canterbury (Lincoln and Banks Peninsula is as far south as they get). The smallest caterpillars are quite dark in colour – almost blackish and about 8mm long. As they grow (and shed their skins) they change their colours and cause distinct chewing marks on the lower gum leaves.    In a few weeks they’ll grow bigger and bigger until they end up being 12 centimetres long and absolutely gorgeous. If you think that daddy longlegs are fascinating, show the kids these caterpillars!  The growing caterpillars move further and further upwards in the tree, often preferring the freshest leaves. In the meantime, caterpillar colours have become green and blue with stunning legs, feet, tubercles and nodes in orange and red, pretending to be “poisonous”.  After about three weeks they’ll spin a cocoon, brown and rather hard. Ironically this moth belongs to the silk moth family, but this Aussie silk is of rather inferior quality – not soft enough to make clothes from.  The moths will spend most of their time in chrysalis/pupa/cocoon overwintering. What happens inside the cocoon is that remarkable phenomenon of “metamorphosis” – think of it as totally re-arranging the molecules (which made a caterpillar) and forming those into the shape of a moth.  In November/December/January, the chrysalis opens and out comes this amazing brown and pink moth with eye spots. It’s a big moth, with a 15 cm wingspan! These moths mate and the females lay whole strings of relatively large, creamy-white eggs on gum leaves – the eggs hatch in summer and that’s where we are now!  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concerns over skin cancer with many Kiwis still getting sunburnt.  A new Cancer Society and Otago University survey, has found 64% of respondents were sunburnt at least once last summer, including 26% severely.  Rates were highest among 18 to 24-year-olds, with more than a third reporting at least three sunburns.  Dr Bryan Betty joined Jack Tame to break down the data and discuss some of the best ways to push skin protection to the youth.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TikTok's US deal is final   Half of TikTok US is owned by new investors, 30% by previous investors, and 20% by the Chinese owned Bytedance.   The US algorithm will now be trained on US data, and all content moderation will be handled by the US entity. It will be governed by a new, seven-member majority-American board. Bytedance is expected to receive a licensing fee on all revenue as well as a share of the profit.     Sony's getting out of the TV space   Sony Bravia TVs will soon be made by TCL. It's spinning out its TV and home audio business, selling 51% to the Chinese company. Sony says it will still be involved, contributing its picture processing and audio technology, and the brand will continue with higher-end picture and sound quality than the TCL brand. Sony has largely been getting out of the 'electronics' space, no longer making PCs and tablets.     A Spotify feature only released in New Zealand is coming to the US   The ability to create a playlist just by typing what you want to listen to has seemingly been popular enough in New Zealand that it will roll out across Spotify's North American users.   You can ask "get focused at work with instrumental pop-hits", or "pump me up with positive upbeat songs". You can even ask it to break you out of your listening habits and play things you haven't listened to this week.   The AI keeps up to date on world of music in real time, including “trends, charts, culture, and history”.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms   A century before the events of "Game of Thrones," two unlikely heroes wander Westeros. In an adaption of George R. R. Martin's novella "The Hedge Knight," a young and naive but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his diminutive squire, Egg, face a series of dangerous exploits. Set in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne and images of the last dragon have not yet passed from living memory, great destinies and powerful foes await these improbable and incomparable friends (Neon).      Steal  An ordinary office worker, Zara, finds herself at the heart of a heist; a typical work day at a pension fund investment company is upended when a gang of violent thieves burst in and force Zara and her best mate Luke to execute their demands (Prime Video).    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is pure comfort food while still being fresh and lively with the addition of fresh, seasonal corn kernels.    Serves 2       Ingredients   200g large-holed pasta or pasta shells    2 tablespoons olive oil    1 onion, finely diced    2–3 rashers bacon, chopped   60g butter   3 tablespoons plain flour    250mls milk   100mls vegetable stock   1 tablespoon mustard powder (or 1 big teaspoon wholegrain mustard)   1 bay leaf    ½ teaspoon sea salt and pepper    100g grated cheese — mix of aged Cheddar, Parmesan, Gruyère, crumbled blue or whatever you please    1 cup spinach leaves, chopped (optional)   1 cup corn kernels, freshly cut from the cob    Breadcrumbs + extra grated Cheddar and Parmesan for the crunchy top       Method   Preheat the oven to 170°C.   Cook the pasta in large pot of well-salted boiling water until al dente. Once cooked, drain and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.    Heat oil in a saucepan and sauté onion until soft. Add bacon and fry for 3–4 minutes. Remove and set aside.   Make the cheese sauce in the same pan (I don’t bother with washing it) by melting the butter then stirring in the flour, mixing to a paste. Add half the milk, mustard, bay leaf, salt and pepper, and stir while it comes up to heat and thickens.    Pour in the remaining milk and the stock and cook for 10 minutes, stirring to a smooth sauce.   Whisk in enough pasta water until you have a pouring cream consistency, not a thick béchamel.   Stir in cheeses and heat until they melt into the sauce. Stir in spinach and corn kernels.    In a medium-sized ovenproof dish, mix together the cooked pasta, onion, bacon and cheese sauce until well combined. Sprinkle over breadcrumbs and extra cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes until the topping is golden and crunchy.      LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marty Supreme  Marty Mauser, a wily hustler with a dream no one respects, goes to hell and back in pursuit of greatness.     The Rip  Finding a secret stash of millions wages internal conflict for a group of Miami officers, pushing trust, loyalty and self-preservation into sharp and dangerous focus.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s less than a month to my son’s first birthday and whenever anyone asks me about my experience of becoming a father, I feel like I have nothing new to offer tens of thousands of years of established observations and discourse.   “I just feel,” I say.   “Like all the cliches are true. The intensity of the love. The joy. The exhaustion. It’s all true!”   But one of the things I’ve come to appreciate more is the difference between theory versus experience. There’s stuff I knew about parenting. I understood the theory. But it has taken experiencing it to properly get it, to appreciate it in my marrow.   Case in point: newborn babies almost never look very good. They’re always a bit squished or alien, a bit like a bald marsupial. And yet, when you’re a new parent, you’re sure that your baby is different. Perfect and symmetrical and gorgeous in every way.   I knew this before we had our son. I had observed the phenomenon in close friends. And yet when our boy arrived, I was convinced.   ‘He really is gorgeous. I know it’s a thing. I know new parents get new parent goggles. But this is different!’ I thought.   I look back now, and I’ve sobered up a bit. In the photos he looks like a newborn. It took experiencing that to properly get it.   I’d love this to be a funny little story but sadly it’s not. I just wanted to use the point to illustrate something else. Before having our boy, other parents told me how having a child changed they felt when they heard about accidents or tragedies affecting children in the news.   I could understand it, but I couldn’t understand it if you know what I mean.   This last year, I’ve really noticed the change – for someone who’s worked in news all his life, it’s quite something. This morning, I just cannot stop thinking of the poor families at Mt Maunganui, especially the parents of the young people who are still missing.   Could there be a more iconic Kiwi campground? A happier summer spot?   The response effort is ongoing. But the thought of those families enjoying a summer holiday and all of the joy that brings, the ice creams and the card games and the memories... and for that to end in a moment, in a freak accident, like this... it’s just hideous.   This really isn’t about me. It’s just to say that after Mt Maunganui, I couldn’t help but think a lot about my own boys and just imagine how awful these days and this waiting will have been for those poor families whose kids are missing. It’s another dimension to parenting I had to experience to fully understand.   I love my boys so intensely, but we all know there’s nothing any of us can do to fully protect anyone in this world. Some things are left up to chance and luck. And freak accidents happen. I just hope the poor families at the centre of this have every last bit of support that will possibly help them in any way. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Josh Emett is serving New Zealand up on a plate.   The Kiwi chef’s worked culinary magic in the restaurants of Gordon Ramsey, earning four Michelin Stars before returning home to establish iconic restaurants like Gilt Brasserie and The Oyster Inn.   There’s no doubt the world-renowned chef has played a role in shaping New Zealand’s modern dining scene.   But this year sees him in a very special role as Sail GP’s Culinary Collaborator – responsible for showcasing the country’s cuisine those descending on Auckland for the event.  Emett told Jack Tame he’s still in the scheming phase, but he’s working with a great catering company and they’re going to deliver some excellence.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Tucked away on the northwest tip of Ireland, Donegal has long been dubbed the nation’s “forgotten county.” No matter where you’re starting from, be it Dublin, Belfast, Shannon or Cork, tripping to Donegal is not a passing-through sort of experience, but a far-flung destination you’ve purposefully decided to visit.    "From rugged cliffs, towering sea stacks and quiet coves to charismatic heritage towns and whispers of the past crowning the landscape, wind-whipped County Donegal fast cast me under its spell." Read Mike's full article here.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ed Sheeran kicked off his Loop Tour last night in Auckland, and he had a few tricks up his sleeve.   With a 10 storey tall screen behind the stage and a bridge that allowed him to perform in the middle of Go Media Stadium, it was a new level of spectacle.   Chris Schulz was at the show last night, and he told Jack Tame Sheeran took it to levels he hadn’t seen before.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Last Encore by Rebecca Heath   A remote island.   It's been eighteen years since the accidental explosion that killed The Cedrics Band lead singer Jonny Rake, and a special documentary is bringing the rest of the band back to play together for the first time.   With Jonny's daughter, Monet, stepping into her father's role, and a private island secured as the perfect reunion backdrop, it's set to be a special occasion. A reunion concert. But everyone remembers what happened on that fatal night differently, and as questions are asked about the band's rise and sudden tragic fall, not everyone likes the answers.   Old wounds reopen and tempers flare... Then a body is found. A killer on stage. They're trapped on the island together until help arrives, but that might be too late. Because Jonny's death wasn't an accident, and someone wants revenge.     Some Bright Nowhere by Ann Packer   Eliot and his wife Claire have been happily married for nearly four decades. They’ve raised two children in their sleepy Connecticut town and have weathered the inevitable ups and downs of a long life spent together. But eight years after Claire was diagnosed with cancer, the end is near, and it is time to gather loved ones and prepare for the inevitable.  Over the years of Claire’s illness, Eliot has willingly—lovingly—shifted into the role of caregiver, appreciating the intimacy and tenderness that comes with a role even more layered and complex than the one he performed as a devoted husband. But as he focuses on settling into what will be their last days and weeks together, Claire makes an unexpected request that leaves him reeling. In a moment, his carefully constructed world is shattered.  What if your partner’s dying wish broke your heart? How well do we know the deepest desires of those we love dearly? As Eliot is confronted with this profound turning point in his marriage and his life, he grapples with the man and husband he’s been, and with the great unknowns of Claire’s last days.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weddings are often The Event of a Lifetime, with the happy couple going all out to ensure they get the day of their dreams.  But this means weddings are often expensive and can be quite wasteful, with food, decor, and flowers often going to waste once the event is over.  So this wedding season, Kate Hall has a few tips on how you can make your special day a bit more sustainable.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 17 January 2026, world renowned Kiwi chef Josh Emett joins Jack in studio to talk about his very special role as Sail GP's culinary collaborator and shares his thoughts on New Zealand's incoming Michelin Star system.  Jack considers Razor's first mistake as All Blacks Coach.  Chef Nici Wickes shares a delicious summer dessert for one – Blackberry and Apple Galette.  Francesca Rudkin reviews the Oscar-tipped Shakespeare telling, Hamnet.  And sustainability expert Kate Hall gives tips on how to keep things low cost and environmentally friendly during wedding season.  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’re an absolute nuisance in summer, especially around the barbeque later in the day!  If you’ve been in Australia during the holidays, you may have been near the coast with ponds and rivers, inlets and wetlands. There you’ll find salt-marsh mosquito – nasty biters (that species was eradicated from NZ some decades ago – just as well, it transmits Ross River Virus).  In New Zealand we don’t have any capable vectors of malaria or dengue or Chikungunya or encephalitis – biosecurity is important!  Our mozzies live in stagnant water. In the garden, a tyre-swing collects water during rain and mozzie larvae will inhabit that tyre. Blocked guttering, ponds, troughs, buckets, stock hoof-prints, etc, as well.  We even have a native species (Salt Pool Mosquito) in saltwater pools near rocky shores: Northland, Goat Island Marine Reserve, Bay of Plenty, Kaikoura. They bite too, especially during the day.  The idea is to use repellent – frequently!  The girls need protein to produce eggs, and that comes in the form of blood – especially from mammals and birds. Just a drop… that’s all they need.  Personally, I think that our mosquitoes are great parts of our environment; not many people realise that they have good jobs to do:  Larvae (juvenile phase) go up and down in water – they breathe through a snorkel system in their bum (which can have serious drawbacks).  They eat bacterial soup and clean the water, really. They change skin, moulting a few times, turning into a comma-shaped pupa/chrysalis before hatching as an adult mosquito with wings and an attitude (females only - males drink nectar and pollinate).  Larvae clean the water and are food for whitebait, aquatic insects and a huge food chain that follows.  The adult, flying, mosquitoes feed native birds (fantails, etc), dragonflies, jumping spiders, and a whole cohort of useful predators!  And with that drop of blood, you sponsor a complete ecological system: tolerance, please!  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paddy Borthwick Pinot Gris 2025, Wairarapa   RRP $26.99   Pinot Gris’s perfect drinking window is from the day of release and usually around two years. With some wines it may be more.   This wine ticks all the boxes of freshness and vibrancy starting with a varietal and very fruity bouquet with a concentration of pear and apple flesh scents, then some white spice and white florals, some dandelion and white pepper. Medium weight with a satin-cream mouthfeel, flavours of white fleshed fruits touch the palate carried along with acidity and youthful freshness. Well-made with a lengthy leesy finish.      Food match:   Chicken, leek and sweet potato bake. This recipe also includes cream, Gouda cheese, and Dijon mustard. The dish has weight and intensity, creaminess and lots of touch points of flavours. The Paddy Gris offers the fruit contrast, has enough weight and an acid line to deliver a palate refreshing finish.   Option 2: If you are a fan of corn on the cob with lashings of butter and salt then a glass of Paddy B Gris is a delicious accompaniment.       The Vintage:   Overall, it was blessed vintage in the region with higher volumes compared to the previous four vintages. Plenty of ripe fruit with above average quality overall.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apple's smarter Siri will now be powered by Google   Apple has signed a multi-year deal worth billions for Google Gemini technology to bring the enhanced Siri to life.    It will be a custom model made for Apple and will run locally on Apple devices when it can, and when it needs the power of the cloud will run in Apple's private data centres.   Google and Apple have had a long relationship in which Google paid Apple billions to be the default search engine, and now they're returning the favour.   Apple hyped Apple Intelligence last year, but it never really launched with any real enhancements or intelligence, and the company was forced to pull back from their aggressive marketing pitch.      IKEA made a splash at the Consumer Electronics Show   They turned some of their most popular lamps 'smart', have an impressive array of smart bulbs, and have a range of accessories like buttons, switches, and plugs.   Later this year they'll be rolling out even more items, such as outdoor smart switches, premium speakers (they're circular and can be mounted on stand or attached to the wall), and a seriously cheap Bluetooth speaker (which will retail for $10 in the US).    They're using the 'Matter' framework for the smart home connectivity so it will play nice with devices from a range of vendors.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ricky Gervais: Mortality   Ricky Gervais tackles life, death and the state of the world in a brutally honest special that spares no topic, even his own mortality (Netflix).     His & Hers   Two estranged spouses, one a detective and the other a news reporter, vie to solve a murder in which each believes the other is a prime suspect (Netflix).    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A huge weight has been lifted off Kevin Milne’s shoulders.  For the last couple of years, he’s been running dangerously close to having his driver's licence suspended as a result of speeding.   While things are fine now, he did find that demerit points are far more effective in curbing dangerous driving and speeding than a simple fine.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hamnet  William Shakespeare and his wife, Agnes, celebrate the birth of their son, Hamnet. However, when tragedy strikes and Hamnet dies at a young age, it inspires Shakespeare to write his timeless masterpiece "Hamlet."    Anchor Me: The Don McGlashan Story  A documentary tribute to one of the nation's best loved songwriters, charting Don McGlashan's storied career from arty punk upstart to one of the strongest voices in the national identity of Aotearoa.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Blackberries are like summer’s jewels and are even more precious if you’re having to buy them! Make this little mini galette (small quantities of homemade pastry are quick to make and so gratifying) and you won’t be sorry.   Makes one 12–15cm tart     Ingredients  Pastry    2 tablespoons chilled butter   2 heaped tablespoons plain flour    ½ tablespoon sugar   3–4 tablespoons ice cold water    Filling    1 cup peeled and diced apple   ½ cup fresh blackberries    1 tablespoon sugar + extra for sprinkling   1 tablespoon flour   1 tablespoon vanilla extract   Juice and zest of ½ lemon    1 tablespoon butter   Milk for brushing   Whipped cream to serve      Method  To make the pastry, whizz the butter, flour, and sugar in your food processor, pulsing until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.   Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of the water and pulse again, adding more water as you need for it to come together and stay together when pinched between your fingers. Turn out, roll into a ball then flatten to a disc, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.    Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a tray with baking paper.   Toss fruit with sugar, flour, vanilla, juice and zest. Set aside.   Roll out the chilled pastry to a 22–24cm circle. Transfer to the lined tray.    Pile the fruit in the centre, leaving a 4–5cm rim free of fruit. Carefully fold up the sides, pleating and pinching them as you go.   Dot the fruit with the butter. Brush the edges with a little milk and sprinkle over some extra sugar.    Bake for 35–40 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the fruit is soft and bubbling.    Serve with ice cream and whipped cream.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’ve done my best to avoid the headlines over the last few weeks, but Scott Robertson being booted from the All Blacks snapped me back.   I feel for him. Just as I did for Ian Foster, last time around. These guys are in high profile jobs, coaching high performance athletes. All top coaches know it’s a perilous business. But to be cut after just two years in the job, and after a period of inconsistent and occasionally poor but not absolutely catastrophic results, will leave Razor and his keenest supporters forever wondering what might have been.   I don’t have any inside running on the review or the process that led David Kirk and NZ Rugby to swing the axe. But it occurs to me that one of Scott Robertson’s biggest errors was one of his first major decisions in the role, and I’ve been wondering to what extent it set the tone for his tenure.   June 24, 2024. The All Blacks were preparing for their mid-year tests against England and Fiji, and Scott Robertson named the man who would captain the All Blacks.   I was stunned when he made that announcement. I said as much on this show. Not because I don’t think Scott Barrett is an incredible rugby player. Not because I don’t think he’s an outstanding leader and he isn’t deserving of the All Blacks captaincy. But because for anyone with even a passing interest in the game and the team, there was a much more obvious candidate hiding in plain sight. Robertson said he had an established relationship with Barrett from their time at the Crusaders. Very well, but surely coaching the national team meant other factors should be prioritised? Surely getting the best was more important than sticking with what you know?! And surely winning the trust of the playing group begins with empowering their obvious leader?  Captaincy carries different responsibilities in different sports. In cricket, it’s a significant tactical burden. Every ball your team bowls, you’re theoretically making a decision. In football, netball, and rugby, a little less. You’re not setting fields or choosing bowlers. You have a game plan or a formation, but apart from the odd decision on penalties and a well-timed word to the ref, most of the game more or less happens in the moment. It puts a different kind of demand on leadership. One that is less overtly tactical, and focuses on the sort of person whose play, and behaviour will unite his teammates, inspire their play, and set a standard for the team.   And come on, I say this as a lifelong Canterbury fan, does anyone in this country think Ardie Savea isn’t that man? If you were picking 15 starting players for the All Blacks, in order of value to the team, there is surely not a single rugby fan who wouldn’t pick Ardie first, almost every time. If you were picking a World XV, he’s maybe the only current All Black who’d be a shoo-in. The man is an incredible physical force. He has a cool head. He’s tactically as good as anyone else. And above all, he oozes mana.   And the frustrating thing is, we can all see it. You can see it in the haka, or when he’s charging with those high knees or winning a turnover. You can see it in the way opposition plays like Siya Kolisi embrace him. You can see it when a side like Moana Pasifika goes from averaging 12th place in its first three seasons to finishing seventh under his leadership, with more points than the previous two season combined.   I think if we were to go back ten years, to the Whitelock-McCaw-Smith-Smith-Carter era, you could argue that our talent was so much better than in most other rugby playing nations, the captaincy perhaps didn’t matter as much. But now that the World has caught up, it beggars belief that Razor didn’t make Ardie Savea captain. That he didn’t see the leadership and esteem that was jumping out of the television. And what message did that send to the team?   I don’t know what happened. But maybe Scott Robertson’s mistake was that he thought by emulating his Crusaders setup as much as possible, he would replicate the success. But he needed to go further. He needed to take greater risks and forge new relationships. And I think that one decision had a huge, outsized impact. And now, having worked for so many years to win the job, just like that, Razor’s opportunity is gone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nearly a million people in New Zealand are currently receiving Superannuation, getting payments of between nearly $600 and just over $1000 every fortnight.   But in this cost of living crisis, how easy is it to survive on the pension?  Ed McKnight tried living on it for a week and came to a couple of conclusions around what it would be like to retire.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"A snapshot in time": Guy Sebastian discusses his creative process, latest album  Guy Sebastian is an Australasian icon with a career that’s nothing short of extraordinary.  From winning the first season of Australian Idol back in 2003, to carving out a place on the charts, to mentoring new talent as a coach on The Voice Australia – he's been in the spotlight for over two decades.  And now he’s embarking on a new chapter with the release of his tenth album ‘One Hundred Times Around The Sun’.  The album has taken Sebastian nearly five years to make, a much longer period than the typical six months to two years most artists these days create them in.  He told Jack Tame that in the early stages of his career, he felt pressure to create quickly.  “Don’t take longer than a year,” Sebastian explained. “Or you’ll disappear into obscurity.”  “Then there’s like, the pressure of doing the right thing by the fans, y’know, you don’t wanna make them wait too long.”   It’s a mentality that used to govern much of Sebastian’s process, but one that he’s managed to grow beyond.  “I just got to this point where like, I don’t want to release anything until I’m stoked with it,” he told Tame.  “I wanna love every song. I don’t want a filler on there, I want every song to be great.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Fit for a King": Nici Wickes' Lamington Cake  If you ever need to produce a celebration cake, this is it!     Serves 8-10     Ingredients:   Sponge cake    130g unsalted butter, softened   1 cup caster sugar   2 teaspoons vanilla extract    3 large eggs    2⅓ cups self-raising flour   1 pinch salt   1 cup milk      To decorate   1/3 cup raspberry jam, warmed slightly    1 ½ cup icing sugar    30g butter, softened    ½ cup raspberries (fresh or frozen, defrosted)    3-5 tablespoons, boiling water   1 ½ cups coconut thread   300mls cream, whipped with one tbsp icing sugar       Method:  Preheat the oven to 170 C fan bake. Grease two 20cm round cake tins and dust with flour. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until well beaten. Stir in the flour and salt then the milk and mix until just combined, being careful not to over-mix. Divide the batter between the cake tins, one third in one and two thirds in another. Bake for 25 minutes or until they spring back when gently pressed. The thicker one will likely need 5-7 minutes more cooking time. Leave to cool for 12-15 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut tops off each sponge to level them if necessary, then split the thicker one into two layers. Mix icing sugar, butter and half of the boiling water. Press the raspberries through a sieve to collect the juice and add this to the icing. Aim for a smooth, runny icing, adding more water or icing sugar as needed.  Pour out onto a shallow dinner plate. Sprinkle coconut onto another dinner plate. Roll the sides of each cake layer in the icing to get the cake sides evenly coated, then roll in the coconut to cover. To assemble, place one sponge layer on a serving plate. Spread with jam, then dollop on whipped cream. Top with second sponge layer and repeat with jam and cream. Top with the final sponge layer. Spread the top with icing then sprinkle over coconut. Chill for 30 minutes before ready to serve. Use a serrated knife to cut and enjoy!   Nici’s note:    Feel free to use two store-bought sponges if you want to save time.        LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ed McKnight has been working in personal finance for a fair few years and although he typically tries to be encouraging when giving advice, he does have some more brutal truths to tell.  He joined Jack Tame to offer up the three brutally honest pieces of money advice that most Kiwis will need to hear.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the end, it was just over an hour. Just over an hour between being asleep on the floor of Auckland hospital, to standing, bewildered under the delivery suite lights, helping to dress my newborn son. Mava had been induced on Sunday – the scans had suggested that all was ok but that our baby was small for his age. We spent an oddly serene day waiting for the induction medication to kick in. They give you a dose every two hours until you go into labour but sometimes it takes a few hours to work and sometimes it takes days. It was actually lovely, in a way. Mava and I both read for hours in-between the doses. We went for coffee and a stroll in the domain, Mava constantly assessing baby’s every shift and every hint of a contraction. My goodness, though, when it happened... it happened. Zero to one hundred. A blur.  I won’t labour you with all of the details but it’s become clear to me that there's a reason every parent has a birth story.  It was surreal. It just felt like a week’s worth of crazy experiences happened in the space of fifteen minutes. It was beautiful, wild, traumatic, thrilling... it was animal. All these things.  Mava was incredible. I felt so proud of her, and yet so helpless at the same time.  And weirdly through it all, I felt calm. I’m not bragging. I’m not saying calmness was a good response – honestly I was probably just a bit stunned – and it turned out our son was too when he came out. They hurried him off and chucked him on the oxygen and he regained his colour. I took my cues from our amazing midwife and the other hospital staff. She wasn’t freaking out too much and so I didn’t either.  The scans were right – our son was small for his gestational age. But he what lacked in size he made up for in his capacity to feed. There can be no doubt he has inherited my skin tone, my hair colour, and my appetite. This morning is the longest I’ve been away from him in his life, but at five days old I know him well enough to know that right now he is probably feeding.  Isn’t it incredible how instinct works? Out of the womb, almost blind, and yet he absolutely throws himself at the boob. Head back, mouth wide, latch! Who taught him that?!  A few random takeaways: 1) The placenta. Wow. That thing could feed a family of four.  2) We had three nights in hospital and a couple more in Birthcare afterwards. If our experience of the New Zealand healthcare system this week is anything to go by, it is being completely held together by migrant workers: Indians, Filipinos, Europeans, South Americans, Pasifika... they were fantastic. For all the justified concern over the health care system as a whole, we had a really positive experience and felt so grateful to the people working in what are often very tricky conditions.  3) Women's bodies, eh? To have the capacity to grow an entire human being, from his skinny little frog legs folded up at his belly, to his tiny little fingernails to the lightest fur on his pink little cheeks. To grow him, birth him, and then, having done it all, having done everything... to immediately switch to nourishing him day and night. What can I tell you about our son? He’s got his mum’s eyes. He sucks his thumb. His first music was the Koln Concert and he made sure to stay up to watch Will Young and Tom Latham  score centuries against Pakistan. His name will be finalised soon enough. When he’s bulked up a bit, he’s got a long list of visitors waiting to meet him, too.  After five nights away, yesterday I put our son in his carseat and drove him home. His older brother ran home from school and cuddled him on the couch. Through the madness and exhaustion of the week, running on caffeine, sugar, and love, we sat there together, a family. It was perfect.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s no more iconic a reality franchise than The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills – which is back for its 15th season. And there is perhaps no Housewife in history that has a heftier and more prestigious CV than that of Bozoma Saint John.  Boz joined the series last year off the back of a 20-year run as a marketing executive working with brands like Apple, Netflix, Uber and Pepsi and has been recognised by Forbes as the world’s #1 most influential CMO.  She quickly became a fan favourite for her ability to bring boardroom realness to the drama of the 90210.  She joins Jack Tame to chat about authenticity, watching herself on TV, and marketing.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a little kid, I always slept terribly on Christmas eve.  I’d try and go to bed early. I’d tell myself that the sooner I went to sleep, the sooner I’d wake on Christmas morning. But sure as anything I’d be up all night, listening for any sound of activity on the roof. Together with my three little brothers and sisters, we’d be desperate for mum and dad to throw open our bedroom doors at first light, and we’d scramble down to our spindly-and-slightly-off-centred Christmas tree to see if Dad’s old football socks had been attended to by Santa.  I suspect this Christmas eve will be another poor sleep. Not because I’ll be excitedly listening for the sound of shuffling reindeer on corrugated iron, but because it’s my first Christmas morning with our ten-month-old son. We’re taking both our boys to their cousins’ place. Five kids. Average age: four-and-a-half. Our eldest is already fizzing. Our baby will have absolutely no idea what’s going on but will sure as anything wake up a minimum of three times in the night to demand cuddles and a feed.  Christmas is a kind of touchstone for our family. Like many Kiwi families, it’s the one time of year when all of us (or at least as many of us as possible) are in one place at the same time. Weddings, funerals and Christmas are the only occasions we’re all together. And Christmas is the only regular date. As a child you never think of this stuff, but as you grow older you are gently confronted by the reality that for better or worse, the numbers in the room change.   The grandparents whom I shared Christmas day with as a little boy are no longer with us, no longer sitting on the couch, sipping their coffees and wryly commentating as the kids tear into the wrapping paper. Granny was a very active woman. Every Christmas morning after we’d stuffed ourselves with chocolates and junk, she’d lead a brisk stroll through the neighbourhood as we worked up an appetite for lunch. Dad and my grandad would stay at home and race through a cryptic crossword. Now it’s different. For the kids it’s more or less the same. All magic. A whirlwind. A blur. But for the rest of us, a new baby just reinforces our awareness of having stepped up a generation. Where once I was struggling to sleep through the night on Christmas Eve, now it’s my boys and their cousins. My parents have become the grandparents sitting on the couch, sipping their coffees, wryly commentating proceedings. My siblings have become the parents, the aunts and uncles. People who once were there, are not. New, excited little bodies have taken their place.   There’s sadness in it. But there’s something quite beautiful about it too, placing yourself in a generational context like that. It’s a circle of life thing. It’s funny that it comes at Christmas. Other cultures and religions probably have many more of these moments. But we’re a bit short on touchstone traditions. For me at least, Christmas is a short little window every year where the busy lives in my family are about as aligned as they’re going to be. It’s a touchstone where if you want to, you can step back and observe what’s changed in the family. My son’s first Christmas will mean seeing myself in a slightly different light… not as a kid, or a gift-giver, or someone setting stocking sunder the tree, but as a bridge between different generations of the same family, hoping the spirit of these traditions will continue for many years to come.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who doesn’t love a great roadie? Self-drive adventures rank highly in my pantheon of golden travel experiences and Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coast touring route is a show-stopper. Bookended by Derry~Londonderry and Belfast Lough, this sublime 185km drive threads together a stirring mosaic of fishing villages, secluded beaches, wondrous rock formations, rugged coastlines, crumbling castles, storied history and mouth-watering scenery. Pointing the car northeast from Derry~Londonderry, I began tracing the nooks and crannies of Northern Ireland’s theatrical coastline by stopping off at Mussenden Temple. Dramatically perched on a cliff lording over Downhill Beach, this flamboyant folly was constructed in 1785 - inspired by the Temple of Vesta, near Rome. This circular stone temple served as a library and retreat for the eccentric Earl of Bristol who was also the Bishop of Derry (Earl Bishop), along with enormous views over the Atlantic Ocean. The setting is lip-smacking, wrapped in glorious estate gardens which you can explore on the cliff-edge walk, along with the ruins of the Earl Bishop’s mansion, Downhill House. Fancy a beach layover? The neighbouring seaside resort towns of Portstewart and Portrush are blessed with sprawling blonde-sand beaches, backed my muscular limestone cliffs. Portrush is the bigger, brasher resort with an abundance of souvenir shops and amusement arcades like Curry’s Fun Park. There’s a faded glory feel to this seaside spot, exuding a retro appeal, in a similar vein to Blackpool or Bournemouth. But it’s those drop-dead-gorgeous beaches and turquoise waters that really steal the show. Liberally strung along the Causeway Coast, strategically located look-out points cater to roadtrippers eager to get snap-happy and drink in the panoramic views. Few spots command greater affection than the Dunluce Castle look-out. It’s a riveting perch to dreamily gaze across the crumbling castle ruins, clinging to the cliff, high above the churning ocean on a wind-walloped basalt outcrop. This medieval stronghold of the MacDonnell clan featured regularly on Game of Thrones. The MacDonnell Clan of Antrim still technically own it, even though the castle fell into disrepair 300 years ago. You can access it via the bridge which connects it to the mainland. Like many Irish castles, Dunluce has a fine bit of legend attached to it. It’s said that on a stormy night back in 1639, part of the castle’s kitchen fell into the icy water below. Apparently, only the kitchen boy survived, as he managed to tuck himself away in a safe corner of the room. If set-jetting is your bag, there’s a host of fantastical shooting locations for Thrones fans to scout out in Northern Ireland, around the Causeway Coast. Just inland in Ballymoney, I jaunted to The Dark Hedges. Falling victim to over-tourism, stringent traffic and parking restrictions are now in place. Go early in the morning to dodge the hordes. Nor did I see The Dark Hedges. Photo / Mike Yardley  The legendary ghost, the Grey Lady, a spectral figure said to drift silently between the ancient beech trees. This iconic avenue of gnarly, intertwined beech trees was planted in the 18th century by the Stuart family to create a grand entrance to their estate, Gracehill House. It’s an ethereal landscape which of course became globally famed after appearing as Kingsroad on Game of Thrones. Sadly, over a dozen of these trees have been lost in recent storms and a heritage trust has been formed to try and keep the remaining 80 trees alive, given they are reaching the end of their natural lives. Heading back to the ocean, the Causeway Coast earns its name from a primordial geological marvel that may well prove to be your road-tripping highlight. Yes, the Giant’s Causeway. Forged 60 million years ago when molten lava cooled quickly in the ocean water and contracted into crystallised basalt pillars, it is a head-spinning volcanic formation. The spectacle is compelling, a procession of 40,000 basalt hexagonal blocks and columns, reaching out into the ocean, like primal pistons thrusting out of the earth. You can take your chances and hop-scotch or clamber your way across these inter-locking formations, as crashing waves thunder in. The spectacle is best enjoyed at low-tide, revealing more and more of these basalt columns. Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. Photo / Mike Yardley I enjoyed a night in the charismatic village of Bushmills, just minutes from the Giant’s Causeway. Sip on a dram from the world’s oldest licensed distillery. Old Bushmills Distillery started manufacturing after a grant from King James 1 in 1608. Over 400 years later, they're still making single-malt whiskey here, using Irish barley and the unique water from their own stream too, spilling out of the River Bush which flows over basalt rock. Jamesons is the No.1 selling Irish whiskey. Like Jamesons, Bushmills is triple-distilled for smoothness, but distinctly individual in character. If you prefer gentle vanilla swe

Whilst many of us are decking the halls and merrily celebrating, spare a thought for those who suffer from Christougenniatikophobia. Literally translated from Greek means Christ-related-birth-fear i.e., a phobia of Christmas.  Is it a real phobia? Not really.  Dougal Sutherland of Umbrella Wellbeing talked to Jack Tame about the discomfort and anxiety that surrounds Christmas for some people.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 20 December. Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 'age-old' advice of property investment is to buy the best house on the worst street. The idea of the advice is that property values have a higher ceiling in nicer areas, so renovating the worst home could bring in some good money Ed McKnight of Opes Partners discusses with Jack Tame whether the advice stands in today's economic climate.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It has been the year of AI.. and it seems we're just getting started  OpenAI is on track to hit $13B of 2025 revenue, up from $4B in 2024, according to The Information. It's looking at annualized revenue now of up to $19B.  But, Merriam Webster has named 'slop' as the word of the year - the dangerous byproduct of AI use.  Slop is "digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence". You start to see it on Reddit, emails, documents.. it's now just so easy to create 'text' that it can appear in abundance - which isn't always ideal.    Passkeys are starting to have their moment too  The new alternative to passwords which verify the website you're trying to log into before actually sending any information to them. They're great because they eliminate phishing attacks, but.. they are a little tricky because unless they're shared to a password manager, they're stuck on that single device. So if you can't access that device, or it's destroyed, stolen etc, then you can't login. So, you need to make sure that 1) you sync them to a trusted manager like 1Password or a built in password manager like in Microsoft Edge and 2) that you have a recovery method, like a recovery email, set up on the account.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Song Sung Blue  Starring Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman. Two down-on-their-luck performers form a Neil Diamond tribute band, proving it's never too late to find love and follow your dreams.  In cinemas January 1st.   My Brother’s Band   French film. Conductor Thibaut discovers he has leukaemia and needs a bone marrow donor. Learning of his adoption, he finds an older brother who works in a factory. Their reunion leads to a musical journey as the town faces a factory closure.  In cinemas December 26th. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you think of the most meaningful song of all time, what comes to mind? For Kevin Milne it's Silent Night. Jack Tame and Milne reflect on the significance of Christmas music.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alan Davies is known for his natural, relatable storytelling skills across the page, the stage, and the screen.  The comedian is a staple of British television, with roles on the long-running ‘Jonathan Creek’ and popular comedy panel show ‘QI’.   It’s been more than a decade since Davies last did a stand-up tour, but he’s happy to report it’s going well.  “It had been so long that it was feeling, beginning to feel like a gamble,” he told Jack Tame.  “I spent some time unpacking stuff from my childhood, doing a, writing about it, and that process took a while and changed a lot of how I viewed myself, and what I wanted to do, and what I wanted to say.  This show, ‘Think Ahead’, was created at around the same time Davies was writing another volume of his memoir ‘White Male Stand-Up', which deals with issues from Davies’ childhood, career, and his adult life.  “And I’ve got to a place now where I think the show’s really quite sort of, it’s a bit richer and deeper, and better than stuff I’ve done before,” he explained.  “I’m really sort of proud of it.”  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been a bit of an odd year in the music space.  With the rise of AI music, musicians pulling their work off Spotify in protest of the company and CEO, rising ticket prices, and tours cutting off before they hit New Zealand, it’s been rough for some fans.   Chris Schulz joined Jack Tame to delve into some of the worst things about being a music fan in 2025.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Quantum of Menace by Vaseem Kahn   Q is out of MI6 . . . . . . and in over his head  After Major Boothroyd (aka Q) is unexpectedly ousted from his role with British Intelligence developing technologies for MI6's 00 agents, he finds himself back in his sleepy hometown of Wickstone-on-Water. His childhood friend, renowned quantum computer scientist Peter Napier, has died in mysterious circumstances, leaving behind a cryptic note. The police seem uninterested, but Q feels compelled to investigate and soon discovers that Napier's ground-breaking work may have attracted sinister forces... Can Q decode the truth behind Napier's death, even as danger closes in?     The Hawk is Dead by Peter James   Roy Grace never dreamed a murder investigation would take him deep into Buckingham Palace . . .  Her Majesty, Queen Camilla, is aboard the Royal Train heading to a charity event in Sussex when disaster strikes - the train is derailed.  A tragic accident or a planned attack?  When, minutes later, a trusted aide is shot dead by a sniper, the police have their answer.  Despite all the evidence, Roy Grace is not convinced The Queen was the intended target. But he finds himself alone in his suspicions.  Fighting against the scepticism of his colleagues and the Palace itself, Grace pursues his own investigation. But when there is a second murder, the stakes rise even higher, and Grace is at risk of being embroiled in a very public catastrophe - and in mortal danger.  Failure at this level is not an option. But time is running out before a killer in the Palace will strike again . . .    LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.