Sunday Morning for Sunday 23 March 2025

8.10 Can Liam Lawson deliver at the Chinese Grand Prix? 

Following last weekend’s disappointing performance at the Formula One 2025 season opening race in Melbourne, driver Liam Lawson is looking to prove his mettle at the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday evening. 

Motorsport expert and former McLaren F1 team member Bob McMurray joins Jim to chat about the pressure Lawson is facing from the Red Bull team and what his chances are on the Shanghai leg of the circuit. 

8:20 The Sunday Morning Quiz with Jack Waley-Cohen   

Quiz master Jack Waley-Cohen is back with his Sunday Morning question.    

Jack is the mind behind the questions on BBC's infamous quiz show Only Connect, known for being both really hard - and at the same time totally obvious.    

Wake up your brain and have a go! 

8:30 Ali Hill: The Nutrition Edition 

Dr Ali Hill from Otago University's Department of Human Nutrition is back with us on Sunday Morning. This week we talk air fryers, kosher salt and whole-wheat bread. 

8:40 Where have all the monarch butterflies gone? 

If you noticed a lack of orange and black wings fluttering through your backyard this summer, it’s not just you. The distinctive and much-loved monarch butterfly has had a noticeable drop in its population across New Zealand and Australia in recent years. 

Jacqui Knight from Moths and Butterflies of New Zealand Trust joins Jim to discuss what might be causing the declining numbers and what could be done about it. 

9:10 Mediawatch 

A Kiwi who has lifted the lid on Facebook was gagged before could talk to RNZ. Why? And what did she say in other interviews before Meta called its lawyers? Also: news publishers’ ownership in play – and the state of lifestyle journalism. It’s being squeezed by our cash-strapped media, but RNZ’s boosting it and the country’s oldest magazine is shifting its focus.   

9:40 My Latest Track: The Warratahs 

One of New Zealand’s favourite bands, The Warratahs has released their first single for 2025. 'Little Victories' was written by the band’s co-founder and lead singer Barry Saunders, He joins Jim to discuss how the latest release reflects on keeping life simple. 

9:50 Auckland’s iconic speedway to close after 96 years 

After 96 years as Auckland’s roaring centerpiece, the iconic Western Springs Speedway is set to close following its last meeting this weekend.  

The highly controversial decision to evict the speedway and relocate the club south to Waikaraka Speedway was made under vote by the Auckland Council late last year. Meanwhile a new football stadium has been proposed for the grounds. 

Albany Ward councillor John Watson is a vocal supporter of the speedway and has been rallying against what he calls an “engineered eviction”. He joins Jim to discuss. 

10:10 Dichen Lachman: The mind-bending Severance Season 2 finale

As the Season 2 finale of the American science fiction psychological thriller Severance drops this weekend, we catch up with Australian actress, Dichen Lachman who plays Gemma aka Ms Casey. 

Severance has taken the TV-watching world by storm with Apple TV+ claiming the dystopian drama is its most watched show ever. 

Dichen chats to Jim about life on set and probes the possibility of a third season. 

10:30 Adam Kay – On Tour 

Former NHS doctor and best-selling author Adam Kay is returning to New Zealand with his show This Is Going to Hurt Live. 

His book, This is Going to Hurt has sold more than 3 million copies and was adapted into a BAFTA-winning comedy-drama series for the BBC. 

He joins Jim to talk about the current state of the NHS, the countries that treat their doctors well and whether he’ll return to medicine.  

11:10 Best Song Eva: Rebecca Gibney  

New Zealand actor Rebecca Gibney is a familiar face on our screens. She is about to appear in a new comedy series Happiness.  Rebecca is with Jim to talk about the show and her pick for ‘best song eva’. 

11:30 Putting relaxation techniques to the test 

Riddled with anxiety and regularly waking in the middle of the night, journalist Jack Rear knew he was stressed - but none of the usual stuff was helping. So Rear, who is a writer for British publication The Telegraph, decided to experiment with some relaxation techniques. 

After doing some research and designing a scoring system, Rear embarked on several de-stressing exercises – from sheep cuddling to cold water swimming. He joins Jim to discuss what he discovered. 

11:45 The 67-year-old making industrial techno beats

Retiree Nick Hayes is known online as The Last DJ. Having only started producing music a few years ago, the Yorkshire-resident and former brake pad salesman has become an internet phenomenon with his tough techno and industrial dance tracks. He gets a big response from all over the world for his music, and his approach to life.