Advertise on podcast: Real Life With John Cowan

Known to many as the award-winning NZ TV Awards Television Personality of the Year and the beloved, straight-shooting nurse Selina To'a on Shortland Street, Bella is also one of Aotearoa’s most soulful, powerhouse musical voices. From sharing the stage with international legends to capturing Kiwi hearts on screen, she brings an unmatched warmth, honesty, and energy to everything she does. This Sunday, she sits down with John Cowan for an intimate, unscripted look at the real person behind the talent. Bella opens up about her childhood, her creative journey, navigating grief, and the values and faith that keep her grounded. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He was the man who put the "pace" in New Zealand paceman. At his peak, Shane Bond was terrifyingly fast, clocking a blistering 156.4 km/h at the 2003 World Cup and dismantling the world’s best batsmen. Widely regarded as our greatest fast bowler since Sir Richard Hadlee, Shane’s career was a thrilling rollercoaster of immense triumph and devastating, career-threatening injuries. But his story is much more than just cricket statistics, it's a masterclass in resilience. From patrolling the streets as a Christchurch police officer to winning IPL titles on the global coaching circuit, Shane has constantly had to reinvent himself when life threw a change of pace. This Sunday, he joins John Cowan to chat about the mental grit it takes to rebuild from physical ruin, the pressures of elite sport, and what happens when you have to find a new purpose after the childhood dream ends. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before scaling the world's most unforgiving peaks—from Antarctica to the Andes and the Himalayas—Sir Graeme was a "painfully shy" child growing up in Gisborne who was afraid of everything. His life transformed when he discovered the outdoors, leading to historic feats like the first-ever winter traverse of the Southern Alps in 1971. But his greatest legacy isn't written in the snow. Spurred by a challenge to "do good for others", Sir Graeme co-founded the Outdoor Pursuits Centre (now Hillary Outdoors) and established the Graeme Dingle Foundation, which has empowered over 400,000 young Kiwis over the last 30 years. Recently awarded the prestigious global Order of Magellan for his lifetime achievements in exploration and youth advocacy, Sir Graeme joins John for an unscripted look at his extraordinary life, his worldview, and his latest mission to "move mountains" for the next generation of New Zealanders. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Sunday on Real Life with John Cowan, anything goes as we welcome one of New Zealand's most authentic, straight-talking leaders: Hon Shane Jones. The New Zealand First Deputy Leader is joining John for a completely live and unscripted conversation. Known for his common-sense values, love for our regional communities, and refreshing refusal to stick to a political script, this is your chance to hear the real man behind the headlines. John Cowan will dive straight into a genuine, spontaneous chat about faith, family, and what truly shapes Shane's worldview. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Known to Kiwi audiences as the co-host of TVNZ’s Eat Well for Less NZ and Cooks on Fire, Ganesh brings a wealth of energy, humor, and heart to everything he does. Join us as he opens up about his journey, his passion for empowering people through food, and the values that drive him. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Real Life, John Cowan sits down with one of the most powerful minds in space exploration: NASA’s Head of Science, Dr Nicola Fox. As the Associate Administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Dr Fox oversees a massive portfolio of roughly 100 interstellar missions. From exploring the profound origins of the universe to steering the scientific direction of the upcoming Artemis moon missions. A world-renowned physicist and engineer, she previously made history leading the Parker Solar Probe mission, humanity's daring first journey to "touch" the Sun. Behind her extraordinary career is a journey marked by immense perseverance. After tragically losing her husband suddenly in 2010, Dr Fox continued to break barriers in the male-dominated field of heliophysics, raising her two young children while driving some of mankind's greatest cosmic discoveries. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the ACT Party, David Seymour was first elected to Parliament as the MP for Epsom in 2014. He also holds Associate Minister portfolios across Education, Health, Finance, and Justice.Raised in Whangārei with a background in engineering and philosophy, David brings a unique blend of practical problem-solving and big-picture ideas to everything he does. Whether he’s debating policy in Parliament, pushing for regulatory reform, or stepping into the public eye beyond politics (like his infamous turn on Dancing with the Stars), David is known for his sharp wit and candid style. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris serves as the Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition. Born in the Hutt Valley, he completed a Bachelor of Arts in political science and criminology at Victoria University of Wellington. Before entering politics, he worked as a policy advisor for the Industry Training Federation and a training manager for Todd Energy, as well as serving as a parliamentary advisor to Trevor Mallard and Helen Clark. He became the leader of the Labour Party in January 2023 and has served as Leader of the Opposition since November 2023. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Samantha is a powerhouse of New Zealand arts and culture, whose work has shaped the careers of generations of Kiwi performers. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of the legendary Massive Theatre Company—which originally kicked off in 1991 as the Maidment Youth Theatre. For over three decades, she has been a tireless champion for our rangatahi (youth), creating a free, accessible launching pad for raw, homegrown storytelling. An MNZM recipient, an award-winning director, and even a former director on Shortland Street, her impact on our creative landscape is monumental. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Graci Kim is the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of the Gifted Clans series, and her new #1 bestselling Slinger series. Her books are published around the world, have been translated into multiple languages, and have been optioned for film and television. Inspired by Korean mythology and culture, Graci weaves stories full of adventure, hope, and magic. She is also a sought-after public speaker, having inspired many audiences across the world, whether on the TEDx stage, in schools, for corporates, or on international festival stages. In a previous life, Graci was a New Zealand diplomat, a cooking show host, and once ran a business that turned drawings into cuddly toys. A proud Korean Kiwi, she now lives in New Zealand with her husband and daughter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah is an award-winning blogger and professional gardening writer based in Waiuku. She is the author of the bestselling gardening books such as, The Good Life: Four Seasons in my Country Garden, branded by Yates and published by Harper Collins in 2013. Also author of Play in the Garden, published by New Holland Publishing, and rated by The Listener Magazine as one of the 'top fifty children's books of 2014’. Her latest publication is Growing Vegetables: A Simple Guide for New Zealand Gardeners. Sarah is a regular gardening contributor for the NZ Herald, Yates Brand Ambassador, motivator and moderator of The Yates Vegie Growing Challenge, and has featured on various TV shows including Seven Sharp, Get Growing and Cook the Books. Sarah is a passionate home gardener, growing all the vegetables for the family on a rural lifestyle block. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marama Davidson is the Co-leader of the Green Party and a List MP based in South Auckland. Born in Auckland, she spent her childhood living in several parts of Aotearoa before settling in Whirinaki in Hokianga, where she developed a strong connection to her Māori heritage. Of Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Tahinga descent, she was raised in a family of Māori activists and remains committed to improving outcomes for communities, particularly for Māori, by working alongside grassroots leaders. Before entering Parliament, Marama spent 10 years at the Human Rights Commission and served as Chief Panelist for the Glenn Inquiry into Domestic Violence and Child Abuse, shaping her focus on preventing family and sexual violence. She later became New Zealand's first Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence and Sexual Violence and also served as Associate Minister for Housing with responsibility for addressing homelessness, including a focus on young people experiencing homelessness. A long-time Manurewa resident, Marama and her husband have six children and two mokopuna. She continues to advocate for social and environmental justice, drawing inspiration from her whānau and her belief that the wellbeing of communities depends on the wellbeing of the natural world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former McGillicuddy Serious leader Graeme Cairns now divides his time between penny farthings, medical training and street theatre, and his latest endeavour, "doing pennants," features a bicycle-powered sewing machine. Graeme founded the McGillicuddy Serious Party - to contest the 1984 election with its campaign plank of the Great Leap Backwards. It predicted upheaval, chaos and the breakdown of society as we know it and a plan to insulate New Zealand from the worst excesses of the future.  Despite a defence policy of removing New Zealand from all world maps, its political ambitions came to nought, and Graeme threw in the towel in 2000. Now known as the ‘Laird of Hamilton’, he is also a musician, a founding member of the Big Muffin Serious Band and an actor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Angus Gillies is the author of the so-called Ruatoria Killings series of non-fiction investigations. He has worked as a journalist and producer at TV3 for 20 years, and has written biographies of Matthew Ridge, Adam Parore, Justin Marshall and John Rowles. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Monday, news broke that beloved Kiwi actor Sir Sam Neill had died at the age of 78, after his family issued a statement online.  In 2016, he spoke to Real Life with John Cowan on Newstalk ZB after the release of the iconic Kiwi film, Hunt for the Wilderpeople.  Neill spoke to Cowan about overcoming a childhood stutter, his love for Otago, what inspired his move into winemaking, and a key mentor who helped build his acting career.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.