The best NZME podcasts to listen to this long weekend

This weekend sees Aotearoa enjoy it's first new public holiday in some years - our first official celebration of Matariki, which marks the start of the Māori new year.

If you are looking for something to do this weekend, NZME has a wide range of podcasts to keep you busy, entertained and informed as we take the weekend to reflect.

You can even learn te reo, thanks to the NZ Herald's Up to Speed podcast with Stacey Morrison. These 10 bingeable episodes are the perfect place to start your journey with te reo.

The Front Page host Damien Venuto. Photo / Michael Craig

News

Following up on the news during the week can be a tiring endeavour when there's dozens, if not hundreds, of stories, events and op-eds to digest every single day. So the long weekend is a good time to catch up on the biggest events in recent weeks.

The Front Page is the New Zealand Herald's new daily news podcast - hosted by Damien Venuto, tune in every weekday morning as a new 15-minute episode drops, going behind the headlines on one of the biggest stories of the day. Whether it's political infighting, contentious Hollywood franchises, or the who's who in some of the biggest elections of the moment, there's something for all.

For younger audiences, In the Loop, hosted by Katie Harris and Cheree Kinnear, is your weekly news recap focusing on the stories that matter most to young New Zealanders. And for political aficionados, On the Tiles with senior Herald reporter Thomas Coughlan talks with the biggest names in politics, and gets expert analysis straight from the Press Gallery.

Rebecca Blithe and Jenni Mortimer, the hosts of the Herald's One Day You'll Thank Me podcast. Photo / NZ Herald

Lifestyle

There are several brand new series across NZME that you can dive into this weekend. Coast's Toni Street recently debuted her series,

We Need to Talk

. Focusing on wellness, each episode will feature a new guest chosen by Toni, as she opens up the conversation to those who may have done things a little differently in their life to help match their wellness goals.

For parents old and new out there, the Herald has the perfect pod for you. One Day You'll Thank Me sees hosts and new mums Jenni Mortimer and Rebecca Blithe discuss the issues affecting parents and kids in modern-day Aotearoa, from fertility concerns to how much TV your kids should be watching, with insight and advice from experts and other Kiwi parents.

The more fashionable out there will love Viva Talks, the podcast companion to the beloved fashion magazine. Each week sees Viva's top writers discussing all the latest trends across fashion, beauty and pop culture, with the expert insight you need to stay on top of things this winter.

And Kick Uncut from iHeartRadio is back for another season, looking at biggest stories affecting young people in Aotearoa.

ZM's Fletch, Vaughan and Hayley has one of the country's top podcast. Photo / Facebook

Entertainment

NZME has plenty to entertain you whatever tickles your funny bone.

NZ Herald's Billy T' Billy podcast goes behind the punchlines to talk about the local comedy scene through the lens of the prestigious Billy T Awards. This year's nominees for the awards – Brynley Stent, James Mustapic, Lana Walters and Josh Davies – sat down for an open chat with former winners – Angella Dravid, Guy Montgomery, Rhys Mathewson and David Correos – to talk about everything from going to jail, making headlines in small Australian towns, doing stand-up while pregnant and the worst gigs they've ever done.

Drag Race fans, you can't go past Kita and Anita's Happy Hour, reuniting the local stars of Drag Race: Down Under to chat hilariously about the biggest stories of the week and chat with special guests. Speaking of guests, beloved chef Ganesh Raj chats with a range of local celebrities in his podcast, The Humble Yum Yum, discussing their journeys through the lens of food.

New release LIVENDIRECT, hosted by Keith Turner, Mike Snell and Lulu, looks to inspire, encourage and to enhance mental health as they break down iconic tracks, lyrics and moments in their guest's career. It's a must-listen for any music fans out here.

And this next podcast will make you laugh as often as it makes you cry - Straight Up sees newsreader Niva Retimanu and Olympian Beatrice Faumuina chat with notable New Zealanders about their stories, adversity and resilience. Bring a pack of tissues but be prepared to howl with laughter as well!

And a long weekend's the perfect time to catch up on NZME's breakfast radio shows. Whether you're a fan of Matt and Jerry, Jono and Ben, or Fletch, Vaughan and Hayley, all the radio catch-up shows

Nicola Cruickshank, who features in Chasing Ghosts, near the place where she last saw her toddler in 1992. Photo / Mike Scott

Crime

True-crime is all the rage in podcasting around the world, but there are plenty of local cases you can sink your teeth into. A Moment in Crime is hosted by NZ Herald senior crime journalist Anna Leask, and each episode sees her unpack an infamous case from New Zealand's past. Whether it's one we're all familiar with, such as the Bain family murders or the ongoing situation at Gloriavale, to ones that have slipped through the cracks – the most recent episode digs into the cold case of Claire Hills, who was murdered in Auckland in 1998 – Leask's knowledge of each case provides fresh insight and digs through all the facts to get a clear picture of what happened.

For a deep dive into specific cases, our Chasing Ghosts series provides an in-depth look at two notorious cases from New Zealand's past: the original Chasing Ghosts, also hosted by Leask, explores the disappearance of Amber-Lee Cruickshank in 1992. The follow-up, Murder in the Sounds, takes a fresh look at the 1999 murders of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope, with NZ Herald journalists Carolyne Meng-Yee and Jared Savage speaking with dozens of key figures related to the infamous case.

Ahmed Zaoui after his release from Mt Eden Prison in December 2004. Photo / Nigel Marple.

Our most recent episodic investigation is Enemy of the State: The Ahmed Zaoui File. In 2002, Ahmed Zaoui arrived in New Zealand on a false passport after fleeing from Algeria. His subsequent arrest and declaration of being a terrorist sparked a five-year legal battle to clear his name. Journalist John Keir sits down with all the key players in the case – including Zaoui and his legal team – to get their side of the story from beginning to end, and details the lengths his lawyer Deborah Manning went to get Zaoui freed.

Finally, in The 50 Year Secret, journalist Melissa Nightingale explores the unsolved murder of Jennifer Beard, who was killed on New Year's Eve 1969 – and uncovers a secret confession that finally shone a light on who killed her.

Adventurer Børge Ousland reaches the Ross Sea on the first Solo crossing of Antarctica. Photo / Antarctica NZ

Travel

As the travel industry slowly returns to normal - with vaccinated Kiwis now able to dart around the world without isolating when they come home - why not pick up some travel tips courtesy of Trip Notes, the NZ Herald's travel podcast. Our award-winning Travel team and a plethora of special guests have all the stories and advice you'll ever need to prep for your next adventure.

And for the more adventurous out there, the Herald miniseries Detour: Antarctica could inspire a trip down south! Hosted by Thomas Bywater, this series explores seven mysteries from the frozen continent, ranging from archaeological fraud to New Zealand's hidden nuclear secret!

The All Blacks huddle ahead of the International Test Match between the New Zealand All Blacks and Fiji at FMG Stadium Waikato. Photo / Photosport

Sport

Some sports may be taking the long weekend off as well, but you can act like you're in the thick of it at Eden Park with our bevy of sports podcasts.

Rugby fans can still keep up to date with Rugby Direct. Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Elliott Smith and NZ Herald writer Liam Napier gives the lowdown every week on all the latest news in the world of rugby union from the international side down, reviewing recent matches and previewing what's coming next, as well as speaking with the boys in black and other key figures from the world in rugby.

And on the cricket side, legendary Newstalk ZB commentators Bryan Waddle and Jeremy Coney have teamed up for On the Front Foot, a weekly discussion of all the latest news in the world of cricket, looking locally and internationally. The experience the two allows for a look back at iconic moments from cricketing past.

If you want to go in depth, rugby fans can enjoy former Radio Sport host Daniel McHardy's A Captain's Cup, where he talks with every Rugby World Cup-winning captain from John Kirk through to Richie McCaw, while sailing fans can enjoy The Superior Sailor Series from this year's America's Cup, where key figures in the sailing world sat down with Newstalk ZB's D'Arcy Waldegrave to discuss life on the water.

For a lighter take on sports, the Alternative Commentary Collective is no longer just about cricket – there are a raft of podcasts you can choose from taking a very different look on a range of sports.

Cooking the Books has you sorted for financial advice! Photo / Getty

Business

Anyone who could use the spare time a few weeks indoors provides to sort out their finances, Cooking the Books is the podcast for you. Over the last several years, NZ Herald journalist Frances Cook has covered almost every issue involving finances you could think of – from wills to house ownership to finding the right KiwiSaver scheme for you. If you need some specific tips on getting your investments right - or even understanding the stock market - our fortnightly series, Continuous Disclosure, is your place to go.

If you want to know how some of New Zealand's most iconic companies started up, the Newstalk ZB podcast HP Business Class chats with a number of the country's most notable names in business to get the inside story on how they went from humble beginnings to ruling the stock exchange.

And for a lighter take on finances, Money Talks sees NZ Herald business editor-at-large Liam Dann sit down with prominent Kiwis, including politicians, radio hosts and comedians, to get their life story through the lens of their financial journey.

All NZME podcasts are available on iHeartRadio, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts