Features

English comedian and actor Catherine Tate is bringing her live show to New Zealand later this year. She tells Kathryn Ryan that, as a thrill-seeker,  she doesn't like being relaxed on stage. Audio

Video producer Lucy Zee had her school lunch thrown out and was called an "Asian prostitute" as a schoolgirl in Waihi. She talks to Wallace Chapman about going back there to make the video Growing up Chinese in a small town. Audio

Equestrian Andrew Nicholson talks about his Queens Birthday Honour, our rugby experts discuss the All Blacks first test against France and Mike Hesson decides six years is enough as Black Caps coach. Audio

Talk of New Zealand's 'king' of the blues Midge Marsden retiring after 50 years in the business and playing thousands of concerts around the country is just a little premature. Video, Audio

Thelonious Monk was a musical genius set back by mental health problems, according to composer John Beasley. The big band MONK'estra will get experimental with Monk's off-beat tunes at this year's Wellington Jazz Festival. Video, Audio

Some of us like to stroll along and smell the roses, others march briskly to their destination, but a  new study says those who report faster walking have lower risk of premature death. Audio

Pitcairn islanders are hoping an historic naval gun believed to be from the famous HMS Bounty will be returned to their island.

The genre of jazz spreads far and wide, and Norman Meehan says there’s something for everyone, covering everything from the mainstream to the fringes and edges. Video, Audio

Johann Sebastian Bach wrote "music of the utmost humanity", says NZ pianist Michael Houstoun. He performs a selection of the German composer's Preludes and Fugues.

Wellington buskers-turned-Spotify darlings Drax Project yesterday embarked the tour of a lifetime: supporting the most streamed solo female artist of all time – Camila Cabello, on her string of sold-out European shows. Video, Audio

Umar Zakaria and Anita Schwabe were recognised at the New Zealand Jazz Awards this week.

You can now identify New Zealand's native shrubs, ferns and trees on the go thanks to a free app developed by AUT's School of Science.  Audio

Nick's in a swinging frame of mind with Oscar Peterson, Geri Allen, and Joey DeFrancesco plus tracks from the Rodger Fox Big Band’s new album. Audio

There is a danger New Zealand aid to the Pacific could be given with the aim of countering China's influence in the region, an academic says. Audio

A six-week course of short, high-intensity exercise sessions has been shown to improve the cognitive abilities of 7 to 13-year-old Kiwi kids. Now psychologists have developed a brain training computer game to go with the physical training. Audio

The hosts of The Spinoff podcast On The Rag join Melody Thomas for a frank conversation about sexual awakenings, crushing on The Grinch and what NOT to do with cayenne pepper. Audio

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) hopes blockchain technology will let consumers know if the tuna they’re eating has been caught ethically. Video, Audio

Dethroned boxing world champion Joseph Parker will begin his bid to return to the top of the sport, with a fight against English boxer, Dillian Whyte, in London next month.

Since the 1980s, EFTPOS and ATMs have changed not only the way we bank, but arguably the way we live, writes Justin Gregory for Eyewitness. Audio

While many people now love to hate the idea of processed food, the ability to change the nature of food is what's kept our species thriving, says a science writer. Audio

On The Mixtape, jazz drummer Myele Manzanza (ex-Electric Wire Hustle) shares some of the tracks that have inspired his sound. Video, Audio

Fiji's chief climate negotiator is defending the record of his country's presidency at the current global climate round, the COP23.

AgResearch's Animal Welfare Team are trying to better understand the emotional lives of goats. Audio

Weightlifting Fiji says the decision by lifters from Levuka to boycott the Oceania Championships has taken them by complete surprise.