Nights for Friday 25 July 2025

8:10 Hulk Hogan dead at 71 — what will his legacy be? 

Hulk Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, has died aged 71 in Florida. 

The Hulkster transcended professional wrestling to become a global sensation in the 1980s and 90s, and had famous feuds with Andre The Giant, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, The Rock, and Vince McMahon. Later, Hogan starred in a reality TV show Hogan Knows Best alongside his family, and he then threw his weight behind Donald Trump's MAGA cause whilst becoming embroiled in legal cases.

Sharon Mazer has written numerous books about wrestling, including the wonderfully named Steel Chair to the Head: The Pleasure and Pain of Professional Wrestling, and is also a researcher at Auckland University of Technology.

She discusses Hogan's complicated legacy with Emile Donovan. 

8:20 This Weekend: Offal-y Good Festival

Every Friday we like to take a look at some of the good stuff you lot are cooking up for the weekend ahead.

On Saturday, a festival is celebrating offal. Offal-y Good Festival has been organised by Chow Luck Club Foodie Market, in St Johns, Auckland. Festival goers can try offal from different cultures — including Isaw (Filipino-style skewered pig intestines) or Bangkok's famous Thai Boat Noodles loaded with heaps of the stuff.  

Lincoln Tan, who runs Chow Luck Club alongside Bee Koh, speaks to Emile. 

Offal-y Good Festival, Chow Luck Club Foodie Market
ParkCity, 261 Morrin Road, St Johns, Auckland
Saturday 26 July, 10am-3pm

8:30 The Quiz Appendix

Nights producer Bonnie Harrison joins Emile Donovan to review the week in quiztastic glory.

8:40 Short-Cuts with Dan Slevin

Nights' resident screen critic joins Emile Donovan to review The Fantastic Four: First Steps (in cinemas), Giri/Haji (Netflix) and The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (Tubi). 

9:05 Nights Quiz

Do you know your stuff? Come on the air and be grilled by Emile Donovan as he dons his quizmaster hat.

If you get an answer right, you move on to the next question. If you get it wrong, your time in the chair is up, and the next caller will be put through. The person with the most correct answers at the end of the run goes in the draw for a weekly prize.

9:25 Out Lately with Finn Johansson

He's back, and no doubt ready to inform, educate and entertain us with an array of eclectic music.

Featuring tracks by Takeshi Terauchi & Blue Jeans, Nizar Rohana and Tenderness.

9:45 Pacific Waves

A daily current affairs programme that delves deeper into the major stories of the week, through a Pacific lens, and shines a light on issues affecting Pacific people wherever they are in the world. Hosted by Susana Suisuiki.

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10:17 The Detail

Today on The Detail - Youth Parliament is there to give aspiring politicians a taste of a future career, but after three decades the value of the event is in question.

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10:45 Focus on Politics

In tonight's episode of Focus on Politics, the debate over butter prices and living costs has National on the back foot, and the party is accusing the opposition of having no ideas - a seeming reversal from about this time in the last Parliamentary term.

11:07 RNZ Music: WOMAD 2024

Today's programme features the soulful sounds of local singer songwriter Bailey Wailey performing live at the Bowl Stage at WOMAD in New Plymouth earlier this year. Hosted by Maggie Tweedie.