Real Life With John Cowan

0.0 (0)
NEWS
UPDATED WEEKLY

John Cowan hosts ‘Real Life’, a weekly nationwide chat show on Newstalk ZB featuring a different high-profile guest every week. John talks with them about their life, their upbringing, their passions and their view of the world.

1D AGO

Peter Janssen - Travel Writer

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

24 min
DEC 14

Sophie Gray - Cook

Sophie Gray is the face and inspiration behind "destitute gourmet", the ‘dg’ cookery series and is a popular speaker, teacher, and regular contributor to Food and Taste magazines. She leads an international community of followers through her active Destitute-Gourmet Facebook page, as well as Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, and an upcoming money-saving app. Sophie shares family-friendly recipes that are easy, tasty, healthy, affordable, and often include gluten-free and dairy-free alternatives, supported by fundamentals such as menu planning, smart shopping, creative use of leftovers, and seasonal eating. Based in Auckland with her husband Richard and their teenagers Isabella and Jack, she works full-time communicating the destitute gourmet philosophy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

24 min
DEC 7

Nadia Reid - Musician

Nadia Reid is a New Zealand singer-songwriter whose fourth album, Enter Now Brightness, marks a clear evolution in her decade-long career. Following the release of Out of My Province in 2020 and the disruptions of the pandemic Reid adjusted her creative approach, taking more time in the studio and developing ideas collaboratively with longtime guitarist Sam Taylor and producer Tom Healy. Stepping away from the acoustic, folk-leaning sound of her earlier work, she sought greater musical range and flexibility, including a shift toward focusing primarily on her voice rather than guitar-led performance. Now based in Manchester, Reid sees her first three albums as a completed chapter, with Enter Now Brightness representing a new phase in her craft—one defined by broader experimentation, refined songwriting, and a deliberate move toward a more expansive artistic direction. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

9 min
NOV 30

Heather Verry - CEO of Diabetes NZ

Heather has been at the helm of Diabetes NZ since 2017. She has a strong background in not-for-profit organisations. Since working at Diabetes NZ she has completed a full national unification of the organisation, driving positive change and engagement around the country. Heather has the experience to ensure Diabetes NZ continues to grow its reach into communities and through key stakeholders to improve diabetes awareness, education and advocacy. Prior to joining Diabetes NZ Heather has held Chief Executive roles with the NZ Police Association and the Manfeild Park Trust, a motor racing circuit and events centre in Manawatū. Heather has also acted as Deputy Chief Executive of the New Zealand Council of Victim Support Groups. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

24 min
NOV 23

Qiulae Wong - Leader of The Opportunity Party

Qiulae has built her career on pursuing better ways to do business and now brings that drive to politics. Raised in One Tree Hill, Auckland, she studied law and politics before working in human rights and ethical business with Be.Accessible. Her time in London included roles with the Ethical Fashion Forum, co-founding the sustainable tech start-up Common Objective, and leading the Impact team at Hoxby. During these years abroad she met her future husband, Grant, and they later welcomed their daughters Malia and Cleo before returning to New Zealand in 2022. Back in Auckland, Wong became the first Country Director for the B Corp movement, working with local leaders such as Kiwibank, Sharesies, and Blunt Umbrellas, and later supported major corporations at KPMG New Zealand as they navigated low-carbon transitions. She also held volunteer and governance roles, including co-convenor of Kiwis in Climate and Trustee of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa. Wong is guided by a belief in common ground, shared vision, resilient communities, and business as a force for positive change. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

25 min
NOV 16

Jon Duffy - Consumer NZ Chief Executive

Jon became CEO of Consumer NZ in 2020. Jon has enjoyed a varied career in the consumer protection field, including roles as Assistant Privacy Commissioner, Head of Trust & Safety at online marketplace Trade Me and as a Senior Investigator at New Zealand’s competition authority, the Commerce Commission. Jon and his team also keep traders honest by calling out illegal or unethical conduct when it occurs. Jon speaks regularly on consumer issues and is increasingly concerned with how dysfunctional market structures and muted competition in critical sectors are benefiting a small minority and delivering poor outcomes for the rest of society. Jon and his team are helping to harness the collective power of consumers to achieve this, before it’s too late. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

24 min
NOV 9

Sonya Wilson - Author and ex-TVNZ presenter

Sonya is a former TV reporter who became a writer, charity founder, and author. After more than 20 years in broadcast journalism — reporting and presenting for programmes such as One News, Breakfast, 20/20, and Sunday — she completed a Master of Creative Writing at the University of Auckland. There she wrote Spark Hunter, an adventure-fantasy novel for readers aged ten and up, set in Fiordland National Park. The book became a bestseller and won the NZSA Best First Book Award at the 2022 NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, as well as a Storylines Notable Book Award. Its sequel, The Secret Green, was published in July 2025 by Allen & Unwin. She also writes creative non-fiction, essays, and reviews, and regularly gives talks, workshops, and chairs sessions at writers’ festivals — blending her love of journalism and literature. Passionate about the power of books to build empathy and wonder, she founded Kiwi Christmas Books, a charity that gifts brand new books to children who might otherwise go without. Originally from the Deep South, she now lives in Auckland with her husband Pete, their two sons, a cat named Graham and a dog named Dusky. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

25 min
NOV 2

Sophie Barker - Mayor of Dunedin

Sophie has been elected Mayor of Dunedin, becoming only the second woman to hold the role in the city’s history. An incumbent councillor, Barker secured 16,001 votes, finishing 726 votes ahead of runner-up Andrew Simms in the preliminary results. In her post-election message, Barker expressed gratitude to the community for their support, saying she was “humbled and honoured” by the trust placed in her and her vision for Dunedin. She paid tribute to those who paved the way before her, acknowledging the milestone of following in the footsteps of Dunedin’s first female mayor, Sukhi Turner. Looking ahead to her mayoral term, Barker has outlined a clear set of priorities, including advocating strongly for Dunedin Hospital, ensuring value for ratepayers, improving council culture, promoting the city, and fostering economic growth. Her election marks a new chapter for Dunedin, one shaped by optimism, inclusivity, and a commitment to the city’s future. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

23 min

See All (274)

John Cowan hosts ‘Real Life’, a weekly nationwide chat show on Newstalk ZB featuring a different high-profile guest every week. John talks with them about their life, their upbringing, their passions and their view of the world.