From true crime to fake crime – the best podcasts for the Easter weekend

Tom Sainsbury’s ‘Small Town Scandal’ pokes fun at the true-crime genre.
The Easter long weekend is upon us, and while some may want to brave the weather and the traffic gridlock, a lot of us will be more than happy staying indoors with our Easter eggs for company.
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.
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. The short, sharp podcast drops a new episode every weekday morning, going behind the headlines on one of the biggest stories of the day. Catch up on the latest news from the last few weeks, including Jacinda Ardern’s departure from politics, predictions for a colder-than-usual winter, the latest cash boosts for over 1 million Kiwis, and the show’s one-year anniversary episode debating the political scene ahead of October’s election.
For political aficionados, On the Tiles with deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan talks with the biggest names in politics, and gets expert analysis straight from the Press Gallery. You can also catch up on the latest season of In the Loop, hosted by Katie Harris and Cheree Kinnear, for a deep dive into some of the most complicated stories making headlines right now.
Comedy and Entertainment
NZME has plenty to entertain you, whatever tickles your funny bone.
Snapchat dude and viral comedy sensation Tom Sainsbury is making his podcasting debut with Small Town Scandal. Sainsbury stars as over two dozen characters, including the hapless journalist Mitch, who is determined to find out who’s responsible for the death of billionaire lawn mower magnate – and his uncle – Mitch Buchanan. With a cast of colourful characters all under a cloud of suspicion, all voiced by Sainsbury, Mitch has his work cut out for him. Get in quick – the final episode drops on Easter Sunday.
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.
NZ Herald entertainment journalist Lillie Rohan is back with the second season of It’s a Date, where she takes a range of Kiwis on their fantasy dates and finds out all about their relationship do’s and don’ts. The new season kicks off with comedian Joe Daymond, but you can catch up on the first season, with guests including Jesse Mulligan, Brynley Stent, Rebekkah Randell and Mitch James.
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.
Lifestyle
The full season of the NZ Herald’s The Little Things is now fully available. Broadcaster Francesca Rudkin and health researcher Louise Ayrey have been friends for over a decade, and have learned a lot about getting older and juggling kids and relationships along the way. Each episode sees them tackle a different topic that is pertinent to women of all ages, from exercise and dieting through a female lens to how to get through a cancer diagnosis.
For an in-depth dive into menopause, the latest season of We Need to Talk with Toni Street shone a spotlight on the issue all women go through with a range of guests sharing personal insight or advice and tips.
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.
Mental health advocate and Dancing with the Stars winner Jazz Thornton has also entered the world of podcasts with her series, Hope is Real, where she speaks about empowering and inspiring people from around the world and shares their stories to normalise the way we talk about mental health in society.
And for all the advice you need in your life, join former deputy PM Paula Bennett as she talks to Kiwis from all walks of life in her series, Ask Me Anything. The latest season includes advice from Matty McLean, Cassie Roma, Barry Soper, Guyon Espiner and Married at First Sight expert John Aiken.
Crime
There are plenty of local true crime cases to sink your teeth into. You can now find all three seasons of the NZ Herald’s crime series Chasing Ghosts in one feed. The most recent season investigates the death of diver Goy Thongsi in 2015, and looks into why her death remains such a mystery and what it means for the ones she’s left behind. Earlier seasons investigate the disappearance of Amber-Lee Cruickshank in 1992 and the 1999 murders of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope.
For a whole range of local true crime cases, A Moment in Crime, hosted by NZ Herald senior crime journalist Anna Leask, sees her unpack a different case from New Zealand’s past each episode. Whether it’s one we’re all familiar with, such as the Bain family murders or the ongoing situation at Gloriavale, or ones that have slipped through the cracks. The most recent episode marks 20 years since the murder of Sara Neithe and the ongoing hunt to find her body.
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.
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!
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 bevvy 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 give 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 for those league fans, new series The Big League Podcast follows the latest from the NRL, with hosts Nathan Limm and Michael Burgess.
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 of the two allows for a look back at iconic moments from cricketing history.
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 at a range of sports.
Business
For 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. The series has become a favourite for many New Zealanders, and recently celebrated crossing the milestone mark of two million downloads.
If you need some specific tips on getting your investments right – or even understanding the stock market – our weekly series, Stock Takes, is your place to go.
For a different look at the world of business, the NZ Herald series – in partnership with the Institute of Directors – Across the Board takes a deep dive into governance in Aotearoa and the challenges facing leaders in the 21st century.
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. New episodes are back from Saturday, April 8!
All NZME podcasts are available on iHeartRadio, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts.