Meet two of my awesome mates, Pietra Brettkelly and Sandy Burgham, who are two fabulous wāhine living life to the beat of their own drums, and saying No to the script society says women need to follow. So I thought it'd be bloody good fun to sit down and swap stories, and find out what makes their brave risk-taking brains tick. Pietra is a documentary film-maker whose body of work includes Yellow is Forbidden and The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins . She is a member of The Academy of Motion Pict...
Oct 26, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 8
How weird are boobs? I mean, when you think about it, they can be sexually stimulating to others, life-giving to babies, and at times even deadly to us! How we think about our lovely lady lumps is too often dictated by everybody else, but even our own attitudes can be laced with criticism and shame. Too small. Too big. Too uneven. Too heavy. It's all too much! In this episode I sit down with the delightful Jay-Jay Feeney to have a good honest look at our mammaries, how we can give them a little ...
Oct 19, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 7
We decided to do something a little different this episode! My wonderful counsellor Shirley Pastiroff joins for a live counselling session. What could possibly go wrong?! Shirley is a counsellor at Renew Your Mind, parent coach, and author of 'The Mindful Parent'. She also runs the often sold-out workshop, Mindful Parenting. Based in Tāmaki Makaurau, she's also a mum of five well-functioning humans. I wasn't entirely sure where our conversation would lead but I love where we ended up. We explore...
Oct 12, 2022•59 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Did you know that about 50 percent of women will experience a prolapse? We're talking a prolapse of their anterior vaginal wall, or their uterus or bowel starting to come down. And did you know that 34 percent of women experience leakage? But the encouraging news is 70-80 percent of women see significant improvements thanks to pelvic floor physiotherapy! It's pretty mind-blowing that we aren't having more conversations about this part of our body, given how common (and normal) these challenges a...
Oct 05, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 5
I have waited so long to say this and the day is finally here! The one and only, the fabulous, the just-as-magical-in-real-life-as-you'd-imagine Suzy Cato joins me for a kōrero. After a (slightly) unfortunate encounter with my cat, we peeled back the curtain on the so-called always-happy life of Suzy Cato. We talk about losing jobs, the end of dreams, a mother's grief and how she has found her way through the crunchier and more tender parts of life. It's Suzy as we've never heard her before. We ...
Sep 28, 2022•48 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Mary Holm is a bit of an institution. Her long-standing finance columns, radio appearances and down to earth books on savings and investment, have helped demystify what can be a daunting topic for so many. I'm particularly struck by her encouraging and reassuring tone. Money doesn't have to be a burden, and that's a view shared by my good friend and first returning podcast guest Te Waka McLeod who's working with whānau in Taranaki to build financial stability. She shares what her late mother tau...
Sep 21, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 3
TV host, MC and co-author of Māori At Home, Māori Made Easy and more, this legend of New Zealand media needs little introduction. Stacey Morrison joins me for a kōrero about settling into your skin. She deep dives into her identity as wahine Māori, tells me what makes her nervous, how 'good girl syndrome' is still a thing for her, and the role spirituality plays in her everyday life. There was also no shying away from talking about bias and the ongoing journey of better understanding Te Ao Māori...
Sep 14, 2022•46 min•Season 2Ep. 2
That's right, not only are we back - we're back chatting menopause. This time, I'm speaking with Niki Bezzant, who has literally written the book on the subject - This Changes Everything: The Honest Guide to Menopause and Perimenopause. As Niki says in our kōrero, understanding what's going on in our bodies is so empowering. We talk hormones, weight redistribution, mood swings, self-care habits, anxiety and more. I'm also joined by my friend Tori, who shares her perimenopause story with great ho...
Sep 07, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 1
When I decided to make a podcast, I did wonder if anybody was gonna be interested in talking about those tricky aspects of getting older. Well, I've been delighted by your response, so, we're back for a second season! Coming up you'll hear Suzy Cato like never before… We’re talking boobs with Jay Jay Feeney, and getting some insider info on the gateway to goodness that is our pelvic floor. Let’s talk more about menopause, money, anger and more... Season 2 drops September 8th on Rova and everywhe...
Aug 31, 2022•1 min
Death, grief and loss are universal experiences - including the inevitable grief that accompanies the loss of our parents - an unavoidable season that comes in many different forms. In this final episode of Season 01, Petra speaks with journalist, broadcaster and former magazine editor, Wendyl Nissen, about her relationship and journey with her late mother who suffered from Alzheimer's, and whose story she wrote about in her book My Mother and Other Secrets . Petra is then joined by her friend, ...
Apr 27, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Season 1Ep. 8
This episode is all about our beautiful, brave, bold, bodies. Too often we have a complex and unhealthy relationship with our fabulous flesh. First up, Petra speaks with Lisa Grey, clinical manager and lead researcher at BePure scientific wellness clinic. In her day job Lisa encounters hundreds of people who are getting serious about how they treat their bodies, inside and out. Then New Zealand fashion icon Karen Walker brings her discerning eye to the topic with an encouragement to gain greater...
Apr 20, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Everyone loves to talk about sex - but when it is talked about, it feels like we're always talking about the sex lives of young people. Petra invites sex therapist Jo Robertson to tackle the topic and provide advice and encouragement for long-time couples looking to rekindle the passion. Petra also chats with her friend Helen, who shares personal stories and practical ideas on how she and her long-time partner keep the spark alive. Song credit: Korimako , Performed by Aro, Written by Emily Looke...
Apr 13, 2022•52 min•Season 1Ep. 6
The first time we got together, Jon Bridges, Nathan Rarere and I spent so long talking about our favourite Ice TV memories that we ran out of time to talk about life since then. (Jonny also had no idea we were recording until he walked in and saw the microphones and cameras!) This episode is all those stories - and includes a special chat with my mum, Judi Bagust, recalling her memories of that season in our lives. Come walk down memory lane with us! Song credit: Korimako , Performed by Aro, Wri...
Apr 08, 2022•51 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Petra’s time on Ice TV wasn’t only formative for her, but was highly influential for a generation of TV viewers. Petra reunites with her mates Nathan Rarere and Jon Bridges. Hilarity ensues, along with notes of nostalgia, and comes to land in the things the trio have learned as they’ve grown up and navigated life since being on Ice TV . Song credit: Korimako , Performed by Aro, Written by Emily Looker and Charles Looker and published by Songbroker. Support the show: https://greyareas.nz/support...
Apr 06, 2022•51 min•Season 1Ep. 5
In this episode, Petra explores Aotearoa New Zealand's maturing relationship to the language and culture of Māori, our tangata whenua/indigenous people. Petra's first guest is radio royalty Robert Rakete (Ngāpuhi) speaking on his career and upbringing - including the fact that Robbie's father was not allowed to speak his own mother tongue of te reo Māori in school. Robbie reflects on the movement he's seen over his life, his hopes for the future, and that now iconic moment of sharing The Breeze'...
Mar 30, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 4
While we're on the topic of menopause, two of Petra's friends, Miriama Kamo and Robyn Malcolm, join her to swap personal stories from this season of life in perimenopause and menopause - and how each of these wāhine toa are navigating their way through it. There's something special about knowing we're not in this alone. Miriama Kamo (Ngāi Tahu/Ngāti Mutunga) is a TVNZ journalist, children's author and television presenter. She currently presents on Māori current affairs programme Marae and TVNZ...
Mar 23, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 3
This episode is an introduction to menopause with naturopathic doctor, women's health activist, and bestselling author of Hormone Repair Manual, Dr Lara Briden. In this interview, Petra shares stories from her personal experience of perimenopause and Dr Lara Briden reflects on menopause comments from Petra's Instagram followers. The goal of the conversation? To demystify a topic that has only recently been gaining more mainstream attention, and to give women, in particular, a more positive and h...
Mar 16, 2022•54 min•Season 1Ep. 2
In a culture obsessed with youth, what has it been like to undergo the ageing journey whilst being a familiar face on our screens? Petra Bagust and Jaquie Brown discuss their own respective experiences of ageing in the public eye, as well as how this cultural space has shifted over recent years and the changes they hope to see in the coming decades. We also meet Lillian Grace founder of figure.nz who talks how her hair colour affected her presentation and sense of success in the business world. ...
Mar 09, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Kia ora! This is my brand-new podcast about growing up and going grey in Aotearoa New Zealand. We explore the tricky, chewy grey areas of life - Identity, culture, sex, grief, menopause - nothing is off the table! I've invited some wonderful wāhine and fab fellas to join me in this eight-part season, mining our experiences for wisdom, with a few laughs along the way. Join me for the ride. Petra x Song credit: Korimako, Performed by Aro, Written by Emily Looker and Charles Looker and published by...
Feb 24, 2022•1 min
