Subscribe and save up to 29% on a magazine subscription Four years on from her time on The Bachelorette New Zealand, Dr Lesina Nakhid-Schuster might have found her “forever person” in new beau Tom Brodie After breaking from tradition by deciding not to choose anyone on the popular reality show and their whirlwind romance has seen the ear nose and throat doctor finally swept off her feet invited Lesina down from her home in Palmerston North for a magical mystery weekend “He surprised me for my birthday,” smiles Lesina And he had bought all my favourite foods to take along too.” they ended up at a lakeside hotel in Lake Tekapo “We got up early the next day and went to Mount Cook It’s one of the most beautiful places in New Zealand We went for a walk and he just had all these surprises in store.” it was the same weekend the aurora australis could be seen in the sky and Lake Tekapo just happens to be home to the Southern Hemisphere’s largest Dark Sky Reserve It was the perfect time and location for some seriously romantic night-sky viewing “Tom had booked a star-gazing tour and the whole night was just so weirdly… what’s the word where he presented Lesina with yet another surprise “He made me wait in the bathroom and when I came out he had one of those personalised cakes with a picture of us on it,” she laughs “It was really cute and cheesy – but so cute!” in the form of a scrapbook Tom had put together of all their shared memories “I didn’t know that he’d kept all these things,” says Lesina we went to Holy Moly mini golf and he’d kept the scorecard “He said he wouldn’t usually keep something like that but he had this vision in his head of pulling it out one day His exact words were that he fell pretty hard “He spent two weeks working on this whole scrapbook and when he gave it to me when he presented Lesina with another present “It was all just so very cute!” gushes Lesina When asked if Tom has always been sentimental His sister sent me this message on the Sunday and I know it word for word because I keep staring at it I’ve never seen him so affectionate and caring ever.’ ‘Wow!’ Knowing that his family is surprised by that just makes me feel super- loved Despite going through some tough times on The Bachelorette Lesina credits the show with helping her to develop her relationship skills She even believes it might have led her to her true love after all “I think the show helped me be a better person,” she says “It helped shape me into the person I am today I’m very grateful for the show.” Lesina received a lot of feedback from viewers who took it upon themselves to show her where she was lacking in terms of communication skills “I took it pretty hard in the beginning Doing that work actually made dating strangely way more fun for me.” Lesina explains the criticism was often around her holding back from revealing her true feelings “I wasn’t that giving of myself,” she explains I definitely felt better opening up and expressing how I feel about things ‘I know myself and that’s not true!’” Lesina and Tom are doing the long-distance thing but they hope to move in together in the not-too-distant future but I’m not sure if I’m ready for it yet,” confides Lesina “It’s reassuring knowing that it’s something he wants but it’s not something I want to rush into We have to find a way to live together first!” The relative of a Far North KAP candidate has lashed her own cousin over his party’s plans to roll back abortion laws introduced by Labor in 2018 Please call us on 1800 070 535 and we’ll help resolve the issue or try again later Any Questions? Please call 1800 070 535. Monday to Friday 7:30am – 6:00pm, Saturday & Sunday 7:00am – 11:30am (AEST) News, Analysis & Insights on Nutrition, Supplements, and Health 28-Sep-2022 Last updated on 28-Sep-2022 at 08:31 GMT The global nutraceutical contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) recently appointed Lesina as the new GM in Europe to drive forward a strategy of targeting small and medium brands launching novel nutraceutical formulations. Having previously worked at Lonza as executive director, Lesina’s appointment aims to further strengthen the company's strategy to become the nutraceutical R&D hub for brands looking for agile partners with large scientific and development resources. The company is specifically looking to nurture new partnerships with large nutrition brands across the major European markets, leveraging its formulation and manufacturing expertise in Germany and China. Lesina says she anticipates significant growth for SIRIO in the nutra market "as customers see the benefits of working with an agile CDMO “I envisage our growth will come as a true CDMO partner, with customers attracted by our large scientific teams to help them bring to market truly innovative and unique formulations. “We are different in that we extremely well integrated in our global reach with teams in the US, China and Europe – but also in our approach to pushing the boundaries of nutraceutical product development." She adds that the company's large R&D centres in China and Europe help ensure brands can quickly develop ideas into new products. "And that’s not just in term of ingredients, formulation options, and stability testing, but also in the vital USPs that mark-out good products from great products. So we invest time and resources to develop nutraceuticals that not only deliver dose effectively, but are enjoyable for the consumer – with taste, texture and appearance a key part of our development process." The company sees big opportunity areas to grow internationally as a development and manufacturing partner. “We expect to see big growth over the next few years in nutraceuticals with new brands, new products and potentially even pharma companies launching new extension products into the nutraceutical space," adds Lesina. “We are seeing shifts in consumer trends towards more and more plant-derived ingredients, from botanicals to plant-based proteins – with consumers increasingly looking for high-quality products at affordable prices. Therefore, one of the biggest areas of innovation is how we can combine natural ingredients and bioavailable dosages, along with the most popular dosage forms. "For example, at CPHI next month we will be showcasing to potential partners our new range of manuka honey gummies along with a unique, center-filled gummy sleep and stress formula – combining natural botanicals with Melatonin... "We also see opportunities in sports nutrition and beauty, while immunity boosting and general wellness remain huge post Covid, but most of all gummies are going to grow and grow in popularity – it’s the only dosage that can combine health benefits with a product that has superior, consumer-friendly experiential quality in terms of taste, texture and appearance." Prior to five years at Lonza (and Capsugel) in senior executive roles, Lesina spent six years at Cargill’s food and beverages division and is widely known across the industry for her ability to identify new market opportunities and help customers tap major growth trends. Cranberry’s A-type PACs effective in supporting urinary tract health, studies showPaid for and content provided by Ethical Naturals Inc. (ENI) ENI’s Polyphenol-C offers additional core health benefits, studies notePaid for and content provided by Ethical Naturals Inc. (ENI) Yeast beta-glucans: Redefining immune supportPaid for and content provided by Ohly In tonight's shocking finale of The Bachelorette bachelorette Lesina Nakhid-Schuster chose no one In the final episode of the first season of The Bachelorette NZ the doctor made the shock decision to not take anyone to the final rose ceremony "You know this was such a hard decision for me but I've decided I don't want to take anyone to the final rose," she told final contestant Aaron McNabb through tears "What I wanted out of this experience was to find my forever person and if I hadn't found that I didn't want to pretend that I had." While Lesina didn't find love on the reality TV show and is unavailable for interviews fellow bachelorette Lily McManus chose Wanaka-based clothing designer Richie Boyens 'No one was meant to hear it,' Moller said while discussing his life A Far North rugby league coach will play his own brand of political football at this state election with the left field candidate kicking off his campaign in a key electorate View this post on Instagram Gonna tell my kids this was Art & Matilda. Episode 2 of Can I Steal You For A Second, out now on iHeart Radio. Link in bio ❤️ A post shared by SINEAD CORCORAN (@sineadcorcoran_) on Jan 28 SPOILER ALERT: If you've not seen tonight's episode of The Bachelorette NZ and want to do so without knowing anything of the foibles of the blokes vying for the affections of Bachelorettes Lesina Nakhid-Schuster and Lily McManus Hey, can we steal you for a second? Because The Bachelorette NZ was back on our screens tonight Look, last night's "Jessica Simpson in Dukes Of Hazzard"-esque car wash scene was obviously an impossible act to follow but I'll recap tonight's episode anyway because it is my literal job I'm sure you're not surprised to hear that tonight kicked off with Glenn With Two Enns I think Liam spoke for all of us when he said: "I thought you were strange as f*** when I met you Lily was dressed in a leopard ensemble that only someone who looks like Lily could pull off She was engaged in a boring but civilised chitchat with pro-vaxxer Conor a Beetlejuice-pantsed Glenn leapt off the couch and stood directly in front of Lily's face with his stripey crotch in her literal eyeline Despite the fact that she was engaged in a conversation he then proceeded to positively BLEAT her name in her face repeatedly exactly like that BBC meerkat video where it screeches ALAN Lily is a Huge Letdown when it comes to the #bants and Glenn was bored to absolute tears trying to maintain a conversation with someone who is obviously Not On His Level I've actually got a really deep personality and I'd love to have a good conversation," he said to Lily exasperatedly Do you not feel like you're getting that here What would you like to talk about?" asked an understandably perplexed Lily with a high-pitched laugh - which actually now that I play it back I realise was more of a soft but panicked scream It's at this point Glenn told the camera that all wants to do is give her a kiss "just to see what it feels like" All I personally want to do is turn off my TV and somehow burn the memory of Glenn from my brain But unfortunately watching this show is my job and I am trapped in a prison of my own making I am that scene in Get Out when Chris gets hypnotised and strapped to a chair in the Armitages' basement Lesina pulled Hot Aaron aside for a cheeky espresso martini and a chinwag Everything was going great until Aaron decided to come clean about being a reformed playa I love Aaron - I think he's v attractive and seems like a nice dude - but it's at this point he launched into the biggest CROCK I've ever heard saying the reason he used to sleep with heaps of women and then never contact them again was because he felt #vulnerable and was scared of getting hurt had obviously fallen into the d***sand and they PASHED Unfortunately his stupid Brixton hat got in the way so we couldn't even perve properly and Aaron gleefully informed Marc that he too had gotten to first base with the first bach "WELL LOOK I TAUGHT HER EVERYTHING SHE KNOWS MATE," snarls Marc with the kind of lascivious tongue motion traditionally reserved for a much later timeslot at which point Tavita decided to execute his cunning plan of throwing Hot Aaron under the bus by saying he only kissed Lesina because he was dared to you didn't miss the truth or dare segment: Tavita made the whole thing up to get Lesina onside Tavita is apparently still on Heartbreak Island Time and has decided there aren't enough crafty challenges and mindgames in this show for him Poor Dom (who has had barely any screentime now that I think about it) burst onscreen and FINALLY gave our very clever podcast name some context - thank you Dom "LESINA CAN I STEAL YOU FOR A SECOND?" Lo and behold Tavita was not having a BAR of it and basically told him where to go He also introduced the incredible term "Swoopylala" to describe Dom's unsuccessful attempt at spiriting Lesina away - and I'm now absolutely gutted we didn't name our podcast that instead Lesina felt terrible that Dom was probably going to go and sob in the garden about his failed But she was understandably so frazzled about the fact she apparently just got pashed by an adult man for a dare She stumbled back to the mansion and enlisted Daryl The Mole to give her some guidance/dirt I personally feel like Daryl has been a shockingly bad mole so far He's not even provided a shred of gossip to Lesina who I assume was acutely aware his TV stint was coming to an abrupt end now Lesina's galpal Lily is in the mansion - threw himself into the scene like an actress approaching 30 who knows it's her last gig before she's relegated to playing Margot Robbie's mother By the light of a flickering fire and the ever-present horror movie music that TVNZ insists on Daryl morphed into Daniel Craig the detective in whodunnit flick Knives Out Detective Daryl Craig revealed that Tavita lied about the pash being a dare to "throw Lesina off the scent" of Marc - and that it was Tavita who killed Aaron in the cloakroom with the candlestick Nothing much else happened tonight except for: 1 Previously Silent Steve got caught on camera lip-syncing in a field - exactly like this scene in High School Musical: And 2: Lesina took Previously Silent Steve on a claybird shooting date run by a man who looked like Colonel Sanders in a cheesecutter Fast-forward to the rose ceremony: Dom and Detective Daryl got sent home thus ending the hyped mole storyline almost before it had begun Flynn and George to stay on her tween team; Lesina went for Aaron "Time to separate the boys from the men," chortled Glenn I personally think it's time to separate Glenn from the menn and leave him in a caged off penn View this post on Instagram Gonna tell my kids this was Art & Matilda. Episode 2 of Can I Steal You For A Second, out now on iHeart Radio. Link in bio ❤️ A post shared by SINEAD CORCORAN (@sineadcorcoran_) on Jan 28 An independent candidate attempting her fifth shot at politics could be competing against two of her nephews in a Far North seat Any Questions? Please call 1800 070 535 Saturday & Sunday 7:00am – 11:30am (AEST) A rejected contestant revealed he had a secret relationship with Lesina who "led him on" On tonight's explosive reunion episode of The Bachelorette NZ former contestants Mike Bullot and Aaron McNabb confronted Lesina Nakhid-Schuster about their unsuccessful relationships with her "One of my biggest frustrations is that I gave so much of myself to you and you didn't give anything away ever," said contestant Mike Bullot who voluntarily left the show after claiming Lesina "didn't know what she wanted" "I told you lots of very personal stuff because I was trying to get to know you - and you refused to answer any of my questions I came away from the experience really disappointed." During the episode Lesina was given the opportunity to tell her side of the story and explained to Mike that it was because their relationship had not progressed as much as her relationships with other contestants "I felt safer and more comfortable around other guys so probably opened up to them more and that's just the nature of dating different people," she said Former contestant and finalist Aaron McNabb also confronted the bachelorette about her decision to walk away from the show single and revealed that after the show finished filming he and Lesina had continued their relationship in secret – until she called it quits again but it crushed me when she told me she didn't want to be with me - I cried hysterically," he said "After the show ended we caught up a number of times until she told me again that she didn't want to lead me on and if that's not leading someone on then I don't know what is." The former contestant also accused the bachelorette of being unnecessarily "cruel" by giving their relationship another shot after the cameras stopped rolling The 'drip feeding' you did after the show ended was more cruel than if you had just ripped the bandaid off and said it wasn't going to work You weren't up front and I didn't deserve this." Lesina maintained that she had good intentions by giving their relationship another shot in the real world "We both agreed to hang out because I wanted to explore if my reservations about us were to do with the show or if they were real," she explained "I wanted to find something long term and I held out hope as long as I could." "You know this was such a hard decision for me but I've decided I don't want to take anyone to the final rose," she told Aaron through tears Subscribe and save up to 38% on a magazine subscription The Bachelorette NZ’s Lesina Nakhid-Schuster may have broken up with Aaron McNabb on camera Now that the reality TV show has wrapped Aaron can finally break his silence on what really happened between him and Lesina after she dumped him – and he says they began dating immediately called him back straight after filming the break-up scene They enjoyed a number of dates before he called time on the relationship because Lesina was so unsure about what she wanted On Monday night’s finale show we saw Lesina summon Aaron to Auckland’s windswept Piha beach to tell him she wouldn’t be taking anyone to the final rose ceremony. She said she hadn’t found her ‘forever person’ and had decided to exit the show alone. But immediately after the scene was filmed, as Aaron sobbed in the back of the car while he was being driven back to his hotel room, he got a phone call from the show’s director. “Lesina wanted me to come back. She said she wanted to have another conversation,” Aaron spills. So Aaron returned to the beach and was told by Lesina that she did want to keep seeing him. She just hadn’t wanted to have a relationship with him in the glare of the public spotlight. “She said she didn’t want the pressure of the public knowing that we’d started a relationship outside of the show even though we’d just filmed the scene with her breaking my heart,” Aaron explains. Lesina called Aaron up after she dumped him to say she was actually still keen. He was sobbing uncontrollably in the back of a car at the time. So the pair went back to Aaron’s hotel room where Lesina stayed the night – then she broke up with him again after breakfast. A week passed and Aaron reached out to Lesina, and the couple agreed to try dating again. “We did the usual couple things,” Aaron says. “We went out for dinner, hung out, went for drinks. This was all before Christmas and we hadn’t been announced yet so we didn’t have to ‘hide’.” But after a few dates Lesina again said she had doubts. “It didn’t make a tonne of sense to me because she never quite said, ‘Aaron, this isn’t working.’ It was almost like she was angling for me to break up with her so that she could be the good guy,” Aaron says. “I decided I was not getting what I needed out of this relationship… “And then it was still weird because we were at her apartment and her flatmates came home and said ‘we’re having a barbecue’. So I stayed for the barbecue and it was like we were still dating… She was sitting on my lap and kissing me…” At the end of the evening they said goodbye and that was the last time Aaron saw Lesina before the filming of Tuesday’s After the Final Rose/Reunion show in March. Lesina still tried to reach out to him after he left that night, he adds, “but I didn’t really want to talk to her because I was trying to figure out what the hell… how I felt in the whole situation, where my head was at.” Aaron says he didn’t get the answers he’d hoped for from Lesina on The After Rose show, but that “weirdly” gave him closure. Aaron went into the filming of Tuesday night’s After the Final Rose/Reunion show with questions for Lesina, but felt she didn’t answer them. “The conversation [that viewers witnessed on After the Final Rose/Reunion] went nowhere, just like how it usually is with Lesina,” Aaron says. “Like a whole lot of nothing where I’m going round in circles trying to get more information out of her, and her just basically putting up brick walls.” Lesina contacted Aaron after the show and accused him of putting her on the spot “just for the cameras”, Aaron claims. “She said I’d caught her off guard, that I’d told her I was fine the whole time… ‘so I think you just did it for the cameras’. “Like, again, it’s my fault. I’ve done everything wrong…” “I said if that’s how she felt there’s not much I can do about it. If she thinks I just did it for the show then she’s really got no idea what she has done to me emotionally.” The conversation “weirdly” gave Aaron the closure he’d been seeking. The Hamilton-based school teacher reckons he’s well and truly “over” Lesina now and open to finding love again – although he admits that’s going to be pretty tricky with the entire country currently in lockdown. He’s filling his days in isolation by playing playstation, going for runs and teaching his students remotely – and has stayed in contact with some of the other bachelors, who had “heard whispers” about what went on after filming and shown their support. Lesina is currently in Australia working as a locum doctor. She declined to be interviewed for this story but on After the Final Rose/Reunion she said no one had wanted her to find love on the show more than she had. She had never meant to lead anybody on. Subscribe and save up to 38% on a magazine subscription. Subscribe and save up to 29% on a magazine subscription. Lesina Nakhid-Schuster is definitely not your typical reality star. As the 32-year-old brunette beauty lies in a bed of rose petals at our photo shoot, she certainly looks ready for her role as New Zealand’s first Bachelorette – but there’s much more to Lesina than meets the eye. Raised in West Auckland, the striking young woman – whose parents are Samoan and Trinidadian – works as a doctor and has dedicated years to building her career. “I always wanted to be a doctor and to be able to help people,” smiles Lesina. “I do surprise people a lot at the hospital. Patients will be like, ‘Are you a nurse or social worker?’ And I have to explain that no, I’m the doctor!” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) When The Bachelorette NZ premieres on TVNZ 2 on January 27, viewers will watch Lesina try to find lasting love. But how did this charming doctor end up on a television reality show looking for her dream man? She explains, “I’ve spent the last five years of my life dedicated to my career and I decided something needed to change. I want a family and kids, and that wasn’t how my life was going if I kept on the same track.” After moving to Sydney last year, she took up a locum position, where she travels to various hospitals and fills in for sick doctors or anyone on extended holiday leave. “It’s a really flexible job and I wanted that time to take a step back, not work so hard, and meet someone,” she tells. “I also moved to Sydney because I wasn’t getting anywhere in Auckland. I felt like I’d exhausted all the single guys!” While she’d never thought of signing up for a reality show in the past, Lesina couldn’t resist tossing her name in the hat for The Bachelorette. “I would be terrible on The Block or any cooking show – that would just not be my thing,” she laughs. “But this was perfect timing and really fortuitous. And I thought it would be a great story – imagine if I met someone like that? What a love story!” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) As Lesina poses for our photographer, it’s clear she’s a natural in front of the camera, which isn’t a surprise when she reveals she’s also studied acting! After completing her seven-year stint to become a doctor, Lesina thrived as a junior before working her way up to surgical registrar. But a few years later she decided to take some time off for a course at South Seas Film and Television School. “I always loved drama in school and knew one day I’d like to do acting, but med school came first,” she tells. “It was my number-one dream.” Lesina’s appeared in a few commercials and had roles as an extra in Power Rangers, Filthy Rich and Shortland Street. It was actually one of her contacts who was working on The Bachelorette who shoulder-tapped her to apply for the show. But the idea of being part of reality television does scare Lesina. “In a commercial, you play a character and it’s such a small-scale thing, whereas this is me – I’m not playing anyone else. So that’s going to be pretty different for me,” she admits. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) But acting isn’t her only passion – when she’s not working, Lesina says you’ll find her constantly travelling, saying she’s visited almost every continent. In fact, she was standing in the middle of an airport in Portugal when she got the call to say she’d been selected as the Bachelorette. “They asked if I was alone and I was like, ‘Well, not really but I’m surrounded by Portuguese people so I think it’s OK,'” she recalls with a laugh. “It was just like the day I got the call about med school, that feeling of, ‘Stop, no way, you’re joking!'” Travelling is in her blood with her parents meeting in Samoa, falling in love and globe-trotting around the world together before giving birth to Lesina while on a trip to the US. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) “They didn’t quite make it to New Zealand in time before I was born, but we ended up moving here just a year later,” she says. When asked what her parents think of the new TV adventure, she laughs, “They were like, ‘Oh Lesina!’ But they said they’ll support me with whatever I want to do and that’s all they really had to say about it.” Lesina didn’t have any hesitation about putting her name down for The Bachelorette but says she never considered signing up to be part of The Bachelor NZ. “Everyone who knows me understands that wouldn’t be my thing,” she asserts. “I wouldn’t ever like the idea of competing with other girls.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) After three seasons of watching Bachelors Art Green many fans were crying out for a female-led series When the announcement finally came that The Bachelorette was landing on our shores it sent a buzz of excitement throughout the country – and even Lesina admits she felt it “I didn’t really think of signing up at that point but I remember reading an article saying the show was coming and it said it’s about time we got a woman of substance on TV – and I was like How cool and refreshing would that be?’ It’s so great and I’m really excited to see where it goes.” Lesina’s most serious relationship lasted seven years but ended not long after she started full-time work when it comes to the qualities Lesina wants in her partner she says she’d love someone like her dad “He’s a really kind guy – softly spoken and humble,” smiles Lesina It’s also really important to me that they’re non-judgemental and open-minded because I come from a really diverse background and there are lots of different cultures It’s clear when talking to Lesina that she’s serious about finding love on the dating series and says she’s ready to be in a relationship “I haven’t met my soulmate yet but I don’t think I’ve been in love from the bottom of my heart … but I hope I can find that.” Bolek's assignment with the 325th, known as the Checkertail Clan because of the black and yellow checkered pattern on the tails of their aircraft, was to escort B-17s and B-24s on bombing missions against the Germans. On farmland not far from the town's center, the U.S. military built a temporary airstrip. Every morning, the 22-year-old would climb out of a tent he shared with three other pilots and into the cockpit of a P-51 Mustang. "Our bombers would form at 7 a.m., and as escorts, we'd catch up with them over the Adriatic where the German line was,'' Bolek recalled. "We'd fly them over the Alps into Germany, three hours in, three hours back.'' Recently Bolek, 91, had an opportunity to share a few memories with Tom Ricci, who was born in Lesina. Ricci's father was a child there during the Nazi occupation, and on May 16, Tom led a dedication of a monument in Lesina in honor of the 325th Fighter Group. More than 300 people attended the dedication, including Frank's daughter, Gayle Bolek. She represented her father, who did not want to make the trans-Atlantic trip. During the festivities, she and Ricci struck up a friendship. And on June 2, when Ricci, an independent management consultant based in Toronto, was in Florida on business, he visited with the Bolek family at the home Frank shares with his wife, Pat, in Palm Harbor. Ricci explained to Frank Bolek that the idea for the monument was rooted in a request his father made before he died in 1992. "The 325th were seen as liberators,'' Ricci said. "My father told me that he wished the 325th could be thanked somehow for what they did for the people of Lesina.'' Bolek shook his head. "We went to do a job. I didn't realize the townspeople felt so strongly about it,'' he said. The 325th had entered combat in April 1943, escorting the bombers, flying strafing missions and conducting sea sweeps from bases in Algeria and Tunisia before being sent to Italy. At the start of the war, Bolek was in Cleveland working for a tool and die maker, building motors for submarines. "Because of the work with the subs, I got a few deferments before enlisting,'' he said. "Once the Army said no more deferments, I got into flight school, and that's how I ended up in Italy. ... The (325th) had been there a while before I came in.'' Ricci's grandfather, Tommaso Ricci, was a bricklayer in Lesina who helped the Americans build the airstrip and an office building for the Checkertail Clan. Subscribe to our free DayStarter newsletter You’re all signed up!Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started. Ricci asked Bolek if he had much interaction with the locals. "Do you remember many Italians working with the Americans?'' he asked. Bolek stressed that because the town's buildings had been destroyed, he didn't have an incentive to go into town often. "I only remember that there were a few Italians that came out to where we were and did some jobs, cooking, that sort of thing,'' Bolek said. Ricci nodded. "The Germans did destroy it all. What the 325th did was bring the life back into Lesina — through the medicine for those who needed it and also the feeling of hope and new prosperity and then after they moved out, the people used the materials that were left behind … the parachutes, parts from engines, the steel from the airstrip, it all helped the people rebuild.'' Ricci also reminded Bolek of how the winter of 1944 was one of bitter cold. "It was the first time in 100 years that it snowed there,'' Ricci said. "I remember it as being cold, and we were muddy all the time,'' Bolek said. "You'd get out of the tents and you'd be in mud over your boot tops.'' In May 1945, Bolek moved with the fighters to Mondolfo, Italy, where the 325th helped advance the Allied ground forces. That October, he returned home to Cleveland and his work in the tool and die making industry. It would be 15 years before he would meet Pat, who was working as a surgical nurse. Along with Gayle, they have a son, Martin, and two grandchildren. Gayle doesn't remember her dad talking about the war when she was a child. "I've pushed him to tell me as much as he can just in recent years,'' she said. "When I went to Lesina, it was a chance to see the history.'' Her visit was marked by rain. Some would have been disappointed, but not Frank's daughter. "The wet weather didn't bother me,'' she said. "It added to it because dad had described it as that way. I was able to get closer to what he experienced.'' Contact Piper Castillo at pcastillo@tampabay.com or (727) 445-4163. Follow @Florida_PBJC. Piper CastilloFormer Times Staffer Total Croatia News 2019 – The season may be ending but the promotion goes on – an ambitious project to connect the Lesina of old (Hvar) with Lesina in Italy today – by kayak. The island of Hvar has had many names over the centuries When the Ancient Greeks from the island of Paros sailed into what is now Stari Grad some 2,400 years ago the Greek poet Apollonius of Rhodes referred to it as Piteyeia after its pine trees while the Romans changed the name slightly to Pharia and then Fara Slavic influences changed the name to Quarra and finally to Hvar but there was one other important period of the island’s history when the name changed completely as you can see from the postcard of the original Hotel Elisabeth now available on eBay for a cool 12,000 euro – Lesina history and architecture has left its mark on the island over the years. This week sees an ambitious attempt to connect the island formerly known as Lesina (Hvar) with the settlement of the same name in Gargano And what better way to join the project ‘From Lesina to Lesina’ than by kayak thereby showcasing Hvar’s adventure tourism credentials Hvar Tourist Board has teamed up with adventure tourism specialists and the plan is for representatives of the tourist board and the tour agency to set off from Hvar on October 15 – weather permitting – and undertake a six-day kayak across the Adriatic to Lesina in Italy Stops on the way will include the Croatian islands of Korcula as well as the Italian islands of Pienose and San Domino. our kayaking heroes will hold meetings with representatives from the representatives of Lesina as well as visiting the island of San Clemento which shares its name with the largest of the Pakleni Islands the expedition From Lesina to Lesina will depart on October 15 from the harbour in Hvar at 08:00. Feeling inspired to get into a kayak and start a journey of discovery of your own? AndAdventure among the top regional kayak specialists, whether that is kayaking between UNESCO World Heritage Sites Trogir and Diocletian’s Palace in Split or a sunset paddle around the Pakleni islands. Take a tour of their services or check out the kayak promo video below. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. When it comes to navigating the modern dating landscape, our busy lives and the rise of internet dating can make it increasingly difficult to find people in real life. And if you do take the plunge and agree to meet, not only are you putting yourself out there emotionally, you also have to have your wits about you. So when Lesina Nakhid-Schuster, a 32-year-old locum surgical registrar who specialises in ENT (ear, nose and throat) surgery was ready to find love, she decided to take a unique but pragmatic approach to partnering up. That’s why for the next little while, she’s traded gruelling 15-hour days working in scrubs for full-length gowns and dates with up to 22 men as New Zealand’s very first Bachelorette. Lesina is following on from Art Green and Matilda Rice’s success story on the first season of The Bachelor New Zealand in 2015, with the show now setting the female in the driver’s seat and letting her (and fellow bachelorette Lily McManus) put the suitors through their paces. Hailing from West Auckland and with Samoan, German and Lebanese heritage, Lesina says “the stars aligned” when the call-out for a single leading lady was made. “It’s cheesy, but I was trying to find someone and felt like I wasn’t meeting anyone in Auckland. I thought, ‘I really need to increase my pool size.’ I’d actually changed jobs and was working in Australia for that reason,” she laughs. Locuming in Sydney at the time, friends back home started tagging Lesina on a Bachelorette Facebook post, encouraging her to go for the gig. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) “Someone from production got in touch and said, ‘Would you consider applying?’ Actually, ‘Are you still single?’ was the first question, and I said ‘Yes I am, so that needs to change.’ Even before The Bachelorette, I’d get tagged in lots of single memes. I’m around the same work people all of the time, there were so many reasons why it made sense, so I said ‘Yeah, I’ll give it a go.'” She compares the approach on The Bachelorette – which sees a woman select a love match from a pool of potential admirers – to the rise of dating apps like Bumble, where if you’re interested, you swipe right. All about empowering women, Bumble’s modern approach means only female users can make the first move with matched male users. “Traditionally, how would a career woman do it? How would women who are busy with their own lives get out and meet people? You can still do all of those things, but apps like Bumble help as well – it’s just another avenue. And the fact that women choose first, it’s empowering.” Busy with her own life is an understatement for Lesina, who is more than familiar with 7am starts and working 11 days straight. She remembers being at work when filming her audition video. “I had to go into a patient’s room. It was empty; no patient was in there,” she laughs reassuringly. Upon being informed she’d been chosen for the first season of The Bachelorette New Zealand, Lesina flew home to start filming at the luxurious Te Hihi Estate, the former home of billionaire Eric Watson. Located in Karaka, about 40 minutes from Auckland’s CBD, the mansion is set on 33 hectares, complete with a golf course, polo field, tennis court, private lake, swimming pool and helipad – an idyllic, romantic setting for Lesina’s quest for love. But although reality television has traditionally portrayed women as submissive objects of men’s desire, Lesina is quick to quell anyone branding her with a desperate-for-love-and-fame stereotype. Her authenticity is obvious, and she’s practical about taking control of her future. “If that was me as an audience member, I would like to see someone of substance, someone with a brain. I know what I want; I’ve dated and I’ve done all of that, and I’m so ready for that next life phase. Being 32 and having lived a full life, having done all of the things that I wanted and being where I’m at now, my outlook is very tailored to what I want out of it, which is something long-term. I’m totally ready for that.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) Having admittedly never watched a whole season of The Bachelor before, Lesina encountered plenty of curveballs along the way and was surprised by how the experience facilitated, as much as anything, a process of learning about herself. But because the show’s host Art Green had gone through the same experience, she had him to turn to for advice when times were tough. Part of the series takes participants offshore, which meant a few weeks of fun and flirtation in Argentina. A keen traveller, South America happens to be at the top of Lesina’s list of must-visit destinations, with Peru her personal favourite. “I love Peru. It’s just got a good mix of everything – amazing culture and good food. Machu Picchu’s incredible, but there’s also this little surf town that I spent weeks in at the top of Máncora, which has lots of parties and is a lot of fun.” So does this mean she’d like to find a partner who also shares her love of travel? “I would love someone who is at least open to it, to share that with. I’m not quite done with travel; I still think I would love to live somewhere else for a little while. But I know not everyone’s into that and it’s nice to have someone who has different interests to you.” Although opposites attract, most people have a list in their head of prerequisites or non-negotiables when it comes to their ideal future partner. For Lesina, that means someone similar to her dad. “I talk about my dad on the show and it’s probably going to be blasted everywhere,” she laughs. “But they trusted me to make the right decisions, not to hurt people and to also be mindful of my emotions.” In her five-to-10-year plan, starting a family is definitely on the cards. She’s hoping that Kiwis warm to The Bachelorette, especially now that there’s a female taking the reins. “I hope it gives people an insight into other ways of doing things, other ways of thinking and dating and handling guys. I may not do everything traditionally, and I may not be the typical Bachelorette, but I hope New Zealanders will embrace that.” A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) on Jul 8, 2020 at 10:46pm PDT A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) on Jun 17, 2020 at 3:51pm PDT A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) on Jun 21, 2020 at 3:09pm PDT Dr Lesina has gone back to work as the coronavirus continues to spread. Photo / TVNZ The Bachelorette New Zealand star Dr Lesina Nakhid-Schuster has revealed she is taking a break from medicine to pursue acting. After working "full steam" as a doctor during the Covid-19 pandemic in Australia, the 32-year-old told her fans on Instagram she has been planning the new career move the last three weeks while being in quarantine in Auckland. Nakhid-Schuster, who now lives in Central Auckland, said she her plans involve getting back into her passion for acting — which she said was very different from the whole reality TV world. "I'm taking a little break from doctor work for a moment too, as I was working full steam right through Covid and I've just had a pretty hectic past year in general," she added. "I'm super keen to do more volunteer work though instead." A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) on Jul 8, 2020 at 10:46pm PDT The former Bachelorette said she also plans to do a lot of travelling in the South Island this winter with family and friends. "Supporting local tourism and enjoying NZs landscapes and hospitality!," she said. "So for the next little while you'll see me doing all the above, and if you have any ideas or suggestions for places to eat/volunteer/explore please let me know!" Three weeks ago, Nakhid-Schuster revealed that she was on Day 14 of her quarantine period, but she had to wait longer as she had mandatory exit testing. A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) on Jun 17, 2020 at 3:51pm PDT Two weeks ago she posted a photo alongside her mum, saying she had an "amazing" weekend in Christchurch raising awareness and funds for Motor Neuron Disease NZ. A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) on Jun 21 she flew across the ditch to Australia to help out with bush fire relief efforts She missed the Bachelorette NZ season premiere while providing medical assistance in New South Wales "Doctors were needed to help out in some of the areas affected by the fires in Australia - so I put my hand up," she said at the time Nakhid-Schuster helped with the Covid-19 pandemic at a local hospital In a week of double trouble in the Bachelorette mansion Spy can reveal the ladies looking for love are so close they got matching tattoos on their calves Lesina Nakhid-Schuster The Bachelorette New Zealand Supplied to Spy February 2020 The last time viewers saw the Bachelorettes and their many suitors they were all packed up ready to go to Argentina But when mole Daryl Habraken returned and threw a bomb or two one Bachelor will be left at home with his packed bags The nation may have been hoping it would be Glenn Richards to be sent home whose lack of woke-ness has made him a pariah the pair got matching tattoos which say "muchos novios" — which means "many boyfriends" in Spanish Lily McManus The Bachelorette New Zealand Supplied to Spy February 2020 momentous way to remember our journey," says Lesina Nakhid-Schuster.Lily McManus says every time the pair interacted with the locals "muchos novios" was their way describing what they were doing in Argentina but 'muchos novios' was really the only way we knew how to describe it in Spanish The reactions we'd always have from the locals was priceless I think it summed up the experience nicely," says McManus Lesina Nakhid-Schuster and Lily McManus The Bachelorette New Zealand Supplied to Spy February 2020 Nakhid-Schuster says she has got along with Bachelorette number two from the beginning "We really talked a lot about not making this about a competition between us but instead helping each other finding our person as you would in real life — having girlfriends that you can talk to." McManus says that she and Nakhid-Schuster developed a special bond "We went through something together that was so gnarly and emotional It allowed us to open up to one another so quickly which resulted in such a fast-tracked friendship No one really knew exactly what I was going through like Lesina did We leaned on each other in the times we needed each other most and I'll be forever grateful for that." had previously spent six months backpacking around South and Central America "I wanted to do dates that explored the culture and tradition of Argentina those are the things that I enjoy doing the most really getting an insight into the authentic culture and background of a place," Nakhid-Schuster tells Spy The closest McManus has been to South America is Mexico It was the night she split with her last partner whom she met on the set of The Bachelor Winter Games in the US "I booked a flight to Mexico that was leaving the next day," the 23-year-old says "Turns out crying and booking flights and accommodation don't mix I spent the next 10 days sleeping on a concrete shed floor in the middle of the desert with a bunch of strangers "However I had the absolute time of my life You could say I got over that break up pretty well." but here's hoping one of the Bachelors learned the language of love fast This article was first published in Spy and is republished here with permission. Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) on Jan 4, 2019 at 4:46pm PST View this post on Instagram Bali.. you’re pretty amazing! 🙌🏽😍🏝✨💖 (they have hospitals here too right? 😏😉) A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) on Jan 5 What was the first overseas trip you ever took My family were travelling through America on their way to New Zealand and it became too late for my mum to fly so she had me in America A year later I had my first flight to New Zealand where we lived What was a standard family holiday like when growing up To this day we have a family summer long weekend away It's been an annual tradition every summer to camp or rent a bach for a few days and it's sort of non-negotiable They met when my mum travelled to where my dad was working at the time in Samoa And we have a lot of family all over the world loves travelling and we have travelled quite a lot as a family and individually What's your approach to packing for an overseas trip? I am really good at packing now as I also travel for work. I travel all over Australia and New Zealand for work as a surgical registrar locum so I have my usual toiletries and beauty products that I need. I have specific bags for these things and specific bags for my underwear etc. as well. And I know my go-to shoes and clothes. After you backpack, you realise you actually don't need a lot when you travel. What is the destination that most surprised you – good or bad? I went to Portugal last year as part of a trip around Europe. It was a relatively last-minute trip and I didn't know much about Portugal, and I just fell in love with Lisbon. It was so cool. A lot of character and a really great overall vibe. Where was your most memorable sunrise/sunset? I was in Peru and I was walking up the Colca Canyon - it was a five-hour trek, which started before sunrise. I remember being halfway up and seeing the most incredible sunrise I had ever seen. What's the first thing you do when you get home from a long trip? I go through a bit of post-vacation blues, and I get a little sick and I get a little lost in the nostalgia of my trip, so I spend a good couple of days sleeping it all off. A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) on Jan 4, 2019 at 4:46pm PST Where is the one destination you must see before you die? I want to get to India/Sri Lanka at some point in the next year or so. I absolutely want to go to Egypt before I die though. I find Ancient Egypt fascinating, so would love to see the pyramids etc. What's your favourite thing about travel? Getting among new cultures. I love meeting the people indigenous to the country I'm visiting, eating the local food and exploring spots that are off the beaten track. I think travel opens your mind up so much and you can always tell a well-travelled soul. View this post on Instagram Bali.. you’re pretty amazing! 🙌🏽😍🏝✨💖 (they have hospitals here too right? 😏😉) A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) on Jan 5 Doctor Lesina Nakhid-Shuster is the first Bachelorette NZ The show screens Sundays to Tuesdays on TVNZ 2 and TVNZ On Demand If there’s one thing we’ve learned about The Bachelorette NZ’s Lesina Nakhid-Schuster it’s that she doesn’t play by the reality TV dating show rule book While she’s gone along with the dates and the cocktail parties and the weekly rose ceremonies the Auckland-based doctor has increasingly made it clear that if she doesn’t find her Mr Forever she has no problem with walking away from the show on her own On Sunday night’s episode she shocked viewers by sending home one of her two final contenders That leaves only one man standing – Hamilton school teacher Aaron McNabb – but if you think that guarantees him the final rose… more on that later a French-speaking travel agent who likes to play the guitar had been a front runner for Lesina because he was attentive and romantic and a little bit dorky Lesina didn’t think he was as adventurous as he thought he was When Lesina took Logan home to meet her family he won over her formidable mother He also impressed on he and Lesina’s final date – giving paddle boarding a good go when he was out of his comfort zone But after the paddle boarding and a very romantic dinner (where Lesina even said to camera it just flows and it’s about interesting things and we talk about things that you talk about with someone who you’ve known for ages”) Lesina told him… she wasn’t feeling any chemistry “I really can’t fault you as a person,” she said “You’d be the best boyfriend… “I’m honoured you found that chemistry with me,” she continued “I hoped that chemistry would come but that was something that was missing with us and I was hoping it would come.” Lesina liked Logan’s singing but not enough to want to make duets with him “I completely get that you wanting to feel for me is different to you actually feeling for me I’m always going to be really thankful that I met you.” But it was obvious he hadn’t seen it coming and he would have walked away from that break-up feeling dejected Now Aaron McNabb is Lesina’s only remaining love interest but if you think that guarantees him the final rose… Lesina had not seemed too sure about him either When Lesina had taken him home to meet her family they had seemed almost hostile with him And that was even before he offended Lesina’s mother by making a racist slur (He said he’d probably be a better dancer if he had a Caribbean heritage.) During their final date Lesina said she was confused and “just didn’t know what to do” “How would we get along outside the bubble?” she asked Aaron “I know you said we’re at similar life stages and it’s up to me to believe you.” The couple did go on to spend the night together but to camera and out of Aaron’s earshot Lesina said she still had a lot more thinking to do Earlier this month Lesina revealed on social media that her storyline “didn’t exactly go the way everyone wanted it to. “I really wasn’t prepared to face what ‘going against the grain’ looks like,” she said Internet sleuths have put their bets on Lesina leaving the show with no one. And in less than 24 hours we will know if they were right. View this post on Instagram I don’t know about you but I am definitely feeling 22. Thank you for all the birthday love lovers. A post shared by LILY MCMANUS (@lilymcmanus) on Nov 17, 2018 at 6:29pm PST Lesina Nakid-Schuster says she's embracing the double-dating surprise When this season's rag tag bunch of bachelors start high-fiving each other when they see who the second Bachelorette is definitely saw who was really in it for love with her Speculation on the identity of who the second Bachelorette was has reached fever point Spy is sticking with our prediction from last August that former Bachelorette Lily McManus McManus arrived in New Zealand a few weeks back who shares an apartment for the show with the second bachelorette told Spy exclusively she was embracing the double-dating surprise "I'm so stoked there's a second Bachelorette. I'm such a girls' girl and it's a fun idea having a mate I can share this whole experience with. We got together beforehand and had massive chats about everything before the whole process even started. We got to know each other really well and I think we also complement each other really well." Nakhid-Schuster says the second Bachelorette is someone who she couldn't have done this journey without - she's energetic and adventurous and will add fun vibes to the whole journey. It would be the fourth reality show for McManus, who worked with TVNZ 2 last year on Celebrity Treasure Island, and has had time on Three's The Bachelor NZ, which was followed by a stint in the United States on The Bachelor Winter Games. View this post on Instagram I don’t know about you but I am definitely feeling 22. Thank you for all the birthday love lovers. A post shared by LILY MCMANUS (@lilymcmanus) on Nov 17 "The Bachelor for me was one of the weirdest and wildest experiences I've ever taken on board," McManus told us last year It was never something I voluntarily signed myself up for but looking back at it now I am still so glad I said yes "I learnt so much about what I want from a man and from myself in a relationship I treasure the whole experience and if I could encourage someone like me who doesn't think that the show is a good idea and they take away even half of the good things from the experience that I did Having two bachelorettes is a world first in the show's global history TVNZ publicity insist both women are on the show looking for love – and are not competing with each other With one of the male contestant's bisexuality yet to be disclosed and the 'mole' on the show still rummaging Don't forget to tune in on Sunday night for all the goss from episode four - including the next elimination. In the meantime, subscribe to the official Bachelorette podcast, Can I Steal You For A Second – hosted by Sinead Corcoran and Anna Henvest. A post shared by SINEAD CORCORAN (@sineadcorcoran_) on Jan 28, 2020 at 11:35pm PST 'No one was meant to hear it,' Moller said while discussing his life, music and career. Aaron McNabb was left heartbroken after bachelorette Lesina Nakhid-Schuster decided not to choose him, or anyone. In the final episode of the first season of The Bachelorette NZ, the doctor made the shock decision to not take anyone to the final rose ceremony and instead walked away a single woman. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Bachelorette NZ (@thebachelorette_nz) on Mar 30, 2020 at 1:01am PDT "You know this was such a hard decision for me but I've decided I don't want to take anyone to the final rose," she told final contestant Aaron McNabb through tears. "What I wanted out of this experience was to find my forever person, and if I hadn't found that I didn't want to pretend that I had." Aaron joined Laura Sam and Toni on air this morning to spill the goss on what happened after the finale, ahead of tonight's reunion special. Listen above to hear what he had to say about the aftermath of Lesina's surprise move. The Bachelorette NZ After the Final Rose/Reunion special airs tonight at 7.30pm on TVNZ 2. A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) on Jan 23, 2020 at 11:43am PST Dr Lesina Nakhid-Schuster aka NZ's first Bachelorette. Photo / Instagram Doctor Lesina Nakhid-Schuster made her debut as New Zealand's first Bachelorette last night, but in reality, she's just jetted over to Australia to help with the bushfire relief effort. The 31-year-old revealed on her Instagram that she would be in Australia for a week as, "Doctors were needed to help out in some of the areas affected by the fires in Australia, so I put my hand up". She even missed the premiere of The Bachelorette, posting updates and reposting fans' viewing parties to her Instagram stories while she travelled. She said: "I'll be working in Australia just for the week but then I'll be back. My heart lies in a few different areas, and I felt this was important.. I hope everyone understands. But while I'm away keep me updated on what you think of the show!!' A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) on Jan 23 who was born in the US and moved to New Zealand when she was one has been working in Australia for the past year She graduated from the University of Auckland Medical School in 2012 and worked as a doctor in Auckland right up until last February when she decided to stop full time work and locum around Australia it's flexible and I learn new things from different hospitals. Check out everything that went down during Doctor Nakhid-Schuster's reality TV debut on The Bachelorette NZ here. Spoiler Alert: May contain spoilers for last night’s episode of The Bachelorette NZ. Last night’s episode of The Bachelorette New Zealand may have been one of the most raunchy and dramatic ones yet! The first group date of the episode saw the boys throw into a live drawing class where they'd no choice but to stare at another naked woman while the two women they're trying to woo stare at them to see how much they're staring at this third naked gal. Tavita and Liam won the challenge as they both managed to draw human-ish shapes and also avoided having nudity-induced nervous breakdowns (Jesse was not so lucky, he laughed like a manic hyena throughout the entire lesson). View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Bachelorette NZ (@thebachelorette_nz) on Feb 11 Despite losing points for CLAPPING FOR HIS OWN DRAWING Liam scored one-on-one time with Lily as his prize he actually managed to form comprehensible sentences for the first portion of it - saying some intelligible things about taking the drawing lesson really seriously and that it was really important to him that he made the model feel comfortable things obviously turned into a shambles as per shambles which were kicked off by him informing Lily that he was stoked he got what he ordered "Yeah so I told the show that I wanted someone Australian blue-eyed and tanned - so I got everything I asked for." Meanwhile, Lesina kicked off her one-on-one time with Tavita by asking the Big, Fundamental Questions you simply must raise with a potential life partner. "Just checking, are you a boobs or an ass man?" And ladies, it appears we have been doubly blessed - there is another selfless hero in our midst. "Yeah so I'm an ass man so I put her at ease, cause she's well put together ay," replied Tavita, who I'm assuming is a shoo-in to be the next face of our banknotes. Later on at the cocktail party poor sweet Conor well and truly sealed his fate with Lily by revealing that he is an adult man with a 15-year plan and a pet rabbit named Marshmallow. While I'm sure both of these admissions would rock some women's absolute socks off - Lily is unfortunately not one of them and understandably scuttled off for a hot pash sesh with Quinn who appears to have no pets or plans, hot damn. Meanwhile, Lesina was somewhat distracted by the fact that Marc, for no rhyme or reason and as per by his own volition, had once again stripped all his clothes off and literally gotten his penis out for the rest of the gang to draw - and she giggled so hysterically and for so long that I was genuinely concerned she may combust. This means that Aaron, who just mere moments ago revealed that he thinks he's fallen in love with Lesina, had no choice but to sketch the genitals of another man who is attempting to woo her - and understandably looked like he was on the brink of screaming. A post shared by 𝑀𝒶𝓇𝒸 ♠️ 🌹 👨‍👧 (@marc.magic.johnson) on Feb 12 or at the very least sign up to whatever reality show TVNZ flogs next The Bachelorette New Zealand continues on tonight at 7.30pm on TVNZ2.Tune into Can I Steal You For a Second the podcast giving you all The Bachelorette NZ goss: This article was first published on the NZ Herald and is republished here with permission. On last night's explosive reunion episode of The Bachelorette NZ, former contestants Mike Bullot and Aaron McNabb confronted Lesina Nakhid-Schuster about their unsuccessful relationships with her, and her decision to leave the show alone. "One of my biggest frustrations is that I gave so much of myself to you, and you didn't give anything away ever," said contestant Mike Bullot who voluntarily left the show after claiming Lesina "didn't know what she wanted". "I told you lots of very personal stuff because I was trying to get to know you - and you refused to answer any of my questions. It felt really unfair. I came away from the experience really disappointed." During the episode, Lesina was given the opportunity to tell her side of the story and explained to Mike that it was because their relationship had not progressed as much as her relationships with other contestants. "I felt safer and more comfortable around other guys so probably opened up to them more, and that's just the nature of dating different people," she said. Former contestant and finalist Aaron McNabb also confronted the bachelorette about her decision to walk away from the show single and revealed that after the show finished filming he and Lesina had continued their relationship in secret – until she called it quits again. "I've been dreading this conversation, but it crushed me when she told me she didn't want to be with me - I cried hysterically," he said. "After the show ended we caught up a number of times until she told me again that she didn't want to lead me on, and if that's not leading someone on then I don't know what is." A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) on Mar 31 The 'drip-feeding' you did after the show ended was more cruel than if you had just ripped the bandaid off and said it wasn't going to work the doctor made the shock decision to not take anyone to the final rose ceremony and instead walked away a single woman Hey, can we steal you for a second? Because The Bachelorette NZ was back on our screens tonight Good evening and welcome back to another riveting recap of what happened on The Bachelorette As you'll recall the previous episode ended on the herniated cliffhanger - Tavita's supposedly obscene "ultimatum" about whether or not he should go home to NZ or stay on the reality show and risk his guts exploding on national television In what was obviously an incredibly anticlimactic outcome – Lesina assured him she did like him after all and that she wanted him to stay on the show but that she does want him to put more effort into snatching her away at cocktail parties it means a lot when people put in effort and sometimes I don't get that from you," she said to the man who has already been hospitalised twice all in the name of competing for her affections The next day Lily took the unintelligible Mac on a single date where he attempted to convince her he is an exotic "I'm really spontaneous and I love to do things out of the blue I'm actually thinking of going travelling next year Later that evening at the cocktail party major #drama kicked off when all the boys got into a scrap about that time Elliot wouldn't tell them what happened on his date with Lesina Everyone was shouting while simultaneously smashing back kebabs (huge mood) while Liam who has appointed himself HR manager was bizarrely bleating on about the culture of the house being in jeopardy Even more amazing though was when HR manager Liam proudly declared that his team has recently done a lot of work on their conflict resolution skills and then a mere 11 seconds later shrieked "IF YOU DON'T WANNA BE HERE JUST F.. And despite the fact I'd absolutely forgotten humble and vacant kumara farmer Michael Frood was even still on this show he piped up with an observation that was so accurate I almost fell off my chair "The weakest link is going to go home and the weakest link is whoever is losing the plot the most." and nothing screams you're having a nerrvy b like the powder blue suit and matching bowler hat he was wearing "If Mike thinks he's just going to come in here with his tanned skin and his good jawline he's got another thing coming" he hissed ominously – while we all waited with baited breath to see if the thing coming is yet another bowler hat The kebab scrap concluded when Elliot accidentally ate some avocado which he's allergic to and had to epi-pen outta there but not before Lily ave him a rose for nearly going into anaphylactic shock all in the name of love Liam and George and shock of absolute shocks Mac gets sent home to plan his wild contiki around the Gold Coast The next day Lesina took Mike on a single date where the most incredible thing happened – he turned the tables on her and decided it was her turn for a police interrogation He utterly grilled her about why she wanted to be the Bachelorette and about how weird it is that she's single when she's a beautiful and successful doctor – and as we're a month in to the show and the tweens have never dared question Lesina on anything this relentless grilling is obviously the hottest thing to happen thus far "Surely you would meet people In hospital though?" Lesina then tried to explain that it's because she's been really focussed on "doing her own thing and travelling," at which point Mike absolutely roasted her "OH SO WOULD YOU SAY RUTHLESSLY INDEPENDENT?!" a proper grown man is challenging her on her BS and it's honestly so hot Lesina's so into it and she understandably gave him a rose I am now putting all my money on Mike to win the whole damn thing Lily took Jesse on a single date where she tattooed her name on his wee ankle She then blindfolded him so he could feel more comfortable being #vulnerable about his emotions and forced him into telling her all the things he likes about her – which is also my personal favourite thing to do on dates They finally pash and Jesse reveals that just like Vivian in Pretty Woman he thinks kissing is way more intimate than sex Later that day he strutted back into the mansion showed his tattoo off to the boys and apologised for being one of the main instigators of the kebab scrap The episode concluded with Terrence declaring Jesse's apology was "as hollow as his skull," which is an incredible insult I will absolutely be adding to my repertoire the bachelorette glenn is so slimy looking how can they look past that on top of how he acts 😭 he shoulda been booted after those weird threesome questions and gross 'rap' Personal trainer Glenn Richards asked if it was a "two for one" deal A Bachelorette contestant has been slammed on social media for appearing to angle for a threesome with both Bachelorettes Glenn Richards appeared to have misunderstood the new "double Bachelorette" set-up after new Bachelorette Lily McManus was introduced "I haven't had two women at the same time yet this could be my chance," he told the camera After asking original Bachelorette Lesina Nakhid-Schuster if she and Lily were "together" the personal trainer then asked the doctor if she and Lily were looking for a man "each" or if it was a "two for one" deal He then pressed Lesina to clarify if she and Lily were "just friends" Viewers took to social media to criticise the contestant "Glenn has got to go," wrote one on Facebook "Urghhhh why is Glenn from The Bachelorette such a creep?!" wrote another In a statement provided by broadcaster TVNZ Richards said he was "just trying to have some fun with the situation" "I'm a light-hearted kind of guy and I love a bit of banter and that's obviously not coming through on the show unfortunately," he said On tonight's episode of Can I Steal You For A Second Lesina reveals how she found out there was going to be a second Bachelorette - and how she really feels about Lily For more behind the scenes interviews from eliminated Bachelorette NZ contestants and all the gossip about what really goes on inside the mansion - subscribe to the official Bachelorette NZ podcast Can I Steal You For A Second live now on iHeart Radio and the podcast app Hosted by the Herald's Sinead Corcoran and ZM's Anna Henvest - they'll unpack each episode from the group dates to the rose ceremonies and all the heartbreak and drama along the way Subscribe now on iHeart radio and follow along with the gals on Instagram for all the behind the scenes videos. the final episode of the very first season of The Bachelorette aired one of them pulled a Honey Badger and picked precisely no one because you probably don’t know much about this season While the Kiwis have aired three previous seasons of The Bachelor this was their very first season of The Bachelorette the season focused on 32-year-old Dr Lesina Nakhid-Schuster’s search for love there was a ~big reveal~ in the form of 23-year-old Lily McManus… a second bachelorette A post shared by LILY MCMANUS (@lilymcmanus) on Feb 1 both ladies have been dating over 20 men and handing out less and less roses until it came down to their final two Lily had to choose between Wanaka-based clothing designer Richie Boyens and bartender Jesse Williamson on their final date that she wouldn’t be taking anyone to the final rose ceremony “I feel empowered enough at this second… and it’s okay that I left this with no one” ❤️ Thank you for sharing your journey with us Lesina! #thebachelorettenz A post shared by The Bachelorette NZ (@thebachelorette_nz) on Mar 30 “You know this was such a hard decision for me but I’ve decided I don’t want to take anyone to the final rose,” she said through tears “What I wanted out of this experience was to find my forever person and if I hadn’t found that I didn’t want to pretend that I had.” ????❤️ Congratulations Lily and Richie!!! ❤️???? #thebachelorettenz You’re the person I want to make me breakfast in the morning,” Lily told Richie It’s really everything we could hope for in a Bachelorette season Feature image: Instagram/@thebachelorette_nz Sign up for our “Mamamia Celebrity” newsletter for a smart take on everything entertainment In the new season of Travel podcast Trip Notes Bachelorette NZ contestants Lily McManus and Lesina Nakhid-Schuster share their experience filming in Argentina using travel to get over a break-up and tips on how to make friends while travelling The women chat to Travel Editor Stephanie Holmes also tries to get the inside word on the last men standing on The Bachelorette NZ Listen to this episode and be in to win a $2000 House of Travel voucher. During the episode, listen out for a keyword, then go to nzherald.co.nz/win to enter You'd be forgiven for thinking Lily and Lesina were Argentina travel experts after their time in South America filming the latest season of The Bachelorette NZ apparently the ladies were so busy with the production - and dating multiple men - they barely got a chance to soak up the atmosphere The same couldn't be said for host Art Green "Art got a lot more downtime than we did," explains Lily on the latest episode of Trip Notes "He was sending us selfies from him doing all these cool activities and we're like dammit Lily and Lesina did get to enjoy some of the sights on the first evening they arrived in Buenos Aires and a little when out on dates with the men but generally the filming schedule didn't allow for much play time off camera it was enough of a glimpse to discover the beauty of the Argentine capital it looks a bit run down and weathered but in a beautiful way," Lesina says Both Bachelorettes are intrepid travellers Lily spent several years living in Cambodia when she was a child and has lived and worked around the world including Japan has travelled extensively for her work as a doctor as well as visiting multiple times her countries of heritage: Samoa and Trinidad & Tobago it's a massive culture shock even for me," explains Lesina "It's like you can feel the city trying to survive." As a highly independent fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants traveller saying they're the best place to meet others while on a solo voyage "You meet people from all walks of life that you would never usually sit down and have a beer with And you're just developing all these different personal skills meeting people like that It pushes you out of your comfort zone," she explains "Also going to bars and talking to people's a good idea you've got to be a little more open and positive and you attract the right people that way." Having freedom rather than a strict itinerary is also a good way to be open to new experiences and new friends The less planning the better in my opinion because every time I try to book something I always end up missing it because I just find a different option or something more fun." "If I'm working hard and just need a break and it's that kind of holiday If I want to explore then I'll book longer and I'll do it properly." Listen to "The Bachelorettes on Argentina, Art Green and travelling solo" on Spreaker. Go to nzherald.co.nz/tripnotes to watch video from the podcast, and catch up on any episodes you might have missed. For more travel inspiration, go to houseoftravel.co.nz Lesina Nakhid-Schuster speaks to a contestant on The Bachelorette The tables turned on the bachelorettes this week after both Michael Frood and Mike Bullot walked out on Lesina Nakhid-Schuster The shock moves so late in the season threw Lesina’s integrity into question and I’m left wondering if she has anyone left to date? After a brutally cringeworthy conversation Michael didn’t feel respected by Lesina and bailed out before a rose ceremony Mike questioned if she was actually ready for a relationship - the doubt meant he But it wasn’t just Lesina under fire from the men about why she’s on the show; Lily McManus’ name also got thrown into the mix about her array of television appearances A not-so-private conversation put front-runner Richie Boyens in hot water with Lily after he was heard doubting why she was looking for love on yet another TV show - after she previously appeared on The Bachelor New Zealand The Bachelor Winter Games and Celebrity Treasure Island Although I never saw him as a match for the Auckland-based beauty I could see Michael’s point of view about not being given a chance with any one-on-one time but agree it seemed as though he was just making up numbers which is just cruel when you’re taking other men on second where he expressed his lack of time with her her response was that she’d think about what he’d said The Dargaville kumara grower’s sad puppy dog face broke my heart but I admired him standing up for himself and leaving ahead of the rose ceremony Mike too wasn’t feeling like effort was reciprocated and ended his relationship with Lesina Their communication had always been bumpy at best but Lesina’s inability to answer if she was even ready for a relationship sent him bailing out early Richie’s mic appeared to be left on during an unfiltered rant about Lesina’s attitude and how she’s scripted for the camera it was Logan Carr who jumped to her defence He must have been running off a high of making it to the top two despite his apparent lack of kissing skills somewhere along the way Lily was pulled into question and a sneak peek reveals it may not go down well with Richie who she previously said she’d have thought would be the one to back her up Lily McManus reacts after being accused by a contestant of not being genuine hey) goodbye to hilarious Wanaka company owner Elliot Gilchrist when he was eliminated for the second time on Sunday’s episode Perhaps it was his absence which has sent the house bonkers and left everyone on thin ice it’s now Aaron McNabb (who I was actually surprised by how much he kept his gossiping mouth shut this week) and Logan left vying for Lesina’s heart Richie and Quinn Ryan in the running to end up with Lily As some ramp up the romance (or PG kinky-ness if you’re Logan) The Bachelorette New Zealand airs on TVNZ2 Sunday to Tuesday, and OnDemand. MAFS bride hits back at screen groom's claims of abuse Ryan Donnelly and Jacqui Burfoot were paired together in the most recent Australian season of the series but chose to separate in an insult-laden final vows ceremony Entertainment Manu and Colin go Off the Grid in NZ's ultimate foodie road trip The My Kitchen Rules celebrity judges are swapping five-star restaurants for $5 pies Jacob Elordi on his most confronting role yet The Narrow Road to the Deep North tells the story of prisoners of war forced to build the Thai-Burma Death Railway Netflix increases subscription prices Disney+ also increased its subscription pricing in NZ earlier this year After The Party scores Bafta nomination has been nominated for the best international series award Consultation over jobs underway with Shortland Street staff Shortland Street had aired five episodes a week since 1992 but in 2025 returned to screens on a three episode a week schedule New Zealand Film industry anxiously awaits details on Trump's 100% movie tariff 7:17pm Search underway for Masterton man, 74, missing since Sunday 7:07pm Crooks, culture first order of business for Mike Bush in Victoria 7:05pm Charges filed against Woolworths over pricing, misleading specials 6:45pm Police, experts warn 'emerging risk' of 3D-printed firearms rising 6:33pm Trade war: Sir John Key's 'optimism' on Trump's next tariff moves 7:28pm 1US woman who disappeared for more than six decades found safe Sole survivor of poisoned beef Wellington takes the stand Iwi misses out on bid to buy back ancestral mountain US prisons bureau has challenges — reopening Alcatraz is now another Photos: Lorde among stars at 2025 Met Gala A$AP Rocky and Rihanna also revealed they are expecting their third child. Two arrested over alleged plot targeting Lady Gaga concert in RioBrazilian police said they thwarted an alleged bomb attack planned for Lady Gaga's concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro. Lady Gaga rocks Copacabana Beach with free concert for over 2 million fans Sun, May 4 Lorde announces new album name, date Thu, May 1 Kim Kardashian to testify in Paris trial over 2016 armed robbery Mon, Apr 28 Chubby Checker, Outkast, Cyndi Lauper join Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Mon, Apr 28 Kim Kardashian to testify in Paris trial over 2016 armed robbery Mon A Married at First Sight bride has accused her on-air husband of lying in his application for protection against her which she claims he lodged out of retaliation Ryan Donnelly and Jacqui Burfoot were paired together in the most recent season of the hit Australian reality TV series but chose to separate during an insult-laden final vows ceremony Their bickering went from the small screen to the courtroom when Burfoot was granted an interim restraining order in Tasmania preventing Donnelly talking about her on social media Donnelly responded by applying for an apprehended domestic violence order against Burfoot which came before Sydney's Campbelltown Local Court yesterday The ex-reality TV star told reporters he had suffered "a lot of harm" and received menacing messages as a result of "vicious" and "malicious" claims Burfoot made about him online "An individual has tried to destroy my life so men can be victims as well," he said outside the courthouse "At one point I was very afraid." The 37-year-old applied for a restraining order that would stop his TV wife publishing anything about him or his friends on social media for two years or intimidating Donnelly or damaging anything he owned – including harming his dog Freya she would be prohibited from approaching him or trying to contact Donnelly who is living in Tasmania with another MAFS groom did not appear in court today but sent an email opposing the restraining order She told AAP she was fighting the unnecessary and vexatious application because it is "founded on false statements and is in retaliation to my win in court" The alleged lies include accusations she harassed him through direct messages and that their relationship continued for nine months when she claims they only dated for three Domestic relationships are not defined by duration in the NSW Crimes (Personal and Domestic Violence) Act "[Donnelly] is using court proceedings in a way to mislead the public through the media," Burfoot said adding on social media it was a "waste of court resources" Magistrate Shane McAnulty told the court he was unwilling to grant the order in Burfoot's absence and asked the parties to prepare submissions before the matter returns to court on June 24 Donnelly said he wanted to move on with his life but he wanted "to make sure I'm protected" "Justice should be served," he told reporters He said he thought the proceedings were a valuable use of the court's time and opined he would "have an extremely strong case" for defamation action against his on-screen wife The TV groom refused to comment on whether he would stop posting about Burfoot or withdraw from social media completely noting MAFS is a "programme that can do wonderful things for people" Donnelly and Burfoot engaged in a tumultuous relationship on screen which ended with them trading barbs at the final vow ceremony you are the red carpet," Burfoot told Donnelly Burfoot is now engaged to her MAFS co-star Clint Rice who proposed to her at a viewing party for the finale of the show Celebrity chefs Manu Feildel and Colin Fassnidge are no strangers to long days and big personalities but their latest TV adventure takes things to an entirely new level: cramped quarters They spoke to Aziz Al Sa'afin about their next big project exploring the land of the long white cloud The pair – known for their judging duties on Australian cooking competition show My Kitchen Rules – have traded in white tablecloths for winding roads in their new TVNZ series Off The Grid but we want to do something for ourselves,” Feildel told Seven Sharp “We saw this little caravan in the back of someone’s garden and we took a photo of it 'let’s travel around the country in that type of caravan' and voilà But what sounded like a dream trip quickly became a test of patience But I think that’s all part the beauty of the show It’s not all rainbows and happy,” joked Fassnidge And they’re doing it the old-fashioned way: on four wheels “There’s so much to offer in such a small country,” Feildel said “It’s like you’ve got a remote control watching TV and you keep switching these channels and that’s gorgeous.” food is never far from the conversation or the campervan Feildel and Fassnidge said they were especially struck by the richness of Māori cuisine “We thought the French invented confit duck,” Feildel quipped “I think the Māori have been confiting duck for years.” referring to when the pair were invited onto a marae and gifted a piece of sacred pounamu “The chief gave us this huge greenstone from the river,” Manu explained Those heartfelt moments are balanced with a fair bit of silliness and and entertainment Off The Grid promises to offer a raw and hilarious look at two friends well and truly out of their comfort zones in a world of "misadventures" Off The Grid premieres tonight at 7.30pm on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+ Jacob Elordi has played his fair share of heartthrobs and outsiders a surgeon captured during World War II and forced to build the Thai-Burma Death Railway might just be the one that stays with him the longest Australia Correspondent Aziz Al Sa'afin sat down with Elordi and the cast of Narrow Road to the Deep North ahead of its release on April 18 Elordi starred as Dorrigo Evans in the six-part Australian mini-series based on the Booker Prize-winning novel by Richard Flanagan whose father survived the Thai-Burma Railway It tells the harrowing story of POWs who endured unimaginable conditions under Japanese captivity More than 13,000 Allied soldiers died building the railway Among them were at least 13 recorded New Zealand casualties their names etched into war cemeteries in Thailand shedding weight and wearing down their bodies to reflect the physical toll But Elordi said it was the emotional impact that left the deepest mark It was a spiritual kind of experience,” he said It was this silent thing that happened sort of behind your eyes.” He described a sense of mateship that carried through both on and off-screen “All sort of ego and everything gets cut away when you're doing that sort of thing together but there was something quite magical about it.” known for bold and often brutal Australian films like Snowtown cinematic style was felt throughout the adaptation “Justin has made important cinema from his first film the best-case scenario and the best way to come home.” Rising Australian star Thomas Weatherall who played a young Indigenous soldier named Frank said he chased the role harder than any before joking that he was surprised his agent was still talking to him “I was a fan of the novel long before I ever knew this was happening And I just knew there was one character I could really gun for,” he said “I think he’s a great character when it comes to Indigenous representation in Australian literature At the centre of the emotional fallout was Dorrigo’s complicated relationship with two women: Amy “She’s a firecracker,” Young said of her character “You don’t really get to see rowdy women in imperial dramas.” “Ella’s purposeful and passionate,” DeJonge added. “She is one of Dorrigo’s lifelong loves and navigates through a tumultuous time in Australian history and the world with grace and sincerity.” a man caught in a web of pre-war passion that continued to haunt them all “He's a publican in South Australia embroiled in a love story with Amy and Dorrigo before he goes to war,” Baker said “It’s this sustaining love that kind of carries him through and in a way revealing not just the horrors of war but the lingering trauma in the years that follow While it may have been the most confronting role he had taken on Elordi said it was also one of the most meaningful particularly being able to film it on home soil “We don't make a lot of stuff here,” Baker added “So when there's a quality project like this The Narrow Road to the Deep North is released on Prime Video on April 18 Netflix subscribers face an up to $6 a month price rise as the streamer increases the cost of its service Netflix's basic subscription package increased from $14.99 to $17.99 a month its standard plan rose from $20.99 to $25.99 a month and the premium plan went up from $27.99 to $33.99 Adding extra members to standard or premium plans would also cost more — up to $9.99 per person from $7.99 Email notifications for existing members began on April 3 with the exact timing of the change depending on the specific member's billing cycle "As we continue to invest in programming and deliver more value for our members we will sometimes ask our members to pay more so that we can re-invest to further improve Netflix." last increased prices for Kiwi customers in February last year The price hike also follows increases for customers in the United States and Canada in January Disney+ also increased its subscription pricing in NZ in February Its standard plan rose from $14.99 to 16.99 per month and its premium plan increase from $18.99 to $21.99 Those paying a yearly-standard subscription would see a price increase from $149.99 to $169.99 and for a yearly-premium subscription The critically acclaimed New Zealand TV show After The Party has been nominated for a British Bafta TV award Emily Perkins and Martha Hardy-Ward and filmed on location in Wellington — has been nominated for the best international series award of a sex crime against her daughter's teenage friend Phil returns from Scotland and moves in with Penny's daughter and grandchild The show found success in the UK after it was released by Channel 4 You can watch After The Party on TVNZ+ In a post to Instagram, Malcolm reacted to the nomination, saying: "Just to get in this category is utterly crazy, mindblowing and just plain joyous. "Am wandering about Liverpool in a daze thinking about all our ATP crew who worked like maniacs, rain wind and shine over those weeks back in Te Whanganui a Tara Aotearoa (Wellington New Zealand) . Lads this is a testament to all our work together. I’m f’ing proud of all of us. "We are in a seriously classy category with seriously classy competition." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Robyn Malcolm (@robynjmalcolm) Following its New Zealand release on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+ the series swept the New Zealand Television Awards and Best Actor and Actress wins for Peter Mullan and Robyn Malcolm The show currently sits at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and 7.6/10 on IMDB which stars New Zealand-born actor Anna Sawai Consultation is being held with staff working on Shortland Street which is now being screened three nights a week instead of five TVNZ confirmed to 1News that South Pacific Pictures the producers of the long-running soap opera had "entered into consultation with individuals who are part of the Shortland Street production and on permanent employment contracts" A spokesperson said the proposal came after changes to the format of the show Shortland Street had aired five episodes a week since 1992, but in 2025 returned to screens on a three episode a week schedule "We’ve made changes to Shortland Street’s format to enable the show to continue in 2025 This includes reshaping the series into a three-episode-a-week format The result is a shorter production period and the need for South Pacific Pictures to now make changes to cast and crew on permanent employment terms in line with this," the statement said TVNZ said the 2025 season was in the top five shows streaming on TVNZ+ and that it was the second-most watched programme on TVNZ2 "It’s a key title in TVNZ’s content line up and we’re already in discussions with SPP on plans for a potential 2026 season." Last year the Government tweaked eligibility criteria for the New Zealand Screen Production Rebate for local shows "with strong industry and cultural value like our longest-running drama Shortland Street" That meant NZ On Air could approve a "$3m injection of public media funding to help secure another year of the show" chief executive Cameron Harland said at the time A search and rescue operation is underway for a Masterton man in his 70s missing since Sunday John Rafferty was last seen at Masterton Railway Station about midday on May 4 The 74-year-old did not board a train and left on foot about 20 minutes later Matheson said it was possible Rafferty was staying with a friend but police and loved ones "want to know he’s safe" and John doesn’t have his cell phone or wallet," he said A search team and a helicopter has been out looking for the missing man "We are really keen to know that he’s safe." Police have released an image from CCTV showing Rafferty on a station platform on the day of his disappearance He was wearing a blue jacket with 'NASA' written on the back Anyone who saw him was asked to contact police on 111 or online at 105 if there was Information after the fact The next top cop of the troubled Victoria police force embraces his "outsider" status to curb its leadership malaise and has a stern warning for crooks Former New Zealand Police commissioner Mike Bush won the race to become Victoria's chief commissioner after months of top-level staffing woes The 40-year police veteran steps into the role on June 27 with a five-year contract The Kiwi conceded the job will be no picnic with Victoria's crime rate hitting an almost decade-high in 2024 everyone knows that," he told reporters today "These crime issues are actually global they are quite similar wherever you go but it's not good enough just to turn up after the act Rising youth crime and high-profile cases of alleged offenders committing crimes while on bail spurred the Victorian government to strengthen laws in March Bush said he was familiar with the crackdown but bail laws were just one part of the solution to tackling youth crime along with a "prevention mindset" He retired from the NZ police force in 2020 after joining in 1978 and spending his final six years in the top job Whakaari/White Island volcano eruption and Covid-19 pandemic were among the biggest crises Bush confronted during his tenure Bush also made headlines in 2022 after it emerged he had a past drink-driving conviction when unsuccessfully applying to become head of the UK's Metropolitan Police Former New Zealand police minister Stuart Nash describedr Bush as hard but fair He said Bush regularly met with police forces across the Tasman in his previous role and recalled travelling with him to every district across New Zealand once a year to chew the fat with communities and then we all had biscuits and a cup of tea," Nash told AAP "Mike is someone who had deep credibility in policing." The state government has not handed the reins of Victoria Police to an outsider since former NSW Police assistant commissioner Christine Nixon in 2001 The Kiwi was happy to wear the "outsider" tag and is already hatching plans to hit the ground running "I've got a lot to do to come up to speed," Bush said "Culture is a consequence of leadership." establishing relationships with community groups amid rising tensions and increasing police visibility on the beat were among his other top initial priorities Victoria Police was thrust into leadership turmoil in February with a no-confidence vote from officers costing chief commissioner Shane Patton his job Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent became acting chief and expressed an interest in making the move permanent before throwing in the towel in April Deputy Commissioner Robert Hill will serve in an acting capacity until Bush takes over Bush intends to speak with Patton before starting and said he wouldn't shy away from pushing back if he disagreed with the government Premier Jacinta Allan said a recruitment agency was hired and instructed to find a leader capable of addressing the "challenges" plaguing the force "Mike Bush is the best person for the job," she said whose union led the no-confidence vote against Patton following a bitter pay dispute admitted there was a disconnect between members and leaders The state police union secretary welcomed Mr Bush's appointment and pledge to listen to the mounting workforce concerns "We have a police force that is currently under-resourced that needs fresh officers," he said The Commerce Commission has filed criminal charges against Woolworths NZ for alleged inaccurate pricing and misleading specials that may have breached the Fair Trading Act The commission filed the charges against Woolworths in the Auckland District Court It indicated in December last year that it would be filing separate criminal charges against Woolworths and two Pak'nSave supermarkets the commission said there were ongoing issues with pricing in the supermarket sector and the operators may have breached the Fair Trading Act deputy chair Anne Callinan said operators should know what the expectations were "Supermarkets have long been on notice about the importance of accurate and clear pricing and specials and we're not satisfied with the continuing issues we're seeing across the industry "Pricing accuracy is a consumer right and an expectation of a competitive market well-resourced businesses that should invest the time and effort to get pricing and promotions right." She said the charges were filed to remind all supermarkets that they are expected to fix the pricing accuracy issues and implement better processes In a statement when the charges were announced Woolworths managing director Spencer Sonn said it was important customers could trust prices advertised at their supermarkets Woolworths said it has cooperated with the Commerce Commission's pricing investigation for some time rnz.co.nz Former prime minister Sir John Key says he remains optimistic about Donald Trump's domestic economic policy despite opposing the tariff strategy that has sent global markets into turmoil in recent months who served as prime minister for eight years was the keynote speaker at an Auckland business summit earlier today Sir John told 1News he believed Trump would ultimately take a more moderate approach to tariffs than initially proposed "I'm not a fan of tariff policies I don't think they really work," he said as I think the stock market is telling you at the moment that actually there will be a more sensible landing place for the tariffs that he's wanting to impose." Sir John said he "wasn't entirely surprised" at Trump's call to go ahead with the policy "They're just a negotiating point I think he simply put on widespread and high rates of tariffs on every country to give himself a leverage point and a negotiating point "What I think he actually grossly underestimated was the stock market reaction You can actually make the case that his own strategy hasn't worked The reason the markets have recovered is because he's taken those tariffs off the most part 'I'm going to negotiate case by case'." Sir John suggested Trump's economic policies could still generally be positive for the US but the tariffs could be trickier for the global economy Asked whether he stood by his October comments that Trump would be good for the economy he said: "Do I think he's going to reduce regulatory burden in the United States It depends on where things shake down in terms of tariffs." Sir John acknowledged that for certain industries Trump's policies could be "a really negative thing" particularly if the president's proposed 100% tariff on the film industry were to be implemented "I can't see how it would be cost-competitive to make a movie in New Zealand with a 100% tariff on it," he said noting that films such as The Hobbit would not have been made in New Zealand without government subsidies who now served as a director of US tech company Palo Alto Networks said he had "always been opposed" to Trump's tariff policies but believes they won't be the "dominant part of his economic solutions" "I don't think it's perfect from New Zealand's point of view but I don't think we should panic either and America will still be a very big market for us to sell things to," he said "There are growing markets around the world It's not a great thing from New Zealand's point of view We've got a very sound economy with lots of options in front of us." Sir John suggested a belief that the Republican Trump was was better "on balance" for the US economy than Democratic opponent Kamala Harris he expressed concerns about Trump's tariff approach: "China doesn't pay those tariffs middle-income consumers or consumers in America do because when a tariff goes on a good that you bring into a country He added: "I don't agree with the massive tariffs and I don't think you'll follow through with all of that and I certainly don't agree with this view on trade." Audrey Backeberg disappeared from a small city in south-central Wisconsin after reportedly hitchhiking with her family’s babysitter and catching a bus to Indianapolis Nobody ever knew where she went or what happened to her All that changed last week when she was found alive and safe in another state thanks to the fresh eyes from a deputy who took over the case in February Detective Isaac Hanson discovered an out-of-state arrest record that matched Backeberg which triggered a series of investigative moves that led to finding her alive and safe in another state Turns out Backeberg chose to leave the town of Reedsburg on her own accord – likely due to an abusive husband safe and secure; And just kind of lived under the radar for that long,” he said Hanson was assigned the case in late February and he and other officials met with Backeberg’s family to see if they had a connection with that region They also started digging through Backeberg's sister's Ancestry.com account obituaries and marriage licenses from that region they found an address where a woman was living that Hanson said shared a lot of similarities with Backeberg including date of birth and social security number Hanson was able to get a deputy from that jurisdiction to go to the address "I was expecting the deputy to call me back and say ‘Oh nobody answered the door.’ And I thought it was the deputy calling me I could sense that she obviously had her reasons for leaving.” Most of the information he learned during that call he declined to share saying that it was still important to Backeberg that she not be found “I think it overwhelmed her of course with the emotions that she had having a deputy show up at her house and then kind of call her out and talk with her about what happened and kind of relive 62 years in 45 minutes,” he said Hanson described discovering her safe after more than six decades practically unheard of And while he doesn't know what will happen next in terms of her family reconnecting he said he was happy that she can reach out if she wants to so she has my contact number if she ever wants to reach out or needs anything any phone numbers of family members back here," he said "Ultimately she kind of holds the cards for that.” Hawke's Bay iwi Ngāti Kahungunu has been unsuccessful in its bid to buy back the mountain Kahurānaki but the iwi says its connection to the land will always remain Kahurānaki Station - a 1156 hectare sheep and beef farm south of Havelock North which includes the peak of the mountain - came up for sale earlier this year and the iwi launched a fundraising campaign to buy it The campaign to bring the Kahurānaki back into Māori ownership was called He Maunga Ka Taea and included a 10-day hīkoi from Māhia to Kahurānaki It raised more than $95,000 on crowd funding platform koha.kiwi Hastings-based post-settlement governance entity Tamatea Pōkai Whenua Trust submitted a tender on behalf of the iwi Chairman Pōhatu Paku said the trust was the only local entity to tender for the Station and they were saddened and disappointed by the outcome The trust had approached the tender on the basis it was presented Paku acknowledged the young and emerging iwi members who had generated the groundswell of support for the tender and for the longer term status of the mountain ki tēnā o tātau e titikaha nei ki tēnei kaupapa I just want to acknowledge and mihi to everybody that has connected with this kaupapa Paku said the trust would be engaging with the station's new owners at an appropriate time to convey the iwi's history and also set out their aspirations "The continuation of the protection of our wāhi tapu (sacred sites) is significantly important to us Continued access to the mountain would also be a high priority "The previous owners were quite open for Kura for people running kaupapa and also those that wished to ascend the maunga they allowed that they identified that it was culturally significant to us all." Paku said Tamatea Pōkai Whenua will need to foster the groundswell of support and leadership that the He Maunga Ka Taea campaign had generated "The whakapapa connections and taonga that is Kahurānaki maunga remain our greatest advantage is that we live in perpetuity and our maunga and our tīpuna live with us and they continue to be ours "And like all of our tūtohu whenua (landmarks) our maunga carries our traditions and our identity and our histories and we remain uncompromising to act in the best interests of our tūtohu whenua both for this generation and for future generations." Paku said the trust may look at legal personhood as another avenue to protect the mountain but ultimately he said the maunga remains an ancestor and retains its own mana which no one can ever own rnz.co.nz Eleven inmate deaths in less than two months A US$3 billion (NZ$5 billion) repair backlog a stunning directive from President Donald Trump for the crisis-plagued federal Bureau of Prisons to “REBUILD AND OPEN ALCATRAZ!” — the notorious penitentiary on an island in San Francisco Bay that last held inmates more than 60 years ago Even as the Bureau of Prisons struggles with short staffing chronic violence and crumbling infrastructure at its current facilities Trump is counting on the agency to fulfill his vision of rebooting the infamously inescapable prison known in movies and pop culture as The Rock Trump declared in a social media post that a “substantially enlarged and rebuilt” Alcatraz will house the nation’s “most ruthless and violent Offenders” Newly appointed Bureau of Prisons Director William K Marshall III said that the agency “will vigorously pursue all avenues to support and implement the President’s agenda” and that he has ordered “an immediate assessment to determine our needs and the next steps” We look forward to restoring this powerful symbol of law and justice,” Marshall said in a statement “We will be actively working with our law enforcement and other federal partners to reinstate this very important mission.” an 8.9-hectare spit of land with views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline was once the crown jewel of the federal prison system and home to some of the nation’s most notorious criminals including gangsters Al Capone and George Machine Gun Kelly But skyrocketing repair and supply costs compelled the Justice Department to close the prison in 1963 and the Bureau of Prisons has long since replaced Alcatraz with modern penitentiaries including a maximum-security prison in Florence The former and perhaps future penitentiary is now a popular tourist attraction and a national historic landmark It’s controlled by the National Park Service as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area meaning the Bureau of Prisons could be in for an interagency tug of war if it tries to wrest away control of the island Trump’s Alcatraz directive is yet another challenge for the Bureau of Prisons as it struggles to fix lingering problems while responding to the president’s priorities on incarceration and immigrant detention includes taking in thousands of immigration detainees under an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security The problems at the Bureau of Prisons transcend administrations and facilities An ongoing Associated Press investigation has uncovered deep previously unreported flaws within the Bureau of Prisons over the last few years including widespread criminal activity by employees and severe understaffing that has hampered responses to emergencies then-President Joe Biden signed a law strengthening oversight of the agency It remains the Justice Department’s largest agency 155,000 inmates and an annual budget of about US$8 billion (NZ$13.4 billion) but the Trump administration’s cost-cutting measures have eliminated some pay bonuses that were credited with retaining and attracting new staff That has resulted in long overtime shifts for some workers and the continued use of a policy known as augmentation teachers and other workers are pressed into duty to guard inmates A Bureau of Prisons official told Congress at a hearing in February that more than 4000 beds within the system — the equivalent of at least two full prisons — are unusable because of dangerous conditions like leaking or failing roofs a 37-year-old Florida businessman who was found dead April 28 in a suspected suicide at a federal jail in Miami He was awaiting trial on charges that he kidnapped and killed his estranged wife in Spain inmate Ramadhan Jaabir Justice was killed in a fight at the federal penitentiary in Pollock where he was serving a nearly 11-year sentence for a conviction related to an armed robbery As Trump was ordering Alcatraz’s reopening correctional officers at the same Miami jail were fighting to curb the spread of tuberculosis and Covid-19 isolating inmates after they tested positive for the diseases immigration detainees at the facility ripped out a fire sprinkler and flooded a holding cell during a lengthy intake process the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin has sat idle for more than a year after the Bureau of Prisons cleared it of inmates in the wake of rampant sexual abuse by employees the agency made the closure permanent and idled six prison camps across the country to address “significant challenges crumbling infrastructure and limited budgetary resources” While Trump hails Alcatraz as a paragon of the federal prison system’s cherished past other facilities stand as reminders of its recent troubles They include the federal jail in Manhattan which remains idle after Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide there in 2019 exposed deep flaws in its operations where 23 inmates have been charged in recent months with crimes ranging from smuggling weapons in a Doritos bag to the stabbing last month of a man convicted in the killing of hip-hop legend Jam Master Jay Lady Gaga gave a free concert Saturday night in front of 2 million fans who poured onto Copacabana Beach for the biggest show of her career (...) Thank you for making history with me,” Lady Gaga told a screaming crowd kicked off the show at around 22.10pm local time with her 2011 song Bloody Mary Cries of joy rose from the tightly-packed fans who sang and danced shoulder-to-shoulder on the vast stretch of sand Concert organisers said 2.1 million people attended the show switching between an array of dresses including one with the colours of the Brazilian flag Some fans – many of them young – arrived on the beach at the crack of dawn to secure a good spot “Today is the best day of my life,” said Manoela Dobes a 27-year-old designer who was wearing a dress plastered with a photograph from when she met Lady Gaga in the United States in 2019 Madonna also turned Copacabana Beach into a massive dance floor last year The large-scale performances are part of an effort led by City Hall to boost economic activity after Carnival and New Years’ Eve festivities and the upcoming month-long Saint John’s Day celebrations in June “It brings activity to the city during what was previously considered the low season – filling hotels and increasing spending in bars generating jobs and income for the population,” said Osmar Lima the city’s secretary of economic development in a statement released by Rio City Hall’s tourism department last month Rio’s City Hall said in a recent report that around 1.6 million people were expected to attend Lady Gaga's concert and that the show should inject at least 600 million reais (NZ$178.3 million) into Rio’s economy Similar concerts are scheduled to take place every year in May at least until 2028 Lady Gaga arrived in Rio in the early hours of Tuesday The city has been alive with Gaga-mania since as it geared up to welcome the pop star for her first show in the country since 2012 Rio’s metro employees danced to Lady Gaga’s 2008 hit song LoveGame and gave instructions for today in a video A free exhibition celebrating her career sold out While the vast majority of attendees were from Rio the event also attracted Brazilians from across the country and international visitors More than 500,000 tourists poured into the city in the days leading up to the show according to data from the local bus station and Tom Jobim airport Rio’s City Hall said in a statement yesterday made a cross-continent trip from Colombia to Brazil to attend the show “I’ve been a 100% fan of Lady Gaga my whole life,” said Serrano who was wearing a T-shirt featuring Lady Gaga’s outlandish costumes over the years the mega-star represents “total freedom of expression – being who one wants without shame” Rio officials have a history of organising huge concerts on Copacabana Beach Madonna’s show drew an estimated 1.6 million fans last year while 4 million people flooded onto the beach for a 1994 New Year’s Eve show by Rod Stewart in 1994 that was the biggest free rock concert in history sixteen sound towers were spread along the beach Rio state’s security plan included the presence of 3300 military and 1500 police officers Among those present were Lady Gaga admirers who remember their disappointment in 2017 when the artist cancelled a performance scheduled in Rio at the last minute due to health issues “She's the best artist in the world,” the 25-year-old said I love you” in Portuguese rose from the crowd behind him whose real name is Ella Yelich O'Connor which also displayed what appears to be the album cover art — an X-ray of a pelvis "100% written in blood," the website read The new album's announcement came a week after she released her latest single What Was That The song's music video was filmed at a mysterious pop-up event in New York City's Washington Square Park that was initially shut down by police. The event ended up going ahead after all, and fans who stayed got to hear the new song for the first time. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lorde (@lorde) It was the first sign of a follow-up to Lorde's previous album Her other albums were 2013's Pure Heroine and 2017's Melodrama she collaborated with British singer Charli XCX on a remix of Girl so confusing — on a re-release of the Grammy award-winning Brat Kim Kardashian thought she was going to be raped and killed when criminals broke into her bedroom in central Paris tied her up and stole more than US$6 million in jewellery 10 people will go on trial in Paris over the robbery abduction and kidnapping of the media personality and the concierge of the residence where she was staying during Paris Fashion Week the night of October 2 Kardashian’s lawyers said she will testify in person at the trial starting Monday and scheduled to run through May 23 "Ms Kardashian is reserving her testimony for the court and jury and does not wish to elaborate further at this time," they said "She has great respect and admiration for the French justice system and has been treated with great respect by the French authorities "She wishes the trial to proceed in an orderly fashion in accordance with French law and with respect for all parties to the case." In interviews and on her family’s reality TV show Kardashian has described being terrified as robbers pointed a gun at her In a 2020 appearance on David Letterman’s Netflix show she tearfully recalled thinking: "This is the time I’m going to get raped Twelve people were originally expected in the defendants’ box and another is seriously ill and can't be tried five of the 10 defendants were present at the scene of the robbery The French press has dubbed them The Granddad Robbers because the main defendants are elderly and have careers as bank robbers with long criminal records Kardashian told investigators she was taken to a bathroom next to her bedroom and placed in the bathtub Her attackers fled on bicycles or on foot and she managed to free herself by removing the tape from her hands and mouth She had also removed the tape from her feet and rushed to her stylist’s room She called her sister Kourtney to tell her about the theft Kardashian told investigators that she had not been injured adding that she wanted to leave France as soon as possible to be reunited with her children According to her testimony and that of the concierge at least one of the suspects had a handgun The gangsters stole many pieces of jewellery estimated to be worth more than US$6 million (NZ$10 million) Only one piece of jewellery — a diamond cross on platinum that was lost during the suspects' escape — has been recovered Two of the accused have partially confessed to the crime is one of two suspected robbers who allegedly entered the apartment his genetic profile was found on the tape used to gag Kardashian who was waiting for him in a parked car at a nearby train station The second robber said he tied up the concierge with cables but did not go up to Kardashian’s apartment said he acted as a lookout in the ground-floor reception area He said he was unarmed and did not personally threaten Kardashian but admitted he shared responsibility for the crime Abbas was arrested in January 2017 and spent 21 months in prison before being released under judicial supervision he co-authored a French-language book titled I Sequestered Kim Kardashian is the second alleged robber suspected of entering the flat although he was filmed by CCTV cameras and numerous telephone contacts with the other co-defendants show his involvement The other defendants are suspected of providing information about Kardashian’s presence in the apartment Others are accused of playing a role in the resale of the jewellery in Antwerp Joe Cocker and Bad Company will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — in a class that also includes pop star Cyndi Lauper the rock duo the White Stripes and grunge masters Soundgarden the first female rap act to achieve gold and platinum status and the late singer-songwriter Warren Zevon will get the Musical Influence Award pianist Nicky Hopkins and bassist Carol Kaye will each get the Musical Excellence Award who sang at Woodstock and was best known for his cover of The Beatles’ With a Little Help From My Friends a member of Elvis Costello & The Attractions who argued that Cocker is "about as rock and roll as it gets" Soundgarden — with the late Chris Cornell as singer — get into the Hall on their third nomination They follow two other grunge acts in the Hall — Nirvana and Pearl Jam Bad Company get in having become radio fixtures with such arena-rock staples as Feel Like Makin’ Love Can’t Get Enough and Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy The Ahmet Ertegun Award — given to nonperforming industry professionals who had a major influence on music — will go to Lenny Waronker Some nominees that didn't get in this year included Mariah Carey and subsequent Let’s Twist Again are considered among the most popular songs in the history of rock 'n' roll The 83-year-old has expressed frustration that he hadn't been granted entry before including telling the AP in 2014: "I don’t want to get in there when I’m 85 years old so you better do it quick while I’m still smiling." Lauper rose to fame in the 1980s with hits such as Time After Time and Girls Just Want To Have Fun and went on to win a Tony Award for Kinky Boots have six Grammys and a reputation for pushing the boundaries of hip-hop The White Stripes — made up of Jack White and Meg White — were indie darlings in the early 2000s with such songs as Seven Nation Army Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they’re eligible for induction The induction ceremony will take place in Los Angeles this fall Nominees were voted on by more than 1200 artists historians and music industry professionals The selection criteria include "an artist’s impact on other musicians the scope and longevity of their career and body of work as well as their innovation and excellence in style and technique" Dave Matthews Band and singer-guitarist Peter Frampton were inducted It was a night of tough conversations on The Bachelorette A lack of one-on-one dates saw 29-year-old Michael Froot pull the plug on his relationship with Lesina Nakhid-Schuster but the real drama centred around a man she’s spent plenty of time with An interaction between Mike Bullot and Lesina came to a dramatic peak with Mike questioning whether the bachelorette was on the show for the right reasons While Olympic sailor Mike and Lesina have shared an obvious attraction since Mike entered the house as an intruder four weeks ago they’ve struggled to connect with each other on a deeper level They’ve each admitted they find the other guarded Hopefully she drops her guard a bit because you’ve got to give a little to get a little right?” Mike’s arrival on The Bachelorette turned Lesina’s head Mike’s hesitance to open up could partly be because he doesn’t want to divulge too many details about his divorce to celebrity chef Chelsea Winter He did however share that he lost faith in marriage after their break-up “if you think I’ve got walls now While he thinks he’s tried to share his insecurities in the hopes of forming a genuine connection with Lesina Mike questioned whether that effort had been reciprocated Admitting that and sort of opening up that to someone and not getting a lot in return kind of makes me want to throw up my hands a little bit,” he said It’s an interesting accusation leveled by Mike that ‘Question Assassin’ Lesina has spent the season questioning everyone else’s intentions without revealing anything substantial about herself “What are you trying to get out of this?” Mike asked After a long pause Lesina finally answered For someone desperate for Lesina to tell him what she wants it didn’t seem like this was the answer Mike wanted to hear “I’m not gonna lie about the fact that I do like someone to be super attentive I do just want someone to be like ‘I really like you’ and then I can be like ‘great I like you too,'” Lesina admitted to the camera Mike’s reaction left Lesina with no confusion how he felt about such a prospect and I could’ve treated you like an absolute princess and I could have said all the right things and answered all the questions in all the right ways but that would have been for the f!@#ing TV right?” he explained “Maybe she’s looking for someone who’s absolutely doting over her I don’t want a one-sided relationship,” the 35-year-old said “I think you probably need to figure out what you want because you’ve definitely got some very good options out there who’ll probably say the right things at the right time.” One person who is confident he’s got Lesina all figured out is the man that’s always at the center of the drama, Aaron McNabb. “I do not believe that Lesina is the kind of girl that wants to be chasing after a guy, I think she wants someone who is going to put in the effort to show her that he’s ready for her as well,” Aaron suggested. Last night’s episode ended with Mike heading out for a one-on-one date with Lesina, with no clearer idea about where their relationship stands. “I woke up this morning feeling pretty confused, very confused. I just could not make sense of a lot of what happened last night, which is incredibly frustrating. I’ve done everything I can to be open with her and I don’t know what she wants. None of that is obvious. “I don’t know enough about this girl to really know whether she’s here for the right reasons. My gut says perhaps not.” The Bachelorette New Zealand airs Monday – Tuesday at 7:30pm and Sunday 7pm on TVNZ 2 Richie Boyens and Lily McManus. (Source: TVNZ) Lesina Nakhid-Schuster struggled through emotions to open up about leaving the show alone, Liam Cochrane was back to properly express what the deal with his girl back home was. Then the men opened up about their "brutal" eliminations and Glenn Richards was back to defend himself about his "homophobic" and "misogynist" comments. But with all the dirty laundry out, it didn't take the spotlight away from the happy couple that emerged from it all as we caught up with Lily McManus and Richie Boyens on what dating has been like on the outside. While they haven't said the words love, or purple (their word for love - awww), the couple looked very loved up as they gushed about their secret dating life. With no secrets anymore, Lily let viewers in on exactly what they'll be doing at their AirBnB after filming of the special. Not TMI at all Lil, not at all. Bachelorettes Lesina Nakhid-Schuster and Lily McManus. (Source: TVNZ) Meanwhile, who wasn't gushing about pair? Fellow contestant 'dreamy' Mike Bullot said the pair had set up their love haven at his place, and rent free for Lily for that matter. If only he'd sorted his s*** with Lesina and they could've been like mum and dad and the raunchy teens in one big, happy home. But Mike should just be glad the laws are the laws in this country, he could've been in for a lot more freeloaders at his pad after Lily, who cuddled up on the couch with runner ups Quinn Ryan and Jesse Williamson, made the comment, "if it was legal I'd take all three". Quinn Ryan, Lily McManus and Jesse Williamson. (Source: TVNZ) "Take a leaf out of Glenn's book," Art responded. And that segue ways us into the drama of this season. Probably the most disliked guy of the season, personal trainer Glenn Richards, was back to set the record straight about his comments deemed disrespectful to women and homophobic. If you missed it, he told the other men in the house they had to get his permission before locking lips with Lesina, persistently tried to angle for a "two for one" deal with both bachelorettes, and when George Hellriegel came out as bisexual to his new mates, Glenn made an odd comment about him not being as masculine. In tonight's special though, Glenn defended what he said as his sense of humour and hugged it out with the men who took offence. Resolutions, I like it, but it wasn't resolutions for all. Liam still has beef with Aaron over being dobbed in for his "girlfriend" who wasn't really his girlfriend and Jesse didn't seem too stoked to be sat next to the house stirrer either. Not a lot seems to have changed for the Hamilton teacher though. Tonight he called out Lesina for leading him on after the show finished in a very awkward confrontation in front of a live audience and her parents! Saying they had "hung out" after the show several times. "If that's not leading someone on I don't know what is," he said. But Lesina held herself well, saying her feelings didn't just disappear since the show finished. Mama Camille was back at it being a star though. She rushed to her girl's aid, armed with tissues when things go emotional - go mum! Lesina opened up about it being her first and final stint in reality television though. "I've done my reality TV thing, I'm just going be a doctor," she vowed. Sneak peek: Celebrity Treasure Island season six preview The hit Kiwi show returns on September 9 and looks set to be reality gold Top politician sport stars in Celebrity Treasure Island 2024 TVNZ unveils the cast lineup for the upcoming sixth season of Celebrity Treasure Island New co-host for Celebrity Treasure Island announced They will step in for Jayden Daniels to host with Bree Tomasel Insomnia: Actor Leanne Best on her role in restless nighttime thriller Best appears alongside small screen stalwart and Line of Duty star Vicky McClure in the new thriller 'Like a warm cuddle': The welcome return of Kiwi comedy Kid Sister In conversation with the creatives behind the semi-autobiographical series The many faces of Rhiannon McCall – Seven Sharp reporter hosts new show From performing risky stand-up comedy to embracing the virtues of a quality woollen carpet My Dream Green Home presenter Rhiannon McCall is a creative force and a fast learner Celebrity Treasure Island is returning to our screens on September 9 If the newly released teaser trailer is anything to go by you can bet the new season of the hit Kiwi will be reality gold Eighteen larger-than-life personalities will battle it out against the stunning backdrop of Te Whanganui-o-Hei in the Coromandel in search of buried treasure — and take home a $100,000 cash prize for their chosen charity Among the big names to be featured are former Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni and sports stars Casey Kopua and Christian Cullen From the world of acting comes James Rolleston and then there's infomercial queen Suzanne Paul Bree Tomasel shares hosting duties with dancer reading a text from the show's regular host Daniels was otherwise engaged with an acting commitment when filming took place earlier this year can't make it this season," reads his text Tomasel says she knows "just the guy" to take on the co-hosting co-hosting reins Savali joins Tomasel to set the scene for what Celebrity Treasure Island season six has in store The four-minute trailer introduces this year's cast of competitors split into two teams of nine — Team Aihe and Team Wētā who declares with aplomb that she's there "to make a good TV show" It's not long before she utters the immortal infomercial line: "But wait Garner stares wistfully into the distance and weeps "I feel like I've let everybody down," he says I'd love to just go and cry privately," she says former Silver Ferns captain Kopua says she "wants to go home" "Never trust a politician," shares former politician Tāmati Coffey "Especially a former one," quips Sepuloni with various shots of the castaways competing in strenuous-looking oxygen-thieving challenges — with varying degrees of success All Blacks legend Cullen has had better days Breathing deeply with a grimace on his face he holds his hand on his chest while Savali shouts "},{"_id":"GND4IYGO75A6NM2FJ3U2EL6JEM","type":"text","content":"Celebrity Treasure Island drama And who will be crowned this year's winner Celebrity Treasure Island premieres on Monday September 9 and continues Tuesday and Wednesday musician and reality TV star Lance Savali will co-host the upcoming season of Celebrity Treasure Island alongside Bree Tomasel Savali is stepping in as regular co-host Jayden Daniels is otherwise engaged with an acting commitment As well as performing internationally with the likes of Rihanna Savali was also a finalist on the 2021 season of Celebrity Treasure Island then returned in 2023 for Treasure Island: Fans V Faves "I'm so excited to be co-hosting this season of Celebrity Treasure Island and it's an honour to share this experience with my beautiful friend "Everyone knows how I feel about Celebrity Treasure Island and we all know it's gonna be a good season if I'm there "I've obviously been here twice before but I'm also loving the fact I get to go back to my hotel room not worry about what's happening tomorrow Savali commented that the pair each had "big personalities" and promised to "push the boundaries a little bit." Tomasel is also thrilled to have Savali come on board as a co-host When I heard that it was going to be Lance I sent him a message and we were just sending each other voice messages back and forth so I knew we'd have heaps of fun along the way." The cast of season six of Celebrity Treasure Island will be announced on Sunday a new six-part British psychological thriller Emma Averil (played by Line Of Duty and Trigger Point's Vicky McClure) is a rising lawyer and mother-of-two who appears to have the perfect life Trapped in an unsettling web of sleeplessness Emma descends into a realm where the truth isn't what it seems black sheep Phoebe (played by Leanne Best) Actress Leanne Best talks about her role in the thriller now streaming on TVNZ+ I think [author] Sarah Pinborough's work has translated brilliantly from the novel to the screen and I was interested in that family dynamic between sisters I was fascinated by intergenerational trauma and the notion that you can have these two very close individuals who faced the same traumatic experience as kids but it altered the trajectory of their lives in such different ways This gives us loads of scope to explore relationships — between sisters It's fertile ground for a great character-driven psychological thriller Phoebe feels quite enigmatic at first — did you find it hard to get under her skin We managed to get some rehearsal time at the beginning of the shoot which was lovely and definitely helped me to find the character We had the chance to get around the table and really explore these characters' relationships and their dynamics before we got to set It was especially good to do a deep dive into Phoebe and Emma's relationship how they deal with the shadow of their mum looming over their lives and the spectre of their childhood hanging over them What was it like working with Vicky McClure to create that dynamic She's always so prepared and diligent and I was really looking forward to working with her again We met on Line of Duty and have done lots of very different jobs since then I was very much looking forward to playing this dynamic together of two sisters who really love each other but who have been really altered by their childhood Their relationship has been forged in this trauma that has impacted their adult lives We both have very close relationships with our sisters so it was great to play an extreme relationship Emma and Phoebe deal with the emotional scars of their childhood in very different ways they have both processed the events of their childhood in ways that have allowed them to deal with them Phoebe has absolutely acknowledged what happened She has been unsparing in confronting the trauma and its repercussions whereas Emma has just shut the door on it and never wants to think about it She has resisted it so massively that it has bubbled up inside her Phoebe has taken a very stark look at what happened she still hasn't managed to do the things she wanted to do in life They're in direct opposition in terms of how to handle the past The incidents in their childhood led to them being placed in very different dynamics: Phoebe had a much less structured childhood because she was in and out of the care system in London while Emma was raised in a different place but they have managed to maintain a relationship Emma has lent into stability and given herself the safety and structure of the family unit that she didn't have access to as a child whereas Phoebe has really struggled to do that as an adult Phoebe has led an unconventional life with a huge amount of freedom and she doesn't even really have a base — she's a photographer and just pitches up wherever she likes to work For both of them it comes back to working out what you inherit through your family and the impact it has on your life The strain of what happened with their mother is hard to ignore They are trying to figure out what fate is and what is in their control Is Phoebe happy with the choices she has made Bohemian auntie who is always on an adventure you see that she's not necessarily in the middle of a life that she's chosen for herself She's actually just running away from a life that she doesn't quite understand or know how to make peace with Phoebe is in a really interesting place because she's in her 40s looking at what it would be like to have more stability to have a family and put down some roots — she's thinking about it all much later than her sister did Then you throw the situation with her mother into the mix and there's a lot of chaos that she's trying to make sense of There's lots of talk of Phoebe trying to make peace with her past and we find out over the course of the drama whether she manages to do that It's very believable — some people go through life prioritising the adventures they want to have and then you get to a place where you realise you didn't have a family and you wonder what that looks like going forward Phoebe has really embarked on what she sees as a new phase in her life She wants to try to put down roots and find what she has been missing Many people do have very fractured family relationships and grow up with difficult legacies from their own parental relationships so it rings very true to me that this has informed a huge amount of what Phoebe has done with her life But now she's consciously taking control of it and wants to try for a family of her own Phoebe receives a lukewarm welcome from Emma when she turns up at her house – how disappointed is she that Emma isn't more invested in their relationship Phoebe pulls Emma into a situation that Emma has made very clear she doesn't want any part of they made a deal that they wouldn't see their mum and that they wouldn't talk about what happened when they were children Emma is very clear that part of her life is over and done and she wants to pretend it never happened She doesn't even talk to her husband about it Phoebe is quite naïve in thinking that because she's done lots of healing and has really explored her own personal trauma but she's like a born-again trauma therapist telling Emma what to do and that pulls them into conflict with each other How did you cope with filming some of the heavier scenes in this series It has been important to maintain a huge amount of integrity when shooting those big scenes We want to deal with these issues sensitively out of respect for people who have been through these kinds of things I'm quite used to it; my CV definitely includes a fair chunk exploring the murkier end of the human psyche I'm usually very good at shaking off the emotion at the end of the day I have a cup of tea and watch a bit of Real Housewives But there have been a few days when we've all had to decompress a bit together after filming a difficult scene The schedule has been a straight sprint to the end but we have all got on so well that we've actually had loads of fun making the show Do you have any personal experience of insomnia I am the opposite of an insomniac — when I am stressed I like to get under the quilt and have a stress nap But there have been a couple of times in my life when something's been playing on my mind and you're awake at 4am with the dawn chorus before you have to struggle through the day I think it's been brilliantly and carefully written watching Emma go through that and her Herculean effort to pull her life back into a very structured She's usually the solid one who can deal with everything — look after her husband take care of her children — but now she can't make herself go to sleep and she's losing control of everything and it is unsettling to see the way it unfolds Did you do any research before playing Phoebe I absolutely love doing research; it's one of my favourite parts of the job It's fun to be able to inform your performance you can throw that up in the air and see what happens she's been on this odyssey of self-discovery that we don't see It feels like she comes back from the Amazon with a bag full of answers and keeps telling everyone what they should be doing to come to terms with their own pain Even though we don't see a lot of that I read lots of books about the things Phoebe might have been exploring like plant medicine or consulting body healers I wanted to be clear about what that self-discovery might have looked like for her How do you hope viewers will respond to Insomnia I hope they will get invested in the characters and want to know what happens next I also think people will really resonate with the struggle to figure out difficult familial dynamics and coping when the life you thought you were living starts to fall away beneath your feet The themes are all intrinsically human; it's stuff that we all go through so I hope that in addition to being deeply entertained the audience will be able to resonate with all the characters The series straddles a lot of different genres and it explores that shadowy bit of the psyche that we don't really understand the part that throws things up in our dreams While there is a whodunit and a familial drama at play too — because you're dealing with this altered state that Emma finds herself in It's a psychological drama in the truest sense Insomnia is streaming now on TVNZ+ Acclaimed Kiwi comedy Kid Sister is back for a second season and so is Simone Nathan — the creator and star of the semi-autobiographical comedy Nathan reprises her role as the lovable train-wreck Lulu who is still on a laugh-out-loud ride through life as a young Jewish woman Director Aidee Walker and Nathan spoke to 1News about the new series, which is available to stream now on TVNZ+ What's the basic premise of the series The first season of Kid Sister follows Lulu having to make choices between her close-knit family and the boy (Ollie played by Paul Williams) she has fallen pregnant with we see Lulu fumbling through life after giving birth to the baby which she has given away to her brother and sister-in-law But while Ollie begins his conversion to Judaism Lulu begins to wonder whether this is really what she wants The series is a comedy-drama about finding your way when you haven't totally 'found yourself' yet What were the differences between making season one and season two we had a little more money making the second season but we also went into season two knowing what show we were making Kiwi shows with small budgets come with challenges but also have their perks A smaller crew means it feels like a family making it we gained an extra week to shoot the season you don't have much experience acting on set it helps to feel like fewer people are staring at you so the intimacy of a smaller crew creates a lot less stage fright Doing weeks of 11-hour shoot days in the first season was a huge adjustment When the majority of your day for weeks becomes you being filmed and tailed around the set by PAs even followed to the bathroom — you get used to your privacy being compromised I remember I would come home and have dreams the whole night that there was a crew in my room filming us while we slept with boom operators holding the mics above our heads I'm also such a private person when it comes to getting changed I was always the kid who got changed in the bathroom stall for PE I was walking into the trailer and just ripping off my clothes AW: We're very lucky that our producer Emily Anderton is also our story producer so the second season scripts were in such good shape by the time they got to me There was no fat to shoot because Emily really knew our budget limitations Every element had a little more time to shine a little more this time around What was it like working with such a strongly female-led crew I made a conscious decision to also have a female Director of Photographers for both season one and season two Both women did an incredible job and were perfect for our show and Simone There's this inbuilt instant protection over our female leads and female characters it's not a given or even very likely that a woman will be considered for the DOP role — it feels like there's an innate assumption that those operating the cameras will be the men It is also really comforting from a performer's perspective when you're doing scenes that are a bit more vulnerable — even one scene where my character pumps breast milk into a toilet What was the difference between writing season two versus the pilot season we've gotten to see the response to the show and gained an understanding of what sang for people the most the audience has already been through quite a lot with our characters when you finally open up that blank document for season two it's not really that blank because you've already done all those hard yards of interrogating who these people are And you can get into some more complicated storylines because the characters have already won the viewers' hearts now you can push the character's likeability a little bit more The audience hopefully feels like part of the family — and with family you don't always have to be your best self AW: I also love how it felt like you were writing for the actors this time We didn't know what a hit Grandpa Hershey would be in season one and one of my favourite relationships in this season turned out to be Lulu and the Hershey Who knew chlamydia in the rest home would be such a beloved storyline SN: I knew this time around how challenging night shoots are as well as having a lot of costume changes season two features many scenes where I'm wearing an 'Oodie' — it's daytime What was the experience of directing someone's work that is closely based on their actual life or experiences AW: I feel very lucky to have worked on such a personal story Season one was a crash course on Simone's life and family it was well received by Sim's community so I think we went into season two with even more confidence in what we were making There are some trickier storylines this season which I think Simone's handled beautifully and with so much grace — but also humour I think that's the strength of the writing How do you work together to establish the tone of the show SN: We knew going in that we wanted to have a show with comedy and heart — where you could go from a silly fun scene that establishes character to a more serious scene that will make people cry where I experience the full spectrum of human emotion almost every single day Aidee creates an environment on set that's very conducive to comedic scenes Coming from a performance background herself sometimes 'silly' vibe wasn't just us slacking off but getting into the right headspace for what we would shoot Simone is also skilled at shifting between the comedy and drama of a scene creating the show's tone behind the scenes was important They're acting the s**t out of these roles All the actors in season two are legendary I can't wait for you all to see them absolutely kill it it feels like so long since we filmed this now We'll all get to watch it for the first time Kid Sister is available to stream now on TVNZ+ host of new show My Dream Green Home Rhiannon McCall is a creative force and a fast learner Before she became the host of My Dream Green Home Rhiannon McCall had one single pot plant that she somehow managed to keep alive Now she’s dreaming of growing a vege garden – or maybe just herbs to start with passing on some of her newfound eco-wisdom My Dream Green Home launches tonight and involves a team of experts (a renovator, a landscaper, the Two Raw Sisters) who each week are sent to help a family or group transform their home into something more eco-fabulous McCall is new to the world of eco-homemaking but when it comes to picking up skills and adapting quickly the actor-turned-comedian-turned-TV presenter has form and as a stand-up at this year's NZ International Comedy Festival where she performed what was billed as “a bold and chaotic hour of feminist comedy” called Toxic Shock Bimbo which canvased everything from McCall’s recent endometriosis diagnosis to that time her dad took her to the David Bain trial “It was the first comedy show that I’ve sort of been myself,” she explains when we meet at Scratch Café just inside the large revolving front doors of TVNZ McCall moved to Auckland 10 years ago with a little theatre experience but no drama school qualifications at all She managed to film a few self-tapes with the help of friends and from there joined an agency when she was around 22 She says she has learned to adapt over the course of her career; though balancing acting and TV presenting with comedy has been a challenge on occasion The New Zealand entertainment industry is small and with many competing for the same parts “I feel really grateful that I was able to land My Dream Green Home,” she says "But I've auditioned to host so many other TV shows and you know the rejections far outnumber the successes.” Resilience is a quality McCall also cultivated on-stage in the ruthless world of stand-up I went through a stage in my comedy where I used to comment on it Or try and make a joke out of them not laughing Because you never want to make the audience feel bad I think in comedy you get a very thick skin because jokes flop all the time During the audition process for My Dream Green Home McCall was asked if she had any knowledge about sustainability or eco-living and responded “I’m keen to learn.” And what she quickly learned was that her lifestyle before filming the show was not as sustainable as she might’ve hoped “It's not aiming to tell people off if they aren't living the green life,” says McCall I won't get a coffee now if I have to get it in a single-use takeaway cup I only do keep cups and if I leave my keep cup at home well then I'm not getting a coffee that day But if I don't have a big grocery shop to do Horticulturist and urban architect Bayley LuuTomes told McCall while filming that the desire to save money can also help many of us behave sustainably without realising it – bringing a drink bottle from home to use throughout the day because it’s cheaper than constantly buying new ones “We engage with sustainability in ways that we're not even aware of,” says McCall The show offers Kiwis affordable lifehacks that can be related to everyday lives what would her dream green home look like and she doesn’t hesitate to share the vision She’s “desperate” for that veggie garden (though doesn’t currently have room for one) and a house with double-glazed windows and natural wool carpeting I learned a lot about something I never thought about which is the fabrics that people use in their homes," she explains but now I think it's something that I would like and need.” I don't know if you've seen these My Dream Green Home starts tonight (Wednesday June 19) at 7:30pm on TVNZ 1 Our friends across the ditch in New Zealand like to do a lot of things differently Their prime ministers, chilly bins and now their version of a reality TV show with questionable success: The Bachelorette The Kiwis have had three versions of the international franchise The Bachelor but 2020 marks the first time a woman has been in charge of dishing out the roses so… they’ve instantly tried to up the numbers by ushering in a second bachelorette The Bachelorette NZ has announced a second bachelorette The show has been underway in Kiwiland for a couple of weeks now with bachelorette and 32-year-old doctor Lesina Nakhid-Schuster looking for love Then on Sunday night’s episode there was a ~big reveal~ in the form on 23-year-old Lily McManus who entered with a “Mind if I join the party?” McManus is a recognisable face in the country, having been a fan favourite in the country’s third season of The Bachelor, where she was dumped in the final episode. She went on to star in the US spinoff The Bachelor Winter Games, meeting Australian Courtney Dober (from Georgia Love’s season of our Bachelorette) she appeared on NZ show Celebrity Treasure Island and now… she’s bachelorette #2 It’s not quite known how the structure of the series is going to work with two bachelorettes but bachelors were reportedly cast with one of the two women in mind: Music to the ears of younger contestants like 20-year-old Flynn who had been concerned about a 12 year age gap with Lesina Bachelorette(s) NZ ???????????? Yay!! It’s going to be a fun ride with my sister girl!! ????‍♂️ A post shared by Lesina Nakhid-Schuster (@dr_lesina) on Feb 1 as some were disappointed that Lesina – who is of Samoan Trinidadian and Lebanese descent – was having her moment ‘stolen’ by a white woman Lily said she had only agreed to join the show after producers assured her it would be about empowerment and not about pitting the two women against each other A post shared by LILY MCMANUS (@lilymcmanus) on Feb 1 “The show had to be about two women raising each other up and supporting one another through such a wild experience,” Lily wrote “Lesina is a GREAT mate of mine and the amount of support we have been able to offer each other throughout this makes my brain melt in the best possible way who are looking for two very different things “There are so many different ways of being a woman in this day and age and to me that is the most exciting thing It’s amazing to see this franchise represent a woman like myself who isn’t ready for marriage and kids and show that a relationship without these things is still worthy and valid.” She told the NZ Herald the backlash claiming the show’s double bachie format had taken the spotlight off a woman of colour was a shame because myself and Lesina are great friends and all I want to do is lift her up – that’s all the show is about It’s not about upstaging anyone as we’re not in competition with each other so it’s a shame people aren’t seeing it that way.” we can rule out the men voting on which of the women they would like to make the sole bachelorette which was an actual thing that happened in the US show’s 11th season Both women will continue along the entire journey, have their own roses to give out and (hopefully) choose someone in the end the ground rules are pretty much non-existent but supposedly mean that if Lesina is really into a guy he’s hers and if Lily is really into a guy Many of the men have already declared themselves ‘Team Lily’ or ‘Team Lesina’ but there was still some who aren’t sure how they’re feeling there is absolutely no way this could end badly the Kiwi season isn’t able to be watched in Australia so uh