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Both The Masked Singer and The Apprentice Aotearoa landed this week and team Real Pod couldn’t possibly be more excited. Join Alex, Duncan and Jane in the boardroom as they discuss the very serious business of mostly moot points, then join them onstage as they throw around wild guesses as to who might be behind the masks on our latest reality singing competition.Join Rec Room – a weekly newsletter from The Spinoff full of recommendations of things to watch, read, listen to and eat. Sign up now at thespinoffrecroom.substack.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Chris Parker and Eli Matthewson are joined by the ICONIC Lady Trenyce this week to get stuck into the Drag Race Down Under Snatch Game, where truly only one queen did well. Lady Trenyce has some actual behind the scenes goss to share (spoiler alert: it’s about Murder She Wrote), and we hear from the eliminated queen, who got in full, fabulous drag just for the pod.Join Rec Room – a weekly newsletter from The Spinoff full of recommendations of things to watch, read, listen to and eat. Sign up now at thespinoffrecroom.substack.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jane, Alex and Duncan polish off the flog-heavy final reunion episodes of Married at First Sight Australia before picking over the rest of the reality buffet. Popstars, RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, The Masked Singer NZ, The Apprentice Aotearoa… what will we gorge ourselves on next? Speaking of, Alex also reports back after living out her Pods-as-cereal fantasy.–––––https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/remembering-tavita-karikaNeed to talk? Free call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellor.Lifeline – 0800 543 354Samaritans – 0800 726 666.Suicide Crisis Helpline – 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO).Depression Helpline – 0800 111 757 or free text 4202.Healthline – 0800 611 116Youthline – 0800 376 633, free text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Chris Parker and Eli Matthewson are here to recap the first episode of Drag Race Down Under with a very special guest: local legend and star of House of Drag Miss Geena. There's superhero shenanigans, nude illusions and the first drag queen All Black to talk about – plus we get the tea on the behind-the-scenes Caluzzi drama and have an exclusive chat with the eliminated queen! Get under the covers with us, let's talk drag xoJoin Rec Room – a weekly newsletter from The Spinoff full of recommendations of things to watch, read, listen to and eat. Sign up now at thespinoffrecroom.substack.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week, Alex and Jane mourn the death of an unappreciated snack, speculate on Moses Mackay’s brunch date, unmask the guessing panel for The Masked Singer NZ and decide if they’re ready to step into statement Crocs. Plus final vows on Married at First Sight Australia send our hosts into a spin and a surprise visit to Colin’s Cranny asks some serious questions of the funeral industry.Sign up to Rec Room – a weekly newsletter from The Spinoff full of recommendations of things to watch, read, listen to and eat. Subscribe now: thespinoffrecroom.substack.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Exciting news: The Real Pod is hosting a new pop-up podcast for the upcoming season of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under! It’s called Drag Race Down Under the Covers and it's hosted by our good friends Chris Parker and Eli Mathewson, who'll be joined by an extra special guest from the local drag scene each week to recap the latest episode. In this preview episode, Chris and Eli look at what we can expect when the season premieres on TVNZ on May 1 – to hear more, just stay subscribed to The Real Pod and check back after the first episode!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join Shirley Casey and Shirley Yee as they plot to infiltrate the Christchurch Shirley Club, before recapping a week of girls on the outside, girls with glam sides and girls with kaleidoscope eyes on Married at First Sight Australia. The Spinoff's TV editor Sam Brooks also drops in to let us know if we've missed anything good on Popstars.Sign up to Rec Room – a weekly newsletter from The Spinoff full of recommendations of things to watch, read, listen to and eat. Subscribe now: thespinoffrecroom.substack.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Novelty coffins, a singing tuatara and a Facebook page dedicated to dog poo crimes – it’s a humdinger of a Real Pod this week. All hell breaks loose as Alex, Duncan and Jane struggle to find the words to describe the reboot of Popstars, and they’re left reeling after a week of truly revealing final dates on Married at First Sight. Make sure you subscribe to get new episodes hot out of The Real Pod oven!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join Jane and Alex as they discuss the post-final rose (but pre-afterparty) Bachelor(ette) NZ gossip, then get stuck into a simply outstanding week of Married at First Sight Australia as the couples head off on a deeply hectic retreat.Sign up to Rec Room – a weekly newsletter from The Spinoff full of recommendations of things to watch, read, listen to and eat. Subscribe now: thespinoffrecroom.substack.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join Jane and Alex as they receive a sex arse shipping update in Real News, and recap the bleakness of feedback week on Married at First Sight Australia.Sign up to Rec Room – a weekly newsletter from The Spinoff full of recommendations of things to watch, read, listen to and eat. Subscribe now: thespinoffrecroom.substack.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join Jane and Duncan as they sit with their emotions after watching Moses decide between Shenae, Annie and hot favourite 'no one' in the finale of a whirlwind season of The Bachelor NZ.Sign up to Rec Room – a weekly newsletter from The Spinoff full of recommendations of things to watch, read, listen to and eat. Subscribe now: thespinoffrecroom.substack.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The whole gang's back together again as Duncan joins Alex and Jane in the studio for this week's Married at First Sight Australia recap. Together the trio welcome three new couples to the experiment, find out how to avoid being a dirty grot (use soap) and workshop a new hit single ‘Girlfriend on the Outside’. Pour yourself a quarter-strength cappuccino and settle in.Sign up to Rec Room – a weekly newsletter from The Spinoff full of recommendations of things to watch, read, listen to and eat. Subscribe now: thespinoffrecroom.substack.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join Jane, Duncan and special guest Stewart Sowman-Lund as they relive the past week on The Bachelor NZ, including even more water-based dates, tragic back-stories, self-eliminations, a nightmare-inducing talent show, pottery, pole dancing… and at long last, the season’s first pash. There’s also some Real News courtesy of bachelorette Sam, two separate mentions of the Champagne Lady and a Community Noticeboard update from Upper Hutt.Sign up to Rec Room – a weekly newsletter from The Spinoff full of recommendations of things to watch, read, listen to and eat. Subscribe now: thespinoffrecroom.substack.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join Alex Casey and Jane Yee as they gaze into the eyeballs of Married at First Sight Australia for intimacy week. It’s all limbs akimbo and cupping of unmentionables as some couples draw closer and others fall apart ahead of a truly dramatic dinner party.Sign up to Rec Room – a weekly newsletter from The Spinoff full of recommendations of things to watch, read, listen to and eat. Subscribe now: thespinoffrecroom.substack.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jane and Duncan are joined by Gone By Lunchtime’s Ben Thomas to recap another week of what might be the least horny season of The Bachelor ever made.In this episode: Real News reports on a mass Bachelorette sighting in New Plymouth at the weekend, Colin Mathura-Jeffree recounts a hair-raising encounter in Colin’s Cranny and Reality Check relives all the big moments from The Bachelor NZ this week as Annie fake phone calls her way into pole position for the long-awaited first kiss of the season.Sign up to Rec Room – a weekly newsletter from The Spinoff full of recommendations of things to watch, read, listen to and eat. Subscribe now: thespinoffrecroom.substack.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join Jane and Alex as they try to decide if the final two couples on Married at First Sight Australia are Hot or Not Hot.In this episode we discover the results of Alex’s C19 test (2:18) before moving into the marital apartments with Belinda and Patrick (3:55), Rusty and Beth (19:54), Jason and Alana (30:14), Melissa and Bryce (32:38), Booka and Brett (42:47), Jake and Bec (43:07), James and Jo (47:17), Sam and Cam (50:11) and Coco and Sam (54:57).We’ve got our first dinner party of the year, a sky-high pile of Honesty Boxes, Hot or Not Hot rankings galore... and a huge amount of carrots and peanut butter to get through.Sign up to Rec Room – a weekly newsletter from The Spinoff full of recommendations of things to watch, read, listen to and eat. Subscribe now: thespinoffrecroom.substack.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join Jane and Duncan as they form a cacao circle and say everything they’re grateful for in week two of The Bachelor NZ.In this episode we learn what Patrick (aka Hamish) and Lexie got up to during their secret double life summer in Real News (2:12), recap all the shots that have been shot and not shot at The Bachelor NZ mansion in Reality Check (7:00), then check in on patron saint of The Real Pod Colin Mathura-Jeffree in Colin’s Cranny (40:45) and receive some exciting Max Key news (42:40).Sign up to Rec Room – a weekly newsletter from The Spinoff full of recommendations of things to watch, read, listen to and eat. Subscribe now: thespinoffrecroom.substack.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Married At First Sight Australia has hurtled back onto our screens like a glass of wine at a dinner party, and The Real Pod's MAFS-perts Alex Casey and Jane Yee have committed to watching every ep. Crack open your honesty box, settle in with a salad box and join two very excited women in the commentary box for week one, where much like Sam's ankles, the cracks are already beginning to show.Sign up to Rec Room – a weekly newsletter from The Spinoff full of recommendations of things to watch, read, listen to and eat. Subscribe now: thespinoffrecroom.substack.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

After a decades-long four-year hiatus, The Bachelor NZ is back! Jane and Duncan discuss their first impressions of new Bachelor Moses Mackay (6:30), meet the ladies who’ll be competing for his heart as they arrive on the red carpet (12:10) then analyse the first set of dates from Tuesday night’s episode (30:45).Sign up to Rec Room – a weekly newsletter from The Spinoff full of recommendations of things to watch, read, listen to and eat. Subscribe now: thespinoffrecroom.substack.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Whaaat just happened? Join Duncan and Jane as they try to make sense of life, the universe and the Donkey Bay Inn after watching Lexie give out her final rose.Sign up to The Spinoff Rec Room – a weekly newsletter with staff recommendations of what to watch, read, eat and listen to. Subscribe now: https://thespinoffrecroom.substack.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.