In sickness & in health FRANCESCA & LOUISE’S UNBREAKABLE BOND

A cancer diagnosis brought the broadcaster and her best friend even closer

- Rebekah Hebenton

Becoming a parent is one of life’s biggest challenges – with sleepless nights and constant worry, it can be exhausting.

And while NewsTalk ZB host Francesca Rudkin certainly hasn’t escaped any of those pitfalls, creating her village with her best friend Louise Ayrey has made the joy of parenting much easier to find.

“As soon as anything new pops up, I immediately call Lou and ask, ‘Is this normal?’ You always need someone whose kids are a couple of years older than yours to reassure you,” Francesca laughs.

“Our friendship is one of those relationships that comes along and you’ve got to treasure and look after, and never take for granted.”

Francesca, 50, and Louise, 51, met 13 years ago when their kids became fast friends at kindergarten. As they met up for playdates, they realised it wasn’t just their children who shared a kinship. Both are avid runners, and when they survived the 100km Oxfam challenge together, they knew this would be a friendship for life.

Francesca shares Oscar, 16, and Lola, 14, with her partner Tim, 52, and Louise shares kids Ted, 19, Mae, 16, and Henry, 14, with her partner Pete, 54. Together with their families, the pair have been through everything from navigating motherhood to the grief of losing family and even a cancer battle. But each hurdle has only served to make their friendship stronger.

In 2016, Louise was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. When she went in for an ultrasound to have the diagnosis confirmed, it was Francesca who watched her children and from that moment on, the former TV host was by her side every step of the way.