Stephen from Dunedin - NZ’s Most Infamous Radio Fan, Givealittle Bucket List Trip & More!

How do I describe Stephen from Dunedin to someone who has never heard of him before?

Well, his name is Stephen, and he is from Dunedin.

He is obsessed with Facebook, Radio and Otago sports.

In the early 2000s, Stephen gained a bit of a cult following with his frequent appearances on New Zealand radio stations as a phone caller.

His favorite radio station was whatever one would give him airtime.

Then for a long period of time, he was banned from almost every radio show in NZ for abusing producers who wouldn’t put him on the air.

The only show who never banned him was the breakfast show on The Edge that I was part of.

What I loved about having Stephen as a regular caller was that he was polarizing- people either loved him or loathed him, there was never any middle ground.

Blandness doesn’t win radio ratings, and bland is most definitely not a word you’d associate with Stephen.

In January 2025 Stephen was in Auckland for a trip to Los Angeles which we postponed at the last minute due to the devastating fires and his dad’s worsening health.

So, I promised him I would bring him into the PodLab studios and have him as a guest on my podcast.

Sadly, a week after recording this episode, Stephen’s father- Robin Gibson- passed away.

If you remember Stephen from his on-air appearances on The Edge breakfast show, this will bring back some (hopefully) cool memories.

For everyone else who is listening, you are about to become acquainted with who I believe is one of New Zealand’s great characters- Stephen Gibson aka Stephen from Dunedin.

This is Stephens Facebook page if you would like to follow: https://www.facebook.com/StephenFromDunedin

00:00 Introduction to Stephen from Dunedin 05:51 Sports Passion and Personal Connections 09:12 The Birth of a Radio Character 12:06 Reflections on Radio and Personal Growth 15:06 Living Alone and Coping with Loss 17:57 Memories of Family and Support Systems 29:39 Gratitude for Community Support 31:20 Memorable Travel Experiences 35:08 Charity and Giving Back 41:39 Reflections on Life and Future Goals