The most fascinating conversations happen the moment the performance stops.
Welcome to just tak., an unfiltered interview platform hosted by Australian actor Takaya Honda. After spending over a decade navigating the rigorous landscape of Australian television, Takaya is turning the microphone around to unmask the reality of the creative industry.
Through long-form, intimate conversations with industry-leading actors, directors, and creatives, we explore the human instincts that drive the work. We discuss the reality of the daily grind, the politics of production, and the art of survival in a notoriously ruthless business.
Whether you are an industry professional looking for tactical insight, or a fan wanting to hear the stories that never make it to the press release, just tak. delivers the reality behind the screen.
No script. No character. Just the real story.
Follow on just tak in your podcast app.
You can also watch full episodes on YouTube @justtakpod, and on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook@justtakpod for first looks, bonus content, and all the merch these two reprobates (and their guests) “rescued” from the set.
Watch full episodes of just tak on YouTube (and subscribe so you don't miss special live events!)
Shane Isheev joins Takaya Honda for a proper behind-the-scenes deep dive into the Neighbours writers’ room, life as a script producer, fan backlash, storylines that changed direction, and the wild plots that never made it to air.
What we get into:
· Going from Neighbours superfan to script producer
· How a script department actually works
· NCIS Sydney and the difference between soap and crime drama
· Plotting hundreds of episodes a year
· Actors pushing back on scripts
· David’s final story and whether David and Aaron should have returned
· Fan reaction, criticism and not being able to explain the “why”
· Finn Kelly, amnesia and the joy of ridiculous soap
· The emotional weight of the 2022 finale
· COVID-era storytelling challenges
· Mackenzie’s story and meaningful representation
· The lost Amy Williams twist
· The planned earthquake that never happened
just tak. is an interview platform dedicated to unmasking the reality of the creative industry. Hosted by Australian actor and presenter Takaya Honda, the show strips away the polished PR narratives to ask the most important question in performance: Why?
Riley Bryant joins Takaya Honda for a funny, thoughtful and emotional chat about Neighbours, school, anxiety, growing up through lockdowns, surviving one of the fastest sets in television and figuring out whether acting is still the life he wants.
What we get into:
· Playing JJ Varga-Murphy on Neighbours
· Meeting Takaya on Surviving Summer and running the Neighbours callback
· Balancing Year 11 and Year 12 with a major TV role
· Riley’s chaotic sporting childhood and the basketball own-goal disaster
· Acting classes, auditions, Coles, Surviving Summer and booking Neighbours
· First-day nerves on Ramsay Street
· Driving into Ramsay Street on his L-plates
· The Felix reveal, James Beaufort and learning by watching himself back
· Riley’s emotional final scene as JJ
· Post-show blues, stability and whether he might step away from acting
just tak. is an interview platform dedicated to unmasking the reality of the creative industry. Hosted by Australian actor and presenter Takaya Honda, the show strips away the polished PR narratives to ask the most important question in performance: Why?
Tim Robards joins Takaya Honda for a funny, honest and surprisingly revealing chat about Neighbours, SAS Australia, Peloton, fatherhood, fitness, wine, acting and what success really looks like when life changes.
What we get into:
· Tim’s work with Peloton as an Australian guest instructor
· Building Elle Wines and the story behind Elle Rosé
· The pressure of balancing family, business and creative work
· The psychic who pushed Tim towards acting
· From Italy With Love and carrying a US film lead
· Leaving Neighbours during the pandemic
· Watching Don Hany take over as Pierce Greyson
· Filming Neighbours under COVID rules
· Whether Tim would ever return to Ramsay Street
· SAS Australia and what really happened behind the scenes
just tak. is an interview platform dedicated to unmasking the reality of the creative industry. Hosted by Australian actor and presenter Takaya Honda, the show strips away the polished PR narratives to ask the most important question in performance: Why?
Andrea McLean joins Takaya Honda for a raw, generous and deeply honest conversation about leaving Loose Women, losing professional identity, financial collapse, shame, resilience and building a life after public failure.
What we get into:
Growing up in Trinidad and Tobago and returning to the UK
GMTV, live TV and becoming the long-serving anchor of Loose Women
The art of holding a panel together and making the viewer at home feel seen
Walking away from a stable TV contract
Building This Girl Is On Fire and launching into a pandemic
Business failure, illness and selling her home
Shame, public identity and the Starbucks story
Rebuilding through media training, writing and moving to Spain
Redefining success, money, contentment and what comes next
just tak. is an interview platform dedicated to unmasking the reality of the creative industry. Hosted by Australian actor and presenter Takaya Honda, the show strips away the polished PR narratives to ask the most important question in performance: Why?
BeautyBoat.com: use code BIN25 for 25% off your entire order.
rob 'millsy' mills | 24
Season 1 · Episode 24
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 • Duration 54:10
Rob Mills joins Takaya Honda for a warm, funny and refreshingly honest chat about fame, theatre, Neighbours, music, ageing, resilience and what it really takes to keep showing up in the creative industry.
What we get into:
Australian Idol and early fame
Rob’s Neighbours era as Finn Kelly
Waitress, Wicked, Ghost and the eight-show-week grind
Taking on Bon Jovi live
Vocal discipline, fitness and recovery
Reviews, critics and being called “surprisingly good”
Georgie Tunny, interviews and wedding planning
Music education and the Australian Children’s Music Foundation
Acting technique, emotional fatigue and staying good to work with
just tak. is an interview platform dedicated to unmasking the reality of the creative industry. Hosted by Australian actor and presenter Takaya Honda, the show strips away the polished PR narratives to ask the most important question in performance: Why?
Charlotte Nicdao joins Takaya Honda for a funny, honest and beautifully chaotic conversation about acting, ambition, friendship, motherhood, fame and Mythic Quest. Best known as Poppy Li in Apple TV’s Mythic Quest, Charlotte also reflects on voice work, upcoming film projects, her podcast At The Movies with Charlotte and Bron, and finding joy in making things without needing to prove yourself.
What we get into:
* Charlotte and Takaya reuniting after playing brother and sister on A gURLs wURLd
* Charlotte’s unresolved Neighbours grievance, plus Takaya revisiting his own Neighbours death scene
* Early acting jobs, dance doubles, soundtrack recordings and pretending to be much better at dancing than she was
* Years of LA auditions, near-misses, almost giving up, and the extraordinary story that led to Mythic Quest
* Why Charlotte acts, and how childhood creativity shaped her life
* The primary school “devil worship” misunderstanding
* Losing her phone, smartphone overwhelm and the pressure of always being reachable
* Why Mythic Quest was a dream job, and why success still cannot complete you
* Snoop Dogg, voice work, Bluey, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Adventure Time and upcoming film work
just tak. is an interview platform dedicated to unmasking the reality of the creative industry. Hosted by Australian actor and presenter Takaya Honda, the show strips away the polished PR narratives to ask the most important question in performance: Why?
Promotion / Links:
Watch Charlotte Nicdao in Mythic Quest
Charlotte stars as Poppy Li in Mythic Quest, streaming on Apple TV.
Travis Jeffery joins Takaya Honda for a raw, funny and deeply honest conversation about acting, ambition, grief, body transformation and learning that “making it” does not mean losing yourself.
Best known for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Unbroken, Pirates of the Caribbean and Gallipoli, Travis reflects on dream jobs, self-worth, motion capture, pottery, Australian film and building a life beyond the next role.
What we get into:
* Travis’s new film Birthright and why it is such a wild, timely Australian dark comedy.
* Working on huge productions including Unbroken, Pirates of the Caribbean and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
* The physical toll of transforming for roles, from losing weight for Unbroken to getting ripped for Birthright.
* Writing and starring in Dusty, and how personal grief became the seed of the short film.
* Losing someone young, guilt, numbing, and the self-destructive ways grief can show up.
* Why friendship grief is often overlooked.
* The “arrival fallacy” and why dream jobs do not magically make you feel complete.
* Working with Andy Serkis and learning how to move like a chimpanzee.
Promotion/ Links:
See Travis Jeffery in Birthright
Travis’s new Australian dark comedy Birthright is in cinemas from May 21. Find screening details, tickets and Q&A event information here:
https://www.madman.com.au/birthright/
Watch the Birthright trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npmgvgOJeSE
Watch Travis Jeffery’s short film Dusty
olivia junkeer (yashvi from neighbours) | 21
Season 1 · Episode 21
Tuesday, May 12, 2026 • Duration 48:17
Olivia Junkeer joins Takaya Honda for the first official episode of just tak, as the podcast steps into its new era.
Best known to Neighbours fans as Yashvi Rebecchi, Olivia talks about life after Ramsay Street, moving to London, the chaos and heartbreak of growing up on set, the work that shaped her, and why she is now more interested in truth, comedy and creative freedom than chasing fame. Funny, honest and full of proper Neighbours nostalgia, this is a warm catch-up about acting, identity, friendship, grief, representation and what comes next.
What we get into:
· Launching the new just tak era with Olivia as the perfect first guest.
· Life after Neighbours, moving to London, and finding her feet in the UK industry.
· The Yashvi and Ned slap that never happened, and why Olivia still feels robbed.
· Growing up on Ramsay Street and realising later that Neighbours was also a workplace.
· Grief, dogs, comfort watches, chocolate, TikTok, and four-hour phone calls with Gemma Donovan.
· Leaving behind the chase for fame and focusing on work that feels truthful, funny and creatively exciting.
· Working on Strife, learning from Asher Keddie, and finding confidence in a brilliant ensemble.
· Representation, mixed identity, racism storylines, and the pressure of getting it right on screen.
· Olivia’s next chapter, including Who Needs Love Songs, Rex, and acting between London and Melbourne.
just tak. is an interview platform dedicated to unmasking the reality of the creative industry.
takaya honda (david from neighbours) | 20
Season 1 · Episode 20
Friday, May 1, 2026 • Duration 01:08:52
Takaya Honda steps out from behind the microphone as Lucinda Cowden takes over hosting duties for a funny, revealing and fan-led chat about Neighbours, David Tanaka, fatherhood, representation, auditions, and what comes next for the podcast.
What we get into:
· Growing up in a high-achieving sporting family, from gymnastics and baseball to the moment acting started to feel like a real possibility.
· Meeting Amy, their brave bushwalk first date, and what life looks like now as a dad to Ari.
· The heartbreaking David voice memo to Aaron, and the piece of directing advice that helped turn it into one of his most powerful scenes.
· Booking the role of David Tanaka, what he shares with David, where they differ, and why David always felt like one of Ramsay Street’s moral centres.
· The original prison storyline, what might have happened to David before Neighbours was cancelled the first time, and how dark it could have got.
· The memorabilia Takaya took from set, including a very personal prop from his final scene and a few cheeky Harold’s items.
· Playing a key role in Neighbours’ more inclusive era, the importance of representation, and the complex debate around who gets to play certain roles.
· Whether Neighbours could ever come back again, if Takaya would return, and which UK soap he’d fancy popping up in.
· What happens next for the podcast, why the name is changing, and how Bin Night is evolving into its next chapter.
RØDE: thanks for the mics making us sound so good.
we need to talk... | 19
Season 1 · Episode 19
Thursday, April 23, 2026 • Duration 26:20
Takaya Honda returns for the first Bin Night since Matt’s departure, opening up about the future of the podcast, what happens next, and whether Bin Night can really continue without one half of the original duo. Joined by producer Tom Sage, Tak puts it all on the table and calls on the Bin Chickens to help shape what comes next.
Sponsors:
BeautyBoat.com : use code BIN25 for 25% off your entire order.
RØDE: thanks for the mics making us sound so good.
Support:
If you’re having a tough time, please don’t struggle alone.
Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14 (24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention). If life is in danger, call 000.
United Kingdom: Text Shout to 85258 (free, confidential 24/7 crisis text support). If you are in immediate danger, call 999.
Watch just tak on YouTube (and subscribe so you don't miss special live events).
Catch up with all things @justtakpod on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook
Discover shows related to just tak, based on actual content similarities. Explore podcasts with similar topics, themes, and formats, backed by real data.
Written and created by Travis Jeffery, Dusty explores grief, guilt and the messy, self-destructive ways we sometimes cope with loss. As mentioned in the episode, you can watch it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFKK1vkdZlI
Visit the official Dusty website
More information on the film, cast, crew and its festival run:
https://dustyfilm.com.au/
Watch the Before Dawn trailer
Travis also appears in the Australian war film Before Dawn, which comes up in the episode:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-ibQNR11tE
Follow Travis Jeffery
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travjeffery/
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/travjeffery
Sponsors:
BeautyBoat.com: use code BIN25 for 25% off your entire order.
RØDE: thanks for the mics making us sound so good.
Support:
If you’re having a tough time, please don’t struggle alone.
Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14, 24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention. If life is in danger, call 000.
United Kingdom: Text Shout to 85258 for free, confidential 24/7 crisis text support. If you are in immediate danger, call 999.
Watch just tak on YouTube (and subscribe so you don't miss special live events).
Catch up with all things @justtakpod on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook
Hosted by Australian actor and presenter Takaya Honda, the show strips away the polished PR narratives to ask the most important question in performance: Why?
Sponsors:
BeautyBoat.com : use code BIN25 for 25% off your entire order.
RØDE: thanks for the mics making us sound so good.
Support:
If you’re having a tough time, please don’t struggle alone.
Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14, 24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention. If life is in danger, call 000.
United Kingdom: Text Shout to 85258 for free, confidential 24/7 crisis text support. If you are in immediate danger, call 999.
Watch just tak on YouTube (and subscribe so you don't miss special live events).
Catch up with all things @justtakpod on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook
