In June 1997, TVNZ’s reality show Treasure Island hit our screens for the very first time.
Created by Darryl McEwen and produced by Touchdown Television, the show was intended to be a bit of fun for Kiwi viewers and saw fans tune in weekly to watch New Zealanders compete for a $25,000 cash prize, which, in the first season, was won by 24-year-old Levi Bowen.
Twenty-seven years later, the show has spawned 14 seasons and two spin-off versions in Australia and Ireland and has become one of New Zealand’s most well-loved reality franchises.
It’s also been transformed into Celebrity Treasure Island, with the cash prize donated to the winner’s chosen charity.
The star was in Fiji filming for the show when she cut her foot on some coral, and while she initially thought it would be fine, it wasn’t long before the cut became infected, and she was airlifted in critical condition from Fiji to Auckland hospital.
Speaking to the Herald in 2019, Coc-Kroft, who now lives a private life out of the spotlight, said she spent five weeks in hospital and took more than a year to recover from the ordeal.
“I died a couple of times, but when you are that sick, you don’t know. The overwhelming thing is how it affected the people around me more than it affected me because they had to live through it.”
At the time, the situation was made all the worse as show producer Dame Julie Christie allegedly told the Holmes show misleadingly that Coc-Koft didn’t become sick until after filming. It was soon revealed she was sick on set.
The production company later said they could have had more provisions in place to protect the contestant’s health.
2. David Beckham’s alleged mistress competes (2007)
Titled Treasure Island: Pirates of the Pacific, the media personality was eliminated in episode five and briefly returned in episode seven, but she made her mark in the short time.
As well as TVNZ referring to her as Rebecca “I slept with David Beckham” Loos, she turned heads after many noticed she and former All Black and host at the time, Matthew Ridge, appeared to be quite fond of each other.
After she departed the show, the pair got on an Air New Zealand flight from London to LA where they steamed up the cabin. Ridge’s agent, Mick Watson, addressed the claims at the time, saying: “They’re a couple, they were on a plane and something obviously happened. Matthew apologised to the crew and Rebecca went back to her bed. What’s the big deal?”
Their romance didn’t last, however, and they broke up in 2008.
3. Chris Parker’s shock win (2021)
One final group hug after Chris Parker won the season. Photo / TVNZ
He was the underdog of the final treasure hunt, the one we (respectfully) didn’t think could possibly win. Instead, we thought the fierce Edna Swart or the crafty Lance Savali would find the chest with $100,000 in it for their chosen charity.
Before you get upset, that isn’t a mean comment because for the final episode of the 2021 season, the comedian was miles behind his opponents.
But like any good underdog story, he had a saviour. After telling the one and only Mariah Carey all he wanted for Christmas was to win the competition for Rainbow Youth, they made it happen.
“I just know what this is going to do for this charity and I find it a little overwhelming,” he said and we all remembered, never underestimate the underdog.
4. Mike King’s explosive self-elimination and public apology to daughter (2022)
Mike King announced he was self-eliminating, leaving his daughter in a tough situation. Photo / TVNZ
It was as scandalous as it was shocking, heartbreaking and just overall bizarre.
In 2022′s season, Mike King self-eliminated and left catastrophe in his wake. Breaking down in tears as he announced his departure, his daughter, Alex King, who was also competing in the season, begged her father to stay.
“I just want my dad to stay and spend time with me and not leave me. I just want my dad,” she told the confession cam.
But King Snr was adamant he had to leave. Unfortunately for King Jnr, who was captain of her team, her dad’s departure came after he exposed their super secret alliance with fellow castaway and team rival Melodie Robinson, resulting in some nasty comments from her teammates.
Wellington Paranormal’s Karen O’Leary told the radio host: “I think you could play the game without having to be a conniving, backstabbing twit.”
Matt Chisholm and Bree Tomasel hosted Celebrity Treasure Island together between 2019 and 2022. Photo / TVNZ
Following months of rumours in the media industry, after he failed to attend the season launch party, it was revealed Matt Chisholm, who had helmed the show since its return in 2019, would not be back for another season of hosting duties in 2023.
In a Facebook post only visible to his friend list, he shared the alleged reason behind his shock disappearance from the popular show: “I’ve been told I can control the narrative,” he said, “and say ‘I’ve decided to stand down from the role to spend more time with family’, or something similar, but that would be dishonest.
“I’ve been let go from the job ... none of us are indispensable ... remember that when you choose to spend your limited amount of spare time working hard for an employer ... instead of spending it with your family.
Spy reported at the time that Chisholm and his then-co-host Bree Tomasel’s repertoire was as good off-camera as on. TVNZ denied any speculation that their friendship was the reason for Chisholm’s departure and instead stated that the show was moving in a new direction.
Soon after, Shortland Street star Jayden Daniels was announced as the show’s new host.
6. Jordan Vandermade v Tame Iti (2023)
The shock moment will forever be apart of Treasure Island history. Photo / TVNZ
It’s September 20, 2023 and Jordan Vandermade and Tame Iti are on opposing teams. Both men are determined to win, but only one is willing to take things to the extreme.
While Courtney Dawson called the act itself “silly”, it was made all the worse when fans found out Māori activist and artist Ito had fears around water.
Iti later got payback by performing a haka and hyping his team so well that they won against Vandermade’s team.
7. First active MP announced as castaway
Celebrity Treasure Island's first ever active MP on the show, Carmel Sepuloni. Photo / Matt Klitscher
For the first time in MP and Treasure Island history, Deputy Labour leader Carmel Sepuloni became the first active MP to compete on the show – and was on full pay.
In addition to her standard ministerial pay of $219,800 – the annual salary for a deputy leader of a party with a caucus of more than 25 MPs – Sepuloni also collected an undisclosed talent fee for appearing on the show.
With the country’s current living and inflation crisis, the move may have come as a surprise to taxpayers and Sepuloni understands that. However, she told the Herald there wasn’t any way around it as her role, in which she is not considered an employee and therefore isn’t assigned leave in a traditional sense, or paid leave days under employment law.
“You’re not allowed to not get paid when you’re a politician,” Sepuloni said, adding that the move and subsequent leave was approved by Labour leader Chris Hipkins.
It is understood Sepuloni will donate her salary for whatever period of time she was on the show, to her nominated charity, Tyla Trust – a youth trust that works with early intervention in vulnerable rangatahi.
Celebrity Treasure Island premieres September 9 on TVNZ and TVNZ+
Lillie Rohan is a London-based reporter covering lifestyle and entertainment stories who joined the Herald in 2020. She specialises in all things reality TV, films and music.
This article has been updated to correct a mislabelled image of April Ieremia.
