Alex King breaks down as her dad, Mike King, announces he is leaving the show. Photo / TVNZ
REVIEW:
It's explosive, emotional, and intense. What is it?
No, it's not getting back together with your ex, it's the start of a Celebrity Treasure Island episode.
We kick off with Mike King breaking down as announces he is leaving the show: "My place isn't here. I love every single one of you. I love you all but I can't stay. I've gotta go mate."
When host Matt Chisholm asks why, King Snr gives an answer that proves just how committed he is to his job outside the competition.
"Because there are kids out there who need me. I work with suicidal kids and I was here today and everyone's happy and I can't do it mate." He breaks down in tears as he says: "I can't be here, I just can't."
While most of the cast, crew and everyone at home is feeling their hearts break a little bit, Kauri's Dame Susan Devoy is confused as heck.
"I'm sitting here thinking, is this true? Is it something that's been organised? Something that's been orchestrated? I just, it really shocked everyone."
And Mangō's Cassie Roma can barely speak to the confession cam she is so upset but not for King Snr, more for King Jnr.
"If that was my kid when she said 'mum stay', I'd move heaven and earth to stay, and whatever game Mike is playing, to see his child so affected? That killed me."
King Jnr is begging her dad to stay and heartbreakingly sobs telling the confession cam: "I just want my dad to stay and spend time with me and not leave me. I just want my dad,"
But alas this is Treasure Island and the show must go on.
After the shock of King Snr's departure, Mangō have to pick a new captain and they decided Roma is their best option.
Over at Kauri, Melodie Robinson has to own up to her secret alliance with the Kings. She's in heaps of trouble but Lynette Forday is choosing to see the humorous side of the storm.
"Mel is trying so hard to save herself," she laughs. "There's no saving herself."
At Kuaka, King Jnr is dealing with her father's bombshell announcement and Karen O'Leary decides it's the perfect time to bring up King Snr's other shock announcement about the alliance.
She tells her younger teammate: "I think you could play the game without having to be a conniving, backstabbing twit."
Oh, come on, O'Leary. Read the room. Christmas is still three months away. It's too early for dysfunctional family arguments.
On a lighter note, today's team challenge includes mini trampolines and Mangō's Olympic trampolinist Dylan Schmidt has never looked happier.
"Anything trampoline-related I'm so invested in and I'm going to win," He tells the confession cam as he wonders how to steal the trampoline without Chisholm noticing.
The determination paid off and Mangō take out the win but my heart instantly drops when Kauri pull out the card that allows them to steal the prize.
Their reactions were way more chill than I expected and even though Mangō are bummed, Schmidt gets a bounce on the tramp so all is fair in love and war, I guess.
What's not chill is Kuaka.
They turn up at their camp and the man, the myth, the legend Ron Cribb is waiting for them.
"I've just met my team and the morale is really bad," Cribb tells the confession cam.
What a first impression huh?
Then things get worse, or better? I haven't decided. Chisholm turns up to tell the camp they need to elect a new captain – that was the punishment for coming last in the team challenge.
O'Leary wants to be captain and so does Cribb and it seems the team has no idea who they want because the election becomes a draw.
King Jnr, who isn't allowed to vote, says: "Karen thinks she'd be a better captain because she's been here longer. Ron thinks he's a better captain because he's come from a team and then I say yeah I think Ron would be a great captain I'm gunning for you and that's just upset Karen."
O'Leary then embodies huge sore loser energy and refuses to vote, so of course Cribb takes out the win.
He smashes out the captain's test and host Bree Tomasel tells the celebs – who are well and truly done with the day – there is one more challenge to complete.
The teams decided on one person from their team to meet Chisholm on the beach and this is where it gets real.
All they have been told is that the challenge will test their endurance. Kauri sends our sparkly scarf queen Forday: "I think I'll be good for this because I'm a pilates instructor and I walk for about six hours a day."
Great CV from Forday.
Mangō sends Schmidt and Kuaka sends their new captain, Cribb. They do not give us a CV rundown like Forday.
Halfway through the endurance test, Forday is killing it: "I'm feeling so proud of myself for competing against these guys and Ron calls out, Lynette you've got this."
Soon after, she drops the ball – literally, and the challenge continues between Schmidt and Cribb. But Schmidt proves he's more than just a pretty face and strikes a deal with Cribb.
The mild form of torture just isn't the right vibe for Schmidt.
"Later on the track if I'm still here I'd like to see the clue and some food as well - not 50/50 but something," he bargains with Cribb, who agrees.
The two sportsmen agree, shake on it and Schmidt throws the challenge.
"It was a tough thing for me to back down from the challenge but I think it was the right thing to do," Schmidt says but host Tomasel informs viewers there is yet another storm brewing on the island.
Thankfully, it all unfolds tomorrow because this recap is more chocka than Forday's CV.
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