Celebrity Treasure Island episode 14: James Rolleston gets his revenge in the game’s biggest elimination yet

Tonight on Celebrity Treasure Island, the underdogs take over. Photo / TVNZ

REVIEW

A figure dances down the hill towards Camp Kōura. It is James Rolleston. This is surprising because yesterday he was eliminated by his life-long mate Wairaingi Koopu.

But what editing kept us from us yesterday is the knowledge Rolleston had an ace up his sleeve. Instead of saying his goodbyes, we now see him smile and say, “A wee while ago, I got a Mercy Card.”

He is still in the game.

Today’s Charity Challenge is mini-golf. An impressive hole-in-one on the final hole gives Gaby Solomona the win.

Plot twist: James Rolleston is still in the game. Photo / TVNZ

There’s an air of resignation as the team goes into the Face-Off. Koopu has proved unbeatable and that doesn’t look likely to change.

“It’s do or die,” Millen Baird - Koopu’s main target - notes.

The challenge sees each player standing on a rocking platform that has a post with a ball balanced on top. The winner is the last player whose ball hasn’t fallen off.

It is an endurance test. Solomona lasts about 15 seconds. In a massive upset, Koopu’s ball drops to the ground seconds later. There is suddenly everything to play for.

But it’s harder than it looks and they begin to drop like flies, leaving only Rolleston and JP Folikai. As fatigue sets in, Rolleston tries a new tactic. He begins to trash talk.

“Do you feel like the man, JP?”

Foliaki doesn’t take the bait.

“JP! Do you feel like the man?” Rolleston repeats.

Foliaki takes the bait.

He laughs.

He wobbles.

He falls.

In the words of Lance Savali, "Back and better, baby!" Photo / TVNZ

“James wins his first individual face-off!” co-host Lance Savali shouts.

Today’s plot twist is Rolleston can only pick one person for the Elimination Challenge. That person will then select two people to join them on the chopping block. Two of those three will be going home.

As his reward, Rolleston wins a cafe-style brunch. He takes his balance rival Foliaki along with him, much to Koopu’s dismay.

As the pair chow down on waffles and pastries, Foliaki attempts to nudge Rolleston towards putting Koopu up for elimination, noting he’s everyone’s biggest threat.

“He’s a dangerous man,” Rolleston agrees. Then he dashes any suggestion of betrayal. “I’d be happier if someone else put up Wai. That’s something I wouldn’t do. I couldn’t do it.”

But Foliaki’s wily words have wormed into Rolleston’s mind and he begins to form an indirect attack on the king.

“It’s out of my hands once I select Millen,” he shrugs innocently. “Whoever they put up, they put up. Whether that’s someone I’m happy to see up there or not, that isn’t my call.”

Gaby Solomona takes out the Charity Challenge. Photo / TVNZ

Back at camp, Cullen and Baird have made a strategy of their own. They’ll go out all guns blazing.

“We’ll pick each other and try to take out Wai,” Baird tells ally Bubbah, who can’t believe what she’s hearing.

“And if it goes bad, well, we had a crack,” Cullen says. “We want to get rid of him.”

“Big risk,” Baird adds. “Big reward,”.

Arriving at the Elimination, the whole camp’s nervous. Savali shouts for Rolleston to make his pick.

“I had a good think about this,” Rolleston says. “I think I made the best decision.”

He moves his pawn into place.

“Millsy,” he says, nominating Baird, who he hopes will take on Koopu.

Baird puts his own plan into play.

Cullen and Baird are busy strategising. Photo / TVNZ

“It’s gotta be Wai,” he replies when Savali asks who his first pick is. “This is my chance to take out the top dog.”

The pieces are in now place. Do or die. All Baird has to do is call Cullen.

He says, “The second person I’ll put up is Gaby.”

Baird has gone rogue.

The challenge sees them throwing bouncy balls at a target made of blocks they’ve built. The ball must bounce off their target and land in a crate. With each successful shot, a block is removed from the target, which makes it more difficult to hit. The first player to bounce three balls into the crate wins.

Solomona and Koopu set their targets up close to the crate. Baird takes a different strategy, setting up further away.

“Gaby needs to move hers back,” Foliaki whispers from the sidelines.

“Wai’s too close,” Rolleston adds.

Getting the distance right is only half the problem. They also have to hit the target. Shots go all over the show, causing the three of them to run back and forth to adjust their positioning before trying again. But the stalemate is ended when Baird gets it right and his ball bounces into the crate. He is on the board.

Solomona’s shooting is spot-on, but her target is inches off, and her ball refuses to go in. However, Koopu is way off and constantly dragging his target around trying to find the sweet spot.

Baird, meanwhile, has repositioned and compensated for the target’s new height. His first attempt bounces off, as does the second. His third bounces in.

“Millsy, one ball away from being safe in this game and sending Wairangi and Gaby home!” Savali shouts.

Koopu’s next shot is close, hitting the side of the bin. Solomona’s shot goes wide. Koopu shoots again and the ball bounces on the edge… once… twice… and on to the ground.

Baird shoots.

“Millsy scores!” Savali shouts. “And sends Wairangi and Gaby home!”

It was do or die and Baird did it. His shot at the king did not miss. As a bonus, he also took out the king’s ally.

Will Baird's strategy pay off? Photo / TVNZ

“I can’t put it into words,” he says, dazed by his comprehensive victory. “I’m in shock.”

Savali can’t believe it either.

“I cannot believe it,” he shouts.

“The jester takes out the king, eh,” Baird smiles. “There’s a real chance I can win this thing now.”

“The underdogs have taken over, baby!” Bubbah grins.

While Baird and his allies celebrate, the ramifications of his successful plan - his betrayal - begin to hit Rolleston.

“I knew they would be the two that would go up if I put up Millsy,” he says, as his eyes begin to tear up. “It hurts.”

Maybe he remembered the three times that Koopu selected him for elimination. Or maybe he didn’t. But then James Rolleston holds his chin up and says, “But it’s all good.”

Celebrity Treasure Island airs Mondays to Wednesdays at 7.30pm on TVNZ 2 and is available on TVNZ+.

Karl Puschmann is an entertainment columnist for the Herald. His fascination lies in finding out what drives and inspires creative people.