The father and daughter duo always have each other's back. Photo / Michelle Hyslop
The father and daughter duo always have each other's back. Photo / Michelle Hyslop
Alex King was only a young child when her famous father Mike King was battling addiction, depression and a life-changing stroke. She didn't fully understand his turmoil, nor realise that she too would go on to experience mental health struggles, but she wanted to do anything she could to help her "best mate".
"I've been there for him through lots of tragedies, like when he had his stroke," Alex reflects.
"I was around 8 when everything was really bad for Dad, so I didn't understand what was going on, but I knew I had to be there for him. He was open and honest with us, and gave us ways to help him. My way was to make him a cup of tea – I still do, to this day."
These days, Alex, 24, is doing more than making cups of teas to help and honour comedian-turned-mental health advocate Mike and other Kiwis facing mental issues. She's putting her own struggles aside to appear on Celebrity Treasure Island, in a bid to win $100,000 for a youth initiative that's part of Mike's mental health organisation I Am Hope.
It's a brave move considering the anxiety struggles that the musician, actress and former radio host grapples with when it comes to being in the spotlight.
"It's been a struggle and you learn to grow up so fast." Photo / Michelle Hyslop
"I've battled anxiety most of my life," shares Alex, whose mother is Mike's ex Rosemary Nathan.
"It's been a constant up and down, especially working in radio for six years and experiencing the limelight outside of Dad. It's been a struggle and you learn to grow up very fast.
"And working in radio, you have to be so honest. With going through break-ups and personal struggles, and having to deliver that on-air, some of my friends would say, 'Why would you tell the nation that?' But if someone else out there's struggling, they'll find it relatable."
Alex adds that pursuing a career path and lifestyle that is different to her peers has also heightened her anxiety.
Did not see that coming! With her Celebrity Treasure Island team mates. Photo / TVNZ
"I'm still young, growing up and learning, but in comparison to my peers, it's different because they're not doing the same thing, so I feel isolated from my friends. They have normal nine-to-five jobs and finished uni, and did all the things you do when you leave high school, but I did the complete opposite – ending up talking s**t for a living!"
One person who's always stood by Alex is Mike, and after she was signed onto Treasure Island, producers invited him to join the fun, meaning Alex is now competing against her dad to win the series, filmed in Northland. While there's an "unspoken alliance" between the two, they can also be fiercely competitive.
"If he wins something, he'll come up and go, 'Loser!' and rub it in my face, but I'll do it back. We'd love to merge together on the show. That would be fun to see us working together, as well as working separately. It's exciting because we're the first family dynamic on the show."
Both Alex and Mike are hoping to win prize money that will help those experiencing mental health issues – Mike choosing Gumboot Friday, an initiative started by I Am Hope, while Alex chose the charity's youth ambassador programme, which sees young people going around schools giving mental health talks.
Alex and Mike won't be going easy on each other. "If he wins something, he'll come up and go 'Loser!'," Alex says. Photo / Michelle Hyslop
"It's different to when you see Dad give talks because he's an adult, so for kids it's like watching a father-figure type, which is less relatable. With the youth ambassador programme, they're seeing children, teenagers or young adults who are going through similar things to them, so they can relate better."
As she continues on her own journey of finding confidence and fulfilment, Alex has left radio to pursue her acting and music dreams.
A self-confessed "perfectionist" with her music, she teases she's been working with "really cool" producers, as well as Kiwi artists.
Having previously released the track When It's Over, inspired by overcoming an abusive relationship, she hopes to release new music in the next three months.
Alex, who's single but on the lookout for "Mr Right", has also been hitting the audition circuit.
