Spy: The surprise star of Celebrity Treasure Island

Edna Swart is winning the popularity contest but will she win Celebrity Treasure Island 2021?

Celebrity Treasure Island's Boss Babe, Edna Swart, can't wait for people to meet the real her as the show plays out.

The 31-year-old entrepreneur is well aware celebrities put themselves out there with reality shows — and she has been suffering negative feedback from online trolls this week.

Fans of TVNZ OnDemand's Boss Babes know Swart as a go-getting business glamour girl. But many primetime viewers are meeting her for the first time.

Swart's chosen charity for the celebrity show is the Stroke Foundation.

"My mother passed away from a stroke when I was 17 and it's about bringing awareness to this illness and how it affects more people than we think," Swart told Spy. "It's nasty, what it can do to your body and your brain."

Swart says competing in the show has been a blessing and revealed she has stayed friends with the other celebrities since the show finished filming.

"Dad taught me from day dot that if you're going to do something, do it well. Do it with everything you've got, or don't do it at all.

"This stuck with me throughout my athletic days, my university life, my corporate life and now in my business."

As the game progresses, Swart says she uses strategy — and hints that it puts a target on her back.

"It's quite funny to watch because you really feel like you're playing a huge adult-size game of chess."

There's a shock exit from the show this week with one contestant getting injured during a challenge.

"All I can say about that is a very strong player — and someone who could have taken out Celebrity Treasure Island — heads home before their time. But, not without putting up one last fight in a very difficult challenge."

In another twist, the three tribes are reduced to two this week.

"Let's be honest, the teams were slightly unfairly placed, but hey, that makes for a little more fun and entertainment," Swart says. "The switch-up obviously did come with a few challenges. I had to really scope out the lay of the land, sniff out alliances and decide who I thought would be best to partner up with."