Spy: Will this be the winner of Celebrity Treasure Island?

Spy is picking Dame Susan Devoy as the one to watch on Season 3 of Celebrity Treasure Island. Photo / Supplied

Spy is picking Dame Susan Devoy as the one to watch on Season 3 of Celebrity Treasure Island.

This season, for the first time, intruders are entering the show. Devoy is one, along with Mike King and former All Black Ron Cribb.

The show premieres on TVNZ 2 on Monday and at Thursday night's launch party at the Glasshouse in Morningside, the 58-year-old former squash champion shone among her fellow cast members.

Spy hears Devoy is not only a great competitor and tough on the show, but is also very funny and audiences will love her and see her in a whole new light.

She was Race Relations Commissioner for five years after her sports career. She told Spy it was difficult to compare the physical and mental challenges of her past roles and that of challenges rolled out on the reality TV show.

"The challenges were different, they have all been amazing opportunities and I feel grateful to have had the chance to do the first two," says Devoy.

"Celebrity Treasure Island came completely out of the blue and, at my age, I'm not sure whether those opportunities would come again."

Devoy wouldn't give much away on how she does but admits there is stiff competition in the game — and says that worried her in the physical challenges.

But she did say that in an ever-changing game she knew she needed allies — and she found them.

"All the cast were cool in their own way and I loved all the different characters, but I became close with Cam Mansel and Siobhan Marshall. We seemed to cover all generations and had each other's backs," says Devoy.

She says she didn't enjoy the first few days as she entered as an intruder.

"It was pretty primitive and when you throw tired, hungry people together things get messy," she says.

"I did, however, like stepping out of my comfort zone during some of the challenges."

Devoy's chosen charity is The Aunties, which supports women and their children once they leave violent relationships

"The Aunties was formed by a woman named Jackie Clarke, who was the Supreme Winner of the Women of Influence Awards in 2018," says Devoy.

"More importantly, it's about giving them back their mana and their dignity and helping them rebuild their lives."