NZ Herald's Lillie Rohan sits down with celebrity treasure island winner to talk about being the traitor and the friendship he's grown with the cast. Video / NZ Herald
He’s a part-time traitor, part-time treasure hunter and the 2022 winner of Celebrity Treasure Island but Jesse Tuke might be the humblest winner the show has ever had.
Sitting down with the Herald the morning after his $100k win for Live Ocean - his brother, Blair Tuke’s charity - the sports commentator says it was a pretty special moment watching the final play out.
Despite the show being filmed earlier this year, Tuke admits he continued his traitorous streak and kept the secret from his brother the entire time. “I really kept the line that I had in the game going outside the game and just kind of turned it into a facet of my life.
“If I went through the pain of being on that island for 27 days, you can at least sit on your comfy couch and watch it for that time,” he laughs. But the brothers made sure to have a big celebration last night along with the Live Ocean crew, something Tuke says was “really special”.
After two months of reliving his good (and not-so-good) days, Tuke is ready for some fun and it comes in the form of 22 quickfire questions - fitting as he is the ‘22 Celebrity Treasure Island winner, after all.
Courtenay Louise was portrayed as the master manipulator this season, Dame Susan Devoy as the grouch. but Tuke says out of everyone, it was his bromance bud, Dylan Schmidt who got the worst edit.
“Dylan,” he said, “I think he wasn’t as naive as he was made to look.”
Schmidt was portrayed as the innocent, naive boy next door especially when Tuke lied to all the celebs and while they questioned his honesty, Schmidt adorably said, “I believe every word he said”.
Jesse and Dylan created quite a bond on the show. Photo / TVNZ
Worst moment?
“Ron going home,” the sports commentator said.
Despite keeping his composure for most of the show, bar the time he won the chance to call his long-time partner, Tuke says he had built quite a solid friendship with All-Black legend Ron Cribb, and when he went home it hit hard.
“There were tears,” he admits, “Just not while the cameras are rolling.”
How dirty did Woman’s Day do you with that edit?
If you’re an avid reader of our Treasure Island recaps (just lie like Tuke and say you are), you’ll remember the star featured in Woman’s Day this week but a graphics mix-up resulted in the star having double teeth and double lobes.
Reality bites... Photo / Woman's Day
Now we finally know how Tuke feels about the mix-up.
“I loved it,” he laughs, “the funny thing was when I showed people, people didn’t realise that there was anything wrong with it, so I must just look like that most of the time.”
One reality TV show you would never go on?
TVNZ has its fair share of reality shows including The Bachelor, Cooks On Fire, The Great Kiwi Bake Off among other hit shows but there is one that Tuke wouldn’t go near.
“FBoy Island,” he jokes adding that isn’t the only one he would stay away from, “Probably wouldn’t go on the Bachelor. Not sure my partner would approve.”
Are you sponsored by Zinc?
“No, but I probably feel like after watching back, I should be,” the star laughs. “Anything to do with sun protection. It really gets me going.”
Stay sun safe out there kids. Photo / TVNZ
Would you go back?
Now that the sand has settled and the star has had a chance to eat something other than beans and rice, Tuke admits he wouldn’t hesitate in going back into the Treasure Island trenches.
“Yeah, tomorrow. Today!” Tuke shared on his willingness to pack his bags for a season two.
And as for his ideal competitor, a fellow sports presenter would be his number-one pick but you’ll have to watch the vid to find out who that is.
For the more quick-fire questions, tune into the video above including the three CTI celebs he would have dinner with and the star he hasn’t spoken to since leaving the show.
