Veteran broadcaster Simon Barnett didn’t sign up for Celebrity Treasure Island expecting to enjoy it. He did it to push himself into a new chapter of life.
The 59-year-old’s time on the show came to an abrupt end in last night’s episode, after tearing his calf during a challenge.
He was one of two to leave the show yesterday after sustaining injuries, alongside comedian David Carreos who became injured in the same challenge.
Injuries are becoming a theme this year - media personality Polly Gillespie exited the show last week after suffering a damaged knee.
For Barnett, the experience was never just about competition.
"I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it, to be honest. I sort of thought I’d be doing it under self-forcing almost," Barnett told 1News.
He said stepping back into the show was ultimately part of a bigger personal goal, following the tragic loss of his wife Jodi in 2023 to brain cancer.
After being told by a counsellor he needed to “create a new life”, the broadcaster said he had made a conscious, but hesitant effort to embrace new challenges.
"I said, I don’t want one, and he said, you don’t have a choice," he recalled.
“So that was essentially the reason I did it — to push myself out there."
The radio host likened the experience of being on Celebrity Treasure Island to being "in prison" because of how quickly the cast bonded with one another. (Source: Breakfast)
That purpose also shaped the cause he chose to represent. Competing for the White Matter Brain Cancer Trust, Barnett said he felt a strong responsibility to do well.
“They’re an amazing organisation, so I wanted to win the cash really badly for them,” he said.
His early exit from the show was, by his own admission, “really disappointing”, particularly as someone who prides himself on giving everything his full effort.
“I’m a competitive person. Everything I do I pretty much give it 100% and see where it ends up,” he said.
Still, he said his experiences over the past two years have changed how he views setbacks.
“When you’ve been through what my family’s been through, you have to remind yourself it’s a television show. It’s not life or death."
He said the process to rebuild his life had not been easy without Jodi, who he described as his biggest supporter.
“That’s the one aspect I’ve really struggled with… not having that support from her,” he said.
“Now my children have taken up the slack. They love seeing me on TV.”
‘I became very fond of them very quickly’
One of the biggest surprises for Barnett was the close connection he formed with his teammates on the island.
He recalled becoming “completely enamoured” with his team Kahu, describing a group of very different personalities who quickly formed a close bond.
“Every single one of them, we just got on. We really liked each other,” he said. “I became very fond of them very quickly.”
That sense of camaraderie had continued well beyond filming, Barnett said, with the group still in regular contact.
“There’s a WhatsApp group and we still message every day."
Though his time on the show was cut short, Barnett said the experience reinforced why pushing outside his comfort zone mattered.
“I’m thrilled that I did it,” he said. “And I’d absolutely be open to doing something like it again.”
Celebrity Treasure Island airs Monday to Wednesday at 7.30pm on TVNZ2 and TVNZ+.
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