Treasure Island (TV franchise)


Treasure Island is a reality competition television franchise. The programme originated in New Zealand in 1997, where it was produced by Touchdown Television, with later editions produced in Australia and Ireland. In the programme, contestants are isolated on a remote Fijian island and compete for a cash prize of NZ$50,000.
Treasure Island was loosely inspired by the successful Swedish programme Expedition Robinson - the original version of the Survivor format.

Concept history

''Treasure Island'' (1997–2007)

  1. Treasure Island: Series 1 was shot in Fiji during 1997. Levi Bowen was the season's winner with Pieta Keating coming in second.
  2. Treasure Island: Series 2 was hosted by previous contestant Pieta Keating. Palmerston North Radio DJ Tanya Pouwhare was the season's winner, with Gisborne C4 music TV host Clarke Gayford coming in second.
  3. Treasure Island: Extreme was hosted by model Jacqui Rickards and was more extreme season than past seasons pitting ex-police, SAS, armed forces and soldiers against each other with no food, water or shelter at all. John "Horse" McLeod was the season's winner. A notable incident happened when the SAS contestant Baz Rice was eliminated from the game and refused to leave, instead hiding in the jungle. Because of previous threats made to rival contestants, a security warning was issued to other competitors. He eventually returned from the jungle and left the island.
  4. Superstars of Treasure Island was hosted by Jon Stevens. This season saw past winners and past season favorites put back onto the island, which included past Irish and Australian winners as well as Levin Bowen, Pieta Kieting, Horse, Josh Kronfeld and Cocksy. t. Josh Kronfeld was the season's winner, becoming the first person to win two seasons of Treasure Island consecutively.
  5. Treasure Island: Couples at War was hosted by singer Jon Stevens. This season put celebrity couples against each other which included Vadim Dale and his wife, Natalie Franzmann, former Miss Popularity contestant Vicki-Lee McIntyre and her partner Scotty Rocker, and horse jockey Lance O'Sullivan and his wife Bridgette O'Sullivan. The O'Sullivan's were the season's winners with Simon Doull and his partner Peggy Bourne coming in second.
  6. Treasure Island: Pirates of the Pacific was hosted by former celebrity contestant Matthew Ridge. This season featured two tribes - The Buccaneers, which included New Zealand Idol runner up Michael Murphy and former New Zealand Warriors league player Monty Betham; and The Corsairs, which included Australian disgraced rugby union rep Wendell Sailor and David Beckham's former assistant Rebecca Loos. Dancing With The Stars dancer Hayley Holt was the season's winner with Wendell Sailor coming in second.

    ''Celebrity Treasure Island'' (2001–04, 2019)

Depending on the status and the length of time New Zealand celebrities were on the island, they were usually given up to NZ$9,000 to appear on Celebrity Treasure Island.
  1. Series 1 was hosted by Pieta Keating for the second consecutive season. This was the first Celebrity season and the third season altogether. Since celebrities were competing, the money they won went to a charity of their choosing. The contestants were split into two teams - North Team, which included Stacey Daniels, Andy Dye, Sally Ridge, Anthony Ray, Erika Takacs, Danny Morrison and Nicky Sunderland; and the South team, which included Cocksy, Frank Bunce, Katrina Hobbs, Nicky Watson, Jayne Kiely, Dominic Bowden and Trent Bray. TV handyman John "Cocksy" Cochs won, with television presenter Stacey Daniels coming in second.
  2. Series 2 was hosted by Pieta Keating for the third consecutive season. The contestants were split into two teams - Girls Team, which included Greer Robson, Eva Evguenieva, Louise Wallace, Nicky Watson, Suzanne Paul, Jenny May Coffin and K'lee; and the Boys Team, which included Paul Ellis, Cory Hutchings, Michael Laws, Matthew Ridge, Jason Gunn, Ewen Gilmore and Marc Ellis. Shortland Street actress and current lawyer, Greer Robson was the season's winner, with ex-Shortland Street star, Paul Ellis coming in second.
  3. Series 3 was hosted by previous contestant Louise Wallace. The season's contestants included Josh Kronfeld, Simon Barnett, Brent Todd, Ian Roberts, Maz Quinn, Troy Flavell, Torenzo Bozzone, Matthew Ridge, Aja Rock, Charlotte Dawson, Jayne Kiley, Joe Cotton, Lana Coc-Kroft, Wendy Botha, Hayley Marie Byrnes, Nicky Watson. TV presenter, Lana Coc-Kroft, was struck down with a virus and had to be evacuated off the island. Ex-All Black Josh Kronfeld was the season's winner, with Simon Barnett coming in second place.
  4. Series 4 made its return after a hiatus of over a decade. Hosted by Survivor NZ producer and host, Matt Chisholm and Bree Tomasel. The season featured two tribes: Mako and Kahu, where retired athletes go up against radio and TV personalities. The 16 contestants were: Boxer Shane Cameron; former Canterbury and All Black winger, Zac Guildford; DJ Athena Angelou; Olympic champion board sailor Babara Kendall; Olympic champion rower and road cycling time trialist, Eric Murray; former rugby league star and coach, Gary 'The Wiz' Freeman; actress Jodie Rimmer; Former Shortland Street star Karl Burnett ; singer Ladi6; fitness model and middle distance runner Lana Van Hout; former Bachelor contestant Lily McManus; TVNZ morning show Weatheman Matty McLean; former weatherman, children show host and current DJ, Sam Wallace; Moses Mackay of SOL3 MIO;influencer, model and former charity boxer Roseanna Arkle; and former C4 host and DJ turned Yoga instructor, Shannon Ryan. Sam Wallace was the sole Kahu member left, and the eventual winner, who took $100,000 for Starship Hospital. Shane Cameron and Gray Freeman were the other two finalists, and Athena Angelou finished fourth. This is the final show that Matt Chisholm presented with TVNZ.

    Australian ''Treasure Island'' (2000)

The Australian version produced by David Mason premiered on Seven Network following the 2000 Summer Olympics. It aired on Sunday nights at 7pm. Contestants playing for the $50,000 were split into two teams - West Team, which included Michael, Emma, Daniel, Sally, Cassie, Justine and Stephen; and the East Team, which included Tommy, Gavin, Maggie, Monika, Alexandra, Frank and James, with James being crowned the winner.

Irish ''Treasure Island'' (2001–2002)

The Irish version of Treasure Island was broadcast on RTÉ in the Summer of 2001 and 2002. Produced by Coco Television, the show was axed after its second series and replaced by Cabin Fever in 2003.

Series 1 (2001)

The first series aired on RTÉ One at 8pm each Sunday night from 15 July to 12 September 2001. It was RTÉ's and Ireland's first major reality TV series.
Almost 31,000 people applied to take part in the first series. The first programme involved 22 people vying to be part of the final 16. They range in age from 19 to 63. The group of 22 would then be taken to Killary Harbour, Connacht, where they faced a series of physical and psychological challenges. After two days the final 16 were chosen and taken immediately to Dublin Airport, where they depart for Tonga. When they arrived on the island the teams were split into two teams, one on each side of the island.
A spin-off series was shown on Network 2 called Treasure Island Uncut on Monday nights at 10:35 pm.
BLUE TEAM: Yvonne Cronin, Tom Tom, Becky, Rob, Geoff, Sheila, Lewize, Peter, Winston Roberts
RED TEAM: Tom Barton, Padraic Doorey, Carole, Paul, Faith, Marya, Martin, Ann

Series 2 (2002)

The second series aired during the summer of 2002. Before becoming a Senator Mark Daly appeared on this series of Treasure Island, he came third in the series. Again the spin-off series Treasure Island Uncut was shown on Network 2, but RTÉ introduced a new spin-off series for RTÉ One called Treasure Island Live hosted by Brendan Courtney which was shown on Tuesday nights at 8 pm.