(l-r) Christian Cullen, JP Foliaki and James Rolleston standing by for the final race to buried treasure. Photo: TVNZ
This story contains spoilers for the last episode of Celebrity Treasure Island
After a final challenge that lasted longer than any in the reality show's history, a winner has been crowned in Celebrity Treasure Island 2024.
Actors JP Foliaki and James Rolleston stood alongside former All Black Christian Cullen on the slippery rocks at the start of Wednesday's finale - having spent 18 gruelling days battling it out, sending 15 fellow contenders home before them.
Red, White and Brass actor Foliaki took an early lead, quickly making his way through the first challenge - untangling a long chain and unlocking padlocks through freezing water to retrieve a clue from a box.
The others hit early roadblocks - Rolleston had forgotten to retrieve a photograph earlier in the game and had to run back to the start, while Cullen couldn't make out the numbers on the padlock, cursing that he didn't bring his glasses.
Foliaki approached the second challenge, not wanting to get ahead of himself. The tricky task was balancing three small balls, one at a time, on a paddle down a heightened track - frustrating for all finalists, Foliaki says: "I know it doesn't pay to play that game, but if it did I'd be asking for a bloody refund."
"I can tell this is gonna take me forever," he says from the outset.
Cullen manages to take the lead following the balancing act and makes his way upstream to the last challenge - a 3D puzzle of a standing tree which would reveal a crucial message: "At our past crossroads, our treasure waits".
Despite having the advantage of a stone displaying the finished puzzle, Cullen wasn't able to get his head around the game and by the time Foliaki arrived 45 minutes later, he hasn't even placed a piece. Nearly an hour later Rolleston arrives and gets cracking.
Foliaki is the first to finish and Cullen is finally able to make some ground as he shamelessly peeks across to copy.
"Cully's visiting my house like it's Halloween and he needs some candy .. one of the greatest fullbacks in history is tryna copy me," Foliaki says.
Cullen and Foliaki try to hamper each other's game throwing time penalty stones back and fourth - Cullen wins sending Foliaki down with no play for five minutes. Foliaki is frustrated as Cullen carefully moves past him. But at the sound of the cannon, the game is back on.
The locations of four photographs collected on the way align to mark the spot where the treasure is buried. Finding that spot isn't easy. Rolleston and Cullen take a stab in the dark and start digging. Half-an-hour later Foliaki figures out the location, and begins his final quest.
The trio dig and dig and dig, they're standing right beside each other, throwing sand in each others holes, it's neck and neck and it's getting dark.
Finally, Foliaki hears a clink.
"All I'm hitting is rock after rock after rock," he says.
"This is not just for me, this is for my charity, this is bigger than me ... Did anyone else hear that? Holy - I think I found it."
The actor bagged $100,000 for Child Fund Water Run, a charity that provides clean water to children across the Pacific.
"For a moment I'm just staring it, and I don't even know what to say. I just feel this overwhelming sense of gratitude take over me... I'm proud of myself, this one's for South Auckland, Tongans, Samoans, Polys, all of us," he said, breaking into Tongan hymn, Teu hiki a hoku le'o.
"I can't wait to share this with Child Fund and the Water Run initiative. Our people really need this, it's gonna make a difference in ways I can't even describe."
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