Celebrity Treasure Island: Shane Cameron explodes over Team Kahu's niggling tactics

Shane Cameron on Celebrity Treasure Island. Photo / Supplied

Tensions threatened to explode on Celebrity Treasure Island on Tuesday when former boxing champion Shane Cameron fired up after some cheeky sledging from Team Kahu.

Already starving after days without a decent meal, the big man snapped when actress Jodie Rimmer slipped in a sly one-word dig of "yum" after her side won yet another team challenge and a meal prize of ham, cheese and pineapple toasted sandwiches.

Celebrity Treasure Island contestants Sam Wallace, Eric Murray, Shannon Ryan. Photo / Supplied

Team Mako had come agonisingly close to victory in the sandbag throwing test, before former Olympic rowing champion Eric Murray helped his team claw back from nine-five down to clinch narrow a 10-9 win.

"Rub it in with a 'yum'. Yeah, real professional," said a clearly irritated Cameron.

Further prodding from host Matt Chisholm led Cameron to expand on his h-angry thoughts as he slammed the opposition's niggling tactics.

"They say 'yum' - they always make cheeky remarks afterwards," he added. "They say 'oh we only won that because we were full in our tummies'.

"They all do it. You won it fair and square but just less of the remarks afterwards."

Recalling an earlier defeat when Murray had teased Team Kahu by dangling a cooked sausage in front of them, Cameron continued his tirade.

"Just like the other night with the sausages, when you were eating them and trying to bait us with them - you're lucky I wasn't close enough to you."

Rimmer, unwisely, tried to defuse the situation by telling Cameron "it's a game". But that did little to change his mindset.

"Is that how you act? Is that how you act in a game," he raged before eventually slinking back to camp for another bowl of rice and coconut.

Gary Freeman celebrates. Photo / Supplied

Controversial Hits breakfast host Sam Wallace sensed danger was in the air and murmured quietly to no one in particular: "I'm too scared to say anything, he's a big man."

Team Kahu. Photo / Supplied

But Cameron wasn't done grumbling, as he and the rest of his team were left unimpressed by the strong-minded leadership of Team Mako captain Barbara Kendall.

Earlier in the show, Kendall did little to endear herself after informing the team she had a potentially game-changing "mercy card" up her sleeve, but that they were all expendable – bar the big strong pair of Cameron and Moses Mackay.

"Just because we've got this, it doesn't mean that I may save you," said Barb.

"I want to keep Shane and Moses for as long as possible … it's practical.

"At this stage of the game it's really important that we have at least a couple of strong people."

Athena Angelou and Lana van Hout. Photo / Supplied

The team's dissatisfaction later deepened when Barb shunned a tantalising offer from Team Kahu captain Shannon Ryan to share their food prize - if Barb was open to negotiating to reveal what clues Team Mako have in their possession.

Team Mako. Photo / Supplied

She refused outright without consulting any of her comrades and continued to hold firm even when she was outvoted 6-1.

"This is the longest I've ever been without food in my life, six days. Barb can survive yes, but us bigger boys struggle a bit more," Cameron lamented.

The group resigned themselves to going hungry for another night with Moses suggesting they could try to catch some fish, only for Cameron to cynically point out they had a better chance of contracting syphilis.

It didn't come to that, thankfully, with Ryan later gifting the losers with a parcel containing one sandwich each to ensure Cameron at least had a midnight snack.

But the episode ended with questions hanging over Barb's leadership style – is there another coup in the works?

Celebrity Treasure Island continues Sunday night at 7pm and Monday and Tuesday nights at 7.30pm on TVNZ 2.