Celebrity Treasure Island winner JP Foliaki chats about the gruelling final challenge, making mates for life on the island, and why he'll never eat rice and beans again.
Celebrity Treasure Island winner JP Foliaki says “it’s an incredible feeling” to have taken home $100,000 for his charity after last night’s gruelling finale - but he never wants to see a dish of rice and beans again.
Speaking to the Herald after the showdown between Foliaki, fellowactor James Rolleston and former All Black Christian Cullen aired on TVNZ, theRed, White & Brassactor says the final challenge was “really tough”.
“We were digging for a few hours at least ... but at that point, we were just digging anywhere and everywhere, refilling each other’s holes and just not even having an idea of whether we would actually find the treasure or not,” he jokes.
Christian Cullen, JP Foliaki, and James Rolleston battled it out in the Celebrity Treasure Island finale. Photo / TVNZ
The final episode saw the top three race to find the buried treasure on the shores of Te Whanganui-o-Hei/Cathedral Cove after six weeks of physically and mentally demanding challenges.
Foliaki watched the finale with his friends and family after weeks of keeping his win a secret - and admits it was “so hard” not to tell them.
“Once [the show] was announced and I was playing, it was definitely hard to keep it a secret. But I had to hold it, I wanted that reaction from them,” he said.
“My cousin organised the viewing party last night and she went and got party poppers and everything. So as soon as I dug up the treasure, this massive as gold confetti went everywhere.
Foliaki was the first to find the buried treasure after digging for "hours". Photo / TVNZ
“Everyone was like, ‘You better not have brought us out here to come second or not find the treasure!’ Because that’s also something I would have done, just to make them think that and hype it up and then make them buy me some drinks, but then let them down like that,” he laughs.
“I knew I was there for a purpose and I was there to play the long game.”
That purpose was to raise funds for his charity, ChildFund Water Run.
“The whole point of the game, we get all these celebrities going into it and charities that do amazing work. For my one in particular, they provide clean fresh drinking water to kids out in the Pacific,” the actor explains.
“Two weeks ago, they had two kids that passed away in the Solomon Islands because they didn’t have access to clean water. To be able to provide them with that opportunity, $105,000 is going to go such a long way.”
Foliaki also won $5000 in a charity challenge during the show’s filming.
The Tongan actor dedicated his win last night to his home of South Auckland, telling viewers, “This one’s for South Auckland. For Tongans. For Samoans. Polys. All of us.”
He says one highlight of his experience was seeing Pasifika culture represented on the show.
Christian Cullen, Bubbah, James Rolleston and JP Foliaki on Celebrity Treasure Island. Photo / TVNZ
“Just seeing as Pasifika people, our culture really coming to the forefront, that was a beautiful thing to see overall - right from the start to the finale.”
For Foliaki, the food was the low point of his experience. “Rice and beans, that’s not for me. I never ever want to have rice and beans. I don’t even want baked beans,” he laughs.
And while he admits it was tough being away from his family, going offline was one surprising benefit.
“It was beautiful to be unplugged and not have our phones and just to really be out there and get to know the other contestants.”
He counts actors James Rolleston and Millen Baird and infomercial queen Suzanne Paul among the friendships made “that will last a lifetime”.
Would he go on the show again if given the opportunity, or return for a second season of Treasure Island: Fans v Faves? Under certain conditions.
“They’re gonna have to double the money they have for the charity,” he declares, adding with a laugh, “The winners from the past, they need to get something a little bit extra than rice and beans. At least some tomato sauce with it.”
