CTI Kickoff: This Escalated FAST (Ep 1–3)

Welcome to the Episode Recap of Celebrity Treasure Island 2026!

Celebrity Treasure Island NZ is back, dropping a fresh batch of well-known Kiwis into a remote coastal location and stripping life back to the basics — think strategic gameplay, gruelling challenges, and very limited food. Competing for charity, contestants must outwit, outplay, and outlast each other in a high-stakes game where alliances shift fast and trust is basically currency.

The cast is split into two tribes: Wisdom vs Fury — a not-so-subtle generational divide that’s already delivering tension, ego clashes, and some seriously chaotic gameplay. Add in hunger, exhaustion, and the pressure of elimination, and you’ve got all the ingredients for peak reality TV drama.

You can watch Celebrity Treasure Island 2026 on TVNZ 2, or stream episodes anytime on TVNZ+.

Episode 1: “Old people vs young people” let the chaos begin

The premise is simple: experience vs energy.

Or, as Louis Davis puts it: “Old people vs young people.” No notes.

The season’s split into two tribes; Team Wisdom (the so‑called seasoned players) and Team Fury (the younger, faster, louder crew). This basically sets up a very clear dynamic from the jump: strategy vs instinct, patience vs chaos, people who’ve done life vs people who think they can wing it. 

And honestly… you can see it immediately.

From the moment the cast lands in Northland, it’s clear this isn’t going to be a slow burn. Nix Adams is already talking about stirring the pot (and absolutely will), Sammi Poole is refusing to let team colours ruin her aesthetic, and David Correos is questioning his fitness like he hasn’t just signed up for an island survival show.

Then, almost immediately... Chaos. Polly Gillespie injures her knee getting off the boat. Not in a challenge. Just… arriving.

Once things settle, the first challenge gets underway (windy, messy, classic CTI), and Fury takes the win, which means they get to choose their team leader. They pick Simon Barnett over sporting powerhouse Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, a decision Louis Davis sums up perfectly: “Idiots.”

So yes, Wisdom starts with an injury, Fury starts with confidence, and everyone starts quietly judging each other.

And just when it feels like classic chaotic reality TV, Vinnie Bennett drops a genuinely emotional moment with Simon Barnett, revealing a deeply personal story. Watching the two reconnect, with Barnett clearly moved and humbled, is easily one of the most powerful moments the show has delivered in years.

This episode was messy, funny and unexpectedly heartfelt. We're hooked. 

Episode 2: The fastest emotional spiral in reality TV history

If Episode 1 was chaotic, Episode 2 is where everyone realises: oh… this actually sucks.

The glam is gone. People are tired, hungry, slightly unwell, and critically, stuck with each other. The mood shifts from “this will be fun” to “I have made several errors” at impressive speed.

Then come the decisions.

Leaders now have to pick who faces pressure in challenges, and shockingly, no one takes that well. Suddenly it’s less “team bonding” and more “why did you choose ME?”

“We bonded too hard. This sucks,” basically becomes the episode’s unofficial tagline.

At the same time, the game properly kicks in, because this is also the point where someone is sent home, very early, and very abruptly. No easing in, no gentle first vote, just immediate consequences.

Being loud, strong or even just noticeable? Risky. Meanwhile, quieter players are sitting back, watching, and absolutely taking notes.

Add in snoring complaints, constant food chat and general camp misery, and David Correos sums it up best:

“It’s real bummed-out vibes right now.”

Not wrong.

Episode 3: Yoga, rising tension and Vinnie hitting his limit

By Episode 3, both teams are settling in... or at least pretending to.

At Team Tākapu, the older crew are riding a bit of a high. There’s yoga, bonding, and a general sense they’ve got things under control. Meanwhile over at Team Kahu, the vibes are… slightly less grounded, with Nix Adams openly struggling with the small detail that she hates sand. On a beach show. Tough.

Back at camp, things are already getting weirdly intimate; Ben Barrington and Ria Vandervis slip into familiar territory, revisiting their Shortland Street relationship like its couples therapy - island edition.

The challenges continue to test patience as much as skill, and while there are some wins along the way, it’s the aftermath that really matters. Decisions are made, advantages come into play, and not everyone agrees with how things go down.

That’s where tensions spike.

Vinnie Bennett, already simmering, finally snaps, calling the other team “the dirtiest players” and making it clear he’s no longer impressed with how the game is being played.

From that point on, the vibe shifts.

It’s no longer just competition it’s personal.

And with another elimination hanging over everyone, it suddenly feels like the game has properly begun.

Three episodes in, it’s already a lot

What stands out most after three episodes is how quickly everything escalates.

The “Wisdom vs Fury” divide is doing more than just organising teams, it’s shaping how people approach the game. The older players tend to lean into patience and long-term thinking, while the younger contestants react faster, feel things more openly, and aren’t afraid to call out perceived unfairness.

Neither approach is inherently better. But together, they create tension - and that tension is already driving the season.

Add in early injuries, emotional decision-making, emerging rivalries and one deeply contentious coffee situation, and it’s clear this isn’t going to be a slow burn.

It’s messy. It’s dramatic. It’s slightly unhinged.

And it’s only just getting started.

Treasure or Island 🏝️💰

what are you choosing?! 

While 16 celebs battle it out on Celebrity Treasure Island for $100,000 for charity, you could be winning big too 👀

Choose between an instant mystery treasure trove of cash or go in the draw to win a dreamy Rarotonga getaway ✈️🌺

Call 0800 DIAL ZM from 3pm weekdays for your chance to play.

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