The Winner Of Celebrity Treasure Island 2022 Is...Jesse Tuke!

Sports commentator Jesse Tuke has taken out the ultimate treasure hunt, walking away from the third season of Celebrity Treasure Island with the $100,000 prize for his charity, Live Ocean Foundation.

Jesse has played the game to near perfection, his affable demeanour, true gameplay, and sheer athleticism have made him seemingly impossible to eliminate, even with a monolith sized target on his back. After weeks of physical, emotional, and mental endurance, the 30-year-old outplayed 20 other Kiwi celebrities to take home the title.

In a nail-biting end to the game, Jesse went head-to-head with Courtenay Louise and Elvis Lopeti in a treasure hunt truly unlike any other. As the "traitor" who buried $100,000 cash amid the sand dunes, Jesse finally came clean to his fellow castaways on the morning of the final treasure hunt.

The three were pushed to their limits, all eager for their spade to be the first to hit the buried treasure, and armed with the knowledge and the clues, Jesse started the hunt as the one to beat, but Courtenay and Elvis were hot on his heels the whole way.

In addition to the $100,000 prize, Jesse won $10,000 for Live Ocean Foundation from charity challenges through the series, taking his winning donation to a total of $110,000.

Set up by his brother Blair and sailing mate Peter Burling, Live Ocean Foundation is a charity particularly close to Jesse’s heart.

“You beauty! I’m absolutely stoked. Winning $100,000 for Live Ocean Foundation, an awesome charity so close to my heart, is honestly just as good as it gets. I love the ocean and I think as Kiwis we have such a special connection to it. But I know the ocean is failing and we can and need to be doing a heck of a lot more. This money for Live Ocean is massive and I know it’s going to be incredibly helpful in making New Zealand world leaders in Ocean Health.

“It’s been a wild ride, I’ve met the most amazing people and come away as the winner of CTI… how bloody goooood!!”

On top of the winning donation to Live Ocean Foundation, a further $90,000 was won by Celebrity Treasure Island competitors this season for other deserving charities in Aotearoa, including $7,500 won by Ron Cribb for Va’aiga Tuigamala’s charity, ODICE Alliance Health Plus.

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