Meet the indigenous powerhouses in this season's Celebrity Treasure Island

The shoreline of Northland is about to get a lot more crowded as Celebrity Treasure Island(CTI) returns for 2026 with Māori and Pasifika voices leading the way.

This season’s “Wisdom vs Fury” theme pits 16 well-known faces against strategy, physical grit, and the inevitable sandy bums - all for a $100,000 charity prize.

The focus this year is firmly on the Pacific. Meet the bold, and sometimes brash, Tangata Moana contestants for this season of CTI.

The return of a legend

All Blacks great Frank Bunce is this season’s “wisdom” personified. As the only contestant of direct Pacific heritage, Bunce represents the island rock nation of Niue.

While many know him for his 55 Test caps and defensive steel, the 64-year-old first appeared in the original 2001 series in Fiji - a version Bunce recalls as being far more rugged.

“We had to make our own shelters back then,” Bunce told The Spinoff.

Despite the 20-year gap since his last stint, he views the return as a chance for a new adventure and is playing for the Mai Lighthouse charity.

Bunce values the show's transformative power, highlighting how the isolated setting fosters meaningful connections between unlikely people.

“I’m getting older and these chances aren’t gonna keep happening, so I thought it was a good time to have some fun and have an adventure,” Bunce told Woman’s Day.

From Hollywood to the Far North

Bringing a different kind of Pacific energy is actor Te Ao o Hinepehinga (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu).

While she recently starred in Jason Momoa’s Apple TV+ hit, Chief of War, her connection to the Tangata Moana is deeply personal, having learned ‘Ōlelo Hawai’i specifically for the role.

Playing for UNICEF NZ, Te Ao o Hinepehinga admits reality TV usually sparks her anxiety, but the chance to provide positive representation was too good to pass up.

She tells Woman’s Day that she enters the game with a distinctive edge, “I grew up diving, fishing, hunting and camping on the East Coast. I’m familiar with thriving in an environment like this.”

Aotearoa New Zealand’s indigenous presence is rounded out by a powerhouse group of Māori talent:

• Portia Woodman-Wickliffe (Ngāpuhi): A Black Ferns legend and Olympic gold and silver medallist is supporting her charity, Te Rōpū Wāhine Māori Toko I te Ora.

• Vinnie Bennett (Kai Tahu, Ngāti Porou, Ngāpuhi): The Fast & Furious 9 star is taking a break from Hollywood to represent his chosen charity, Big Buddy Mentoring Trust.

• Louis Davis (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua): 2025’s New Zealand TikTok Creator of the Year and fishing enthusiast brings his heart and ocean know-how to the competition, playing for Te Ora Hou Northland.

• Nicola “Nix” Adams (Te Rarawa, Ahipara): Straight-talking social media sensation named “Personality of the Year” at the New Zealand TV Awards in 2021, supporting Child Abuse Prevention Foundation.

• Zion Dayal (Ngāti Awa): The TVNZ sports reporter is now part of the action, playing for Koru Care NZ.

• Harrison Keefe (Ngāti Pāhauwera): An actor, radio host, and viral TikTok star playing for Spark That Chat.

With hosts Bree Tomasel and Jayden Daniels at the helm, the stakes have never been higher. A season trailer teased that this could be CTI’s most intense season yet.

But beyond the competition, there’s a clear highlight this year: a focus on representation, identity, and community.

Celebrity Treasure Island starts on Monday, 27 April on TVNZ2.