By Isra’a Emhai of rnz.co.nz and is republished with permission
Labour MP Carmel Sepuloni says she’s happy to come out the other side of the reality TV show Celebrity Treasure Island without damaging her dignity.
Carmel Sepuloni on Celebrity Treasure Island. Photo: Supplied / TVNZ
Former Warriors player Wairangi Koopu was pitted against Sepuloni, who is the first active MP to be on the show, in an elimination battle on Monday night’s episode.
Koopu was victorious in the challenge, which saw the pair standing on blocks with their hands and ankles tied to one another in a variation of tug of war.
Sepuloni, who has been back as an MP for several months, says she knew she’d have to face off with Koopu but they’d agreed to go as hard as they could and it would be fair play.
“And to be honest, if I was going to go out to anyone, then I’d much rather lose to the strongest person in the team who I had a great deal of respect for. And so, I have no regrets about my time on there, or even the fact that I went out.”
The former deputy prime minister says she had no grand plans to be the final person but wanted to last there as along as she could.
“For me, it was about making sure I came out with my dignity intact, so I wanted to play with integrity, and I think I did … apart from like having a few jabs at people.
“I tried my hardest not to be the type of person that I might be embarrassed about later on when I was watching it back.”
Sepuloni says she’s enjoyed forming relationships on the show. Photo: Supplied / TVNZ
Even her children, who “religiously” watched the reality show over the years, didn’t know she took part until a couple of weeks before it aired, she says.
“We didn’t tell them [earlier] because they’d go and tell the world …
“They were really excited. I’m also really happy that they were not ashamed of their mother. They seem to be really okay and happy with how I performed and so it’s really nice when your kids are not cringing at you.”
One of her favourite parts of the experience was being able to disconnect from technology and forming relationships with people, she says.
“I have to say me and Spankie formed quite a close relationship and I’m going to catch up with Spankie soon, so that’ll be good,” she says, adding that she’s hoping to see Koopu and Gaby Solomona too.
“Even though we may not have got along with everyone the whole time, there’s a special connection that you form with people when you stay with them for that period of time.”
As she was departing, Sepuloni said she was humbled by the way her fellow contestants farewelled her with a Samoan song. Photo: Supplied / TVNZ
After having personal leave approved to be on the show earlier this year, Sepuloni was spotted in May going around Parliament on a scooter due to a leg injury she sustained on the TV show. It has mostly healed now but will take until about December for a full recovery, she says.
“I was limping around half the time that I was there and obviously not at full strength and so I felt a bit frustrated with that, which is why too I knew that when the time came, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world ’cause I could go and actually get the thing checked out properly.”
The response to her challenge with fellow contestant Gaby Solomona on episode eight, where they powered through and encouraged each other to finish their mission, has been overwhelming, she says.
“As we went along, it became much more apparent to me and Wairangi that we had this amazing group of young people that were contestants on the show as well, and we formed a really strong relationship with them.
“Then it became less about ourselves and more about supporting, protecting them and trying to get them through as far as we possibly could. And so, I think I left on that note last night and it was really important to me.”
As she was departing, Sepuloni said she was humbled by the way fellow contestants Bubbah, JP Foliaki and James Rolleston farewelled her with a Samoan song.
