Simon Barnett's Celebrity Treasure Island Return Ends in Injury as Team Kahu Captain Is Medically Eliminated

Key facts

• Simon Barnett was medically eliminated from Celebrity Treasure Island in episode six after tearing his calf during a push challenge against Portia Woodman-Wickliffe.
• Barnett's team, Kahu, was obliterated in what sources describe as the most dramatic and emotional week of the show.
• Woodman-Wickliffe won $5,000 for Te Rōpū Wāhine Māori Toko i te Ora – the Māori Women’s Welfare League in a charity challenge.
• Davis won $10,000 for Te Ora Hou Northland across two charity challenges.
• Barnett is competing for the White Matter Brain Cancer Trust, calling $100,000 'life changing and game changing' for the small charity.
• Barnett's wife Jodi passed away over two years ago; he says doing new adventures without her still makes him 'nervy and twitchy'.
• Barnett first competed in Celebrity Treasure Island in 2004; his children convinced him to return.
• Barnett described his Dancing With the Stars experience as 'PTSD', 'dreadful', and 'traumatic'.

A Week of Carnage on Celebrity Treasure Island

An entire team has been obliterated, two players suffered dramatic on-set injuries, and a touching gift brought the nation to tears in what may be the most dramatic and emotional week in Celebrity Treasure Island history. The fallout has been swift: Simon Barnett, the More FM host and returning star, was medically eliminated in episode six after tearing his calf during a push challenge against Black Fern Portia Woodman-Wickliffe. The injury came as Barnett, 57, was showing off the physique that had earned him praise from fellow contestants. Actor Vinnie Bennett had earlier declared, 'That is a well-built man right there... He’s got abs on abs,' as Barnett performed morning chores in black underwear. Viewers learned this week that Barnett's body is entirely shaved. But the push challenge against Woodman-Wickliffe proved too much, ending his game abruptly.

Woodman-Wickliffe's Ruthless Turn and Captaincy Loss

Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, a Black Ferns legend, demonstrated the game-winning mindset that made her one of the most dangerous names in sport. After struggling with tough decisions as captain, she adopted a 'Big Girls Don’t Cry' mentality, deciding that empathy may be why no wahine has won this game yet. She told backseat driver Ben Barrington to 'shut up' repeatedly and dominated the charity challenge in episode four, winning $5,000 for her charity, Te Rōpū Wāhine Māori Toko i te Ora – the Māori Women’s Welfare League. Despite her physical strength—she bested Barnett in the head-to-head push challenge that led to his injury—Woodman-Wickliffe lost her captaincy to Barrington later in the week. The shift in leadership adds another layer of intrigue as the game progresses.

Davis Emerges as a Charity Challenge Powerhouse

After lying low, Davis has begun to show his strengths, winning another charity challenge in episode six by shoving balls into All Black Frank Bunce’s sack. His victory brought his total winnings to $10,000 for Te Ora Hou Northland. The win solidifies Davis as a contender, though his low-key approach earlier in the game may have masked his capabilities. Parker earned a winner badge for comedic relief, asking her team hard-hitting questions like, 'What’s your favourite way to eat a sausage?' The levity provided a counterpoint to the week's tension.

Barnett's Emotional Return: Grief, Motivation, and a Dad Bod

Barnett's return to Celebrity Treasure Island after 20 years was driven by his children, who told him, 'Dad, if you don’t do it, you’re just going to sit at home.' He admitted, 'This is less about winning, and more about me just trying to find some new things in life.' His wife Jodi passed away over two years ago, and he said doing new adventures without her still makes him 'nervy and a bit twitchy.' He described packing his suitcase as a flustering task, noting, 'She was just always the planner, the wisdom, the brains behind stuff.' Barnett is competing for the White Matter Brain Cancer Trust, and he said $100,000 would be 'life changing and game changing' for the small charity. Despite his previous season experience, he said the new era 'terrifies' him, noting the shift from physical challenges to more cerebral puzzles: 'I’m a reasonably intelligent sort of a bloke, but puzzles I’m not very flash at.'

The TV Moments That Haunt and Inspire Barnett

Barnett's television career spans decades, from his first break on What Now after a Telethon appearance to hosting game shows like Face the Music and Wheel of Fortune. But one moment haunts him: every time he took the floor on Dancing With the Stars. 'That’s genuinely PTSD for me,' he said. His first dance, 'Rock DJ' with partner Vanessa, drew judges' criticism: 'I was a disaster, and I knew I was a disaster. I was whiter than the whitest man in the history of the world.' He trained 10 hours a day but still felt dread: 'Even when I say that now, my heart starts racing. Dreadful. It was dreadful. Bilious. Dreadful. Horrific. Traumatic. I hated it.' His favourite TV project remains the game shows, where he felt his role was to help nervous contestants relax and do well. His desert island movie is The Notebook, which he watched with Jodi: 'I rang her on the way home from the movie saying “when we die, I want to die like that” and doing a real big snot cry.' His guilty pleasure is World’s Deadliest Catch, which he finds enthralling despite its mundane subject matter.

What Comes Next: Stakes and Open Questions

With Barnett's medical elimination, Team Kahu is effectively obliterated, leaving the remaining contestants to vie for dominance. Woodman-Wickliffe, despite losing the captaincy, remains a physical threat. Davis's charity winnings position him as a potential frontrunner, while the show's shift toward cerebral challenges may favour puzzle-savvy players. Barnett's departure raises questions about the long-term impact of injuries on the game and whether the show's format adequately protects contestants. For Barnett, the focus now shifts to recovery and his ongoing grief journey. He said, 'You think of your fist as grief, and that’s all you can see at the start... But what happens with time is this– you have the ability to see more than just the grief.'

A Season Defined by Emotion and Physical Toll

This week on Celebrity Treasure Island has been a microcosm of the show's unique blend of physical endurance, emotional vulnerability, and strategic gameplay. Barnett's story—his grief, his return, his injury—has resonated deeply with viewers, as evidenced by the outpouring of support. The show's producers now face the challenge of maintaining momentum after losing a key personality. For Barnett, the experience, though cut short, has been part of his healing process. 'I’m doing OK, but funnily enough it’s doing these new adventures without Jodi that still make me a bit nervy and a bit twitchy,' he said. His children's encouragement pushed him to step out of his comfort zone, and even in elimination, he has proven that the journey matters as much as the prize.

The bottom line

• Simon Barnett was medically eliminated from Celebrity Treasure Island after tearing his calf in a push challenge against Portia Woodman-Wickliffe.
• Woodman-Wickliffe won $5,000 for her charity but lost the captaincy to Ben Barrington.
• Davis won $10,000 for Te Ora Hou Northland across two charity challenges, emerging as a strong contender.
• Barnett's return was motivated by his children and his desire to find new experiences after his wife's death.
• The show's shift from physical to cerebral challenges has added a new layer of strategy, which Barnett found intimidating.
• Barnett's Dancing With the Stars trauma remains a vivid and painful memory, contrasting with his positive experiences on game shows.