As the “traitor” who’s buried $100,000 cash amid the sand dunes and seems to have gotten away with lying about it to his teammates, Jesse Tuke looks like the one to beat on Celebrity Treasure Island, but the sports commentator reckons he has an unfair advantage on the reality show, which was filmed in the Far North.
“I grew up in Kerikeri, just down the road,” the 30-year-old tells Woman’s Day. “I feel very at home here. I’m in my element in the sand with no shoes on and an unbuttoned shirt, throwing a frisbee and skimming stones – I grew up on miscellaneous beach games and that’s basically what this show is.”
And perhaps even more advantageous is the fact Jesse also grew up in a fiercely competitive family, with America’s Cup winner and Olympic gold medallist Blair, 33, as his big brother and sailing partner.
He recalls, “We were out on the water all the time, hooning around with the dolphins on boats and boards, or playing cricket or rugby on the front lawn. There were four of us brothers, but we’re the closest in age, so we have a pretty good relationship, especially now we’ve put aside any differences we might have had as children.”
Tuke tribe (from left) Daniel, Nathan, Blair and Jesse.
Jesse was right in the thick of things, commentating for TVNZ from a chase boat, when Blair won the America’s Cup last year. He went on to score the first interviews with the Team New Zealand champions and counts the day as one of the proudest of his career.
“I had the best role because I was out there on the water every day,” he grins. “Kiwis just embraced the competition and there were tens of thousands out on the water, with a couple of million people watching at home. It was the first major gig I’d ever done and it’s gonna be pretty hard to top. But also, I was so bloody proud of Blair – I had to interview him, but I gave him a big embrace as well. It was hard not to get emotional.”
Was that a tear we saw in Jesse’s eye? Laughing, he confesses, “Yeah, I think there was a bit of spray off the water!”
With Blair (left) and Peter Burling at the launch of Live Ocean, the charity Jesse’s playing for.
Randomly, Jesse actually studied drama at Victoria University in Wellington, which is also where he met his girlfriend of 10 years, Julia Campbell. So how did he get into commentating?
“Well, the type of person who does theatre can talk and is good at bulls**tting, so it’s all the same stuff. But halfway through my degree, I did a bit of design, then took on some sales and marketing roles, and realised it wasn’t for me, so I took the plunge in trying to do TV.”
Watch out team! “I feel very at home here,” says Jesse.
Asked if he’ll use the fame he’s garnered from his time on Treasure Island to leapfrog into acting, Jesse replies, “I mean, I’d never write it off and I don’t want to get stuck in a sailing niche, but it would need to be something a bit more leftfield or low-key than Shortland Street. I’d love to do an entertainment show where I’m meeting lots of people, having fun and asking questions.”
