For seven years, she was one of the most familiar faces on television. Then Mary Lambie left Good Morning in 2003 when the show moved from Auckland to Wellington; since then, she’s focused on raising her three children and running a couple of businesses.
Now, after 20 years, she’s back on the small screen – this time on Celebrity Treasure Island. And Mary’s looking forward to being part of a reality programme that is very different to her previous TV work as a journalist and presenter.
“I’m up for the adventure,” says Mary, 59. “I know it will be mentally and physically demanding, but I am ready to prove that age is just a number. I’m as determined and spirited as the younger ones.”
“I’m as determined and spirited as the younger ones.”
She’s aware that younger contestants have sidelined older female ones in previous seasons but says that hasn’t put her off.
“When I look at the other cast members, I think, ‘Gosh, I’m physically disadvantaged here.’ They are stronger and faster, all the good stuff that comes with youth. But it’s not going to psych me out. Hopefully, I can make up for it in wisdom.
“I just have to rely on my other strengths, which will be getting on with them and possibly being a mother figure – not that I want to be their mother because I have got three kids of my own!”
Mary’s a big fan of tough physical activity. In the past, she’s run marathons, completed Coast to Coast endurance events and done the 160km cycle race around Lake Taupō numerous times. She still keeps fit, including working out at the gym, but can’t help wondering if she should have tried to up her fitness levels before the show.
“I think maybe I should have stepped it up a notch. I hope I haven’t overestimated my physicality.”
She did also think about preparing for the fact that the contestants often go hungry. “I tried not eating for half a day and that was successful for four or five hours, and then it wasn’t!” she laughs.
Keeping active with daughter Grace and twins Jack and Elizabeth.
She’s not bothered viewers tend to form strong opinions about the contestants and don’t hold back when it comes to expressing them on social media.
“I’m really glad I’m doing this at an age where I am so much more comfortable in my own skin. Who cares what people think? I don’t read comments on social media – I’ve seen the toxic stuff people get based on nothing and the damage it does.
“I just want to have the experience. I think it will be awesome and an opportunity to meet new people.”
Mary was first asked to take part in Celebrity Treasure Island three seasons ago, but said no because it didn’t fit in with everything else she had on her plate back then. As well as a busy family life, Mary has her own media training and consultancy company, Socius Media.
“I media train mostly executives, and we talk about messaging and how to put your best foot forward,” she explains.
But when she was approached again for this series, it felt like the right time now that her kids are older. Mary has the support of her husband, broadcaster Jim Mora, and children Grace, 21, and twins Jack and Elizabeth, 18, who are all at university. “I think the kids will sneak a look online so they can see how much I have embarrassed them. I carry a different name to them, so that is quite useful!”
Mary and Jim were a favourite with TV audiences.
She doesn’t have a strategy as such, but does know what she won’t do in her attempt to walk away with the top prize.
“I am not going to stab anyone in the back,” she insists. “My intention is to play an honest game. I know they say you’ve got to do a bit of backstabbing, but I would be hard-pressed to sleep at night if I had done a doozy on someone. I want my team to know I have their backs.”
Mary’s charity is close to her heart. Cure Our Ovarian Cancer was started by her friend Jane five years ago after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
“It’s the only dedicated ovarian cancer charity in New Zealand and they are hellbent on getting women diagnosed earlier, receiving better treatment and raising money to fund research to find a cure. I want to do really well for Jane because the longer I stay, the more noise I can make about Cure Our Ovarian Cancer.”
Mary also has several other goals.
“I want to be friends with everyone and I want to survive as long as I can without complaining. I want to not be that whingy woman in the corner. Sometimes, you just have to suck it up!”
