Photography: Matt Klitscher.
Meeting NBA basketball superstars, blacking out while bungee jumping and plunging into the sea with his pants on are all in a day’s work for 1News sports reporter Zion Dayal! A love for sports carried the 27-year-old broadcaster through his youth, before becoming his career. Now his love of the game is his biggest asset as he takes on Celebrity Treasure Island.
“I’ve always been sporty and love the physical challenge, so if there’s an element of the show where I can thrive, it’s in those environments,” he tells Woman’s Day.
Growing up playing rugby, until realising he couldn’t “catch up” in size to his teammates, Zion – who’s of Indian and Ngāti Awa descent – then tried tennis, before turning to hockey.
“I was a striker but sadly didn’t score many goals,” he laughs.
“I was in the right place, but the ball never came to me. I’ve always been a frustrated sports guy – that’s how most sports reporters get into it. If you can’t make it to the big-time, you talk about it!”
From classroom to newsroom
After leaving Wellington College, Zion made the decision to head off to the New Zealand Broadcasting School in Christchurch. His studies led to interning on the sports desk at TVNZ, where he soon picked up a full-time gig.
And there’s been endless adventures since, with highlights including the Basketball World Cup, where he met greats like LA Lakers star Austin Reaves.
“He was rumoured to be dating Taylor Swift, but I didn’t have the heart to ask him about it,” recalls Zion.
Starstruck in the mix
“I wish I did! That was my first trip away, and I got to mix and mingle with these legends.”
Zion also got former Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr to say, “Up the Wahs!” at a press conference, right before the phrase blew up back home.
“To Warriors fans, it was already a thing, but when Steve Kerr said it, it took on a life of its own,” he tells.
On-air antics go viral
Then there was the time Zion had then-Breakfast hosts John Campbell and Jenny-May Clarkson in shock by jumping on a table while reporting from a pub during a footy match. And let’s not forget the moment he jumped into the sea with his clothes on while sailors Peter Burling and Blair Tuke were doing a charity swim.
“We were doing a live cross at the beach, so I took my shoes off and ran into the ocean, which didn’t go down too well because you’re not meant to swim in your jeans,” he grimaces.
More troublesome was when self-confessed “city boy” Zion tried bungee jumping.
“I blacked out at the bottom, then came to back in the boat all dazed and confused, with my words all over the place.”
Finding pride in representation
Embarking on such hijinks in the public eye has naturally attracted all sorts of feedback. While he laughs off any nasty remarks, Zion insists he’s more often praised for his work, especially within the proud Indian community.
“There aren’t a lot of Indian people in the media, so they have been fantastic – even the people I’m not related to! It’s almost like they see themselves in me. It’s really nice. “What I’m really proud of is that the 1News sports team is so diverse, not just in our team but also the way we tell stories. It’s not just the All Blacks – we celebrate any gold medal the same, whether it’s rugby or a minority sport.”
From fan to contestant
Taking all his lessons from sports into CTI, Zion admits he was stunned he was invited to compete in the series, given he was once a 10-year-old fanboy watching the show from home.
“I still feel like a fraud with the people I’m on the show with,” he confesses.
“I’ve watched these guys on TV and I’m a massive sports fan – and now I have Frank Bunce on my team!”
Playing for something bigger
Of choosing Kura Kai as his charity, Zion explains, “I get to live out my dream every day, and this charity helps kids with serious illnesses and disabilities live out theirs too.”
Zion also has his dream girl by his side, girlfriend Louise Ternouth, whom he met at broadcasting school. Louise went on to work at RNZ for five years, but in late 2025, she joined Zion at TVNZ, where she’s working as a reporter for 1News. And, no, despite being together for seven years, they’re in no rush to make it official.
“I still feel like I’m a kid,” laughs Zion. “We’ve just taken the next step of moving in together, so we’ll see how that goes!”
Celebrity Treasure Island screens Monday-Wednesday at 7.30pm on TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+.
