The Breakfast host turned Treasure Island champion reflects on chronic overthinking, brutal moves and the friends he made along the way. 

Matty McLean has finally proved himself to Barbara Kendall, and the rest of the country, as the winner of Treasure Island: Fans v Faves for 2023. “It feels still surreal,” he told Jane Yee, host of The Real Pod and fellow competitor. “It’s like a complete fever dream, but it’s sinking in.” Appearing on TVNZ’s Breakfast every morning and hosting a weekly Treasure Island podcast himself, McLean said he had to “compartmentalise” the win. The only person he could talk about it with was his husband Ryan, and his fellow finalists Lana Searle and Dame Susan Devoy.

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A superfan of the show since it debuted in the late 90s, McLean had his first shot at Celebrity Treasure Island back in 2019. As the sixth person to be eliminated, he didn’t make the all-important merge and left audiences with two enduring memories – his mud-caked swamp monster look and the now-iconic quote “I don’t have to prove myself to Barbara Kendall.” Returning in 2023, he had a lot to prove. “I’ve truly spent the last three or four years going, ‘I desperately need another shot at this. I need my redemption arc’.”

This season, he got that arc. Even with physical threats Art Green and Lance Savali dominating much of the competition, McLean made big strategic moves from the very beginning. Whether it was putting up Jess Waru for elimination after she had just endured a hellishly long water wrestling match, or sending a devastated Alex King over to join the Fans team, McLean said he had to suppress his need to be a “people pleaser” throughout. “As much as I hated it, and I feel terrible … I don’t regret it,” he said. “I stand by the moves.” 

Being a chronic overthinker also didn’t help his gameplay. “You’ve seen along the way, if I get flustered or I get really panicky or stressed, I lose my mind,” he said. In the pairs challenge on Monday night, a strong lead established by his partner Searle led McLean to panic and forget where his puzzle clue even was. Even months after winning, he still can’t help but fret over how close Devoy was at the final dig. “I still think of all those little what ifs – what if I hadn’t dug in this specific corner that the treasure was in, what if I’d gone to the other?” 

But ultimately, the “what ifs” remain just that and McLean was able to build a fire, sail a raft and dig up the treasure, bringing home a very soggy looking $50,000 for his chosen charity Zeal. “I didn’t get to talk about them enough on the show, but they are amazing,” he said. “They do youth development programmes and counselling services for young people that really care about our rangatahi. I’m so happy for them. I want to get a big novelty cheque.” 

Not only did he come away with the win, but a new close friend in fellow finalist Searle. “We message constantly,” he said. “As soon as I saw her at the airport, I was like ‘that’s my girl’, because I knew she was a fan of the show and I knew would play the same way that I played. Plus, she’s just really cool and nice.” Other casting surprises included fan Adam O’Brien (“I feel like he should be on all of the reality TV shows ever”) and unlikely ally Lance Savali (“like the coolest guy in school wants to be my friend”). 

Looking back on his time on the show, McLean wouldn’t change anything about how he played. “You’ve got to work your ass off, but it’s also part absolute luck. I’m under no illusion that luck played such a massive part of me getting there.” He enjoyed the experience – “poles apart” from his first time on the island – and even managed to have some fun along the way. Now that the secret is out, McLean’s focussing on getting his Breakfast co-host and “big Treasure Island fan” Chris Chang to join the next celebrity season. 

And as for Barbara Kendall? “I don’t need to prove myself to you” he laughed. Quite the redemption indeed.

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