Drama, intrique & Tamati - 'I DO LOVE THE CAMERA!'

The Celebrity Treasure Island star reveals he's still got talent after putting family first.

- Donna Fleming

Tamati Coffey has a diverse CV. He's been a TV presenter, a business owner and a Member of Parliament. But now there's nothing else he'd rather be doing than his current role that of stay-at-home dad to his two adorable children, Tūtānekai and Taitimu.

Just how much fatherhood and caring for others has become a core part of who he is became apparent when he headed off to Cathedral Cove on the Coromandel to film the latest series of Celebrity Treasure Island.

He noticed that his paternal instincts came to the fore in his interactions with his teammates.

"I found myself wanting to make sure that people were looked after, that they were talking to each other and that we had positive relationships to role model for kids who'll be watching the show," says Tamati, who first found fame as a host of children's TV show What Now. "I think that was reflecting my reality of where my life is at now."

Tämati, 44, has been focusing on family since his bid to become MP for East Coast in last year's election was unsuccessful.

He'd previously served two terms in Parliament as a Labour MP. He and his husband Tim Smith had sold two businesses, a restaurant and a bar, they owned in their hometown of Rotorua in 2022, so Tämati found himself in the fortunate position of being able to stay home with son Tūtānekai, five, and daughter Taitimu, 18 months.

"It's such a pleasure to have this precious time with them," he smiles. "It can be pretty relentless - it's a bit like Groundhog Day sometimes beautiful in other ways.

It's the job I want for right here and right now." but it's just Still, when he was approached about being on Celebrity Treasure Island, saying yes wasn't difficult.

"I think they got me at the right time," he reflects.

"I was feeling ready to show my face again after some time away being a dad and it sounded like fun.