Diamond in the rough DAME SUSAN'S ISLAND ORDEAL

Out of her comfort zone, the castaway confesses, I hated every minute!'

- Rebekah Hebenton

There isn't much Dame Susan Devoy hasn't done in her 58 years. She dominated the world squash court for a decade throughout the '80s, has run some of Aotearoa's most prestigious sporting institutions, and was even the Race Relations Commissioner for five years.

But despite her varied CV, Susan admits she never imagined the next thing on her list would be competing in the new season of Celebrity Treasure Island.

"I roared with laughter when they asked me. It was the last thing I ever thought I'd get a phone call about. And my initial reaction was to say no," she tells the Weekly.

Not one to shy away from a challenge, it wasn't long before the four-time squash world champion had talked herself into it, especially when there was $100,000 on the line for her chosen charity The Aunties.

"I thought about it overnight and went back and watched some of the episodes," she tells. "The opportunity to win money for charity was enticing and I thought there might be some miracle where I could do that.

“I’m also in a stage of life where I don’t work full-time and I have no family that relies on me, apart from my dog. I thought if it’s not now, it’s never, so I may as well give it a go.”