Fiji is a long way from Lana’s hometown of Dargaville. But as it gets towards the final episode of Treasure Island: Fans v Faves, Lana’s proving to make herself right at home in the top 3! And Lana’s so close to winning the $50,000 prize for her charity - The Cake Detective. But there’s just one more hurdle to get over… finding the treasure! Here are just some of the best and more memorable moments featuring our gal Lana Cochrane-Searle.
When Lana boldly emerged from the water (in every episode)
Get out of here Art Green with your muscular shoulders and washboard abs. Lana ‘Scene-Stealer’ Cochrane-Searle has emerged from the water and into the game with a pout a fish can’t match, and a truthful determination no contestant can replicate.
When Lana became Matty’s woman (Episode 1)
One of the most interesting and tested alliances of Treasure Island started when a shy girl from Dargaville asked a boy from Breakfast if he wanted to get together to start the season’s first 'gayliance'. As awkwardly formal as it began, the alliance would find itself going through a rocky relationship, as Lana learned about Matty two-timing an alliance with Lana’s biggest threat Lance Savali.
When Lana came up with the most disturbing Would You Rather suggestions (Episode 4)
Would you rather sit in silence or spend your restless free time in Fiji dreaming up morbid scenarios in your head? It better be the latter, because that’s what Lana and the Treasure Island contestants spent their time playing in their downtime. It turns out the ones that aired on TV weren’t that bad, compared to the ‘after-hours’ rounds. Both Matty McLean and Dame Susan Devoy said that the cameras didn’t even catch the worse ones! “We had these very graphic games of "Would you rather?", which would never be able to be shown on TV – too X-rated! Lana and Art were the master players,” Dame Susan told Woman’s Day.
When the radio announcer took on the personal trainer and won (Episode 5)
In the Women’s Singles, Lana took on personal trainer and fan member Anna. And while the others thought it would be a tough battle, fan member Adam points out something quite clear.
“Anna v Lana? The personal trainer vs the ex-rugby player? Anna’s got no shot!”
When Lana made blowing ping-pong balls its own song (Episode 7)
“She’s making the funniest noises!” Lance describes. There’s really no way to write into words the sounds she made. But you can find it at the start of the charity challenge in episode 7.
When Lana reinvented the ABCs over and over again (Episode 9)
Taking a page from a professional athlete's book, Lana's strategy during one of the more difficult endurance challenges (the one that made Matty McLean faint) was to focus her mental energy on the basics: her ABCs. But not just your standard nursery-styled song - Lana went through all the genres. First the jazzy, to the hip hop, and then at the worst of her pain - death metal.
When Lana thought she was going to have pizza dinner with Lance (Episode 9)
Lance said he was gifting his pizza away to three others rather than have any himself, because “one of them fought a hard fight, one of them inspired me, and the third one pretty much let me win.” Joe thought it was going to be Lana. But Joe was wrong - Lana did not get any pizza. And she wasn’t feeling awkward at all in the slightest… Lana and Treasure Island Pizza - always causing drama!
When Lana won $5000 for her charity, The Cake Detective (Episode 9)
One way of ensuring you take money home for your charity is winning one of Bree's Charity Challenges. And Lana finally took a win home for her charity, The Cake Detectives, in one of the last of the season, featuring a weird and unusual game of Twister. Lana's charity, The Cake Detective, is a charity based in Waikato that helps solve the mystery of missing cakes for kids who may be experiencing hardship, neglect, abuse, serious illness or family violence. You can learn more about The Cake Detective and donate to them too here.
When Lana won one of the best advantages and lost the entire advantage (Episode 12)
It's a cruel, cruel world and Treasure Island can make the sweetest wins sour very quickly… Lana was offered a rare opportunity to find three of the sacred stones of power. Unfortunately, everyone else finds one except for her. Thank goodness for Alex King’s generosity in gifting Lana her rock when she was eliminated in the previous episode.
When Lana almost kissed Matty McLean (Episode 13)
It’s a moment better seen with your own eyes:
So who will take away the $50,000 prize between Lana, Matty McLean or Susan Devoy? The final episode of Treasure Island: Fans v Faves airs on TVNZ2 or TVNZ On Demand this Wednesday!
