Murphy had a ball on Treasure Island | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua

He may have only been on the island for four days but former Taupo boy Michael Murphy said being a part of reality television show Treasure Island was still a great experience.

Murphy, who became a household name after coming runner-up in the first season of NZ Idol, says the call to be on the show came "totally out of the blue".

"The band [5star Fallout] had just released the second video and I got approached to do the show."

Murphy admits it's something he'd never planned on doing and he had to talk to a few people before deciding to go on the show.

"It was mind-blowing. It was great - beautiful weather, a beautiful beach but it was pretty tough and really intense."

While the former Taupo boy grew up on a farm, he admits he's not really the outdoorsy, camping type. "I was brought up on a farm and that's where that stopped pretty much."

Murphy said the hardest thing about the island was "living without beer".



He said watching the show on television in his Auckland flat brought a few giggles.

Even though he was only on the island for a short time - nominating himself for elimination - Murphy said he still formed some really good friendships.

While the show became famous for sparking the romance everyone is talking about between Matthew Ridge and Rebecca Loos, Murphy says he didn't see any of the sparks - and reckons there were no relationships for him on the island. "I was a good boy for once."

Murphy admits he's a bit mystified about how he's managed to stay so firmly in the public eye when other NZ Idol winners and contestants have slipped from view.

"I don't know. I think Idol is a very interesting thing. I think it can just as easily ruin a career before it starts one." But he's not about to start analysing it.

Murphy said he was just lucky and made sure he went out and continued what he enjoyed doing - making music with his band.

"We are doing what we love doing. That's what people are seeing."