Race Across the World is returning with a fresh series that’s set to test the latest group of hopefuls as they attempt to backpack across a vast distance on a shoestring budget.
The five new teams are gearing up for an unparalleled adventure, with the camera crew capturing their every move as they haggle, strategise, budget and come up with creative solutions to outpace their rivals to the final checkpoint.
It might sound straightforward, but it’s far from easy, considering they won’t have access to social media, bank cards or a smartphone to assist them on this once-in-a-lifetime journey.
Each duo will have just one backpack of essential items that must last for the entire trip as they rely on maps, cash and the goodwill of strangers in hopes of reaching the final destination and winning the £20,000 prize pot.
In previous series, we’ve seen couples compete in diverse locations such as Europe, South America and even Canada, but this time around, the adventure unfolds in a completely different continent, reports Wales Online.
As we’ve seen in past series, the journey won’t be without its fair share of twists and turns. The ten participants will have to contend with varying weather conditions, limited travel options and find a place to rest each night.
Fans need wait no longer, as the fifth series kicks off this evening on BBC One (Wednesday, April 23) in its usual 9pm slot.
As per previous seasons, viewers can look forward to nine hour-long episodes airing every Wednesday on the channel.
For those who can’t catch the live broadcasts, fear not – you’ll be able to stream missed episodes and celebrity specials on BBC iPlayer.
The five teams will embark on a mammoth 14,000km journey, traversing the world’s largest continent from China to India.
This won’t be a walk in the park, as the teams grapple with the tightest budget in the show’s history – just over £1000 per person.
Their adventure begins in the bustling metropolis of Beijing, China, and concludes at a sacred site where three seas converge at India’s southernmost tip.
Given that both countries boast populations exceeding 1.4 billion, it’s fair to say the journey will have its chaotic moments. But it’s not all urban hustle – teams will also navigate rural towns, villages, and ancient cities before tackling the Himalayas in Nepal.
Hailing from Carmarthen, Wales, Fin, 18, and Sioned, 19, are this year’s youngest participants. The travel-loving duo hope this epic journey will prove the ultimate test for their relationship.
The pair, who come from a quaint village, are eager to broaden their horizons as they venture out to explore the world and test their mettle.
Discussing their motivation for embarking on this journey, Sioned shared: “I wanted to travel anyway, so it’s a great start for that, but along with discovering more about myself and Fin, just strengthening that bond in a very real and authentic way.
“We’ve not really been together just the two of us before so this is something where we will have to rely and depend on each other, we don’t have another choice. A lot about self-discovery I think as well as seeing more of the world in the process.”
Fin added: “It’s a way to see if me and her can be together basically, if it can work forever. A challenge to see if it will make or break us.”
They’re all set for their adventure, having even prepared picture cards to help overcome language barriers when interacting with locals.
At the other end of the age spectrum, we meet Brian, 62, an ex-financial advisor, and his brother Melvin, a diving instructor, who are also part of this year’s group.
Having lived separate lives since their younger days, they aim to use this opportunity to rebuild their bond without any distractions. But with vastly different travel preferences, they might find themselves clashing unless they master the art of compromise.
Brian and his mate are embarking on a journey to revisit their past and create new “memories” while they still can. Speaking about their motivation, Brian said: “It was an excuse to get together, and relive some of our old adventures when we were teenagers and young children.”
Elaborating further, Brian added: “We shared our younger days together, but we missed our working days and our growing up days. So that’s what I’m hoping to get out of it.
“We need to grasp this experience because we haven’t got time to do it again.”
Their adventure checklist includes essentials like a whiteboard with pens, a calculator, compass, watch, and iPods.
Also partaking in the getaway are Gaz and Yin, a formerly married duo with a 35-year history behind them who split three years back and share a daughter. They were surprisingly reunited following a heartbreaking event.
Yin, having moved on with a new partner Chris, faced tragedy when he sadly died, leaving her in mourning. During her sorrow, Gaz, with whom she still operates a Chinese takeaway, took her into his home.
For the past year, Yin has lived in the cupboard under Gaz’s stairs, processing her loss. It was amid this sombre chapter that she craved adventure and opted to apply for the trip.
Needing a fellow adventurer, she convinced Gaz to join her on the outing, and to her gratification, he agreed to come aboard. Yin opened up about her reunion with Gaz, sharing: “Gaz and I, although we used to be married, we’ve been separated for about three years.”
She continued, detailing the hardships she faced: “And then when we split up, I found another partner, but he passed away suddenly in September. The last year has been tough, but one of the things that Chris gave me was a real sense of adventure, and he really liked traveling.”
Yin recounted how the idea to join Race Across the World came about, explaining: “I said to Gaz when he got home because I was living with Gaz at the time, because he was looking after me during my grieving period, and I just said ‘do you fancy going on Race Across the World with me’.
“He was like ‘yeah, whatever’. He probably just said it more to amuse me, because he obviously knew what I was going through at that moment. But before we knew it, he’d filled out the application and the journey had begun!”
The pair, who now consider themselves “best mates” have embarked on a pre-competition adventure to the Lake District, embracing a minimalist lifestyle.
In addition to Yin and Gaz, there’s a sibling duo joining the fray.
Elizabeth, 33, and Letitia, 26, both passionate about travel, are embarking on their first joint adventure.
Having lived separately across the globe for over ten years, their sisterly relationship has waned. They’re hopeful that participating in the show will rekindle their once-close connection.
Elizabeth expressed her excitement: “I’m looking forward to just going with the flow of travelling, backpacking and pushing myself.
“As I’ve got older, I’ve felt more reluctant to put myself in different positions, so this is me throwing myself out there.”
Letitia remarked: “I think on this race, it’s a good opportunity to grow as a person. Also doing this with my sister will be fun. I don’t know if I could do it with anyone else.”
The siblings believe their ability to speak over four languages collectively, including a bit of Mandarin and Korean, could prove to be a significant upper hand in the competition.
Finally, we’ve got Caroline, at 60 years young, teaming up with her 21-year-old son Tom in a very special mother-son pairing. Caroline, eager to demonstrate her layers beyond what’s visible, is all geared up for the challenge.
Tom, already bitten by the travel bug, wants to showcase the breadth of his adventurous spirit to his mum. Enthused Caroline exclaimed: “I saw the South American series and absolutely knew that that was the programme I wanted to do with Thomas.
“I’ve never applied for anything like this before, I’ve never done anything like this, I’ve never done anything out of my comfort zone or ever arranged any travel and I just knew it was made for me and the perfect person was Thomas.”
Caroline anticipates struggling with a lack of home comforts and staying clean, while Tom frets over potential sleep deprivation and its influence on his performance on the show.
Their survival kit includes an alarm clock, journal, whiteboard for strategising and sleeping bags for the journey ahead.
Race Across the World returns tonight on Wednesday April 23 at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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