The latest series of Celebrity Race Across The World has burst onto our screens, and it might just be the best one yet, thanks largely to one endearingly incompetent pair.
The Mother-Son Duo Stealing the Show
Big Boys star Dylan Llewelyn and his mother, Jackie, have instantly captured the nation's hearts with their wonderfully chaotic approach to the gruelling competition. After their first day racing from Isla Mujeres in the Gulf of Mexico, the pair had managed to travel a mere 15 kilometres to Cancún, while their competitors were already well on their way to the first checkpoint.
Their struggles continued into the second night, where they splurged on a massive taco feast they couldn't finish, failed to secure accommodation, and became so lost in translation they asked a local hospital if they had rooms available. ‘We’re eating like kings tonight,’ Jackie declared, in a moment of tragic irony given their rapidly depleting budget.
By their own admission, ‘no one thinks we’re going to win’, and after just one episode, it would seemingly take a miracle for the Derry Girls actor and his mum to reach the finish line. Yet, their gentle, kind, and laughter-filled dynamic makes them arguably the most compelling team the show has ever seen.
A Stellar Line-Up of Competitors
They are not alone in this epic journey. The series features three other celebrity duos, each with their own compelling story:
- Radio DJ and TV presenter Roman Kemp teams up with his sister, singer-songwriter Harleymoon Kemp, aiming to build their friendship from the ground up.
- Actor Molly Rainford and her Kiss FM DJ boyfriend Tyler West, who met on Strictly Come Dancing in 2022, are testing their madly-in-love bond against the pressures of the race.
- TV presenter and journalist Anita Rani is racing with her father, Balvinder, determined to give him the adventure of a lifetime after he sacrificed his travel dreams to raise a family.
The race begins at the breathtaking paradise of Isla Mujeres, from where the teams must travel 5,900 kilometres to Colombia’s Peninsula de La Guajira without using a single flight.
A Television Juggernaut Going Strong
Produced by Studio Lambert, the company behind the massive hit The Celebrity Traitors, Celebrity Race Across The World proves that a compelling format is king. The show airs on BBC One on Thursdays at 8pm, creating a powerhouse evening of entertainment when followed by its sister show.
While the star power in this series may be considered weaker than in previous runs—which featured names like Scott Mills and Kelly Brook—the human drama and genuine connections more than make up for it. The show continues to break records, with its latest civilian series becoming the BBC's most-watched programme of the year until it was overtaken by The Celebrity Traitors and Strictly, pulling in over six million viewers for its finale.
Celebrity Race Across The World demonstrates that as long as there are new routes to travel and fresh relationships to explore, there will always be incredible journeys to be had on our television screens. It’s a fool's errand to miss it.
