Race Across The World 2026 has never been better – one team stole my heart

The heartwarming BBC series is back for series six (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert) Warning: This article contains spoilers from the first episode of Race Across the World series 6. Race Across the World has reached the level of success where it faces a tricky predicament. Six series in – nine including the celebrity version – and its popularity is still expanding year on year. But how long can that last? By sticking firmly to its traditional formula – pairing relationships in need of repair with an injection of adventure – the show has refined its recipe to such a degree that each series feels almost identical to the last. And that is, perhaps, its greatest strength. But even the perfect dish has an expiry date. One day, that moment will come for Race Across the World, as it does for every reality show. That day, however, is not today. If anything, without making a single tweak to the format, this feels like the most ambitious route yet, and arguably features the most unique cast the show has ever assembled. This time, the five teams start in Palermo, Sicily. From there, they must travel more than 12,000 kilometres to the remote village of Hatgal, on the shores of Lake Hovsgol in northern Mongolia, passing through Greece, Turkey, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Key details on Race Across The World 2026 Here’s what you need to know about the new series of the BBC show: How many episodes are there? There will nine episodes for Race Across The World series six. When does it air? Race Across The World airs weekly on Thursday evenings 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Who won Race Across The World 2025? Last year, the winners of Race Across The World 2025 were mother-and-son duo Caroline and Tom. Speaking to Metro after their win, Tom revealed his plans to do more travelling, while Caroline shared that she’s no longer ‘as frightened of being lonely’. ‘We’re going to Kazakhstan together. We’re not going to do any research, just [fly] by the seat of our pants and just be impulsive, speak to locals and find out what’s good to do,’ Caroline added. They will retrace the Silk Road, the ancient trade route forged by merchants in search of fortune, with a budget of £1,297 each, working out at just £23.16 per day. The episode opens with a flash-forward to the final leg, where teams battle through some of the most treacherous terrain the show has ever seen, wading through thick snow towards the finish line and a £20,000 prize. In episode one, it’s only the first leg, and the race has barely begun… but it already looks as though this could be the most competitive series yet. A rare moment of genuine tension makes for uncomfortable viewing when one team refuses to help another in need. Cheeky (but not quite cocky) best friends Jo and Kush boast they’ll be relying on their ‘Scouse charm’ to carry them through the race, but they seem to have left their notorious Liverpudlian generosity behind. When they encounter father-and-daughter duo Andrew and Molly at a ticket office, the pair are just €10 short for a ferry. Jo and Kush leave them hanging. In a race where every second counts, that hesitation could prove decisive. But generosity is an unspoken currency in Race Across the World, and Andrew and Molly ultimately make it onto the same ferry thanks to the kindness of strangers. It’s the kind of moment that could yet come back to bite Jo Kush later down the line. The cast of the new series includes siblings Katie, 21, and Harrison, 23 (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert) Cousins Puja, 31, and Roshni, 32, are also hoping to win the grand prize (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert) Elsewhere, it’s a typically wholesome cast, one that has you rooting for a different team each week. Siblings Harrison and Katie, who have lived in 14 different homes, share an unbreakable bond, though it’s frequently tested by Harrison’s near-obsessive focus on the budget. His commitment results in meals like condiment-free ham and cheese sandwiches ‘drier than the Sahara Desert’, a sacrifice he’s unnervingly delighted to make for £1.61 per serving. Frankly, I’d throw him overboard. Cousins Puja and Roshni, once inseparable, are using the race to reconnect after drifting apart. They carry a wisdom beyond their years with a childlike giddiness. I already adore them. But one team has already stolen my heart more than any other. In-laws Mark and Margo are fulfilling a wish by taking part in the race (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert) Margo and Mark are in-laws with a fractured relationship. They’re practically strangers, united only by their love for Julia, Mark’s wife and Margo’s sister, who died three years ago. Before her death, she asked just one thing of them: that they become friends. This race is their extravagant attempt to honour that wish, to close the distance between them and find common ground. Margo is vivacious, wild and hungry for adventure; she can’t pass a flash mob without joining in. Mark, by contrast, has packed a ‘modesty cocoon’ for bedtime, lest they accidentally touch in the night. They are opposites in every sense, and yet there is a quiet admiration between them – even if connection has so far proved elusive. Verdict on Race Across The World 2026 Race Across The World is better than ever – and it still hasn’t reached its peak. Long may this wonderful show continue. Will father-and-daughter duo Molly and Andrew make it to the end? (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert) ‘My job was to give Julia her meds… but Margo gave her the will to live,’ Mark says, with unmistakable affection. It’s the most unlikely pairing the show has ever seen, and it could easily be the premise for a weepy Nancy Meyers film. I recently learned that honey is the only food that never expires. Perhaps Race Across the World is the honey of reality television. Fleetwood Mac legend Lindsey Buckingham has ‘unknown substance’ poured over him in attack Richard Bacon reveals he's 'worried' about Scott Mills after BBC sacking BBC viewers are convinced 'over-the-top' Carol Kirkwood tribute is an April Fool's joke Because while its format may be familiar, its heart never fails to move me. This has always been a show about adventure, resilience and the power of human connection in all its forms. And as long as there are new paths to cross and relationships still in need of repair, Race Across the World doesn’t feel like it’s nearing the end at all. If anything, it still hasn’t peaked. Race Across The World is available to watch on BBC iPlayer, with new episodes airing on Thursdays at 8pm on BBC One. Got a story? 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