'She called me a woolyback and hated me for 40 years but now we're on Race Across the World'
Margo Oakley, 59 and Mark Blythen, 67 hated one another for 40 years but are now the first set of in-laws to take part in Race Across the World. The hit BBC programme is back with a fresh batch of contestants, including three from Liverpool, who are hoping to win a huge cash prize. Five teams will battle it out in the sixth series which will see them race over 12,000km across Europe and Asia.The groups will be put to the ultimate test, and only one team will be able to claim the £20,000 reward when they cross the finish line. Margo, from Childwall is taking part alongside her brother-in-law Mark Blythen, from London.The in-laws disliked one another for almost 40 years, but when Margo asked Mark to take on Race Across the World with her, it was an immediate yes.Mark was in a relationship with Margo's sister, Julia for four decades but Mark's first impressions of his sister-in-law weren't so great and the pair remained distant.They hadn't spend much time together over the years, but when Julia fell ill in 2019 they had no choice but to put their differences aside. Julia had developed a rare blood cancer called myelofibrosis and died in 2022.In an interview with the Liverpool ECHO, Mark and Margo shared how Julia's illness brought them closer together after years of hostility. They also shared their emotional reason for taking part in the show, wanting to fulfil Julia's heartwarming final wish.Speaking about her relationship with Mark, Margo told the ECHO: "Mark and I had been typical in-laws for 40 years. We did become closer and have respect for each other when my sister Julia got ill in 2019, she sadly passed away in 2022."During the time we were nursing her together and helping and supporting her, we developed respect for each other. We normally just grumbled about each other because we never really spent much time together."Margo didn't see her sister's partner very often, but they were first introduced at the Everyman Bistro after Julia met Mark at university and brought him back to Liverpool to meet the family.Speaking about his first impression of Margo, Mark told the ECHO: "When I first met Margo she was only 15. She was still at school and she was very loud, she called me a woolyback I think at one point. Margo thought I wasn't suitable for her sister, she thought Julia could do better."Margo agreed and said: "We were like chalk and cheese, we just weren't each other's cup of tea." She added: "Sometimes his 'judgeyness' and the things I wasn't allowed to do in his house got too much."However, everything changed in 2019 when Mark's wife Julia fell ill. Mark and Margo stepped up to care for Julia over the next three years, and it was during this time they found a new sense of respect for one another.Margo said: "When Julia became ill things did change. I think Mark got a bit more respect for me then." The pair ultimately got closer up until Julia's death in July 2022.But there was one thing Julia said before her death which left a lasting impact on Mark, who kindly shared her final wish with the ECHO.Mark said: "Julia's last request to me was that we continued the friendship and respect we had generated. She wanted us to try and develop that friendship."Margo joked as she said: "She might've just meant to have the odd Sunday roast together or maybe go for a walk, but we took it to the next level." She added: "I don't like to do things by halves."In the meantime, Margo was already coming up with her own ideas to further develop her bond with Mark after her sister's death. After seeing an advert for Race Across the World, she felt as though "something came to her", telling her she needed to ask Mark.Margo said: "It was my idea, I love to do random things and anything a bit different and this seemed like the ultimate adventure. It just came to me 'ask Mark', which was a really weird thought because Mark and I had been typical in-laws for 40 years."Luckily for Margo, Mark immediately said yes. He told the ECHO: "I don't know why but I just said yes. It sounded like a really great idea, I didn't even think about not doing it."Julia was the love of my life, and to lose her left a big hole. I wanted to do something and try and rebuild my life a little bit and this sort of thing was a very good way of doing it. Race Across the World seemed like a wonderful way to try and forge that friendship with Margo even further."Mark and Margo thoroughly enjoyed their time together on Race Across the World, as they raced 12,000km and visited eight countries, including Italy, Greece, Turkey, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia.They felt as though Julia was with them every step of the way. Margo said: "We felt she was with us on the journey, we felt her presence. Our journey was beautiful and meaningful, with lots of ups and downs but we did feel her with us, sometimes laughing at us, but her presence was always there everyday."She added: "She'd be very proud of us. We think she's sitting on a cloud somewhere with a nice glass of wine laughing her head off, cheering us on but saying 'you're absolutely crazy'."Mark said: "She'd think we're bonkers. Julia would never do it, she liked luxury, five star hotels, nice restaurants, she wouldn't rough it like that."She was definitely with us in the race all the time. I took a booklet with me which was like a remembrance book of Julia. I took some photographs of us over the last 40 years, all the people Julia knew, letters from her friends, I take it everywhere with me as a constant reminder of her."Mark and Margo believe they managed to make a positive adventure out of a deeply upsetting situation by taking on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.Margo said: "It was unbelievable to be on the start line of Race Across The World, it was a real pinch me moment. But that wouldn't have happened if we didn't lose Julia and this friendship has grown out of something so sad."The 59-year-old hopes to be a representative for Liverpool on-screen alongside fellow Merseyside contestants Jo and Kush. Margo feels proud to be from the North West and felt her Scouse personality helped her in many ways throughout the race, whether it was the confidence to ask for advice, or friendliness to chat to anyone- which is crucial for success on the BBC show.You can watch Mark and Margo on-screen every Thursday on BBC One and iPlayer at 8pm on series six of Race Across the World.Race Across the World airs tonight at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
