The BBC has revealed the four celebrity pairings heading off on ‘Celebrity Race Across The World‘ this autumn, with the fourth series taking its contestants from the rainforests of Borneo to Melbourne, Australia.
This year’s travellers include singers, a familiar face from sports broadcasting, and a sibling pairing, all preparing to swap their home comforts for a map, a limited budget and some very long journeys. No phones, no credit cards, and no quietly asking the tour manager to sort everything out. Particularly awkward when your tour manager is also competing…
Who Is Taking Part?
The four teams taking on the 2026 race are:
- Ella Eyre and Nana: The BRIT Award-winning singer-songwriter will travel with her childhood friend.
- Jeff Stelling and Matt: The veteran sports broadcaster is teaming up with his son.
- Princess Andre and Junior Andre: The influencer and her musician brother will tackle the journey together.
- Sam Ryder and Kaz: The singer, songwriter and musician is joined by his best friend and tour manager.
It’s a mix of family relationships and longstanding friendships, which should give the series plenty to work with once the transport connections get tricky and the budget starts looking a little thin. Knowing someone well is one thing. Agreeing on the best way to cross a continent while tired, hungry and counting your remaining cash is quite another.
From Borneo To Melbourne
The new series begins in Kuching, in the Malaysian state of Sarawak in north-west Borneo. From there, the teams face a 7,500 km journey through South East Asia and onwards to Australia, reaching five checkpoints across three countries and two continents before the finish line in Melbourne.
The BBC describes this as the celebrity version’s most formidable race yet, with the route taking the contestants through Borneo’s prehistoric jungles and heartlands before they make their way towards southern Australia.
They will have just £26 per person per day to work with, relying on local transport, their own resourcefulness and the kindness of strangers. That leaves rather less room for celebrity perks, particularly when every spending decision could affect how far they can get on the next leg.
Australia is a first for the programme, while the starting point in Sarawak’s rainforest also brings something new to the race. For viewers, that means a fresh route to follow. For the contestants, it means plenty of unfamiliar territory to navigate without the reassuring option of pulling out a phone.
Tim Harcourt, Chief Creative Officer at Studio Lambert, says: “This year’s pairs navigate a journey that lays bare two extremes of today’s world. We can’t wait to share how they get on. Contestants give unfiltered and honest reactions to the experiences they face that are as demanding as they are joyful. That’s so rare on television and it’s clear audiences love seeing their favourite stars deal with these daring challenges in spectacular worlds.”
That combination of spectacular scenery and everyday travel decisions is a big part of the appeal. The destination might be extraordinary, but the dilemmas are familiar: spend more to get there faster, save money and risk falling behind, or take a chance on a route that could go either way. Add someone you love to the equation and there’s plenty of scope for both lovely moments and pointed looks over a map.
When Does The New Series Air?
Produced by Studio Lambert, the fourth series will consist of six hour-long episodes for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The BBC has confirmed an autumn launch, although an exact UK premiere date has yet to be announced.
Meanwhile, the regular ‘Race Across The World’ will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer next spring, so there is another adventure waiting once the celebrity teams have finished counting their pennies.
‘Celebrity Race Across The World‘ Season 4 premieres this autumn on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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