Celebrity Race Across the World stars predict toughest moments
Celebrity Race Across the World 2024 stars have predicted what their biggest challenges will be while competing on the BBC show.
It may surprise viewers at home to find out that Race Across the World stars say the show is tough, especially as it looks amazing travelling the globe. The celebrity spin off is no exception as the stars get no VIP treatment or secret luxuries compared to the original series.
This year, the stars must make that 12,500 km race of a lifetime from Belém, northern Brazil – the gateway to the Amazon – through five checkpoints across the length of South America, to reach the finish line in the Andes, Frutillar in southern Chile.
Clued up on what to expect, the celebrities revealed what they thought the toughest things they might encounter along the way would be before they filmed the series. Jeff Brazier and his son, Freddy, actor Kola Bokinni and his cousin, Mary Ellen, broadcaster Kelly Brook and her husband, Jeremy, and Radio 2 host Scott Mills and his husband (then fiancé), Sam didn’t hold back.
We take a look at the things the Celebrity Race Across the World 2024 stars predict will be the toughest to combat, from lack of sleep to managing that incredibly tough budget.
Read more: Celebrity Race Across the World
Lack of Sleep
Sleep definitely takes a backburner in race life, with contestants having to “rough it" a bit when it comes to their accommodation in a bid to save on the budget. There are countless times when stars chose to take overnight forms of travel to ensure they can get to their next destination quicker but it often means their sleep is forfeited as a result.
This is something Freddy Brazier thinks he will struggle with. He said: “Lack of sleep. There’s going to be a lot of that, but I can function on a lack of sleep, or so I like to tell people and I like to think. Sleeping rough, like not in an actual bed, like sleeping on the floor of a boat or on a bench. I’ve probably slept on a bench before at some point in my life.”
So of course, the luxury he will be missing is his pillow. “There’s not much that were particularly attached to,” he said. “Maybe my pillow, it fits right to my neck as I’m a side sleeper.”
Heavy bags
Ahead of the race, it always seems like a good idea to come well prepared with lots of things the contestants may need along the way. However, it is worth noting that those heavy rucksacks don’t carry themselves and it’s one of the things that many previous contestants have complained about.
Jeff Brazier noted running with a heavy rucksack was going to be difficult for his son. He said: “Fred’s weakness is that he can't run at a steady consistent pace, he has to sprint and then stop for a while and then he might sprint again for a while. For some reason, he just hasn’t got the ability.”
Freddy agreed: “No, I can jog. I can’t sprint with that bag, it’s too heavy.”
Patience
With lack of sleep, food rations, budgeting, long days travelling - sometimes even just waiting - and everything else thrown into the mix, anyone normal person would have their patience tested along the way.
Freddy confessed he thinks patience will be a challenge for him during the trip. He said: “I think it will be a challenge because I must say I’m not the most patient person. I think a lot of people in the family can vouch for that. And this is really a game of patience as well, waiting hours and hours for trains.”
Jeff agreed: “Being stuck on buses for a long time. Yeah, ‘were going to be tested.”
Freddy added: “I don’t actually know how some of the teams sit at train stations for hours, I’d have to go on a walk. I’d have to do something.”
Boredom
Race Across the World winner Alfie told Yahoo that he struggled with boredom on the trip when they were making long bus journeys. It’s something he said wasn’t thought about or talked about enough when it comes to the series, mainly because it’s such a fabulous travel show and many viewers watching at home feel they would love to be doing the trip too.
This wasn’t lost on this year’s contestant Jeff. He said: “For everyone I think it’ll be difficult without their phones, when there’s a moment of silence, or boredom and you usually fill that by picking up your phone and looking on Instagram. I actually welcome the opportunity to not be distracted and be more present. I’m glad to be off it for 5 weeks.”
The budget
Celebrity Race Across the World stars must make the journey from Belém, northern Brazil to the Andes, Frutillar in southern Chile. Most notably, they must do it without catching a flight or using their bank accounts. Instead, they are given a tough budget and must rely too on the kindness of strangers.
Kola Bokinni admitted budgeting might be hard for him and his cousin Mary Ellen. He said: “Not spending money on silly things. Like remember that time you went to Barcelona and you came back with a tattoo on your neck?”
Mary Ellen confessed: “Yeah, and I don’t regret it.”
No luxuries
This might be the celebrity spin off of Race Across the World but there is certainly no special treatment rolled out to the stars. Kelly Brook knew this would be hard for her and her husband, both who love their home comforts.
She said: “We like air conditioning when we get to a hotel, we like a minibar, we like an airport transfer, and all of those things are just going to be completely removed. But then when we're actually in a place.”
The model admitted she will miss her beauty routine too. She added: “I’ll miss my beauty routine. I’ve tried to bring lotions and potions with me, but its so heavy, I’ve got like 4kg worth of make-up and serum, and I just know I’m going to have to whittle that down to hardly anything. 4kg is a lot when you’re carrying it on your back.”
Food
Hunger can be a problem on the show, mainly because the stars will often eat less than they would usually in a bid to keep on budget. Race Across the World mother and daughter pairing Eugenie and Isabel told Yahoo that “torturous” food rations sparked arguments between them.
Brook confessed food could be another challenge they face. She said: “I think maybe the food might be challenging.”
Her husband agreed: “Yeah, the food. Not being ill. Good food is probably going to be hard.”
Celebrity Race Across the World series 2 episode 1 is available on BBC iPlayer.
This article originally appeared on Yahoo TV UK at https://uk.news.yahoo.com/celebrity-race-across-the-world-toughest-moments-100617559.html
