Race Across The World winners crowned

1 day ago 10
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Danny Fullbrook

Culture reporter

Warning: This article reveals the winners of Race Across the World.

BBC/Studio Lambert The final four teams from Race Across The World are huddled together with arms around each other and smiling. They are all smartly dressed. Pictured: Letitia, Fin, Elizabeth, Tom, Melvyn, Sioned, Caroline and BrianBBC/Studio Lambert

Four teams made it to the final of Race Across of the World

Mother and son Caroline and Tom Bridge have crossed the finish line first to become the winners of the fifth series of Race Across The World.

The BBC One show saw five pairs race a distance of about 8,700 miles (14,000km) between the Great Wall of China, north of Bejing, and Kanniyakumari, the southernmost tip of India.

Caroline said: "We must never doubt ourselves again, ever, ever, ever."

"It's a really good feeling. I'm lost for words. I can't believe it: 51 days racing through countries that I never thought I'd go to, and never thought we'd come this far, and never thought we'd achieve so much. And I've never been prouder of my mum," said Tom.

The winning duo will share a cash prize of £20,000.

Teams had to pass seven checkpoints in China, Nepal and India on their route to the finish line.

As usual, all pairs were banned from travelling by air, and instead were given a budget of £1140 per person for the journey - the cost of a one-way plane ticket.

They could not use their smart phones or bank cards while seeking out their own transport, food and accommodation.

According to ratings body Barb, just under 6 million viewers per episode have been tuning in or catching up on iPlayer within a seven day period.

This means the series was the most watched programme in the UK across all channels and streaming platforms during each week it aired, with the exception of the week Eurovision was broadcast.

BBC/Studio Lambert/Gary Moyes A promotional image where the cast of Race Across The World series 5 are stood together on a damp streetBBC/Studio Lambert/Gary Moyes

Five pairs competed in the popular BBC One series

The mother and son duo thought the show would be a unique opportunity to create treasured memories.

Both were from Hargrave near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, but only Tom, 21, had travelling experience as he had spent about 10 months in South America and Europe.

During the show Caroline, 60, opened up about how she felt she had, in recent years, lost her identity outside of being a mother and a wife.

Meanwhile her son found new confidence when he told strangers about his cerebral palsy for the first time.

BBC/Studio Lambert Tom and Caroline are stood hitchhiking on the side of a roadBBC/Studio Lambert

The mother and son hoped appearing together on the BBC One show would give them a memorable experience

BBC/Studio Lambert Caroline and Tom are stood with a large body of water behind them. Both are wearing t-shirts and wearing huge backpacks.BBC/Studio Lambert

At one point the pair were nearly kicked out of the competition when Tom left his passport in a hotel

New episodes of a celebrity version are due sometime in 2025 or 2026, according to the BBC's annual plan.

The show is produced for the BBC by Studio Lambert, who are also behind The Traitors, Squid Game, Gogglebox and Squid Game: The Challenge.

Applications for the next series of Race Across The World are open until 6 July.

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