BBC Race Across the World stars spill off-camera secrets and 'nightmare' filming setups

A plethora of Race Across the World contestants have revealed what really goes on behind the scenes of the BBC show. Details including the lowdown on food have emerged from competitors across the show’s four seasons.

On Wednesday (May 29), friends Alfie Watts and Owen Wood successfully became the champions of Race Across the World series four after travelling a 15,000-kilometre route from Japan to Indonesia. This year’s race was entirely contained in Eastern Asia and participants had seven checkpoints with enforced rest periods to complete.

St Alban’s duo and lifelong friends Alfie, 20, and Owen, 21, were the first team to arrive at the final checkpoint in Gili Meno, Indonesia. Thus, they won themselves a tidy sum of £20,000.

Following the conclusion of the BBC One show, it has been confirmed that Race Across the World has been renewed for a fifth season. The forthcoming instalment is expected to air in 2025 and will accompany another celebrity special.

One star claimed crew members tail contestants at all times. “You are always with two crew members and a medic, with a local fixer close behind,” claimed season two contestant Jen Lambra-Stokes to the I.

The star, who competed with her husband Rob Lambra-Stokes, continued to say: “The crew really don't contribute, despite what people think – however nonsensical our decisions might be.

“'I remember crossing into a different time zone and almost missing a vital transport link, and the crew just had to roll with it. It's the same with our jobs directory – all genuine jobs on offer in the local areas, simply compiled.”

Despite the production crew, a local fixer, and a security advisor travelling around with the teams, the contestants have to maintain enough distance to “make the trip feel authentic”.

Speaking about the programme with BBC News, Mark Saben said: "How they made their journey was up to them. This meant as a production we had to react to their decisions, however nonsensical."

He added to the broadcaster: “It was a nightmare for production management as the competing contributors decided how and where to go. You cannot underestimate how challenging the journey could be at times."

Previous Race Across the World winner Emon Choudhury has previously heaped praise on the embedded film teams.

The star, who won the 2020 iteration of the competition, told Express.co.uk: “The job that they do is just incredible because Race Across the World is just split-second decisions, so we could be on one bus one minute and then think, ‘I’m getting off this bus and getting on another bus.’

“So they have to re-jig everything because of what we’ve said.”

Meanwhile, Emon also claimed contestants have “issues” with food and often struggle to eat due to budget constraints.

“I lost over a stone, a stone and a half and the same with my nephew, he lost quite a bit as well. The food was an issue,” he said.

“You always think on these TV shows, you get a sandwich off-camera or water or a little snack here or there but no, it wasn’t like that!”

Elsewhere, season one winners Tony and Elaine claimed that contestants were allowed to take chlorine tablets on their journey. This was so they didn’t have to spend money on bottled water.

Express.co.uk has reached out to the BBC for comment.

You can watch episodes of Race Across the World on BBC iPlayer now.