travel

Meet the contestants for Race Across The World series four

Contestants from the new series of Race Across The World pose outdoors in a line

This time round, contestants will be racing across 15,000km of Eastern Asia. Starting in Japan, five duos will travel through nine countries and six seas, finishing in Lombok, Indonesia. To get there, contestants will have to make their way around the ring of fire, famous for its volcanoes and earthquakes.

Through it all, they will have no access to their smartphone, bank cards or the internet.

Find out more about the racers below.

Celebrity Race Across The World to return for second series

A row of people walk down a street. Behind them, a desert backdrop on the left transitions into an Arctic backdrop on the right

The first series saw four pairs of stars and one of their relatives compete to get from Africa to the Arctic without the use of phones or flights.

The journey took place over road, rail and sea across 24 countries, featuring McFly drummer Harry Judd and his mum, Emma, and weatherman Alex Beresford with his dad, Noel. Alex and Noel won the contest by just four minutes, while Emma succeeded in winning fans’ hearts.

Race Across The World, the show’s original format featuring members of the public, first aired in 2019.

Strictly Come Dancing duo go abroad in Anton and Giovanni: Adventures in Sicily

Anton du Beke and Giovanni Pernice stand on a boat in a harbour

Anton du Beke and Giovanni Pernice are trading the dance floor for the radiant island of Sicily.

Pernice will guide du Beke around his home of Sicily and uncover all the delights the Mediterranean island has to offer.

The pair will explore the towering Mount Etna and authentic old towns, taste Sicilian cuisine and polish off their dancing shoes for a tango.

Packed with sun, sea and plenty of adventure, du Beke and Pernice promise to take viewers on an unforgettable Mediterranean journey.

BBC Scotland commissions Scotland’s Greatest Escape

Credit: BBC

The eight-part series will explore some of the best escapes for people to experience in Scotland, with one destination winning the crown of Scotland’s Greatest Escape. 

Cameras will travel up and down Scotland to discover a wide variety of holiday styles and destinations.

The public and businesses can nominate places and holiday experiences they think are special enough to win the top prize. 

The judges are not looking solely for luxury experiences but are focused on exceptionality and want experiences across a range of budgets.

Ainsley Harriott and Grace Dent to explore British seaside for new Channel 4 food and travel series

In each of the five parts of Best of British By the Sea, Harriott and Dent will visit a different destination to discover its tastiest dishes, from local delicacies and cheap eats to high-end dining.

The duo will stay in both a self-catered property where they will cook for each other using their favourite produce, and a hotel to soak up the ambience with the owners and chefs. From their accommodations they will venture out to the local attractions and hidden foodie hotspots.

New Michael Palin Christmas special heads to BBC Two

Last month’s Travels Of A Lifetime saw Sir Michael tell the personal side of his travel stories and discuss the making of his most iconic shows, including Around The World In 80 Days and Pole To Pole.

In this new special, Palin will revisit his journey of discovery in the Himalayas.

In Himalaya, Michael tested himself against the mountains that have long represented one of the ultimate challenges of exploration, passing through India, Pakistan, the Tibetan Plateau and Bhutan.

BBC Two commissions two travel series from Simon Reeve

As one of the nation's favourite destinations, Cornwall with Simon Reeve will see the presenter explore the county as it emerges from lockdown and investigate its future.

Reeve said: “Events this year have knocked us all for six, and travelling the planet has become a bit tricky. So in these two series we thought it was a good time for me to look back, and also have a look at life closer to home."

Dave commissions new food and travel series Adam Richman: Supperman

Credit: UKTV

The 12-part series, produced by Whizz Kid Entertainment, features one famous face per episode in which they bring their favourite starter, main and dessert, plus the menu they would want for their last meal on earth.

Once Richman has tucked into their choices, he finds out why the dishes are so important to his guest, before going to find the best ingredients to transform their favourite dish into their ultimate last supper.

Who's taking part in Race Across the World series two?

Credit: BBC

The second series has been extended by two weeks and will now air for eight weeks, with contestants competing to get from Mexico City to the most southerly city in the world, Ushuaia in Argentina.

Like series one – where contestants travelled from London to Singapore – they will need to travel thousands of miles without taking any flights or using a smartphone and with a limited set amount of money.  

The 10 travellers will work in pairs to navigate across 16 countries via horse, foot, boat and bus to reach the finish line.

BBC Two announces new travel series with Simon Reeve

Simon Reeve (Credit: BBC)

The challenging journey will take place over two series exploring the diverse landscape of the two continents that make up a quarter of the Earth’s land space.

Reeve will start in the icy mountains of Alaska and journey down to the hot plains of Argentina.

The first five-part series follows Reeve as he travels from Alaska down to Costa Rica, with the second series – set to be filmed next year –set to showcase his travels through South America.

During his journey, Reeve delves into areas of the Americas few outsiders, or even locals, get to experience.