Celebrity Race Across the World, review: this joyous finale proved it’s the taking part that counts

This year’s winners might have bragging rights after travelling South America – but all pairs can be content with the memories they’ve made

4/5
Race Across the World (BBC One), celebrity or otherwise, is all about the journey. Not the zillions of kilometres the competitors clock up, this time criss-crossing South America, or the marathon bus-rides which must play havoc with the posture, but the journey – bang that zen gong – to self awareness that a combination of shovelling llama poo and humping a massive backpack 24/7 must surely bestow.So as we reached the final lap of the latest edition, peppered with stunning shots of stargazing in the Andes and extra-terrestrial salt flats in the Atacama Desert, the race was on to see which of the competing pairs would conjure up the most growth-aware soundbite.Jeff Brazier who, despite son Freddy’s best efforts, never quite let himself off the reality-TV leash, came in last with a well meaning but over-rehearsed ramble about “making moments”. Mary-Ellen, cousin of Ted Lasso’s Kola Bokinni, offered “it’s the best road trip I’ve ever been on,” which lacked the context to pack emotional heft, given she’d hitherto scarcely left Peckham. Then there was Kelly Brook, whose surprise revelation that she could survive on “one pair of knicks, one bra and a lip gloss” almost won the day.But it was Scott Mills, who cut a surprisingly reflective figure, a world away from his practised presenter persona, who took it. For him the month on the road with fiancé Sam had felt like “one long continuous date”. Given they admitted their normal life was ships passing in the night, the discovery that their relationship had been deepened by the experience was really rather touching.Admittedly Scott had let himself down with the observation, “There’s nothing more depressing than seeing another team waving at you from a bus” – a phrase that brought to mind a line from brilliant sitcom Mum, when a “nothing worse” whine was met with “Genocide. That’s worse” – but if he’d gone on Race Across the World to shift public perceptions away from a pasted-on persona to something more real, then it worked a treat.There was, of course, plenty of trademark jeopardy, in the shape of broken-down coaches, missed connections and fabulously unbothered South American bus ticket sellers to keep the motor ticking over. The four pairs started the last leg within 39 minutes of each other, which though it rendered the race part of the past five weeks somewhat redundant, gave the dash for the finish line some extra heat.
I’d pay to be a mosquito on the wall in the edit suite as the show’s directors try to turn celebrities stumbling about getting baffled by oblique direction instructions into something resembling a Tom Cruise action sequence. But we’ve been there, done that with this show. And it’s really not necessary.
Because for once, Baron de Coubertin’s old Olympian adage – “It’s not the winning, it’s the taking part” – really does ring true. Though actual winners Scott and Sam, who are now married, their relationship having survived the worst this eye-opening show threw at them, might beg to differ.
4/5
2/5