Race Across The World’s gruelling secret auditions involve hopefuls getting as far away from London as they can in just 60 minutes with no phone or money.
The audition process is designed to imitate what the wannabe contestants would face on a real series of the hit BBC show.
Producers have revealed they also ‘interrogate’ the motivations of would-be contestants to make sure they are not just taking part for the £20,000 prize money or to boost their social media following.
The show’s line producer Maria Kennedy told The Telegraph: ‘They are not normal TV contestants, and they wouldn’t apply for anything else.’
Producers aim to select people who enjoy the freedom to adventure, but insist they don’t step in to help – no matter how bizarre the contestant’s decisions are.
The audition process is designed to imitate what the wannabe contestants would face on a real series of the hit BBC show. Pictured: The series four cast
The latest series of Race Across The World involved five teams of two tasked with racing to the island of Lombok in Indonesia via a series of checkpoints. Pictured (L-R) Stephen & Viv, Sharon & Brydie, Eugenie & Isabel, James & Betty & Owen & Alfie
The fourth series winners Owen and Alfie were crowned during Wednesday night’s episode after a gruelling eight week challenge
Once selected for the series, contestants appear as teams of two and compete against four other teams to race across a section of the world using only the budget of a one-way plane ticket.
To make things more difficult, they also have to give up their smartphones, credit cards and access to the internet.
But the brains behind the show know it’s possible because they test out the routes first by sending out two researchers on the same journey with the same tight budget.
Each contestant pair has a director and a producer/camera operator with them at all times. They also have a local fixer and medical support which follows them from about an hour behind.
A series director and a camera crew are also on hand to carry out the sweeping drone shots and establishing shots needed to make the show look good on TV.
The crew travelling with the contestants don’t get any special treatment and have to sleep and travel in the same tough conditions as their subjects.
Producers aim to select people who enjoy the freedom to adventure, but insist they don’t step in to help – no matter how bizarre the contestant’s decisions are. Pictured: The case of series four
Each contestant pair has a director and a producer/camera operator with them at all times. Pictured: Series four winners Owen and Alfie
But once they get to a checkpoint in the journey, everyone is given 48 hours to rest and recover.
While at the checkpoints, psychologists are available on video chat to talk to the contestants and make sure they’re not suffering. This care continues when the show begins to air to help them deal with the media pressure that can come with the spotlight.
Since launching on BBC2 in 2019 the show has been a big hit, with the first two episodes of most recent series bringing in 7.1 million viewers across 28 days.
Viewers have continued to be gripped as the winners of the fourth series were crowned during Wednesday night’s episode after a gruelling eight-week challenge.
The five teams were tasked with racing to the island of Lombok in Indonesia via a series of checkpoints, with friends Alfie and Owen ultimately taking the win.
Eugenie and Isabel (pictured) were pipped to the post by winners Owen and Alfie
Wednesday night’s episode saw a nail-biting ending to the 15,000km race across Eastern Asia as two pairs approached the finish line neck and neck
However, while the challenge appears undoubtedly tough on screen, previous contestants and crew members have lifted the lid on the behind-the-scenes secrets.
Series four winner Alfie, 20, confirmed that the teams can stay in secret hotels for up to two days at each checkpoint – which isn’t aired during the episodes.
Alfie spilled the gossip in a Facebook group dedicated to the show, revealing that they had to stay in the hotel for ‘safety reasons’.
He said: ‘It does change depending on finishing times to make sure nobody leaves at an utterly ridiculous time – mainly for safety’.
Meanwhile, series two contestant Jen, who took part with her husband Rob, also revealed the teams are accompanied by members of the crew at all times.
While she insisted there ‘isn’t much viewers don’t get to see’, the two producers who travel with the teams aren’t revealed to viewers on screen.
The race ended with a dramatic sprint along the beach as best friends Alfie and Owen reached the check-in book in first place, claiming the £20,000 prize
Jen also revealed that there is a ‘local fixer’ and a medic travelling about an hour behind them in case of an emergency.
She told the i: ‘You are always with two crew members and a medic, with a local fixer close behind. 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.’
When asked if it was really as hard as it seems on screen, Jen said: ‘People always ask me if it was really as hard as it seemed. In short, YES. I was convinced that once the cameras stopped rolling, they’d wheel out the buffet cart and hand over the keys to the luxury hotel, but heck was I wrong. I really did have to sleep in that hammock. In my case, ignorance was bliss.’
Jen told how the crew travelled with them constantly and there always had to be space for them on various points of transport such as buses.
She explained that they were only able to travel if at least one member of the crew was able to come with them, but insisted this never impacted their route.
Executive producer Mark Saben told the BBC: ‘They had to do the same journey as them, sleeping alongside them on the bus.
‘So they were almost like a family, with its ups and downs. And while we had done recces, the teams found bits of the world which were totally surprising.’
After arriving at the second last checkpoint in Jakarta within just 12 minutes of each other, both Alfie and Owen and Isabel and Eugenie were eager to get out in front for the final leg
Mark informed Broadcast that visas and vaccines for ‘every conceivable country’ are arranged in advance, with ‘every likely bus and train option, cost and connection’ being researched.
He said ‘It’s all very well doing it theoretically, looking at timetables and things’ before adding ‘but until someone does it for real, you don’t know where the difficulties might lie.
‘We drew up protocols that set rules for how the teams could hitchhike, travel at night and cross borders safely.’
Despite having a fixer and a medic at hand, Mark revealed that they are instructed to keep their distance to make their experience feel authentic.
He said ‘How they made their journey was up to them. This meant as a production we had to react to their decisions, however nonsensical.
‘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.’
MailOnline have reached out to Race Across The World for comment.
Both pairs met each other multiple times on their journey from Jakarta to Lombok (pictured), before needing to travel by boat to a tiny Island off the coast at the exact same time
Wednesday night’s episode saw a nail-biting ending to the 15,000km race across Eastern Asia as two pairs approached the finish line neck and neck.
After arriving at the second last checkpoint in Jakarta within just 12 minutes of each other, both Alfie and Owen and Isabel and Eugenie were eager to get out in front for the final leg.
Both pairs met each other multiple times on their journey from Jakarta to Lombok, before needing to travel by boat to a tiny Island off the coast at the exact same time.
After finding speedboat rides, the pairs darted off across the sea before getting ready to run the rest of the way on foot.
The race ended with a dramatic sprint along the beach as best friends Alfie and Owen reached the check-in book in first place, claiming the £20,000 prize.
Closely behind the school friends were mother and daughter duo Eugenie and Isabel, who finished just eight minutes later.
In third place were beloved brother and sister Betty and James – who arrived a day later after overcoming a dwindling budget and mishaps.
The dramatic final scenes saw Alfie and Owen dart along the beach in Indonesia surrounded by gleaming tropical waters before arriving at the book to find they had won the race
Married couple Stephen and Viv finished in fourth, with a whopping £180 left of their budget.
The dramatic final scenes saw Alfie and Owen dart along the beach in Indonesia surrounded by gleaming tropical waters before arriving at the book to find they had won the race.
‘We’ve done it,’ they screamed, before hugging each other.
Owen said proudly: ‘We came, and we saw, and we succeeded.’
‘Best moment of our lives,’ Alfie added. ‘Undeniably. Can’t believe it.’
Eugenie and Isabel opened the book to find they had been beaten by the boys by minutes.
Eugenie and Isabel opened the book to find they had been beaten by the boys by minutes
Eugenie said: ‘We did it. We’ve come in a good second. If we were to lose to anybody, we always said that we would want to lose to Alfie and Owen.’
The next day, 24 hours and 34 minutes later, Betty and James arrived at the finish line, before Stephen and Viv made it six hours later.
They finished in third, but fans were concerned that Betty and James wouldn’t make it to the finish line due to their dwindling budget.
The brother-sister duo won the hearts of the nation in what has been hailed ‘the most moving TV moment of the year’ as Betty opened up to James about her health condition for the first time.
The pair had a strong fanbase of people rooting for them in the race, which saw five couples race from Japan to Indonesia.
But as the contestants began the final leg in Wednesday’s episode, Betty, 25, and James, 21, panicked when they realised they had just £155 left to finish the race.
This was compared to the duo in last place, married couple Stephen and Viv – who set off from Jakarta to the finish line in Lombok with over £500 pocketed.
The next day, 24 hours and 34 minutes later, Betty and James arrived at the finish line
Stephen and Viv made it six hours later, finishing in fourth place
They finished in third, but fans were concerned that Betty and James wouldn’t make it to the finish line due to their dwindling budget
But as the contestants began the final leg in Wednesday’s episode, Betty, 25, and James, 21, panicked when they realised they had just £155 left to finish the race
Fans of Betty and James took to X, formerly Twitter, to express their concern for the pair’s race.
They wrote: ‘I don’t mind who wins, I just want Betty and James to get to the finish,’;
‘I swear to god if Betty and James aren’t able to complete the race…,’; ‘Betty and James until the finishing line,’;
‘I will be GUTTED if Betty and James don’t make it to the end they’re AWESOME!’; ‘How are Betty and james gonna do this on 5% budget’; ‘I’m scared Betty and James won’t make it to the end,’;
‘No way Betty and James are getting to the end even though they are working to get money,’;
‘Betty and James checking their budget in an hours time,’; ‘It’s a shame this isn’t live because Betty and James are so lovely and could do with a ‘go fund me’. I really hope they can complete the race.’
Fans of Betty and James took to X, formerly Twitter , to express their concern for the pair’s race
Betty, 25, and James, 21, who admitted they weren’t that close before appearing on the show, have bonded while travelling together across Eastern Asia
Viewers were in tears in last week’s penultimate episode when James broke down after his ‘brave’ sister opened up about the health condition which has left her without a womb.
Betty discussed her rare congenital disorder, known as MRKH, and revealed to viewers she discovered age 16 she did not have a uterus and only one kidney.
MRKH – or Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome – is a rare condition that affects the female reproductive system and is characterised by an underdeveloped vagina and uterus.
Betty and James, who admitted they weren’t that close before appearing on the show, have bonded while travelling together across Eastern Asia.
During a particularly candid conversation, Betty confided in James about how living with MRKH has affected her and the way she sees the world.
