The line-up for BBC One’s Celebrity Race Across The World has finally been announced.
The second series of the show’s celebrity spin-off will see everyone from Ted Lasso stars to famous TV presenters battling to reach their final destination without relying on mobile phones or money.
The first characters announced for the second series are Ted Lasso’s Cora Bokini and his cousin Mary Ellen.
Cora, 31, from Peckham, is best known for playing Richmond team captain Isaac McAdoo in the Emmy and SAG Award-winning Apple TV+ series.
Competing with the actor in the epic 12,500km race will be TV presenter and announcer Jeff Blazer and his 20-year-old son Freddie.
The line-up for BBC One’s Celebrity Race Across the World has finally been announced
The first characters announced for the second series are Ted Lasso’s Kora Bokini and his cousin Mary Ellen (Kora will film in July 2024).
Geoff rose to fame appearing in the third series of Shipwrecked and has since gone on to appear in a number of high-profile shows including This Morning, Loose Women and Dancing on Ice.
He has one son, Bobby, with EastEnders and Strictly star Jade Goody, who tragically passed away from cervical cancer in 2009.
Model and actress Kelly Brook (44) and her husband Jeremy Parisi will also be taking part in the race of a lifetime.
Kelly is known in the UK as a model and in the US for her role as Prudence in the NBC sitcom One Big Happy.
Radio 2 presenter Scott Mills and her then-fiancé husband Sam will also be taking part in the challenge in a bid to win.
Their journey begins in Belém in northern Brazil, the gateway to the Amazon, and passes through five checkpoints across South America.
They will give it their all to reach the finish line at Frutillar, in the Andes mountains of southern Chile.
Celebrities must say goodbye to luxury transport, smartphones and bank cards and instead rely on their skill, cunning, ingenuity and the kindness of strangers.
Competing with the actor in the epic 12,500km race will be TV presenter and announcer Jeff Brazier and his 20-year-old son Freddie (Jeff on the right, Freddie on the left).
Model and actress Kelly Brook (44) and her husband Jeremy Parisi will also be taking on the biggest race of their lives.
Radio 2 presenter Scott Mills (left) and his husband and fiancé Sam (right) will also be trying to win.
Joining celebrities’ nearest and dearest gives us a unique insight into people we thought we knew, through the eyes of those who knew them best.
The BAFTA award-winning show, produced by Studio Lambert, will be repeated on BBC One and iPlayer on Wednesday 14 August at 9pm.
Tim Harcourt, chief creative officer at Studio Lambert, said: “Following the phenomenal success of our first celebrity series and the recent fourth series of regulars, we can’t wait to take audiences to the vast South American continent and its incredible landscapes in races that push celebrities and their loved ones to the limit.”
Catherine Catton, commissioning director at Factual Entertainment & Events, said: “We’re absolutely delighted with the success of Celebrity Race Across the World and can’t wait to see new celebrities and their families take on this challenging but incredibly rewarding race of a lifetime. We can’t wait to watch their journeys unfold.”
Last year’s series was won by Alex Beresford and his father Noel, with the announcer reduced to tears after being crowned champion.
He said his confidence had been “shattered” during an on-air clash with Piers Morgan on GMB and became emotional as he crossed the finish line in Tromso, Norway.
McFly drummer Harry was disappointed to miss out on the win, with his mother Emma coming in second.
All Saints’ Melanie Bratt and her mother Helen came third.
Last year’s series was won by Alex Beresford and his father Noel, with the announcer reduced to tears after being crowned champion.
The 43-year-old weather forecaster said his confidence had been “shattered” during his fiery on-air clash with Piers Morgan on Good Morning Britain, and became emotional as he crossed the finish line in Tromso, Norway.
Speaking about the falling out over Meghan Markle in 2021, Alex said he felt “stronger” but had to turn to his family for support during tough times.
The presenter and his father Noel were the first pair to reach the checkpoint in Tromso, Norway, to cheers of excitement, while Harry Judd and his mother Emma came second.
“It feels amazing that we’re on top of the world right now. It’s the toughest experience ever but we’re on this journey together as men,” Alex exclaimed.
The series had been postponed in light of the deadly earthquake in Morocco.
Race car driver Billy Monger and his sister Bonnie were forced to withdraw mid-race due to a family emergency and were unable to compete in the final.
Billy was just 17 when he had a horrific accident during a race in 2017, leaving him with serious leg injuries (pictured with Lewis Hamilton)
On September 8th, a devastating earthquake struck south of Marrakech, killing around 2,500 people and injuring many more.
Still, viewers watched as the stars began their journey in the Moroccan capital and struggled to reach their final destination without mobile phones or a plane.
Race car driver Billy Monger (aka Billy Wither) and his sister Bonnie missed out on the final after being forced to withdraw mid-race due to a family emergency.
Formula 4 race car driver Billy Monger was just 17 years old when he was in a horrific accident in 2017 when his car collided with another car during a race, leaving him with serious leg injuries.
