After the resounding success of the inaugural series of Celebrity Race Across the World, BBC Factual is pleased to announce that Studio Lambert’s BAFTA award-winning format will be returning for a second series featuring celebrities, which will be broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer.
The first series of Celebrity Race Across the World, which concluded with great excitement last month, followed well-known personalities such as McFly drummer Harry Judd and his mother Emma, British racing driver and pundit Billy Monger with his sister Bonny, singer and songwriter Mel Blatt and her mother Helene, and broadcaster Alex Beresford with his father Noel. They left behind their lives of luxury to embark on an epic and challenging race from Africa to the Arctic.
The series was heartwarming and inspirational, captivating viewers in record numbers. It provided a unique glimpse into the lives of celebrities and their relationships with their closest family members. Confronting the same challenges and unexpected twists as the regular series, these famous figures and their loved ones undertook the demanding yet ultimately rewarding journey without the aid of smartphones or credit cards. They learned how to travel wisely on a tight budget.
Receiving high praise from critics, the series also proved to be a ratings hit. It stands as the BBC’s most significant factual entertainment brand of the year thus far. The first episode averaged 6.2 million viewers, matching the highest-rated episode of the brand to date (tied with the first episode of series 3 of Race Across the World). It also claimed the title of this year’s biggest factual entertainment episode in the market for a new series.
Tim Harcourt, Creative Director, Studio Lambert says: “Audiences seem pleased that the difficult and disarming undertaking of the Race was not watered down for well-known personalities and their loved ones. We are thrilled to be making another series for the BBC.”
Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events, BBC says: “We would like to thank our cast for putting their heart and soul into it, and we are delighted with the reaction, particularly from young audiences on iPlayer. We are very much looking forward to working with Studio Lambert on the next series”
Celebrity Race Across The World for BBC One and iPlayer is produced by Studio Lambert, a part of All3Media. The commission was overseen by Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning for Factual Entertainment and Events. Michael Jochnowitz serves as the Commissioning Editor, while Tim Harcourt is the Executive Producer, and Sophie Beck is the Production Executive.
All3Media International is responsible for the global distribution of Celebrity Race Across the World and Race Across the World.
