spilled beans
Race Across The World in ‘fake’ row as show stars reveal secret hotel stays, on call doctor and ‘local fixer’
Past contestants have shone a light on behind the scenes secrets
RACE Across the World is facing claims of being 'fake' just as the latest winners were crowned.
Friends Alfie Watts and Owen Wood claimed victory after five teams of two raced their way to Indonesian island Lombok via a series of checkpoints.
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Their gruelling ordeal captivated viewers due to the difficult circumstances faced by contestants aiming to win.
However, revelations from past contestants and crew members have led to 'fake' claims for the hit BBC competition show.
It emerged contestants can even stay in secret hotels for two days at each checkpoint.
Viewers however, don't get to see the stays which were revealed after series four winner Alfie, 20, admitted it in a Facebook group themed around the show.
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He confirmed they had to stay in the hotel for "safety reasons."
Alfie said: "It does change depending on finishing times to make sure nobody leaves at an utterly ridiculous time - mainly for safety."
His confession came after series two contestant Jen revealed that the teams have crew members with them all of the time.
Jen, who competed in series two alongside husband Rob, explained although there "isn't much viewers don't get to see," the two producers who travel with the teams are not shown on screen.
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She also confirmed that they have a "local fixer" and a medical expert who travel an hour behind n case of any emergencies.
Jen "You are always with two crew members and a medic, with a local fixer close behind.
Livid Race Across The World fans blast pair for 'selfish and rude' stunt to get ahead for finale
"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."
Race Across The World - Winners so far
Since launching in 2019, BBC travel competition series Race Across The World has had four series to date. Let's take a look at back at the winners so far...
- Series one: Elaine and Tony Teasdale: This married couple, who are retired PE teachers, won the very first series of Race Across The World.
- Series two: Emon and Jamiul Choudhury: The uncle and nephew duo emerged victorious in the show's second outing.
- Series three: Tricia Sail and Cathie Rowe: These lifelong friends became the first non-familial pair to win a series.
- Series four: Alfie Watts and Owen Wood: Both aged 20, these friends bested four other pairs to win series four.
Jen confirmed the gruelling challenge is as difficult as it appears on screen, despite the safety provisions in place.
She added: "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."
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."
He also revealed to Broadcast about the meticulous planning involved.
He said: "It's all very well doing it theoretically, looking at timetables and things" adding that "until someone does it for real, you don't know where the difficulties might lie.
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"We drew up protocols that set rules for how the teams could hitchhike, travel at night and cross borders safely."
Race Across the World is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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