This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine.
In the new season of Celebrity Race Across the World, siblings Junior and Princess Andre join sports broadcaster Jeff Stelling and son Matt, singer/songwriter Sam Ryder and his tour manager Kaz and singer/songwriter Ella Eyre and her childhood friend Nana, to travel 7,500km from Sarawak in Borneo to Melbourne in Australia, on just £26 a day per person.
Junior and Princess – the youngest competitor – reveal how they survived their adventures.
Princess and Junior
Why did you take part?
Junior: There are a lot of prejudgements and misconceptions about us. One of the reasons I wanted Princess to do it was to come out of it more independent and trusting of her decisions. I think she came out a better person. We both did.
Princess: A lot of people have a low opinion of us. We wanted to challenge ourselves, prove people wrong and show the real us.
How was the experience as siblings?
Junior: I moved out at 19, so we hadn't spent that much time together in ages. I had to remind Princess, just because I'm older, I don't know what I'm doing.
Princess: I realised I couldn't get through it if I just sat there letting Junior do all of it!
Did you miss your phone?
Princess: The worst time was at night, when you just wanted to distract yourself to make time go quicker. By the end of the second week, I realised there's so much more to life. It forced me to socialise and take in things around me. When they said we could have our phones back, I was like, "I don't want it!"
Junior: I was excited – there's so much noise, being in the family we're in, there's so much negative stuff written about us – I was happy to get away from that. When I got my phone back, I was shaking, thinking, "How do I use this?" It felt so unnatural.
Were you good with money?
Junior: I live alone and pay the bills, so I know how to budget. But some of the currencies had too many numbers for me to calculate.
How did the experience change your outlook on the world?
Junior: This has toughened us up and made us want to explore more. It also put things into perspective, seeing how happy people could be leading simple lives. We met people whose toilet was a hole in the ground and they showered using a bucket. People were smiling, kids were playing, they had each other. It made me appreciate life – and I was extremely grateful to come back to my home comforts.
Princess: I've just been looking back at some photos – it was one of the most amazing journeys of my life and I grew in confidence.
Executive producer Sophie Hales
Are there any big changes this year?
We're starting it slightly differently. It will take viewers by surprise, as it did the celebrities. It's the wildest and toughest celebrity series and I believe we've travelled further than ever.
What makes the celebrity version special?
It's unfiltered. There's no hiding; they are living and breathing it all and it's very revealing.
What is it like receiving that footage from the producers on the ground?
It's a treat because it's as good, if not better, than you expect. There's four teams out there, and a camera person films 12 to 18 hours a day over several weeks. Our edit teams watch everything and pick the best.
What's the secret behind the show's success?
By and large, everyone we've come across on the race has gone out of their way to help the racers. It's an antidote to difficult times in the world. It's a pleasure to watch and, importantly, it makes you smile – and cry at times.
Celebrity Race Across the World starts Wednesday 28 October at 8pm on BBC One.
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