For reasons that are often unclear, celebrities seem to relish the opportunity to participate in bizarre challenges on television. Whether it's devouring live spiders, plummeting out of helicopters into the water, or hunting for ghosts with Rylan Clark, the list goes on. In fact, there are so many of these shows that it can be challenging to recall what some of these stars did before entering the British TV challenge circuit. Did they appear on Gogglebox? Were they a part of TOWIE? And why are they now fumbling around in complete darkness in an underground bunker with Chris Eubank and Danny Dyer? It's anyone's guess. And so the cycle continues.
Enter Celebrity Race Across the World, which, despite sounding similar to many of the aforementioned shows, is quite distinct. Yes, celebrities are involved. And yes, they're engaging in an unusual activity on television. In this instance, they're attempting to traverse from northern Brazil to southern Chile in pairs, within the shortest timeframe possible, without access to smartphones, bank cards, and with a daily budget of only £36. However, it's far less eye-rolling and more wholesome than it might sound. This isn't about watching C-list reality TV veterans become irritable in the jungle because they can't get a hair colour refresh. Just like the civilian version, you'll find yourself invested in these individuals, hoping for their success.
Each pair appears to be participating in the show for personal reasons. TV presenter Jeff Brazier, 45, seeks to spend more quality time with his teenage son, Freddie. As they've grown older and busier, they've felt somewhat disconnected from one another. At 19, Freddie is still trying to figure out who he is and what he wants to become. He hopes this experience will help him find clarity. "I want you to step into making decisions for yourself instead of just going with the flow like you usually do," Jeff tells his son. Later, Freddie confides to the camera, "Right now I'm trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. It's quite tough. Who is Freddie Brazier? I don't know."
The pairs navigate their way through backpacker hostels, endure 14-hour bus journeys, and trek through grassy fields in scorching temperatures. But some of the most touching moments are the small, unexpected ones: Freddie clutching a trembling chicken to his chest, his eyes squeezed shut in a mix of joy and apprehension. Kelly wading through brackish water between mangroves, helping to plant new saplings in the rain. Kola and Mary-Ellen immersing themselves in the cool desert lagoons that have formed temporarily between sand dunes in Lençóis Maranhenses national park in Maranhão, north-eastern Brazil. As happens with all good travel reality shows, you'll find yourself questioning if you could do this too. There's a reason travel agents experienced a surge in popularity after the show's recent rise in popularity. Watching nature on screen, you'll want to reach out and touch it.
Of course, since this is entertainment, several elements appear to be orchestrated and pre-planned. Each team seems to have accommodation arranged in various family homes, and the race to the first checkpoint is so close that it's hard not to suspect that it was at least partially staged. But this is television, and if everyone was left to their own devices with no support, who knows where they would end up. It certainly wouldn't be as heart-pounding as it is. "Come on, give me your bag," Jeremy pants, the sound of dramatic strings pulsating in the background, as Kelly races down a cobbled street in harem pants. You'll be gripping the sofa as if their lives depend on them reaching that checkpoint.
In this age of endless recycled formats and a growing disillusionment with the concept of "celebrity" in general, it can be easy to feel cynical about the idea of radio presenters and actors pushing themselves to prove they're just like us. But Celebrity Race Across the World has an unusually calming and heartwarming effect. It helps that they've chosen a group of genuinely likeable individuals. There are no villains, and no egos masked by the faux-humbleness that those touched by fame tend to embrace. This is more about people finding themselves and each other as they experience things they wouldn't typically encounter. And it's utterly, wonderfully captivating.
Celebrity Race Across the World aired on BBC One and is available on BBC iPlayer.
