Alfie Watts, who captured the nation's attention in 2024 by winning Race Across The World alongside his friend Owen Wood, is embarking on a new and demanding travel challenge. The 22-year-old from St Albans, Hertfordshire, intends to drive a tuk-tuk from London all the way to Norway to raise £100,000 for YoungMinds, a mental health charity.
A More Difficult Undertaking
Scheduled to commence on May 24, the adventure will see Alfie traverse 12 different countries over 30 days. Reflecting on this new venture, the TV star, who has dedicated the past 18 months to planning, explains why this challenge is 'a lot harder' than the beloved BBC show. 'At the end of the day, everything falls on my head,' Alfie states. 'If the project doesn't work, it falls on my head. If we don't raise as much money as I want to, nobody's going to obviously criticise it, but that still falls on my head.'
He acknowledges feeling 'a lot more responsibility' this time. 'Before I just went - there were camera crews there for me, I wasn't in charge of them, I wasn't paying them, I was just there,' he explains. 'But this very much feels like I'm owning my own edition of Race Across The World, and liability is mine.'
The Route and Its Challenges
Alfie is taking a scenic route from London to Norway in his tuk-tuk, passing through Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, and Finland before reaching the North Cape. This journey is 'about 700 miles longer' than the most direct route, but he believes it will be 'much more rewarding'. He aims to 'cover as many cultures and many different countries' as possible while 'raising awareness about the ever-present issues around mental health that young people face everyday'.
'It's similar to Race Across The World in the sense that I'm going to be going through a lot of countries, moving at quite a heavy speed, talking to people, having deep conversations and things like that,' he adds. However, the cost comparison is stark. During the TV series, Alfie and Owen had only £1,390 each to travel from Japan to Lombok. 'We were on a proper budget,' Alfie recalls.
Financial and Logistical Hurdles
This tuk-tuk adventure carries a 'bone-shaking' price tag of £55,000, far exceeding his initial estimate of £12,000. 'It's a very expensive challenge,' he admits. 'Sponsors like eSIM provider Airalo and M&S have been a big help, but it's still costing us a lot out of our own pockets. But I see it as an investment. I believe it's the right thing to do.' Major expenses include a cameraman, a follow car, and an editor back home. Insuring the tuk-tuk has been difficult, as only a few companies are willing to cover such an unusual vehicle.
Given Alfie's description of tuk-tuks as 'very poorly engineered' and 'not very advanced', there is ample scope for things to go wrong during the planned 200 miles per day. 'Everything could go wrong,' he says. 'The tuk-tuk could break down, I don't know how many spare parts we're going to find for a tuk-tuk in Germany! The follow car could break down too. That's less of a problem, but probably more likely.'
To mitigate risks, Alfie has taken a crash course in basic repairs. 'We've given ourselves enough time that if something does go wrong and we need a specific part, we can have it shipped to us and still get back on track,' he explains. 'And while they're not sophisticated, tuk-tuks are built to keep going – they can travel thousands of miles across India.' Still, he acknowledges the risks: 'There could be incidents on the road. We could be pulled over for being too slow. There's so much that can go wrong.'
Anticipation and Inspiration
Ultimately, it is the people Alfie is most excited about. 'I can't wait to walk into a bar in Poland, find someone who speaks English, and have a conversation about how mental health differs from London to wherever we are,' he says. He has planned nightly stops, booking accommodation in advance at each stage. Once the challenge is complete, the team will tow the tuk-tuk back to the UK using a trailer, with additional drivers flying out to bring it home.
With the Race Across The World finale airing on BBC One tonight, Alfie will be tuning in for inspiration. 'This has all come from Race Across The World - that wanderlust, that desire to travel and to believe in what we're doing. It all stemmed from the show,' he concludes.
