BBC Reality Show Thrown Into Chaos by Sudden Filming Ban
Production on the popular BBC series Celebrity Race Across The World was unexpectedly thrown into disarray during the latest episode, forcing a major change to the race route. Contestants were instructed to break from their usual land and sea travel protocol after the BBC was ordered to stop filming in a key Central American country.
Unexpected Flight Diverts Race Route
The dramatic shift occurred as the celebrity teams reached the third checkpoint in Honduras, marking the halfway point of their global adventure. Instead of continuing their journey overland, they received a crucial text message with new instructions. The message stated clearly: "It is not possible for the race to continue through Nicaragua. Teams must fly to Liberia where the race will resume."
A BBC narrator later clarified the situation for viewers, explaining that permission to film in the neighbouring country of Nicaragua was not granted. Consequently, the race resumed just 90km away from the Nicaraguan border in Liberia, Costa Rica.
Celebrity Line-Up Faces Unforeseen Challenges
This year's celebrity contestants include a host of familiar faces, all tackling the challenge without phones, internet access, and on a tight budget. The teams racing are:
- Strictly Come Dancing stars Tyler West and Molly Rainford
- Presenter Roman Kemp with his sister Harleymoon
- Derry Girls actor Dylan Llewellyn and his mum Jackie
- Broadcaster Anita Rani and her dad Bal
The episode also featured some personal drama, with Dylan Llewellyn missing from the opening scenes due to feeling unwell, though he later recovered to continue the adventure. The race standings showed Tyler and Molly leading the pack, closely followed by Anita and Bal, then Dylan and Jackie, while Roman and Harleymoon trailed seven hours behind.
The BBC had previously promoted this series as journeying through one of the most diverse and visually stunning routes yet, spanning 5,900km from the idyllic Caribbean island of Isla Mujeres, Mexico, to the remote Península de La Guajira in Colombia. The sudden reroute provided an unexpected test of the celebrities' adaptability, a core element of the show's challenge where they must rely on limited budgets, local transport, and the kindness of strangers.
Celebrity Race Across The World continues to air on Thursdays at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
