Viewers of BBC One's Celebrity Race Across The World were left deeply moved this week as contestant Jackie Llewellyn shared her heartbreaking story of loss while competing with her son, actor Dylan Llewellyn.
A Mother's Heartbreaking Revelation
During the latest episode, which saw the pair travelling to Colombia, Jackie opened up about her past while swimming in a picturesque Panama waterfall. She explained that being in nature made her feel closer to heaven and to the loved ones she has lost.
Jackie tragically revealed that her first husband was killed in a road accident just days before she gave birth to their son, James. She was 22 when they met, and the devastating news was delivered by police officers at her door. "I was due to have James on December 19 and on the 21st, there was a knock at the door and those two fluorescent jackets," Jackie recalled to the cameras. "They said, 'We just want to let you know that your husband has been knocked over by a car and killed instantly.'"
She described the immense difficulty of coping alone with a newborn, stating: "I had James and I found it very difficult on my own. I eventually got my act together and got on in life and coped." Jackie later found happiness again, marrying her second husband Barry, with whom she shares Dylan and a third son, Cameron.
A Family Struck by Double Tragedy
The episode also touched on a second profound loss for the family. Dylan had previously shared that his older brother James, Jackie's first son, died by suicide at the age of 20. Dylan was 16 at the time. "It just hit us all hard, so hard," he said emotionally. He explained that taking part in the race was partly a tribute to his brother, who would have loved such an adventure, and a meaningful journey to share with his mother.
Reflecting on the impact of losing two people so close to her, Jackie added: "Losing two people very close in my life definitely has changed me as a person. When James had gone I'd internalised trying to be brave and put on a brave face for the boys. It took me a while to be strong again, but I've had to be strong as a mother to my boys." She also recalled the chaotic period of having "three little boys under three."
Viewer Reaction and Surprising Revelation
The raw emotion of Jackie's story prompted an outpouring of support on social media. Fans praised the pair's resilience and gentle nature. One viewer on X wrote: "I love Dylan and his Mother so much. It has been so moving hearing their story. They are both such lovely gentle souls." Others commented on Jackie's incredible strength in enduring such heartbreak.
Elsewhere in the episode, fans expressed shock at learning Dylan Llewellyn's real age. Known for playing school and university-aged roles in hits like Derry Girls and Big Boys, many assumed the actor was much younger. "Dylan's 33. Thought he was a young pup," one surprised viewer tweeted, a sentiment echoed by many others online.
Celebrity Race Across The World continues to air on Thursdays on BBC One and is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
