The BBC has modified the rules of Celebrity Race Across The World after safety concerns forced contestants to take a flight during the latest leg of the competition. The teams were tasked with reaching Medellín, Colombia's second-largest city, but faced a hazardous section through the Darién Gap, where travel was restricted to daylight hours.
Producers intervened when a security alert warned of planned strikes on the approach to Medellín. Contestants were shuttled to Betancur airport and boarded the next available flight. A voiceover explained that due to rumoured armed attacks in the Antioquia region, Colombian authorities had placed police and army on high alert, making flying the only safe option.
The rule change caused mixed reactions among the celebrities. Molly Rainford and Tyler West, who were leading, expressed disappointment at having to fly, but their progress was unaffected as they reached the fifth checkpoint first. Harley Moon Kemp and Roman Kemp benefited, with Harley calling it a potential game-changer. However, Anita Rani and her father Balvinder missed the last flight and had to wait until the next day.
Although flights are typically banned in the programme, producers have made exceptions in the past when land travel was deemed unsafe or logistically impossible. Celebrity Race Across The World is available on BBC iPlayer.
