The BBC has commissioned a second series of the reality adventure game show Destination X, according to reports. Presented by Rob Brydon, the show premiered last month to a positive reception, and it is claimed the corporation has already ordered another run ahead of the series one finale later this month.
A show insider told the Daily Star: “Everyone at the BBC thinks Destination X is a cracking show, so they want to bring it back in 2026.” They added: “It’s a clear sign that they have faith it could become one of the biggest shows on TV.” Brydon will reportedly be offered a significant fee to return as host, while producers are set to begin discussing new locations for the series. The Independent has contacted the BBC for comment.
The programme follows nine contestants as they board a blacked-out bus and solve clues to deduce their location. At the end of each episode, they must place an X on a map guessing where they are. The person whose guess is furthest away is eliminated, and the winner at the end of the series takes home £100,000. In the first series, set in Europe, contestants were dropped off in Baden-Baden, Germany, at a fake airport terminal, where they faced challenges before being flown by helicopter to their next location. Deception and underhand tactics soon emerged as individuals were given the chance to withhold information or lead others astray. The finale airs on 29 August.
The format, which has already enjoyed success with a US version presented by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, has been compared to a combination of the BBC’s Race Across the World and The Traitors. Adaptations have also aired in the Netherlands and Denmark. In The Independent’s four-star review, Helen Coffey wrote: “With its combination of head-scratching puzzles, conniving contestants and camera-friendly landscapes, Destination X undeniably has the X factor – an ideal bit of midweek telly that feels sure to go the distance.”
However, the show has also faced criticism. Richard Osman told The Rest is Entertainment podcast that although it was trying to have “the beauty of Race Across The World” and the “tension of The Traitors”, it missed the mark. He claimed the scenery does not work because viewers are given the same clues as contestants and are playing along at home, meaning much of the location cannot be shown. Speaking about his presenting role, Brydon told the BBC he took inspiration from The Traitors host Claudia Winkleman: “I did look to Claudia. I love the lightness of touch there… I didn’t want to get in the way of the show, so I was very aware of that.”
