The BBC's Celebrity Race Across the World returns for 2026 with four new celebrity pairings taking on the toughest challenge in the series' history, covering an epic 7,500km from Kuching in Malaysia to the finish line in Melbourne, Australia.
The pairs will traverse the prehistoric jungles and heartlands of Borneo, aiming to reach five checkpoints across three countries and two continents. As in previous series, contestants leave behind their phones, credit cards and home comforts as they push themselves to their physical and mental limits. The show airs on BBC One and iPlayer tonight, October 28, from 8pm.
The Celebrity Pairings Taking Part
Singer-songwriter Ella Eyre and her childhood friend Nana are the first pairing, having met at school more than two decades ago. Having never taken a gap year, they are using the race as an opportunity to have fun and explore new places. Ella said: "There really aren’t that many people I could spend [several] weeks solidly with and still be able to laugh my head off," while Nana warned: "We’re going to make a good team. I fear for our competitors."
Ella Mary McMahon, known professionally as Ella Eyre, is a 32-year-old singer who rose to fame after collaborating with Rudimental on their number-one single 'Waiting All Night'. She teased on Instagram: "Side quest of the century with my sister for LIFE @nan__pep @raceacrosstheworld coming soon @bbciplayer @bbcone!!! Can’t WAIT to watch it back with yaaall."
Veteran Broadcaster and Siblings Join the Race
Veteran sports broadcaster Jeff Stelling and his son Matt are the second pairing. Jeff, 71, said he was eager to reward himself for his hard work with some fun. "Work’s been a massive part of my life. Now I don’t have quite the demands that I used to have, so it’s perfect timing," he shared. Jeff is known for his 29-year stint presenting Gillette Soccer Saturday for Sky Sports and hosted coverage of the Champions League between 2011 and 2015. Since December 2023, he has presented Talksport's breakfast show alongside Ally McCoist.
Siblings Princess and Junior Andre, children of media personality Katie Price and singer Peter Andre, are also taking part, keen to show their authentic selves away from their parents' spotlight. Princess said: "Everything we do, we get compared to our parents. But we actually have our own thing that we do," while Junior added: "We’ve kind of got a lot to prove. I’m so excited for this. I cannot wait to do this, we’re going to win." Princess, 19, is a social media influencer and model who has starred in her own ITV reality series, The Princess Diaries, since 2025. Junior, 21, has built a career as a singer.
Sam Ryder and His Best Friend Complete the Line-up
Singer Sam Ryder and his best friend and tour manager Kaz are the final duo. Sam said of their friendship: "We met in 2013. Two kids touring in vans. We just got on like a house on fire, straight away. I reckon we can smash this. Think about all the places we’ve slept over the years on tour." Sam, 37, rose to fame in 2020 after posting music covers on TikTok during the COVID-19 pandemic. His breakthrough came when he represented the UK in Eurovision in 2022, scoring the UK its best result since 1998 and its first top-three result since 2002. His TV appearances include Celebrity Gogglebox, Comic Relief and Taskmaster.
Celebrity Race Across the World starts tonight on BBC One at 8pm.
