In-laws Mark Blythen and Margo Oakley, who are competing in the final of the BBC's Race Across the World, have opened up about their previously strained relationship. The duo appeared on ITV's Good Morning Britain ahead of the final episode airing tonight (Thursday, May 21).
A Challenging Journey
The travel competition sees five teams embark on a journey spanning over 12,000km across southern Europe and Central Asia, navigating checkpoints on their way to Hatgal in northern Mongolia. Last week, the remaining four teams—Jo and Kush, Mark and Margo, Andrew and Molly, and Katie and Harrison—entered Mongolia for the penultimate leg.
Mark and Margo faced a significant setback as their budget dwindled, leaving them 470km behind the leading team, Jo and Kush. Despite the challenges, the pair have managed to repair their relationship, which had been strained for 40 years.
Admission of Past Tensions
On Good Morning Britain, hosts Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid discussed the pair's history. Richard noted, "They clashed right from the off. She found him judgey, he saw her as loud and wild." Susanna added, "I would never have believed that you didn't get on."
Mark explained that his friendship with Margo grew as they cared for Julia—Margo's sister and Mark's wife—who died from a rare form of cancer in 2022. "She wanted us to be friends, she wanted us to build on what we'd actually got in caring for her, and taking it further," Mark said.
Mark admitted, "I was judgey and boring," while Margo added, "Mark would judge people, but you have changed since then." The stars shared that they did not argue but were cold with each other.
A Turning Point
Speaking about their relationship before the final leg, Mark said, "I think the adversities of leg seven, and being able to overcome those together, has been quite a big turning point in our friendship. We worked really hard together and when we were low, Margo had some extra energy and joy to raise us up and force us to continue to the checkpoint. It was tough but our friendship has strengthened and we are determined to keep going to that finish line."
The Final Leg
To finish the race, the final four teams must head north from Kharkhorin to reach Lake Khövsgöl, known as the "Blue Pearl of Mongolia." They face a critical decision: take a shorter off-road route or add 500km via the capital, Ulaanbaatar. Who will reach the finish line first? Viewers will find out tonight.
Race Across the World concludes tonight (Thursday, May 21) at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
