The race is on once again. In the latest season of Race Across the World, the BBC’s wholesome globetrotting hit, five pairs of travellers relinquish their smartphones and embark on a journey that will take them from sun-soaked Sicily to the snowscapes of Mongolia, tracing parts of the ancient Silk Road in the process.
It’s a format that is now in its sixth season, not counting the smattering of celebrity spin-offs. Yet it still feels far fresher and funnier than a) any of the innumerable travel programmes featuring pairs of male comedians dispatched to unlikely locations, and b) the slew of imitation shows that have sprung up to try and capitalise on its success.
