These intrepid travellers will speed from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean in a new Race Across the World.
Contestants will cover over 16,000km across Canada in the third series of the hit BBC show.
Starting in Vancouver tonight, they will cross six time zones to North America’s most easterly city – St John’s, in Newfoundland.
The pairs must navigate prairies, wilderness and lakes without using planes, phones, the internet or credit cards. They can only spend the cost of the same journey by plane.
The teams vying for a £20,000 prize are best pals Tricia and Cathie; brothers Marc and Michael; husband-and-wife Mobeen and Zainib; and father-and-daughter duos Kevin and Claudia and Ladi and Monique.
Here they explain all...
* Race Across the World, BBC1, 9pm tonight.
MARC & MICHAEL
As brothers we have a lot we need to sort out
Marc, 36, is a lift operator from Tamworth, Staffs, and brother Michael, 34, is a children’s services manager from the West Midlands.
Do you have a strategy?
Michael: We’re trying to think about what the possible routes are, we have some initial ideas about trying not to go city- based and going a bit more country.
Did you pack anything unusual?
Marc: I brought a pair of lucky socks. They’re Batman socks.
Why travel with your brother?
Marc: We’ve got a lot we need to sort out. We don’t know a lot about each other.
What will you miss most from home?
Michael: My partner, dog Max and the gym.
Marc: There’ll be things about England that I’ll miss, like a KitKat Chunky... the crisps that are not the same as back home.
I’ll obviously miss family members and probably quite a few of my friends that I talk to a lot. And my bed, definitely.
Oh, and football!
ZAINIB & MOBEEN
She has packed her straighteners and I have my skull shaver so we’re all set
Zainib, 32, is a psychiatrist originally from Glasgow and husband Mobeen, 31, is a surgeon from Manchester.
What made you want to take part?
Zainib: Covid happened, and it just feels like all we’ve been doing is working and watching TV.
Have you picked up tips from watching previous series?
Zainib: To be kind, because you have to rely a lot on the kindness of strangers.
Have you got a strategy?
Zainib: Talk to the locals. The locals are the ones that are going to have the best knowledge.
Have you packed anything unusual?
Mobeen: Zainib has packed her straighteners. I have my skull shaver.
What essentials that you couldn’t travel without will you take?
Mobeen: I’ve bought and packed compression boxers because I may have a bit of a chafing problem if I’m somewhere hot and sweaty.
Why travel with your spouse?
Zainib: I feel safe with him.
Mobeen: She’s my best friend. I can’t see me doing this with anyone else.
What do you think you’re going to miss most from home?
Zainib: I’m going to miss my cats. Hands down, my two rag doll sisters.
How did you prepare for this trip?
Zainib: We’ve watched the first two series multiple times.
TRICIA & CATHIE
I do bonkers things despite my sight loss
Tricia, 48, is a bank clerk from Devon and pal Cathie, 49, is a company director from South Wales.
What made you want to take part in the series?
Tricia: I like doing bonkers things. But for me, it’s to prove to myself that with my sight loss I can still do stuff and that I’m not sight loss Tricia, I’m Tricia with sight loss – because a lot of people do label you. I also want to get it out there that people who have got sight loss can still do whatever they want to do, obviously, apart from driving. I wouldn’t want to do it with anybody but Cathie because she’s the tonic to my gin.
Cathie: We give each other confidence. I’m not as cheeky normally but I
am when I’m with her. We bounce
off each other.
Have you picked up any valuable tips from watching previous series?
Cathie: Yes. Bringing a notebook and pen. It wouldn’t have occurred to me. Also being careful with money and spending it wisely. Not necessarily always going for the most expensive, fastest option.
Have you got a strategy?
Cathie: Yes, we have. We want to move at night as much as possible, so saving on board. Work for food. And we’re both cheeky enough to just go up and ask people for help.
What essentials that you couldn’t travel without will you take with you?
Tricia: My white cane and Cathie.
CLAUDIA & KEVIN
He drives me crazy but we have a love of adventure
Claudia, 27, is a product developer and buyer from Southampton and dad Kevin, 53, is a marine canopy maker, also from Southampton.
Do you have a strategy?
Kevin: I’d love to say that we do and we’ve thought that far ahead but we’re literally just winging it.
Have you packed anything unusual? What essentials that you couldn’t travel without will you take?
Claudia: Dad has questioned me on my choices on shampoo and conditioner. Apparently, that’s not the right means of survival.
Kevin: I have a compass and a good old bar of soap.
Why did you decide to travel with your dad?
Claudia: We bring out the best and the worst in each other. My dad absolutely drives me crazy but, to be honest, I wouldn’t do it with any other person. Me and my dad just have this drive, this similar love and passion for adventure – pushing each other to see how far we can go. It will be nice to share that.
What will you miss most from home?
Claudia: My friends, my space, food and caffeine. Definitely tea and coffee, with frothed milk and vanilla syrup…
Kevin: Definitely Guinness, I’m a Guinness drinker.
LADI & MONIQUE
I need someone older and wiser on this trek
Ladi, 52, is a sport professional from Essex, and daughter Monique, 25, is an event manager from East London.
What made you want to take part in the series?
Ladi: I’m going to spend quality time with my daughter that I will probably never get again.
Monique: I don’t do camping. I want to challenge myself to experience countries in a way that I never would. And who better to go with than my dad? I need someone who’s older, wiser and knows more about the world than I do.
Have you picked up any valuable tips from previous series?
Monique: Budget, budget, budget. And that’s hard for me, because if I ever run out of money, I go to Bank of Dad.
Q. Have either of you packed anything unusual?
Ladi: A survival bracelet. If we get caught in the middle of nowhere and need to start a fire, we can.
Monique: Skincare. I’ve an intense routine. It’s not just the moisturiser, it’s the cleanser, the hyaluronic acid, the serums, it’s the anti-ageing creams because I’m 25 now. Nothing unusual.
