Why stars take part in Celebrity Race Across the World despite no cash prize

There's no prize fund for Celebrity Race Across the World, so why do stars want to take part?

In the civilian series the contestants compete to get to the finish line and pocket £20,000 cash prize. So what attracts celebrities to take part in the BBC show if there is no monetary reward?

Interviewed ahead of filming the BBC show, the Celebrity Race Across the World 2024 stars share the heartwarming reasons about why they wanted to undertake the challenge that we all love watching at home from the comfort of our own home…

Jeff and Freddy Brazier

It’s about making memories and seeing the world for father and son duo Jeff and Freddy Brazier. Jeff said: "I wanted to take part because firstly, the travel element is an absolute privilege, the last celeb lot went through 24 countries apparently, what's not to love about that experience?

"But also to share it with my son and to be able to make those memories. He’s not a child anymore, he’s a young adult — I feel like at some point he's going to move out and I’ll lose him. So, I guess I'm just trying to squeeze every last bit out of him that I can."

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Freddy shared his excitement at getting to have quality one-to-one time with his dad. "I’m so grateful I’m able to take part in this," Freddy said. "It'll be nice to spend that time with Dad, just me and my dad. Dad’s got a busy life, he works a lot and there aren’t loads of times where we've done stuff just the two of us. But when we do I’m really lucky whether it's going to the cinema, going to the driving range, it’s all good."

Kelly Brook and Jeremy Parisi

For newlyweds Kelly Brook and Jeremy Parisi Celebrity Race Across the World is the adventure that the couple, who got married in 2022, were looking for.

"We haven't had a honeymoon so this is like our honeymoon. What a crazy honeymoon: this will be!" Brook said. "I think Jeremy and I were looking for a new adventure to go on together and we love to travel. And this just seemed like the dream to get to the airport and not know where you're going. That is like a dream, to go to the airport, be given a plane ticket and just go."

Parisi was quick to remind Brook that it would be a "challenging" experience. This doesn’t dampen her enthusiasm. She said: "It's challenging, it's exciting, you can't really plan anything. And it's just the authentic experience."

Parisi agreed it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He said: "You don't have this kind of experience every day. So, I think this was the right moment to do it."

Kola Bokinni and Mary Ellen

The unique experience is exactly what sold Celebrity Race Across the World to Kola Bokinni and his cousin Mary Ellen. Ellen said: "Kola called me and was like, 'Hey, Mary, do you want to be a part of the show with me?' I was like, 'Oh my God, you thought of me?' I just want to create memories with my cousin, I suppose, and go on the adventure of a lifetime."

Bokinni agreed saying: "It’s not so many times that you get to do something like this. Obviously, I've travelled with my job but I've always had to play other characters. But to do something and it's me, and with my family and I’ll get to see what we're all about, and test our mustards a little bit. So, that's the reason why I wanted to do it, to just experience a different side of life and the world."

Scott Mills and Sam Vaughan

2024 is the year of big challenges for Scott Mills and Sam Vaughan as they filmed the show just two months before tying the knot in Barcelona in June. Their shared love of travel and the idea of them challenging themselves together, convinced them to sign up.

He said: "When Scott and I were first asked to take part in the series, it was kind of a no-brainer, that it's an opportunity where you can just switch off in the world and see places that you've never seen before. You'll probably go to places that you wouldn't choose to go, if you look at a map you probably wouldn't go 'Let's go here.'"

Mills said he knew if they could get Celebrity Race Across the World together they could do just about anything. He said: "Before we get married, everyone says the holiday test is you know you could be with somebody if you go on holiday with them. This is like that times a thousand. Not that I have any doubts that Sam is the one for me, but there will be times in this, I imagine, when it will get stressful.

"And I think I'm expecting it, I don't know, but I'm expecting it to be big highs and probably big lows. So, if we can get through this, we can get through anything basically. I have no doubt that we will but that's part of the reason why I wanted to do it. I also really just want to throw my phone away for a bit. I wouldn’t be able to get to do this again."

And what do the TV bosses think?

The BBC bosses shared the Celebrity Race Across the World series is a "highly rewarding race of a lifetime" for the contestants taking part.

Tim Harcourt, Chief Creative Officer, Studio Lambert said: "After the phenomenally successful run of the first celebrity series, and more recently the fourth series of the regular series - we can’t wait to bring audiences along with us to the huge South American continent and its jaw-dropping scenery, in a race which will push our celebrities and their loved ones to their absolute limits."

Catherine Catton, Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events said: "We've been delighted by the success of celebrity Race Across the World, and are now incredibly excited to see some new famous faces and their loved ones take on this difficult yet highly rewarding race of a lifetime. We cannot wait to watch their journey unfold."

Celebrity Race Across the World returns to BBC One for series two on 14 August at 9pm.