Yahoo News Race Across the World's Alfie hits back at claims show pays strangers to help
Alfie reveals what really happens when filming Race Across the World
Race Across the World's winner Alfie has set the record straight about claims the BBC show pay strangers to help contestants.
This series saw the teams race 15,000km through several countries across Eastern Asia, although the contestants couldn't go through China. The five teams included best friends Alfie and Owen, siblings Betty and James, retired married couple Viv and Stephen as well as mother and daughter pairings, Eugenie and Isabel - plus Sharon and Brydie who were eliminated early.
This week we saw best friends Alfie and Owen win the £20,000 prize money - with the support of the UK watching at home - after they crossed the Race Across the World finish line first in Lombok, Indonesia. See the astonishing moment when Alfie and Owen found out they came first below.
One of the most rewarding and wonderful elements of the show is where strangers offer to help the contestants. Alfie hit back at claims that the strangers are paid by production staff to help and instead he revealed what really happens behind the scenes.
Alfie told Yahoo: "I think the kindness of strangers definitely the core of Race Across The World. It’s been shown in every single series and episode.
"And to be fair, we didn't come across many people at all who just flat out refused to help. So it is incredible and it is as genuine as it looks.
"These people aren't getting paid by production, like some people have suggested. These are people that we approach in the streets. It really is so authentic and so moving when someone decides to help you."
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The kindness of strangers clearly had a huge impact on Alfie as he said this was the biggest lesson him and Owen took away from the race. Alfie added it was a huge lesson that travellers could take from the show moving forward.
He said: "It was definitely just being able to talk to people, talk to locals. Trust in the power of kindness, that was definitely the one thing we learned because we came across so many people that didn't have much to offer but they offered what they had."
Owen who plans to travel back to Southeast Asia this summer said he plans to ask locals for help rather than relying solely on Google Maps or Trip Advisor. Reflecting on how the race will change how he travels, he said: "You don’t always need to go on Google Maps or Trip Advisor to find out something. A lot of time the local people have the best knowledge.
"Even if there's a bit of a language barrier, it's definitely worth kind of getting past that to get their recommendations and help because half the time it will be, You know, it's so much better than anything you find online."
In the reunion show, Viv admitted she thought this part of race was "fixed" before filming when she then witnessed it herself. She said: "We always assumed it was a bit of a "fix" previously."
"Yes, we previously did," Stephen agreed on the reunion episode.
Viv added: "But in actual fact when it happens to you you are like 'Oh I can't believe'."
Speaking to Yahoo in a previous interview, the retired married couple said the kindness from strangers was the most rewarding part of race for them.
Stephen said: "We regularly get asked what was the best bit? What was the best place you went to?
"It’s a hard one to answer but singularly the people we met every country were so nice. So supportive. Friendly. Welcoming. Just lovely."
Viv agreed: "Sometimes we didn't even have to ask for help. Sometimes they saw us. Sometimes we were crying. They would come over and offer help. It’s amazing, the help that they did offer."
Catch up on Race Across the World on BBC iPlayer now.
