Celebrity Race Across the World is back on our screens as another group of celebrities swap technology and home comforts for paper maps as they attempt to navigate their way around the world.
The latest four pairs taking part in the hit BBC One show are siblings Princess Andre and Junior Andre; veteran sports broadcaster Jeff Stelling and his son Matt; singer-songwriter Ella Eyre and her childhood friend Nana Pepera; and musician Sam Ryder with his best friend and tour manager Kaz Coles.
For six weeks, the celebrities have no access to smartphones, the internet, Google Maps or contactless payments as they attempt to complete the 7,500km journey from Borneo, across South East Asia, to Melbourne in Australia.
The only concession to modern technology is the use of GPS tracking devices for the contestants’ safety.
Who are Sam Ryder and Kaz Coles?
Singer-songwriter and musician Sam Ryder and his best friend and tour manager Kaz Coles are among the strongest contenders to win Celebrity Race Across the World 2026.
Ryder believes their experience of touring together and sleeping in some unlikely places will help them cope with the challenges of the race.
The pair met while touring in 2013 and immediately ‘got on like a house on fire’.
Celebrity Race Across the World: Who are Princess & Junior Andre?
Coles became his tour manager soon afterwards, while Ryder’s first big breakthrough came in 2020, when his TikTok covers went viral during the pandemic.
Two years later, he became a household name after representing the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest with Space Man, finishing second with 466 points.
Ryder has built an enormous social media following, with 14 million followers on TikTok and another four million on Instagram.