Race Across the World contestant Alfie said he “went into hiding” after becoming the subject of online backlash.
A 20-year-old soccer referee travels from Japan to Lombok with his best friend Owen, 21, on a BBC show, but they encounter more than just a travel nightmare along the way.
he said metro.co.jp After the first episode, in which the two men from St Albans arrive at the first checkpoint, the city of Nara, he said he became “public enemy number one”.
In it, when Alfie encounters Japan’s Nakizumo Festival, he laughs and immediately scolds himself for being “rude.”
This annual event sees sumo wrestlers holding babies in the outdoor ring. The first baby to cry will be declared the winner, and there will be a huge waiting list for those who wish to participate.
Also understandably, Alfie feels “stressed” when he gets on the train to Kyoto and doesn’t know his final destination or which stop he should get off at.
Reflecting on the social media reaction after the first episode, Alfie said: “I was thinking of going into hiding after the first episode, so to be honest I’m glad we changed direction.”
He went on to say, “The day after episode one, I was like Japan’s public enemy number one, but I was fine.”
Asked how he dealt with the online comments, Alfie said: “I just ran away.” I know better times have come. I was hoping everything would work out in the end, and so far it has. ”
Alfie and Owen met at school and are now fan favorites, winning contests and even being recognized on the streets.
“It’s crazy and weird,” Alfie said of his newfound fame.
Their popularity is due, in part, to men being frankly honest about their mental health and open about their past traumas.
In an incredibly moving scene, Alfie releases a lantern in Hoi An, Vietnam, in memory of his late mother, who died of breast cancer when she was young.
But Alfie said he was convinced he had ruined the whole moment.
He explained: [messed] Until the moment I was on the boat, but then they [edited it] It’s completely unbelievable. ”
“I felt like I wasn’t really expressing how I felt in that moment, but luckily they cut it all out.”
In Race Across the World, Owen also talks about how he had low self-esteem during his school days and “didn’t really like himself”.
Regarding the decision to open, he said: “At that moment, we thought it was the right thing to do, but we also know the stereotypes and prejudices behind it.” [male mental health]especially between the ages of 15 and 25, even though suicide is the leading cause of death. [for men in that age group].
“Just being able to show that we’re both trying to enjoy our time together can still get you down mentally sometimes, so that’s really important.”
“I can’t say I like talking about it, but I think it was the only chance I had to get the message across that it’s okay to feel that way and talk about it.”
While viewers have praised Alfie and Owen’s bond, the secret to their friendship is that they care for each other, but they didn’t form such a strong relationship with the Indonesian taxi driver.
Owen even believed he would be “blown out the window” after turning on the air conditioning during a run-in without air, causing it to rub the driver the wrong way.
A trainee fighter pilot said driving was “not very kind” after he hunkered down to switch on the air conditioner due to “sweltering heat”.
His revenge? Reckless driving.
“For the next 15 minutes, he was sitting on the floor everywhere,” Owen recalled. “He was coming within an inch of the car in front of him.”
He continued, “I thought he was going to rear-end me, and I was going to crash through the window and fly away.”
After the friends safely arrived at their destination, Owen said he became furious and refused to interact with the driver, instead paying the fare to one of his colleagues.
Alfie said the trip was “scary at first” but that things had since become “very peaceful”. good.
If Alfie and Owen cross the finish line first, they will not only be crowned the fastest travellers, but also win £20,000 in prize money.
It’s clear the two have caught the travel bug, as they said they end up spending their money on more exotic trips instead of making more “sensible” purchases or saving for a down payment on a house.
Race Across The World airs every Wednesday at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
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