Viewers of BBC’s Race Across the World were left stumped at the start of the latest episode, as the show continued on from last week’s cliffhanger, with the duo racing to reach a checkpoint to get a head start on their competitors.
Best friends Owen and Alfie, from Hertfordshire, arrived at the checkpoint a full day ahead of Rutland couple Stephen and Viv, mother and daughter Eugenie and Isabel, and siblings Betty and James.
This gave the boys a 24-hour early start, traveling from the West Sumatra city of Bukittinggi to Jakarta, meaning their rivals couldn’t move on until the following day. But the show kicked off with Steven and Viv, and Eugenie and Isabelle battling for second place, despite having the same start time.
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“It makes no sense when couples race to the checkpoint for seconds. Always baffling,” one fan wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Another said: “Why fight…there is literally no advantage to signing second or third here…” and a third agreed: “It’s hysterical watching two teams compete to try and outdo each other so they can start 10-15 seconds faster than the other.”
Stephen and Viv, Eugenie and Isabelle, and Betty and James started the latest episode as the follow-on team chasing Alfie and Owen, but Eugenie and Isabelle still have quite a bit of cash left over and are determined to find their next destination. They were able to have a car drive them there, but the other teams chose to take the bus. The competition heats up as Eugenie and Isabel steal Stephen and Viv’s taxi in a desperate bid to get ahead of them. X viewers were unhappy with the move, with one viewer writing: “Not a fan of Stephen but the taxi thing was a bit out of place.”
Another added: “Oh my goodness! Shocking. Eugenie and Isabelle stole Stephen and Viv’s taxi. Unforgivable and disgraceful. I really hope Eugenie and Isabelle don’t win. My mum always used to say ‘cheating never works’.”
Elsewhere, Betty and James have had difficult episodes where funds have run out and transport setbacks. Stay up to date with the latest TV and showbiz news by signing up to our newsletter here.