Who’s in Celebrity Race Across The World 2026 and what’s the route?

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video On your marks, get set, go: A new series of Celebrity Race Across The World is finally here on the BBC. This autumn, a new group of celebs step away from their lives of luxury and try, by hook or by crook, to make their way thousands of miles with only their own common sense to guide them. As such, the celeb pairings will have to rely on each other, local transport, and random strangers they meet along the way to win the race. Series four of the BAFTA-winning show will see the stars trek across Southeast Asia and Australia in hopes of winning eternal glory; that’s right, there’s no cash prize for the celebs. The 2025 series saw the likes of Tyler West and Roman Kemp among the racers as they took a route from Mexico to Colombia, covering a distance of 5,900km. The 2026 series will be welcoming a new set of famous contestants as they set off on an epic journey, with the new route also being revealed alongside the cast. So, let’s find out who will be competing and what route their adventure will take. Who is in Celebrity Race Across the World 2026? Ella and Nana Ella and Nana have been friends for two decades (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge/Matt Burlem) Award-winning singer-songwriter Ella Eyre, who’s best known for her UK number-one single Waiting All Night, will be racing with her childhood friend Nana. The pair have been friends for 20 years and told the BBC they’re going to treat the trip like the gap year they never got the chance to take when they were younger. ‘We’re going to make a good team,’ said Nana. ‘I fear for our competitors.’ Jeff and Matt Jeff and Matt are father and son (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge/Matt Burlem) Jeff Stelling is used to sharing his thoughts on other people’s performance as a veteran sports broadcaster, but this time he’ll be the one in the race. Jeff is competing with his son Matt. ‘Work’s been a massive part of my life,’ said Jeff. ‘Now I don’t have quite the demands that I used to have, so it’s perfect timing.’ Princess and Junior Princess and Junior are keen to step out of their parents’ shadow (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge/Matt Burlem) Celebrity royalty, Princess and Junior are the children of media personality Katie Price and singer Peter Andre. The siblings now have careers of their own and are keen to step out of their parents’ shadows. ‘Everything we do, we get compared to our parents,’ said Princess. ‘But we actually have our own thing that we do.’ ‘We’ve kind of got a lot to prove,’ agreed Junior. ‘I’m so excited for this. I cannot wait to do this; we’re going to win.’ Sam and Kaz Sam Ryder will be taking on the challenge with friend and tour manager Kaz (Picture: BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge/Matt Burlem) Eurovision legend and musician Sam Ryder is going to be competing with his best friend and tour manager Kaz. The pair met 13 years ago and have been friends ever since. ‘I reckon we can smash this,’ said Sam. ‘Think about all the places we’ve slept over the years on tour.’ Where does the race start? The 2026 Race Across the World kicks off in the bustling city of Kuching, in the Malaysian state of Sarawak in Northwest Borneo. This city, which has the nickname Cat City (I felt legally obligated to share that), serves as a gateway to the ancient rainforests of Borneo, which are some of the oldest and most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth. The race begins in Kuching, Borneo (Picture: Getty Images) What is the route? Once the celebs leave Kuching, they will have a 7,500km journey ahead of them as they travel south to finish in the sun-drenched city of Melbourne in Australia. To get there, they’ll have to pass jungles, make their way across the Indian Ocean, before finally trekking across the Land Down Under, passing through five different checkpoints. And if you think that sounds easy, then you should probably know the stars, who are so used to travelling in style, have only got a budget of about £26 a day to travel thousands of miles. When does Celebrity Race Across The World start? Celebrity Race Across the World will be available to watch on BBC One and iPlayer at 8pm on Wednesday October 28, with each episode following every Wednesday evening for the coming weeks. The route is an epic 7,500km (Picture: BBC) Tim Harcourt, Chief Creative Officer at Studio Lambert, when teasing the show said: ‘This year’s pairs navigate a journey that lays bare two extremes of today’s world. We can’t wait to share how they get on. Contestants give unfiltered and honest reactions to the experiences they face that are as demanding as they are joyful. ‘That’s so rare on television and it’s clear audiences love seeing their favourite stars deal with these daring challenges in spectacular worlds.’ Jasmyn McGuile, Commissioning Editor at BBC Factual Entertainment and Events, added: ‘Audiences have been asking when the Race might reach Australia, so we are delighted that they will be able to experience this unique journey for the first time in Celebrity Race Across the World. With an adventurous start in Borneo’s Sarawak rainforest, another series first, it makes for an unmissable opener for this year’s celebrity teams.’ Celebrity Race Across The World starts on October 28 on BBC One at 8pm Deals of the Day The wellbeing brand behind everyone's favourite candles has launched its biggest sale yet See London's Christmas lights from an open-top double-decker bus this winter My skin always suffers when the heating goes on but this serum changed that The skincare formula that finally took the guesswork out of my routine Families can save up to 20% on summer 2027 holidays in Club Med's four-day sale Arrow MORE: 17 fiendishly tricky questions from hit BBC quiz show — could you get them right? Arrow MORE: Greg James misses BBC Radio 1 breakfast show after boozy night out Arrow MORE: BBC announces major change about Eurovision 2027 UK act TV Newsletter Sign up and tell us which TV shows you love to watch to get personalised updates every morning.