When Is The Next Race Across The World

Last Tuesday, I found myself glued to the sofa, staring at a couple in their fifties trying to navigate a bus station in rural Kazakhstan. They had a paper map, a single phrasebook, and the kind of exhausted, hopeful look that says, "We have no idea what we're doing." I was jealous. That’s the magic of Race Across The World—it makes you want to drop everything and buy a backpack, even if you have a mortgage and a cat who judges you.

So, when is the next one? After the emotional rollercoaster of Season 4 (the one that went through Asia), fans like me are itching for the next departure. The show’s producers at the BBC have been notoriously tight-lipped. But here’s what we’ve pieced together: the next season is already in production, and early reports suggest a South American route.

The Rumour Mill (and a tiny bit of fact)

A BBC source (translation: a producer’s cousin’s friend who works in catering) dropped a hint that filming wrapped in late 2024. That means post-production is happening now. The usual pattern? Seasons air roughly one year after filming ends. So, mark your calendar for late 2025.

But here’s the kicker—they’re doing something different this time. Word on the street is that contestants will start in Patagonia and race north toward Colombia. Imagine the terrain: glaciers, salt flats, Amazonian mud, and bus drivers who look at your GPS like you’re a spy.

Why South America makes perfect sense

The show loves a challenge, and South America is a logistical nightmare wrapped in a rainbow of languages. You’ll have Portuguese in Brazil, Spanish everywhere else, and a bunch of indigenous dialects that make Google Translate cry. It’s the perfect no-fly zone (the show’s rule is strict: no planes). Get ready for 56-hour bus rides through the Andes, where the toilet is a hole in the floor and the snack is a suspicious packet of cheese.

I’m already picturing the drama. One team will get lost in Bolivia’s salt flats and hallucinate a mirage of a Burger King. Another will accidentally take a smuggler’s boat across a river. And someone will inevitably try to barter their hiking boots for a camel ride. (Spoiler: no camels in Peru.)

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What about the contestants?

Here’s the part that gets me: the casting. The BBC usually looks for real pairs—mothers and sons, best mates, married couples who haven’t spoken in ten years. I heard through a friend of a freelancer that this season has a father-daughter duo who’ve never traveled together. That’s a recipe for either deep bonding or a televised meltdown. Personally, I’m rooting for the meltdown. It’s more honest.

Also, don’t expect Instagram influencers. The show casts people who panic when their phone battery hits 20%. That’s why we love them. They’re us, but with worse luggage.

How to survive the wait

If you’re like me, you’re already googling “best bus routes in Argentina.” Calm down. Murder the wait by rewatching Season 3 (the one through the Balkans). Notice how the couples fight over sandwich fillings and then cry when they miss a ferry. It’s a masterclass in human fragility.

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Or, do what I did: plan a fake race with your partner. Pick two random cities in Europe, give yourselves £100 each, and see who can get to a central point first. My wife beat me by three hours because I took a wrong bus in Poland and ended up at a nudist beach. True story.

The official word (finally)

The BBC hasn’t confirmed a date, but insiders say the premiere will be September 2025. Why September? The show’s summer ratings are decent, but autumn is when people stay home and crave travel shows with snow-capped mountains and crying pensioners. Expect a teaser trailer around June. And if you hear someone whisper “Patagonia,” you heard it here first.

Until then, keep your passport handy. Or at least your remote control. The race is coming, and trust me—you’ll want a front-row seat to the chaos.

P.S. If you’re reading this, BBC casting director, I’m available. I can navigate a bus station in two languages. I’m also very good at complaining about sandwiches.