Race Across the World series six winners crowned

"It was such a cool experience to be able to go to all of them places and the activities that we do are genuine, they're real people," said Kush.

"Getting an insight into that was such privilege.

"But it was also a race and it's super tough especially the elimination leg."

They began the elimination leg in last place, meaning they had to get a move on to avoid being sent home at the halfway point of the journey.

"The stress was high, because it was like, go hard to go home at this point," said Jo.

"That feeling of being last is horrible, and I think it was like a wake-up call."

We saw the 19-year-olds unwinding during the race by playing basketball and enjoying an evening of Mongolian throat singing.

But a trip to a judo gym in Kazakhstan led to a more emotional moment for Kush, as it brought back memories of his late stepdad, Matt.

Viewers saw Kush in tears as he explained he was just 14 when Matt took his own life during lockdown.

In one emotional moment, he said: "I really wish I could show him who I am now."

Kush this week told BBC Newsbeat that watching the scene back next to his family was tough.

"Usually when we talk about my dad it's in a more light-hearted context of, like, 'do you remember this?'," he said.

"But when it's talking about the feelings and emotions behind it, it can be quite tough.

"But the response from the public's been so heart-warming."

In the final episode, they worked briefly in a Mongolian bar to help pay for a taxi.

They let themselves down, ever so slightly, by being unable to name all of The Beatles after having stumbled upon statue of the Fab Four (George Harrison you were missing, lads).

Daughter-and-dad duo Molly and Andrew finished second, while inseparable brother-and-sister duo Katie and Harrison finished third.

In-laws Mark and Margo were delighted just to finish, in order to honour the "last wishes" of his wife and her sister, Julia - who died from the rare blood cancer myelofibrosis in 2022.

"We haven't won the race, but we've won our race," said Margo.

"Thank you Julia," added Mark.

The first series of Race Across the World won the 2020 Bafta TV Award in the best reality and constructed factual category.

Series six began in April, garnering an early four-star review from the Guardian, who said it was "still reality TV gold and a total pleasure".

The Independent gave it the same score, calling Race Across the World "a wonderful source of escapism in uneasy times" and "the most wholesome show on TV".

And the Times gave four stars too, noting the "fine start to another rip-roaring journey".

The show - which has spawned several celebrity spin-offs - is produced for the BBC by Studio Lambert, who are also behind The Traitors, Gogglebox and Squid Game: The Challenge.

Applications for series seven are open now until 31 May 2026.

Participants from every series of the show will take part in the forthcoming Great Manchester run on that same date, in memory of late former contestant Sam Gardiner.

All six series of Race Across the World are available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.