RACE ACROSS THE WORLD: MEET THE TEAMS TAKING PART IN NEW SERIES ON BBC ONE

Five intrepid teams embark on the journey of a lifetime, racing more than 12,000km across Europe and Asia, the largest continental area on earth. The route carves through eight distinctive countries: Italy, Greece, Türkiye, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia – each with its own language, culture and climate. In the most extreme race to date, conditions swing from 30-degree Mediterranean heat to subarctic temperatures of –20°C. And they’ve got to do it all on a budget of less than £26 per person per day.

The teams will race from Palermo on the island of Sicily all the way to the remote village of Hatgal on the shores of lake Hövsgöl in northern Mongolia. Retracing parts of the ancient Silk Road, they will follow in the footsteps of traders who once connected the east and west across these vast, unforgiving landscapes.

They will have to navigate their way from the bustling streets of Italy – one of the world’s most visited destinations – to one of its most remote, the windswept Mongolian steppe. With smartphones, internet access and bank cards left behind, they are armed with nothing but the cash equivalent of flying the route.

MEET THE TEAMS

Childhood best friends from Liverpool, Jo and Kush, who are both 19, are the youngest duo in the race. Still living at home with their mums and fresh out of school, this is their first real taste of independence.

Inseparable siblings Katie, who is 20, and Harrison, who is 23, from Manchester, may do everything together, but they could not be more different when it comes to the race.

Junior doctor Molly, 23, and her father Andrew, 54, have always been close, but as Molly prepares to start her medical career, she wants to prove to her dad that she is more capable than he gives her credit for.

Thirty-one-year-old Puja and her cousin, 32-year-old Roshni, have spent their twenties building successful careers and putting wanderlust on hold. Determined to stretch every penny, their plan to avoid pricey areas and expensive transport leads them towards a rural homestay and a more authentic Italian travel experience.

Unlikely duo Mark, who is 66, and Margo, who is 59, have spent the last 40 years with a typically fractious in-law relationship. But after recently putting their differences aside in pursuit of a shared goal – caring for a loved one – they have developed a fondness for each other’s company.

Race Across the World returns Thursday 2nd April at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.