Race Across the World 2025 cast: Meet the contestants in the line-up

But things might prove difficult for the pairs as they try to reach Hainan Island with a typhoon fast approaching from the south.

So, who is taking part in the race this year? Read on to learn more about the cast of Race Across the World 2025.

Race Across the World 2025 cast: Meet the line-up

Yin and Gaz

Relationship: Friends

Yin and Gaz are an unlikely duo who plan to use their unique dynamic and combined skills to win this year's race.

The pair have quite the different relationship from current and past contestants, as Yin and Gaz used to be married but have been separated for three years. But when Yin's new partner suddenly passed, Gaz was there to help her in her grieving period.

It was when Gaz returned home that Yin asked him if he'd like to take part in Race Across the World, and the rest is history, as they say!

"I wouldn't probably do this with anyone other than Yin," Gaz said. "I know that sounds weird, because we're not together, we're not husband and wife, but we're still best mates.

"And I think even now, could I do this with my brother? No. Could I do this with any other mates? No. And Yin was pretty much the same."

Elizabeth and Letitia

Relationship: Sisters

Extroverted Elizabeth and introverted Letitia want to spend some quality time with each other after almost a decade of living apart in different countries.

"I think I signed up for this mostly for the challenge," explained Letitia. "I think I just wanted to push myself to finish something, to accomplish something big.

"I think on this race, it's a good opportunity to grow as a person. I always strive to push myself to grow and see where my strengths lie or just to know myself. Also, doing this with my sister will be fun. I don't know if I could do it with anyone else."

Elizabeth's reasons were similar in wanting to push herself, but she also wanted to get back intro travelling.

She added: "I haven't been free in my travelling, it's mainly been for a purpose, maybe to visit someone for a wedding."

Fin and Sioned

Relationship: Partners

Fin and Sioned are the youngest pairing in the series at just 18 years old, and were keen to swap their small-town life in Wales for an adventure across the world.

"We're very competitive with each other," Fin said. "But I feel like as a team, we are also very competitive. But there's also a part of us that doesn't want to just go straight and not see anything and just win, you've got to experience it as well."

While Sioned added: "I want to say we're in it to win it because we are, but we're not going to let that stop us from enjoying the whole experience of it."

Brian and Melyvn

Relationship: Brothers

Brian and Melvyn were given very different opportunities in life but they have always looked out for each other.

After watching season 1, Melvyn thought he could do it, and the only question was who he would do it with - and landed on his brother as they were keen "to create some new memories".

Brian said: "I watched the first series and thought this will be fun, exciting, and an adventure with an opportunity for us both to meet up, because we don't meet up that regularly at home, and spend a bit of quality time with each other, as we used to do when we were kids.

"It was an excuse to get together, and relive some of our old adventures when we were teenagers and young children."

Caroline and Tom

Relationship: Mother and son

Mother and son duo Caroline and Tom are an unlikely duo - Tom has travelled, whereas Caroline has never had the opportunity to.

Explaining her reasoning for taking part, Caroline said: "I saw the South American series and absolutely knew that that was the programme I wanted to do with Thomas.

"I've never applied for anything like this before, I've never done anything like this, I've never done anything out of my comfort zone or ever arranged any travel, and I just knew it was made for me and the perfect person was Thomas. Thomas felt the same. We were made for it, or the programme was made for us."

Tom's reasoning was "exactly the same as mum". "I never thought I'd travel with my mum," he said. "But the fact that I get to travel and see the world, and do it with her is just perfect."

Race Across the World continues on Wednesdays at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

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