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I wish I was doing Race Across The World again, says ex-winner

Sarah Lilleyand
George King,Suffolk
BBC/Studio Lambert Tom is standing on the right looking at the camera smiling. He has brown hair, and is wearing a blue short sleeved polo top and a black rucksack on his back. Caroline is on the right looking into the camera smiling. She has a pink top on with a purple and white scarf around her neck, and a burgundy rucksack on her back. BBC/Studio Lambert
Mother and son duo Caroline and Tom Bridge pocketed £20,000 after winning series five of Race Across The World

One of the winners of last year's Race Across The World has said she wished she was part of the new series and that watching the first episode "brought it all back".

Caroline and Tom Bridge, from Hargrave, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, were the first to cross the finish line after 51 days of travelling for series five of the BBC show.

The mother and son duo, who took home a £20,000 cash prize, raced against four other pairs more than 8,700 miles (14,000km) through China, Nepal and India.

Caroline said watching the opening episode of series six, which aired on Thursday, made her want to do the experience all over again.

"Honestly, I wish I was there, the journey looks fantastic," she told BBC Suffolk's Sarah Lilley.

"When they started off at the beautiful sort of cathedral it brought it all back – and the fact they end up in Mongolia… that's one place I would love to go.

"I would love to be there."

PA Media Tom and Caroline Bridge standing outside on a beach both holding a glass. Tom is on the left and is smiling and looking at the camera and is wearing a navy T-shirt. While Caroline, is standing next to Tom on the left, she is looking and smiling directly at the camera.PA Media
Tom quit his job after winning Race Across The World while his mother, Caroline, started her own podcast

Over the course of the new series, five 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.

During the more than 7,456 mile (12,000km) trek they will be without their phones and bank cards and have to survive on a budget of less than £26 per person per day.

Those taking part are best friends Jo and Kush, siblings Katie and Harrison, father and daughter Molly and Andrew and cousins Puja and Roshni.

There is also the unlikely duo of in-laws Mark and Margo, from Liverpool, who have recently put their differences aside following the death of Mark's wife, who was Margo's sister.

"Obviously, they have a common bond, but I think that might be a little demanding, actually, because they do seem quite different," opined Caroline.

"How are they going to adapt and learn to compromise and be with each other, because it's bound to get a lot more difficult than it was [in episode one]."

A man and a woman standing next to each other. The man is wearing a short-sleeved shirt with lobsters on it while the woman is wearing a red T-shirt. They are both smiling and looking into the camera while wearing large rucksacks on their backs.
In-laws Mark and Margo developed a fondness for each other's company following the death of a loved one

According to Caroline and Tom, in many ways winning the last series has changed their lives for the better.

Tom, who described the experience as "incredible", said it had given him the travel bug and a newfound desire to be more adventurous and explore.

"We met people that we would never have met otherwise, and they were some of the nicest and happiest people, so I just want to meet more people like that," he said.

"It has made me realise that you can travel anywhere in the world, you can go completely off the beaten track, and you'll somehow have a good time.

"So, I'm saving up and then I want to go travelling and just to the middle of nowhere and just see what happens."

BBC/Studio Lambert Tom and Caroline stood together next to the sign-in book which is the finish line for Race Across The World. They have their arms around each other.BBC/Studio Lambert
Caroline and Tom had to keep their Race Across the World win secret from friends and family for five months

Caroline, meanwhile, who has recently started her own podcast, said participating in Race Across The World had given her more confidence.

"I certainly feel as if I'm a bit more relevant because I was feeling overlooked for many reasons," she told the BBC.

"It has given me the ability to think that if I want to do something, I can put my mind to it and yes, I can do it.

"Speaking on behalf of Thomas, I'm hoping he becomes prouder of me and realises what I've achieved, even at my age."

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