The fifth season of Race Across The World is well underway.
The BBC reality travel show has tasked five partners to race across China, Nepal and India. And they’ve been set the challenge of doing it on the lowest budget in the show’s history – just over £1,000 per person.
While this season of Race Across The World has once again been a hit with viewers, there have been grumbles from certain quarters.
The complaints largely centre around the show’s balance between the personal back stories of the duos and the high-wire drama of getting from A to B on the cheap.
Many fans think the so-called sob stories have occupied too much screen time, as @fish-and-cushion posited in a buzzy Reddit discussion which playfully dubbed the show Sob Story Across The World. (Ouch).
@bobblebob100 agreed that the focus on contestant backstories can be ‘a bit irritating’, but added: ‘But that’s on the producers not the contestants. They clearly ask them the questions.’
‘The sob stories have ruined it for me. It’s nice to see couples bond and improve their relationships (or argue) but the constant sob stories are ridiculous,’ @_I__yes__I_ echoed.
@purpletshirtz added that they thought the show’s runtime would be better spent on the ins and outs of the race, writing: ‘I think we’re missing out on the main story of their travel.
‘Ie where they sleep each night, what/where they eat for each meal, hotel, hostel etc, when they get ill, what they do when they all meet up at a nice hotel. We’re not even sure of the timings this series. The behind the scenes programme is much more informative and, imo, interesting.’
Are the RATW’s ‘sob stories’ becoming a problem?
Our Deputy TV Editor Tom Percival shares his thoughts…
Honestly,I don’t get why people are complaining about the ‘sob stories’. One of the best things about Race Across the World is the way the challenge gives those taking part the confidence to discuss whatever it may be that motivated them to go on this incredible journey.
And while I get why people might think there’s a bit more backstory than previous series, the series would be incredibly dull if all we were doing were watching people silently go from train, to plane, to car and back again. It would be the equivalent of watching someone do their morning commute!
No backstory teaches us about the teams, their relationships, and their lives. It lets us know who to root for, who’s come the furthest, and who’s got the longest left to go. If you cut the sob stories, you might as well cut the whole show.
However, other fans were keen to defend the emotional beats in the show, with @IceKalisto writing: ‘I find that it’s the stories that make the show different from other travel programmes. Without getting to know the teams it wouldn’t be that interesting.’
‘I like the stories too,’ wrote @Constant_Oil_3775. ‘I like hearing everyone’s stories it would be great to hear from the people they stay with as well.’
Race Across The World airs Wednesdays at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
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