Race Across The World’s Gaz has opened up about his marriage to Yin breaking down and the cause of their split.
The former married couple are one of five pairs taking part in this year’s BBC competition, travelling 14,000km from the Great Wall of China to Kanniyakumari, the southernmost tip of India.
Though they’ve been separated for three years, Gaz and Yin are taking on the emotional adventure as ‘best friends’, with the former explaining in tonight’s episode how their marriage fell apart.
He shared: ‘Being married to Yin was amazing, I did feel there’s security being married because you’re a unit, you are together.
‘But the breakdown of the relationship was because I became lazy, I took Yin for granted.
‘Even to this day, I blame myself.’
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He continued: ‘I didn’t cope with the breakdown of the relationship at all well.
‘I became insular, it was hard and I didn’t like it at all.’
Gaz recalled how he would drink himself ‘into a stupor’ because he didn’t speak to anyone about what he was going through.
He said: ‘One of the big key things with Yin is she identified that and whilst I was going through my demons and people had given up on me, she never did. She could see what I was doing was not right.
‘I’m at that point now where I’m in a good place and by doing the race I want to repay her because she was there for me through the dark times and I don’t want to let her down.
‘I’ve let her down too many times in the past, I don’t want to do it again.’
When asked about why they wanted to take part in the series, Yin had previously explained: ‘The last year has been quite a personal journey for me. Gaz and I, although we used to be married, we’ve been separated for about three years. And then when we split up, I found another partner, but he passed away suddenly in September.
‘The last year has been tough, but one of the things that Chris gave me was a real sense of adventure, and he really liked travelling. We talked a lot about travelling and so when this came along I thought why not, something inside me made me fill out the application form.’
Yin was living in Gaz’s under-the-stairs cupboard at the time as he was looking after her during her grieving period, and suggested the idea of Race Across The World to him.
She added: ‘He was like yeah, whatever. He probably just said it more to amuse me, because he obviously knew what I was going through at that moment. But before we knew it, he’d filled out the application and the journey had begun!’
The couple split around three years ago, and share a 23-year-old daughter together.
During tonight’s episode, Yin held back tears as she spoke about missing their daughter Autumn and not being with her to celebrate her birthday.
Calling their child the proudest part of their marriage, Yin said: ‘We’ve always managed to put our differences aside for Autumn.
‘I don’t know why it works or how it works, but it works.’
Gaz replied: ‘It does, it’s unique, but it does.’
Speaking about their daughter, Yin continued: ‘Taking part in the race, Autumn sees it as a last adventure together. Time has move on, she has now grown up, we are both different people.
‘She understands me and Gaz are going on a different path and living our own lives, we still want to be supportive of each other but me and Gaz want to get back to engaging with life again and start enjoying it again.’
Race Across The World viewers have already thrown their support behind Yin and Gaz, especially after hearing more about their relationship history.
‘Am I the only one secretly shipping Gaz and Yin for a reunion…?’ Claire wrote on X.
‘We’re all rooting for Yin and Gaz to get back together, aren’t we?’ echoed Roz, adding: ‘What a great relationship Yin and Gaz have. The casting for #raceacrosstheworld is always spot on.’
Russell meanwhile wrote: ‘My early call to win #raceacrosstheworld is Yin and Gaz. No reason why really.’
‘Really warming to Yin & Gaz. They seem like such a sweet couple,’ Ryan added.
Race Across The World airs Wednesdays at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
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