Episode 3

BBC One’s much-loved, BAFTA-winning series Race Across the World is back on BBC One and BBC iPlayer as five teams set out on the journey of a lifetime, travelling at ground level through eight distinctive countries, crossing southern Europe and central Asia. With smartphones, internet access and bank cards left behind, they are armed with nothing but the cash equivalent of flying the route.

As the third leg begins, the stakes couldn’t be higher, with one thing at the forefront of everyone’s mind – the team in last place will face elimination. The five pairs wave goodbye to Europe as they head into Asia, racing from bustling Istanbul to the remote riverside town of Halfeti in south east Türkiye. Perched on the banks of the Euphrates River, much of Halfeti was submerged when the Birecik Dam flooded the area, leaving a lone minaret rising from the water. In a leg where every decision has consequences, teams face a crucial choice. They can head south and take advantage of the well-connected tourist hubs on the Turkish Riviera, or they can cut directly across country, retracing part of the ancient Silk Road as they journey through central Türkiye. Both routes converge on the southern city of Gaziantep, where the final dash to Halfeti begins.

Katie takes charge and persuades brother Harrison to tick off a bucket-list experience. An early morning wake-up to watch the hot-air balloons rising over the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia shows Harrison the value of swapping efficiency for adventure. While he’s pleased with their position in the race so far, making the most of the experience may require him to start taking Katie’s advice. After soaring up the leader board in the last leg, cousins Puja and Roshni have every reason to celebrate, not least because it’s Puja’s birthday. Buoyed by newfound confidence and determined to stay in the race, they follow their hearts and volunteer at a turtle sanctuary, where Puja reflects on the loved ones she would usually celebrate with. Chalk-and-cheese in-laws Mark and Margo are united in their desire to avoid elimination as they head via the capital, Ankara. Taking on work in a converted caravanserai, they each lean into their strengths – Margo, front of house, waiting tables, Mark in the kitchen striking up a friendship with the local chef. The experience reveals just how much more the journey could offer them both, but to continue, they need to stay in the race. On their way to the checkpoint, Mark refuses to cave in to impulsive Margo, a decision that saves them money but costs valuable time. Fearful of elimination, Andrew and Molly’s competitive streak takes over, prompting a bold change of strategy as they tackle a route they might previously have avoided, heading towards some of Türkiye’s largest coastal cities. Concerned about their finances, a last-minute stop to pick up work in Adana proves hard for Molly to stomach. Best friends from Liverpool, Jo and Kush, begin the leg trailing behind. Determined to stay in contention, they plot a direct route and throw everything they can into making up time, but an early missed connection threatens to derail their progress before they’ve even left Istanbul. As they attempt to stay in the race, they’re faced with a high-stakes decision that could change the course of their journey.

The contestants must draw on every bit of their ingenuity and resilience to race quickly and strategically, battling to stay in the competition and avoid seeing their journey cut short. This leg will challenge all five teams both physically and emotionally, pushing them to their limits. Yet with their feet on the ground and their eyes wide open, the rewards will be great and the memories everlasting. But only one pair can cross the finish line first, claiming victory and taking home the £20,000 prize in a Race Across the World.