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Who are Jo and Kush? Meet Race Across the World 2026 contestants

Let the race begin!

Jo and Kush stood next to each other smiling ahead with large rucksacks on their back.

BBC/Studio Lambert

Published: Thursday, 21 May 2026 at 12:30 pm

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It's Thursday and that can only mean one thing: Race Across the World is back!

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Tonight (Thursday 21 May), the race reaches its final leg as the remaining teams prepare to make one last push through Mongolia, with the finish line now tantalisingly close.

For best friends Jo and Kush, simply making it this far already feels like a victory.

"The fact that we got this far is a win itself," Jo said. "The whole point of the race was to make it to Mongolia, and the fact that we are now so close to the end, we feel like we have fully fulfilled the entire trip."

But, with the pair heading into the finale as one of the front-running teams, the pressure is firmly on.

"It’s relieving to have got to Mongolia, because that was such a big part of the entire journey," Kush said. "So ticking Mongolia off the list is definitely a massive bonus, but it’s now very stressful, because every decision matters going into the last leg."

With no smartphones, internet access or bank cards, the teams must rely on their instincts, their budget and the kindness of strangers – and Jo and Kush have already proved they have the resilience to go the distance.

But just who are they? Scroll on to learn more about the Race Across the World 2026 contestants.

Who are Jo and Kush?

Jo and Kush looking out at sea, smiling ahead as they pose for a photo.

Jo and Kush. BBC/Studio Lambert

Relationship: Best friends

Jo and Kush are childhood best friends from Liverpool, who headed into the race hoping their "Scouse charm" would help them throughout their adventure.

The 19-year-olds have been best friends for over 15 years, with their parents having met at a play group when they were toddlers.

Having now made it all the way to Mongolia, the pair say the experience has only strengthened their bond.

"I think it’s brought us closer together and it’s definitely shown how strong our friendship is," Jo said, while Kush added: "I think it’s also shown that we can be so comfortable around each other. We’ve been so open with each other and have allowed ourselves to be vulnerable around each other, which is very different to other friendships I have had."

Their biggest challenge has been trying to balance the joy of travelling with the pressure of the race itself.

"Switching off the race brain and enjoying it," Kush said when asked about the hardest part so far. "Trying to step away from the challenge of it all, and the competitive aspect and trying to lean more into the travelling aspect was tough. It was difficult to find a balance."

Jo added that the move into Asia brought its own complications, particularly when it came to transport: "Being in Mongolia now, there’s nothing here, and there’s literally like two roads, so the next leg is going to be a challenge."

Could Jo and Kush win Race Across the World?

They certainly think their biggest competition is Andrew and Molly.

"Andrew and Molly, 100%," Kush said. "We came into the race as the underdogs, but Andrew and Molly, they’ve not won a leg yet and they’ve climbed the leaderboard and are now second, which brings that nervousness of them actually being the underdogs and taking over."

Jo agreed, saying: "They are so confident and are speaking so confidently about overtaking us. They’ve said to us ‘everyone has won at least one leg, and now it’s our turn’, so that’s kind of intimidating."

As for what winning would mean, Kush said it would be "very validating" after all the "lost sleep and struggle", while Jo added that being crowned champions would be "the icing on the cake" after feeling underestimated at the start.

And Kush has another motivation, too: "We also want to do it for the Scousers as well!"

Race Across the World continues on Thursdays at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer. Seasons 1-5 are available to watch on iPlayer.

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Authors

Black and white cut-out portrait headshot of Katelyn Mensah, smiling against a lime green background.

Katelyn MensahSenior Entertainment Writer

Katelyn Mensah is the Senior Entertainment Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.

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