Race Across the World

[Liquorandvinegar]

New series starting next week - really looking forward to it. The teams are travelling in Asia, but I can't find information about the couples yet. Wednesday nights sorted!

No he writes with his left specifically because of his cp in his right hand. They are a very wealthy, privileged family. They could have thrown money at any problems he had with access to exams/education etc. For some reason they didn't, or if they did, it didnt work. Possibly because Tom just didn't want to do it, which is fair enough. Maybe the pressure from his family/background/school was too much for him. It must take some guts to just say ' no I don't want to do it' and become a labourer.

It’s all going to come down to viewing figures. RATW has grown in profile with every series and if figures go up again this series then they’re going to keep the back stories, even though I’ve haven’t seen a single person say they like them online at least. Not helped at all by the fact the best backstory by 1,000,000 miles was Gaz and Yin and they’ve gone. I have nothing against the sisters but the reveal about losing their home is going to have to be astounding at this stage and I just don’t think it will be. I thought it was Chris that they were at the Taj Mahal and being forced to have a conversation about what they’d like someone to build for them – I just can’t imagine that conversation coming up naturally, especially with those two. In series one I don’t recall any backstory at all and it was much the better for it.

Oh god yes. The mum having an epiphany that she's not worked at all & lost confidence, when sitting amongst women who have real struggles felt incredibly crass.
I didn't think of that, but you're right. Also Tom saying ' Do women her work? Don't you stay at home looming after the children'? Does he think women making a living picking petals off flowers that have been taken out of a bin effectively have the choice? It's not pin money for their manicures.

Series 1 had some backstory but it didn't seem like a necessity for getting on the show, just a fact about the people. So lovely Natalie and Shameema, Natalie has sickle cell and Shameema had supported her through treatment but it was about how that had made them such good friends, in contrast with Darren and son who were trying to connect. It sort of added to the journey rather than the journey being about resolving anything.

I just think the two lads in the first series, Josh and Alex?, would NEVER get on now and they did some interesting stuff to show off the countries etc which was why I watched it!!

Why? Not everyone with CP has learning difficulties and I don't think Tom has. The two things are not connected in this case.

Hubby's own company is registered offshore and was named in the panama/pandora/etc leaks.

I can't say I blame her for downplaying everything if she wanted a challenge.

Exactly.

The mum having an epiphany that she's not worked at all

Although in one interview online, Caroline did say 'I used to have a career but I gave that up'. So it’s all very confusing.

I’ve been watching Series 1 and 2 and there is so much natural drama in them, such as one couple losing their money belt so had to withdraw and in the second, the mother and adopted ADHD son also running out of money and deciding to withdraw. No need for an elimination round. The mother and son combo was fascinating, you saw their struggles and how they dealt with them, I loved them, unlike this mother and son duo.

I actually find Fin and Sionand the most interesting, maybe because their back story didn’t clog up the episode. Imagine being tired and stressed and overwhelmed in such a chaotic environment, and the tuktuk driver takes you to the wrong place and you have no idea how to get back on track, let alone back into the race.

I feel sorry for the sisters - they are just two completely different personalities who just happen to be siblings so why should they be mates? Having to put on a show for the cameras must be as boring and awkward for them as for us

I think the so-called SAHM story is so disingenuous, it’s annoying.

She does say at one point that the family structure is very traditional. So maybe her husband didn't want her to work so she didn't and put her energies into eventing instead just so she was doing something.

So because someone has a disability you can’t pass a comment on something completely unrelated?

I agree with everything about backstory, it reminds me of Traitors near the end and they all sat round the table and had to pull some bull shit out about how winning would change their lives , it was all so forced and there was a an obviously very privileged mum on that can’t remember her name but basically Caroline type and she was saying how she wanted to inspire her boys and provide for them at university as a single mum - get on her instagram she has a very high end high profile interior design business and was clearly rolling in it.
I felt embarrassed for her because she couldn’t even say it convincingly and was probably cringing inside, you could imagine the production team trying to‘workshop’ a sob story angle for each of them using a flip chart.

It’s interesting to learn about people’s stories and dynamics but the sob story doesn’t necessarily endear us to people more we make opinions based on what we see.
I started the application for the next series but found myself thinking about all my negatives to attract attention that I wouldn’t really tell anyone ie colleagues, school mums so I’m not demeaning myself (and my non participating family) by doing it on national tv.
Sad because as someone said it means lots of very entertaining or endearing people won’t apply.
You start getting close to the reality tv fame hunters some of whom apparently have agents that do all the background crap and applications for them . Temptation Island recently had a woman who has just been in Bad dog academy and that god awful thing on itv with Jason off Corrie presenting was full of ‘influencers’ or people that have gone viral/ been on other stuff.
Please don’t go there BBC stay classy like your audience and don’t patronise us.

I didn’t see this at all in Vietnam - but Thailand and India in particular it is everywhere.

I think I'd like Fin and Sioned to win, they have found it much harder than the others. And the prize money could make a massive difference to their lives at their age.

Melvyn and Brian are still my faves though, I like their humour.

yes they basically skirted around the edge of Tibet but it still has a very Tibetan feel. I travelled to Shanghai La in 2007 when it was still called Zhongdian- but the name change was on the way and being talked about. It was a beautiful place but looks like they have sanitised it and made it more touristy as China does with so many places 😢.

Agree. Mrs Eventing and posh boy don't need the cash.

I’d like the teenagers to win the money too, it’s so hard for young people to buy a place and start out in life and I like them.

Yes. Trouble is they’re so far behind now. 😩

I want the brothers to win as they're able to laugh when something goes wrong.

I think Sioned may be. I’m very introverted, shy and socially awkward but don’t experience any sensory issues like that with not being able to cope with crowds and noise.

I’m glad they didn’t mention the cerebral palsy until now. I imagine Tom doesn’t want to be defined many it and to have people feeling sorry for him, which they would have done from the start if it had been mentioned in episode 1.

The mum keeps saying she doesn’t do anything for herself; did she only start the horse racing/ competitions after they got back? I can’t imagine being able to win if she only started once they got back but I could be wrong.

I’d like the brothers to win.

I’m basing that on someone I know who reacts the same way to noises and crowds and was diagnosed as ND later on.

I forgot to add that I’m fed up of the emotional stories too. Tell us their backstory once if you have to, but it’s the same thing over and over again. I’m interested in the race, and their experiences in the different countries, and we could be seeing a lot more if they didn’t keep showing the interviews which repeat what has been said previously.

It’s only really the brothers who give us something new each episode tbh but they are also so matter of fact about it. I like seeing how their relationship is developing but we know a lot more about Brian than Melvin.

sioned and fin don’t seem to have a sob story - I wonder if that’s why they are getting less airtime

Back stories developing in a fly in the wall rather than talking head scenario are fine but this current series has the balance way off.
The actual nutty gritty of the travel is being neglected also I think around food, budget accommodation v overnight travel.
The sisters are insipid and irritating and Caroline disingenuous about her backstory I feel. The brothers are likeable enough as are the young couple - although the ‘small town’ couple thing a bit daft as the they appear well travelled on their insta.

The mum keeps saying she doesn’t do anything for herself; did she only start the horse racing/ competitions after they got back?

She's been doing it for about 25 years at least.

She said early on that her husband didn't want her to work after they got married, so perhaps eventing was something she was allowed to do.

She does seem to have been limited in what she was able to do, and probably does feel life has passed her by, but to not mention the horses and competing, and to lay on thick the housewife aspect, she's not being honest in the programme.

I do wonder what her husband thinks of her doing this, and also that her and Tom are doing more travelling together.

It's been said already you absolutely do not need to be ND to be overwhelmed by India, I am the least ND person imaginable and was travelling for work in comfort on my first visit and still remember it getting too much frequently. Having said that, I love it and would love to visit again, you just have to be prepared for it being crazy full on