Rutland couple Stephen and Viv reflect on BBC’s Race Across the World ahead of new series starting tonight on BBC One

It’s hard to imagine what it’s like to race across the world with no phone and limited money all while being followed by a camera crew for a Bafta-winning TV show.

But Rutland couple Stephen and Viv Redding are among the handful of people who understand.

The couple found fame on last year’s season of BBC One’s Race Across the World and will be joining the millions of households tuning in when the show returns tonight (Wednesday, April 23) at 9pm.

Stephen and Viv say they are very excited to watch, but will be viewing it with fresh eyes as they know the behind-the-scenes secrets of how it works.

“When we were preparing for the race we would watch previous episodes, it looked easy but there are so many complications,” said Stephen.

“You wonder why they don’t race as fast as they can, but you aren’t allowed as you have to do experiences too.”

This year the teams will be racing from the Great Wall of China to the southernmost tip of India - a part of the world the Rutland couple is familiar with.

Stephen, a father-of-five, said: “China has fantastic transport but no-one speaks English whereas India is the opposite but the transport is useless and chaotic.”

The show features five pairs and this year they are sisters, Elizabeth and Letitia; brothers, Brian and Melvyn; teenage couple, Fin and Sioned; mother and son, Caroline and Tom and formerly married couple, Yin and Gaz - who Stephen and Viv are particularly interested to see.

When asked what this year’s contestants will be experiencing, the couple explained the cast are treated to a viewing party of the first episode before it’s released to the public.

For the pair, although it was initially strange to watch and hear themselves, there were no nerves as they felt the show accurately reflected the race well.

Although a shot of Stephen’s bum from when the pair relaxed in traditional Japanese bathing facilities did have them wondering how it would be received when it flashed on millions of screens across the country.

Viv, a mother-of-two, said: “It was really good fun watching it back because doing the race felt surreal and like an out-of-body experience.”

Stephen added: “The whole thing is a crescendo. It builds up for months then you start and don’t have time to stop and think.

“This brings back memories of a lifetime and reminds us of all the happiness we had.

“It was a learning curve - we cried a lot and were both ill - but the whole thing was spectacular and we are some of about 25 people in the world to have done it.”

Unlike other competitors on the show they didn’t argue and their love shone through - which won over many viewers - and they opened up about their health issues including Stephen’s heart attack in 2006 and Viv’s stroke in 2011.

The pair described themselves as the ‘token old couple’ but defied expectations when they made it to the final.

Stephen and Viv didn’t tell anyone the results of their season and held viewing parties each week in their Oakham home. Their children even took bets on how they would place, with five out of the seven believing they would win.

Although they missed out on first place, the TV show has presented them with new opportunities - enabling them to see even more of the world.

With a 41,000 strong following on Instagram, 11,500 fans on TikTok and a line–up of companies keen to work with them, the married couple have since become travel influencers.

Stephen said: “The influencer thing is still a mystery to us.

“We just hold the camera and say what we think - we don’t edit things.

“We’ve got no idea what half the buttons do - it took us six months to realise we had messages!”

Viv added: “We’ve got this loyal following who love what we do.

“It’s almost like we have got more friends.

“We were excited when our followers got to 1,000 but then it kept creeping up - we couldn’t believe it.”

The pair will say yes to any opportunity as long as it ticks three boxes: enjoyable and fun, not leaving them out of pocket and being looked after well.

Since the show the pair have enjoyed a campervan trip around Canada, finishing with an Alaskan cruise, and holidays to South Africa, India and most recently Sri Lanka, as well as adventurous activities such as white water rafting.

Trips look very different for the pair now as the show inspired them to be more spontaneous when visiting new countries and to lower their standards on where to spend the night.

Viv said: “It’s no comparison to life before the race. We would go to a hotel and only leave for a walk or a day trip.

“Now we are travelling and experiencing so much more.

“We wouldn’t do it any other way.

“Going to just one place for a week isn’t us any more.”

They also take more risks by utilising different modes of transport and leaving hotel bookings to the last minute as they remind themselves ‘what’s the worst that could happen’.

There is no rest for the retired couple who have a number more trips planned including to South America.

“You only get one life, it’s not a dress rehearsal, so pack in as much as you can,” said Viv.

“Even if you are retired or on a budget, there are ways of doing it so get out there and see the world.”