The sixth season of the BBC’s beloved adventure series, Race Across the World, is back on screens, promising viewers a whirlwind journey across two continents, eight countries, and thousands of kilometers of uncharted territory. Among the five intrepid pairs bracing themselves for the 12,000km trek from Palermo, Sicily, to the icy shores of lake Hövsgöl in northern Mongolia, are a father-daughter duo from Northern Ireland whose story has already captured the imagination of fans back home.
Andrew Clifford, a 54-year-old geography teacher from Maghera, and his 23-year-old daughter Molly, a junior doctor, are one of the teams facing this year’s most extreme route yet. According to The Irish Post, the journey will take them through Italy, Greece, Türkiye, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and finally Mongolia, with the added challenge of surviving on a shoestring budget of less than £26 per day.
“We were sitting watching it on TV one night, and the option to apply came up and every time we watch it, we always say that we would love to do it,” Molly recalled to The Irish Post. “The next day, the ad popped up on daddy’s Facebook, and so we put an application in thinking nothing of it, and it’s kind of just been a whirlwind since then.”
The BBC’s Race Across the World has long been known for its grueling tests of endurance, resourcefulness, and adaptability. But this year, the stakes are higher than ever. As Radio Times reports, contestants will face Mediterranean heat topping 30 degrees Celsius and subarctic chills plunging to minus 20 degrees, all while retracing portions of the ancient Silk Road—the legendary trade route that once bridged East and West. The catch? Teams only learn their next checkpoint after reaching the previous one, leaving them in a constant state of suspense and requiring on-the-fly planning at every turn.
For Andrew, the race is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. “This is what I've always wanted to do but never had the willingness to do it, nor the money or the circumstances, but I’ve always wanted to go backpacking,” he told The Irish Post. “I have a wife who would very much not want to do it—it would be her ultimate nightmare to have a backpack on going around places. But I’ve always wanted to do it and so to do it with my daughter, I am absolutely delighted.”
The Cliffords’ approach to the competition is refreshingly down-to-earth. Rather than focusing solely on victory, they’re determined to savor every moment and immerse themselves in the diverse cultures they’ll encounter along the way. “We’re thinking about it all the time, but there is so much unknown,” Andrew admitted. “You don't know where you're going; you don’t know what to pack—all those kinds of things. So, I guess strategy has not been a part that we have really thought about. We just want to experience the culture and see things. We haven’t spoken about winning, it’s about the experiences, but the competitive nature is there within us which will come out when it has to.”
Molly echoed her father’s sentiments, emphasizing that participation itself is their primary goal. “For us, winning would be second to doing it,” she said. “We’re competitive by nature and we will give it 100% no matter what, but if that's us coming last, or if that's us coming first, we will just do our best to do what we can. We haven't traveled like this before. We don't know languages so we’re maybe on the back foot in comparison to the other couples.”
Their journey is steeped in personal meaning, too. Both Andrew and Molly have packed a few cherished items from home—tokens that serve as lucky charms and reminders of their roots. “I have the colours of our town on our backpacks, our local kind of football clubs and we've got sunflowers for daddy's friend that passed away, Marie, and then daddy's school colours on it,” Molly explained. “It’s very Irish of us to support our colours and be proud of where we're from and who we're doing this for.” Andrew added, “The family has been so supportive of us and so excited. They’ve given us little trinkets but being where we’re from, it’s generally prayers to keep you safe. I have my father in law's old rosary beads and the crucifix from it, so it's more a prayerful thing.”
Back in Derry, their extended family and friends have rallied behind them. “Everyone's been amazing,” Molly said. “We're very lucky, everyone is so excited. My grandad invited everybody around the house when we left because he thought it was live on TV. We have a big Irish family and so the excitement has taken over.”
The show’s format, as described by series producer Michael Perry in Radio Times, is as immersive as it gets. “You live and breathe it,” he said of the production experience. “You don’t leave their side. You do whatever they do. But you can’t interfere. I’ve seen people leave notepads, or you might notice out of the corner of your eye that there’s a better option. You have to bite your lip.” This hands-off approach ensures that every twist and turn is authentic, and every challenge is faced head-on by the contestants themselves.
Each leg of the race brings a new set of hurdles—be it language barriers, unpredictable climates, or the constant pressure of managing a meager daily allowance. The path from Sicily to Mongolia isn’t just a test of physical stamina, but a crucible for emotional resilience and teamwork. The teams’ only certainty is uncertainty itself; each checkpoint reveals the next destination, keeping strategies fluid and nerves on edge.
For viewers, the appeal of Race Across the World lies not only in the breathtaking scenery and heart-stopping competition, but in the deeply personal journeys of its contestants. The Cliffords’ story is emblematic of the show’s spirit: ordinary people, propelled by curiosity and courage, stepping far outside their comfort zones to discover the world—and, inevitably, themselves.
The adventure begins Thursday, April 2, 2026, airing at 8pm on BBC One and available to stream on iPlayer. Fans can also catch up on previous seasons and track the progress of Andrew, Molly, and the other brave teams as they traverse deserts, mountains, and everything in between. Whether they finish first or last, one thing is certain: the memories forged on this journey will last a lifetime.
As the Cliffords set out with their backpacks, lucky charms, and a head full of dreams, they carry with them the hopes of their hometown and the cheers of a nation eager to see how far determination—and a little bit of Irish luck—can take them.