After a month-long adventure spanning 5,900 kilometers across Central America, Celebrity Race Across the World crowned its latest champions: Roman Kemp and his sister, Harleymoon Kemp. The sibling duo clinched victory in the BBC One reality contest, narrowly beating out their closest rivals by a mere two minutes in what many are calling the show’s most nail-biting finale yet, according to BBC News and multiple other outlets.
The journey began on the sun-soaked Caribbean island of Isla Mujeres, Mexico, where four celebrity pairs set off with little more than their wits, £950 each—the equivalent of a plane ticket for the route—and a determination to reach the remote Península de La Guajira in Colombia. The contestants were forbidden from using air travel, smartphones, or bank cards, relying instead on local transport and the kindness of strangers as they made their way through Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, and finally Colombia.
This year’s lineup was as star-studded as ever. Alongside the Kemps, viewers watched as Derry Girls actor Dylan Llewellyn and his mother Jackie, broadcaster Anita Rani and her father Bal, and the engaged pair of EastEnders actress Molly Rainford and DJ Tyler West all vied for the finish line. The race, broadcast on BBC One and available on BBC iPlayer, attracted around six million viewers each week, as reported by BBC News.
After 33 days of travel, the final episode aired on December 11, 2025, delivering a dramatic conclusion. The last stage alone—a punishing 1,000-kilometer dash from Medellín to the Guajira Peninsula—featured a 4x4 trek, a tense boat ride, and a cliffside sprint on foot. The Kemp siblings, who had never led the race until this final leg, managed to overtake Rainford and West in the closing moments, writing their names in the guestbook just before their rivals arrived. "That was the most adrenaline, most emotion that I’ve had ever," Roman reflected to BBC News. Harleymoon, still catching her breath, added, "I’ve never run like that in my whole life."
Rainford and West, who finished just two minutes behind, were gracious in defeat. Tyler West summed up their feelings: "The fact that we were here, 20 meters away and if it weren’t for a broken engine, we’d be first on that list, I’m not worried! That’s life innit." Molly Rainford, fighting back tears, admitted, "I think they’re a mixture of happy tears, just absolute shock and pride."
Third place went to Anita Rani and her father Bal, who crossed the finish line six hours after the winners. Their journey was marked by perseverance, as they clawed back a 12-hour deficit to finish on the same day as the leaders. Anita praised her father: "We are very, very proud of ourselves, well done you dad, you are amazing dad, do you know that?" Bal, reflecting on their progress, said, "We were over 18 hours behind, so that’s 12 hours we’ve caught up."
Sadly, not all teams made it to the end. Fan favorites Dylan Llewellyn and his mum Jackie withdrew earlier in the final episode due to a depleted budget. Their departure tugged at the heartstrings of viewers and fellow contestants alike. Dylan expressed his gratitude for the experience, telling Digital Spy, "My mum has helped me grow, she’s got that best version of Dylan out of me, and hopefully I can continue to be a better Dylan. This journey has been amazing, it’s shown me that there’s a whole world out there and I’ll always keep this with me." Jackie, too, found the race transformative: "The race has made me realise I should have more faith in myself and to embrace life. I feel like a new woman and it’s taken me nearly 60 years to feel like this, but I’m a better person for the whole experience."
The show’s rules—eschewing modern conveniences for a strict budget and local connections—proved challenging. Roman Kemp admitted to The Mirror that he was constantly worried about running out of money, a concern that weighed heavily given the public perception of his and his sister’s privileged background. "Maybe spend a bit more money and have some proper dinners," he mused when asked what he’d do differently next time. "Genuinely, my whole concern was that we were going to run out of money. And, you know, Harley and I are considered classic Nepo kids, and I didn’t want to run out and people think that we didn’t know the value of money—look at them, they’ve run out already."
Beyond the competition, the experience offered the Kemps a chance to grow closer and learn from each other. Roman shared, "The moments in life where you’ve just got to accept your circumstance. I think that’s a really tough thing for me to do for who I am as a person. Because I like to prepare, and I like to know what’s ahead of me and I really struggle sometimes to actually stop and realise that I can have enjoyment in those moments that I can’t control." Harleymoon, in turn, said, "I think Roman has taught me the art of being honest about your emotions. I think I’ve always just been upbeat. And I think Roman being able to communicate how he feels all the time, strangely made me feel like, ‘Oh, that’s not a weakness’. That’s a really powerful tool that you have, to be able to express how you feel. And I feel really inspired by that."
The finale’s tension was palpable—at one point, the Kemps’ boat sped off as Molly and Tyler’s engine failed to start, giving the siblings just enough of a head start. Roman recalled, "I’ll never forget in that final chase, our boat going and hearing Molly and Tyler’s boat not starting. Harley went silent, she went into rigor mortis. I think Harley, at that point, realised, oh shit." The race’s final moments, with contestants sprinting up the cliffside to the finish, were as much about heart as they were about speed.
Despite the lack of a cash prize (unlike the civilian version, which offers £20,000), the celebrities agreed the journey was its own reward. The series, now in its third celebrity iteration, has not only entertained millions but also highlighted the value of resilience, adaptability, and human connection—qualities that, in the words of the contestants themselves, will last far longer than any trophy or title.
As the dust settles on the Guajira Peninsula and the credits roll on another season, it’s clear that Celebrity Race Across the World continues to capture the imagination of viewers by blending adventure, emotion, and a dash of unpredictability. For Roman and Harleymoon Kemp, the finish line marked not just a victory, but a shared memory that will last a lifetime.
