After an epic 51-day journey spanning 14,100 kilometres across Asia, the winners of BBC One’s Race Across the World 2025 have been crowned in a nail-biting finale. Mother and son duo Caroline and Tom Bridge emerged victorious, claiming the £20,000 prize after a thrilling final leg that saw them sprint to the finish line in Kanniyakumari, India’s southernmost tip.
The fifth series of the popular race challenged five pairs to traverse some of the most diverse and complex landscapes in Asia, including China, Nepal, and India. Starting near the Great Wall of China in Huangling, the teams navigated a route peppered with seven checkpoints, including bustling cities like Shanghai and Varanasi, and the mountainous terrains of Nepal. All this, without the aid of smartphones, internet access, or bank cards, and armed only with a budget equivalent to a one-way plane ticket—£1,140 per person.
Caroline, 60, and Tom, 21, from Hargrave near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, made history as the first mother and son pairing to win the show. Their victory was not just a testament to endurance but also to the profound personal journeys they undertook during the race. Caroline shared how she had struggled with her identity outside of being a mother and wife, while Tom, who has cerebral palsy, found newfound confidence in opening up to strangers about his condition for the first time.
The final leg was a tense 1,000-kilometre dash from Panaji in Goa to Kanniyakumari. Caroline and Tom began this stage with a commanding lead of nearly seven hours over their closest rivals, sisters Elizabeth and Letitia, who maintained a consistent performance throughout the race. The teenage couple Fin and Sioned, hailing from Wales, were not far behind, having clawed back from a significant deficit earlier in the competition. Brothers Brian and Melvyn, who had gambled on a rural route around Mumbai only to fall 17 hours behind, finished in fourth place.
As the teams approached the finish, the atmosphere was electric. Caroline and Tom faced a nerve-wracking traffic jam en route to Kanniyakumari, with Tom anxiously spotting their competitors nearby. Upon arrival, the pair had to secure a boat to the fishing village of Arockiapuram for 1,000 rupees, before racing on foot to the Vattakottai Fort, where the final guest book awaited. Overcome with emotion, Caroline broke down in tears upon realizing they had won, declaring to her son: “We must never doubt ourselves again. Ever, ever, ever.” Tom was equally moved, saying, “That’s a really good feeling, I’m lost for words, I can’t believe it. 51 days racing through countries I never thought I’d go to, I never thought we’d come this far, I never thought we’d achieve so much and I’ve never been prouder of my mum – she got me through it.”
The competition was incredibly close: Elizabeth and Letitia arrived just 19 minutes later, with Elizabeth commenting, “Ah Tom and Caroline, so close,” and Letitia adding, “I’m proud of us.” Fin and Sioned finished third, 45 minutes behind the winners, with Fin reflecting, “It would have been incredible to have come first, but obviously we can’t all come first… we’ve gone more than 12,000km.” Brian and Melvyn completed the race three hours and five minutes after Caroline and Tom, with a light-hearted remark about needing a beer after their arduous journey.
The entire series captured the hearts of viewers, with just under six million tuning in or catching up on BBC iPlayer within seven days of each episode’s broadcast. This made it the most-watched program in the UK across all channels and streaming platforms during its run, except for the week Eurovision aired.
Throughout the race, the teams faced numerous challenges, from navigating cultural barriers and congested cities to managing health issues and personal dynamics. Fin, for example, bravely shared his experiences living with diabetes and a brain tumour diagnosed in his early teens. Meanwhile, the previously divorced couple Gaz and Yin opened up about their friendship before being eliminated for missing a checkpoint.
Despite the gruelling nature of the race, Caroline and Tom’s partnership flourished. Tom, who had travelled extensively before, including 10 months in South America and Europe, was the more experienced traveller, but Caroline’s determination and spirit were crucial to their success. Their triumph not only brought them the £20,000 prize but also a profound sense of accomplishment and bonding.
On the journey home, the pair admitted they had quickly broken their pact of secrecy about winning, telling Caroline’s husband within minutes of seeing him. Tom joked about how hard it was to keep the news under wraps after such a life-changing experience.
Looking ahead, the duo is still deciding how to use their winnings. Tom shared, “I haven’t really thought about what I’m doing with the money yet. I don’t want to be stupid and waste it. Mum and I want to go backpacking again, so some of it will be used for that.”
The show’s producers, Studio Lambert, known for hits such as The Traitors and Gogglebox, have confirmed that a celebrity edition of Race Across the World is slated for 2025 or 2026. Meanwhile, applications for the next series are open until 6 July 2025, inviting new adventurers to take on this extraordinary challenge.
Fans of the series can look forward to a reunion special airing on BBC One at 9pm on Wednesday, 18 June 2025. This episode promises unseen footage, behind-the-scenes insights, and a heartfelt look at the journeys of all five teams six months after the race’s conclusion.
Race Across the World has once again proven to be a gripping testament to human resilience, courage, and the power of connection across cultures. Caroline and Tom’s victory is a poignant reminder that sometimes the greatest journeys are not just about distance covered, but the bonds forged along the way.
