Ready, set, go!
Reality competition The Amazing Race is putting its stars’ relationships to the test in season 27.
Amazing Race Season 27 Mondays (from 19 November) SABC3 (*193) 19:30
If there’s one thing fans love about The Amazing Race (2001- current), it’s watching as the 11 duo teams get along during their global race. It doesn’t matter if they’re blindfolded on an obstacle course or taxiing their way through a busy city centre, the emotional journey is almost as important as that $1 million (R14 million) cash prize for the winners. “I’d describe this season 27 as a real ‘character’ season,” says long-time host Phil Keoghan. “The Racers this season are interestingly diverse and different from teams that we’ve featured before.” He adds that this is the first time that they’ve managed to cast such relatable yet TV-friendly teams on Amazing Race: “It’s interesting to see how an experience like this [travelling the world in 21 days with cameras following them] affects an existing relationship. The Race is really just an excuse to see how two people in existing relationships work through challenges. It’s tricky but it can be fun too,” jokes the host.
1 #TheDancers:
Ernest (29) and Jin (26) are hip-hop dancing brothers who are ready to race. “We have travelled across Europe while on our dance tours, so we are used to being on the go non-stop,” says Ernest.
2 #TheReporters
Kelsey (25) and Joey (26) are dating news anchors who say that their advantage over the rest is their ability to handle stress thanks to their fastpaced working environment. “Nothing fazes us,” boasts Joey.
3 #TeamTexas
Best friends Tanner (26) and Josh (28) are super competitive and don’t mind using their good looks to get ahead, says a grinning Josh: “We are eyecandy and forming alliances with the girls can only help!”
4 #TheGreenTeam
Engaged couple Justin (39) and Diana (30) bonded over their love for the show. They know all the secrets and tricks, and Justin’s Amazing Racethemed proposal went viral in 2014.
5 #TeamTMZ
Kelly (37) and Shevonne (31) took a break from their blogging jobs at entertainment site TMZ.com and make no excuse for who they are, says Kelly: “We’re blunt, harsh and criticise people for a living.”
6 #TeamAlabama
Denise (51) and James (26) are hoping that The Race will help them mend their damaged mother-son bond. “We stopped speaking when I came out,” says James. “We are hoping that we can fix things again.”
7 #ThePaparazzi
Chris (46) and Logan (36) know that they work well as a team, both at home as a married couple and in the workplace – they’re paparazzi photographers who are used to racing from one place to another.
8 #TheCheerleaders
Health consultant Tiffany (28) and her speech pathologist friend Krista (28) fool people with their good looks. “We are ex- cheerleaders but we are analytical and fierce,” says Krista.
9 #ChacAttack
Doctors Cindy (36) and Rick (38) are putting their new marriage to the test. She’s a dentist and he’s an obstetrician, and Rick reveals that “we are using this race to see how we work as a team before we get started on a family”.
10 #TheTrackStars
Jazmine (23) and Danielle (23) are best friends and roommates. Their opponents should be on the lookout, warns Jaz: “We are competitive and did athletics throughout varsity.”
11 #TheCousins
Alex (22) and Adam (24) are bickering cousins with short fuses. “We get loud in stressful conditions. I just hope that we don’t talk over each other too much,” says Alex.