Great TV race, shame about the winners

The problem with reality television is that any successful format is repeated and repeated until we all become sick of it and the last spark of originality is diminished.

The very first Big Brother in 2000 made for startling television and the original series of Gogglebox was a joy. Now, BB has been taken off the air and Gogglebox is unwatchable.

Perhaps that is one reason why BBC2’s new Race Across The World turned into such a winning, addictive series. It was a bold idea from the start: a 50-day race between five duos who had to travel from London to Singapore without setting foot on a plane.

The teams were each given the cash equivalent of a one-way economy plane ticket — £1,329 — to cover travel, food and accommodation. Phones and bank cards were forbidden in a trip that became a mash-up of speed hitch-hiking, bus trips and InterRailing chaos across Greece, Turkey, sweltering Baku in Azerbaijan and elsewhere. The £20,000 prize was won by two retired Pe teachers from York called Tony and elaine (above). ‘The oldies did it!’ they cried. ‘The pensioners have beaten all the youngsters!’

Yes, but only by giving false information to some of the others to sabotage their plans. This didn’t break the rules, but it wasn’t exactly fair play. When Tony’s yoghurt burst open in his rucksack and he blamed elaine, many of us had a snigger of pleasure.

I wanted Bradford father-and-son duo Darron and Alex to win. They had drifted apart and despaired of each other, but this trip brought them back together as they bonded and bounded across the globe.

It was notable that all the winners and runners-up were from Yorkshire. Why so? ‘When a Yorkshireman’s got a chance to win money, he’ll do anything,’ noted Darron.

There is to be a second series: let’s hope it will be as innocent and exhilarating as this one. Race Across The World showed us friendship, kindness and the occasional glimpse of hurried culture in a landscape of relationships improving or otherwise.

Did the best team win? Once upon a time in British schools, pupils were taught that, sometimes, it’s not about the winning, it’s how you play the game. You’d think a pair of teachers would know that.