CELEBRITY Race Across The World viewers broke down in tears last night as Derry Girls star Dylan Llewellyn opened up about a devastating family tragedy.
The actor, 33, bravely spoke about his older brother James, who took his own life aged 20, when Dylan was 16.
Both Dylan and mum Jackie, 59, who he is partnered with on the hit BBC travel show, sobbed as they remembered James and the impact his loss has had on their lives during a fireside ceremony in Central America.
A female spiritual guide encouraged them to share personal moments as they drank cacao, telling them: “This is a special moment for you to let go today anything you no longer need to be carrying in your heart, your life and your mind to find peace and love.”
An emotional Jackie told the group – which included Roman Kemp, sister Harleymoon, Tyler West and fiancée Molly Rainford: “I feel a sense of peace and connection to people I have lost in my life. It brings me closer.”
Dylan took over and said: “Me and my mum lost someone close to us. I lost my brother, and my mum lost her son. His name is James.
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“I just wish he could take my place and do this, do all this and travel the world. But he never got to.”
Speaking to camera away from the group, Dylan said the loss “hit us all hard”.
He continued: “Doing this race is like doing it for my brother and my mum. He would have loved to do something like this. I think she’d like to have that kind of journey with a son.”
Former One Show host Roman Kemp was visibly moved, telling the duo: “He’s with you the whole time. He’d be sat right here, he’d be laughing at everything you’re going through.”
Dylan called James “my hero” and spoke glowingly of how popular he was.
Jackie reassured him: “He’s your guardian angel. He’s racing with us.”
The mother and son pair held hands and embraced in a searingly honest moment. Jackie said she felt “zen” after the ceremony, before the teams continued with their journey.
Viewers were in pieces, with one writing on X: “Dylan opening up about his younger brother James who took his own life at the age of 20. Heartbreaking!!!!!”
Another wrote: “Oh Dylan! Absolutely heartbreaking.”
A third said: “Thought it was not possible to love Dylan Llewellyn more. A wonderful bond between mum and son.”
The teams are taking on a 5,900km journey from Isla Mujeres, Mexico, to the Guajira Peninsula in Colombia.
Anita Rani and dad Bal, who weren’t present at the cacao ceremony, are leading after reaching Checkpoint 2 in Flores, Guatemala, first.
