When the state of the world seems irredeemably bleak, there is nothing better than shutting it all out for a brief repose with some comfort TV.
And luckily the BBC has us sorted- for the next eight weeks, at least – in the shape of travel series Race Across the World.
The ‘best show on TV’ is back for season 4- and it’s bigger, better and even more needed than before.
For the uninitiated, it follows pairs zapping from one location to another thousands of miles away minus phones, the internet, and the budget of a plane ticket. Only planes are completely out of bounds.
Instead, they must rely on the kindness of strangers to help them navigate unfamiliar cities and the goodwill of locals, who set them up with jobs in exchange for accommodation.
Given it has all the ingredients for excellent TV – ‘normal’ contestants who aren’t after a Boohoo deal, relationships tested, acts of kindness, moments of sheer panic, wanderlust – there has only been one slightly duff season.
And it wasn’t even Race Across the World’s fault.
The last series was hampered by Covid even if it was a miracle (much appreciated) that it got made at all.
But hear me out. While season one tasked contestants with getting from London to Singapore, and the next led them from Mexico to the bottom of Argentina, this third run was set entirely in Canada.
While it was unavoidable – due to stricter travel regulations in the pandemic – it did ruin some of the appeal.
I missed seeing multiple cultures and dramatically changing sceneries as contestants hurtled through several countries – although it was still an undeniable dopamine hit.
Happily, season 4 is back to the original formula. This time, they have been challenged to race from Sapporo in Japan to Lombok in Indonesia and I’m already dreaming about taking a similar route.
Metro.co.uk has seen episode one ahead of broadcast and, well, I can report it is back on form.
I don’t want to spoil the fun but you can expect to see jaw-dropping sights including Mount Fuji in the first 60 minutes alone.
In short, the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle is back.
And with airline prices continuing to soar, as companies try to recoup losses in the pandemic (yes, that again), for many TV is as close as they’ll get to an exotic jaunt.
So why not pack a good five years’ worth of holidays and multiple locations in less than 10 hours in Race Across the World? If we can’t, somebody ought to.
It’s the escapism we all truly need.
Race Across the World is on Wednesday at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
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