Jo Diop and Kush Burman, 19-year-old childhood friends from Liverpool, have been crowned winners of Race Across the World series six after racing 12,000 km from Sicily to Mongolia without air travel or electronic payments.
They finished three hours ahead of the nearest pair, Manchester siblings Harrison and Katie, in a contest that took them through Greece, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and into Mongolia’s Khangai Mountains. The final leg ended at the frozen shores of Lake Khövsgöl, where the winners collapsed in the snow, arms intertwined.
Key Points
- ✅ First all-Merseyside winners in the show’s history
- ⚡ Completed 12,000 km over 12 weeks using only land and sea transport
- 💡 Started in last place during elimination phase but clawed back to victory
“First win for Liverpool,” Jo announced at the finish line, while Kush grinned and added, “I hope we did Scousers proud.” Their plans for the prize include Kush helping his mother onto the property ladder and Jo travelling to Senegal to reconnect with his roots.
Harrison and Katie, the Manchester-based brother-and-sister team, took second place, while daughter-and-father duo Molly Clifford and Andrew from Northern Ireland finished third. In-laws Mark and Margo, competing to honour the memory of Mark’s late wife and Margo’s sister, came in fourth and described their finish as “winning our race.”
| Team | Final Position | Home City | Eliminated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jo Diop & Kush Burman | 1st | Liverpool | No |
| Harrison & Katie | 2nd | Manchester | No |
| Molly & Andrew | 3rd | Maghera | No |
| Mark & Margo | 4th | London | No |
| Puja & Roshni | 5th | London | Yes |
All teams operated under strict rules: no flights, no smartphones, only £1,297 per person at the start, and the ability to earn extra cash through work along the route. The journey tested endurance, cultural navigation and adaptability, with competitors sleeping in hostels, guesthouses and even a Mongolian bar.
📋 By The Numbers
- 7.4 million — Peak live audience for series six opener
- 12,000 km — Distance from Sicily to Lake Khövsgöl
- 3 hours — Winning margin over second place
For the Liverpool winners, the race began as a joke after A-level exams in January 2025. “We applied on a whim,” Kush said. “But it turned into the bossest time.” Their journey included emotional moments: Kush visiting a judo gym in Kazakhstan that reminded him of his late stepfather, Matt, who died by suicide when Kush was 14. “I really wish I could show him who I am now,” he said during filming.
Jo reflected on how the experience changed them. “It was super tough, especially the elimination leg. Being last was a wake-up call—we had to go hard or go home.” They later worked a shift in a Mongolian bar to pay for a taxi, though their knowledge of The Beatles hit a snag when they couldn’t name all four members outside a statue in Kharkhorin.
💡 Pro Tip
If racing without modern conveniences, map out cash-only pit stops in advance—especially in rural regions where card payments are rare.
The series, produced by Studio Lambert for BBC One, has been praised as “reality TV gold” by The Guardian and “wholesome escapism” by The Independent. Applications for series seven are open until 31 May 2026, with casting focusing on adventurous teams from across the UK.
- Jo Diop & Kush Burman — Liverpool, 1st place, £20,000 split
- Harrison & Katie — Manchester, 2nd place
- Molly Clifford & Andrew — Maghera, 3rd place
- Mark & Margo — London, 4th place, honouring late relatives
- Puja & Roshni — London, eliminated in Asia
As the winners celebrated in Mongolia’s sub-zero temperatures, Jo and Kush spoke of their gratitude for the adventure—and the people they met along the Silk Road. “It changed our perspective,” Jo said. “We’re just two kids from Liverpool, but we proved we’re capable of more than we thought.”