Race Across The World's lovable competitors took reality TV to new places

STICK another nought on the end of the prize, raising it to £200,000, and Race Across The World would be a very different show.

- MIKE WARD

But they'll never do that. The relative modesty of the reward it offers is key to its appeal.

By dangling hardly the juiciest carrot (OK, £20,000 is not to be sniffed at, but you can win that much on other shows just by spelling "onomatopoeia"), Race Across The World attracts contestants whose chief motivation is the most meaningful one.

This isn't about money. It's about a grueling yet enviable, once-in-a-lifetime challenge.