Race Across The World's unlikely new favourites emerge

What did you miss?

As 2024's Race Across the World nears the halfway mark, some fans have settled on their favourites to win and the current top choice — at least according to fans on social media — is Alfie and Owen, an unlikely duo who were among the least popular at the start of the series.

Fans of the BBC contest have been sharing how much the youngest contestants in the show at just 20 years old, despite having found them annoying to begin with.

But Alfie and Owen will need to speed up to stay in the race as they dropped from first to last place in this week's episode.

What, how and why?

When Race Across the World began series four, many viewers complained that they found youngest contestants Alfie and Owen irritating.

So it has come as an unlikely development that after this week's episode, the 20-year-old best friends had been boosted into the position of viewer favourites to win.

The pair had been criticised for being too intense and concentrating too heavily on racing through the check points on the South East Asian route rather than enjoying the sights, but have now won viewers over after sharing more of their story.

Last week, Alfie opened up on losing his mum to cancer when he was just five years old and being brought up by his grandmother, while this week Owen was in tears talking about the anxiety he had suffered at school and how Alfie had always been there for him.

It melted viewers' hearts, as one person wrote on X: "We're all team alfie and owen ain't we?," and someone else added: "Alfie and Owen for the win! They’ve both broken my heart."

Fans are now keen to see them win, as one person commented: "Alfie and Owen have to win this, best duo by far out of this lot!" Another fan added: "I’m really hoping Alfie & Owen win #RaceAcrossTheWorld they are both so sweet."

"The world seems to be so s*** and full of hatred. Then along come these two to give us all a lift," commented one viewer, as someone else wrote: "Alfie and Owen Fair play to both of them for being as vulnerable as they have been too, not often you see young men opening up in they way they have."

However, Alfie and Owen have some serious ground to make up as they dropped from first to last place after finding themselves stranded in Thailand when they were unable to get a train.

They made the most of their time stuck in the jungle by going rafting and viewers were happy to see them finally enjoy their trip, as one wrote: "Sad that Alfie and Owen blew their lead with transport issues but I think they needed that experience on safari and white water rafting to recharge. Both genuinely nice lads, id like to see them win."

What else happened on Race Across the World?

Meanwhile, mother and daughter Eugenie and Isabel dropped in the popularity stakes after yet another week of bickering, with issues including misplaced tickets and not listening to each other.

One viewer commented: "#Eugenie & #Isabel are heading for the mother & daughter of all bust-ups. No-one can wind you up like the people you love most in the world," as someone else agreed: "Every scene with Eugenie and Isabel is so tense I'm getting shoulder cramps just watching."

But another viewer added: "I feel Isabel and Eugenie relationship is really honest and it's quite refreshing to see people not getting on when they're in each others company all the time. It's fine to find someone annoying."

"Eugenie and Isabel are gonna need counselling after this," commented one viewer. Someone else wrote: "I feel for Isabelle and Eugenie. Mother-daughter relationships can be tricky at the best of times - let alone on a bus in Thailand."

Race Across the World airs on BBC One at 9pm on Wednesdays.

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