Unlike most people who watch Race Across The World I am certain in the knowledge that I would be absolutely rubbish at it.

The hit BBC series sees pairs of people travel from one part of the world to another on a very limited budget and in the quickest time possible. And while I wouldn’t mind roughing it for a few days – i.e. sleeping on trains, washing in public toilets (she says, freshly showered and in the comfort of her kitchen), I would struggle with the required speed of the journey. I’d be one of the contestants people find annoying, those who want to stop and see all the sites, take big detours and chat to as many people as possible.

Also I’m a notoriously bad packer – I once took 19 pairs of socks to Glastonbury – so fitting enough to travel 15,000km into one backpack is going to be a problem. Oh, and of course I can’t read a map.

But I absolutely love watching the show – just thinking about best friends Cathie and Tricia, the winners from the 2023 series and what they overcame to get there, makes me feel tearful. So I’m thrilled it will be returning next month, that I’ll be able to watch more sets of people do their absolute best, see swathes of the world I’ve never seen before and witness the evolving relationships of the pairs of contestants.

Race Across The World: the most uplifting show on TV is back soon