Based on the hot BBC show, competitors will be given a budget to manage as they race through the city
Race Across the World: The Experience is coming to Manchester(Image: Race Across the World: The Experience)
A new experience based on the hit BBC show Race Across the World is coming to Manchester this summer.
Players will navigate the streets of Manchester, working as a team, outwitting their competitors, and unlocking the hidden secrets of the city in what is billed as ‘an unforgettable race to the finish line’.
Just like in the show, Race Across the World: The Experience requires strategy, teamwork, and quick-thinking, as players will be given a budget to manage – spending it on valuable clues to help navigate the next leg of the journey, giving players the freedom to decide how daring they want to be.
Like producer Studio Lambert’s format, the experience, from CityDays, promises to highlight ‘the treasures people miss while speeding through the streets on the trams and buses’.
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Split into three distinct legs that weave through the heart of Manchester, the race takes participants on a 4-5 km mission through the city, typically spanning two to three hours.
Race Across the World: The Experience comes to Manchester this summer (Image: Race Across the World: The Experience)
Along the way, the experience will visit key partner venues, including renowned pubs, cultural hotspots, or famous landmarks, each serving as a ‘checkpoint’ where teams must solve clever, escape room-style puzzles.
These puzzles will guide them toward the next leg of the race, offering clues that unveil new parts of the city, all while ‘providing a true taste of Manchester’s hidden gems’.
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Tom Rymer, founder of CityDays, said: “Following an outstanding debut month in London that has thrilled fans of the show, both old and new, we are bringing the Race Across The World experience to Manchester. New puzzles, new characters, new decisions and new discoveries, all coming soon over three new thrilling legs. Manchester, are you ready for your race?”
Jane Sharp, VP formats and licensing (operations) at All3Media International, commented: “CityDays have been outstanding partners in bringing Race Across the World: The Experience to life across London, with clear passion and creative vision. We’re thrilled to be continuing our collaboration as the experience expands to Manchester.
“This expansion is a testament to how strongly players have connected with the experience and embraced the opportunity to test their skills and strategy in real life – just as they’ve seen in Studio Lambert’s much-loved format. It also highlights the adaptability and wide appeal of Race Across the World: The Experience, and we can’t to find out who is next in the race.”
With five successful original series and two celebrity spin-offs, the BBC show follows pairs of contestants racing across vast distances without flying or modern technology, armed only with the cash equivalent of a one-way plane ticket.
Since its 2019 debut, the series has won multiple awards including a BAFTA TV Award for Best Reality and Constructed Factual (2020) and consistently ranks among BBC iPlayer’s most-streamed shows.
For Manchester’s experience, contestants can either sign up as a group and split into teams to race head-to-head, or stick as a group and compete against the overall leaderboard. Whichever you choose, it’s a private experience and you’ll only be playing with people who you want there.
It’s billed as a high-stakes race against the clock, where every decision counts, and influences the race, but could also come at a cost. Players will be scored based on their time and how much budget they have left, with their final score ranked on the live leaderboard throughout the day and week.
Taking in landmarks including Manchester Cathedral, Central Library, the Opera House and Castlefield Viaduct, the team that completes the challenge in the fastest time with the most budget remaining will earn a shot at being crowned the daily or weekly champions.
Perfect for groups of friends, family, or colleagues, it promises ‘a fun, fast-paced, and surprising day out’. Whether you’re an avid fan of the show or simply looking for a unique way to explore the city, organisers say it will ‘deliver a thrilling new way to discover Manchester on foot’.
There’ll be multiple route options catering to a broad range of needs including wheelchair accessible routes, routes optimised for those with sight impairments such as colour blindness, and audio-free routes for those with hearing loss.
Players will interact with the experience through their own devices, ensuring they are familiar with the interface they are using, and its settings are tailored to their needs. The experience is designed so children of all ages can participate in the game with adults.
Pre-sale tickets, starting from £25 off-peak, will be available from late July. To join the waitlist and find out more details, visit the website here.