A new Race Across the World episode has seen one couple lagging behind their co-stars after making a big transportation mistake.

Tonight’s episode of the BBC series saw the remaining four couples head for the fifth checkpoint of McLeod Ganj, the residence of the Dalai Lama.

With brothers Melvyn and Brian in the lead, the other pairs tried their best to make a quick exit from Varanasi and reach for the Himalayas.

In a bid to avoid the hustle and bustle of the big cities, Fin and Sioned wanted to bypass capital Delhi and head to the capital of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, instead.

Little did they know that their decision would cost them this leg of the journey, as they ended up falling significantly behind the other teams.

race across the world, fin

BBC

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On a rickshaw in Lucknow, Fin and Sioned realised a communication mishap landed them close to the airport instead of the bus station.

The Race Across the World contestants are normally banned from flying during their TV trip — unless it’s production that arranges flights for them in specific circumstances.

This meant that being in the airport vicinity was of no use to Fin and Sioned, who had to figure out an alternative route to Dehradun.

As Fin tried to communicate with the rickshaw driver and appeared lost, a distressed Sioned was overwhelmed by the loud noises of the city.

race across the world,

BBC

“That tuk-tuk driver cost us 24 hours in the race,” Fin told the cameras. “I’m so frustrated about it.”

Meanwhile, Brian and Melvyn opted to go to Delhi, then stopped for a vinyasa flow in Rishikesh, the birthplace of yoga, and finally reached Shimla in the Himalayas.

However, the leaders were bested by mum and son duo Caroline and Tom, who held their own and became the first team to reach the checkpoint.

After leaving Varanasi, they worked with an all-female business upcycling discarded temple flowers in Kanpur, visited an elephant sanctuary in Mathura and finally headed to Chandigarh. From there, it was only a few hours to McLeod Ganj, where they were the first to sign the guestbook.

Melvyn and Brian were right behind them in second position, while sisters Elizabeth and Letitia ranked third after stopping in Agra to take a peek at the Taj Mahal and jumping on a packed train to Chandigarh.

race across the world,

BBC

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Unaware of how behind they were in the race, Fin and Sioned headed to the hill station of Mussoorie, where they had their first homestay.

When host Sunita informed them they were nearly 14 hours away from McLeod Ganj, the couple arranged to get to the bus station in Dehradun the next morning. There, a man working at the bus station showed them a picture of Brian and Melvyn boarding a bus two whole days before.

“Are you serious? How are they doing it?” Fin asked in disbelief, to which Sioned replied: “Because we have no luck!”

The couple then vowed to put all their effort and energy in the next leg of the journey, but will it be enough for them to catch up to the others?

Race Across the World airs on BBC One.

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Reporter, Digital Spy

Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy. 

Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).