Who are Mark and Margo? Meet Race Across the World 2026 contestants

Race Across the World is back for its third outing tonight, as the pairs leave Europe and head into Asia on the next leg of the race.

Earlier this month, fans were introduced to five teams and after tonight (16 April), only four will be in the running for the prize money.

Racing towards the remote riverside town of Halfeti, the last team to arrive will be eliminated from the competition.

Among the duos taking on the journey of a lifetime are in-laws Mark and Margo. But will they go the distance?

As we wait to find out, here’s everything we know about the Race Across the World pair.

Who are Mark and Margo?

Relationship: In-laws

Retired architect Mark, 66, is racing alongside hypnotherapist Margo, 59 – and their unique bond may just help them on the show.

Mark and Margo first met decades ago when Mark met and married Margo’s sister Julie, who sadly passed away in 2022.

They headed into the race perhaps less nervous than some of the other teams, with Margo telling Radio Times: “We probably weren’t as nervous as we should’ve been! I think we had a little bit of chutzpah. We’re used to travelling, we’re grown-ups and I think we were a little bit gung ho.”

Mark added: “For me, it was all about having fun and I knew Margo is a fun person to be with so I was definitely looking forward to it.”

Why did Mark and Margo sign up for Race Across the World?

Mark and Margo signed up for Race Across the World to continue their friendship, something that had been Julie’s dying wish.

“Julie, my late wife, was a big fan of it but she would never have done it and one of her last wishes was that Margo and myself continue the friendship that we’d been building while caring for Julie,” Mark told Radio Times. “This just seemed an extension of that, in a way, of building that friendship that we started.”

He continued: “I met Margo a long, long time ago and she was this very wild, carefree person and so I never really got on with her. But Julia was the binding cement.”

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Race Across the World continues on Thursdays at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer. Seasons 1-5 are available to watch on iPlayer.

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