A FATHER-DAUGHTER duo from Northern Ireland are among five teams that will take on the Race Across the World challenge.
The popular BBC show returns to our screens this evening, as the five pairs begin the 12,000km race across Europe and Asia, the largest continental area on earth.
For 2026 the route brings the contestants through eight countries - Italy, Greece, Türkiye, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia – which they will have to traverse on a budget of less than £26 per day.
It will feature Derry natives Andrew Clifford, a 54-year-old geography teacher, and his 23-year-old daughter Molly, who is a junior doctor.
The pair, who hail from Maghera, said they decided to take part after watching a previous series of the show together.
Andrew and Molly Clifford“We were sitting watching it on TV one night, and the option to apply came up and every time we watch it, we always say that we would love to do it,” Molly explained.
“The next day, the ad popped up on daddy’s Facebook, and so we put an application in thinking nothing of it, and it’s kind of just been a whirlwind since then.”
Andrew said taking part in the contest is like “living a dream”.
“This is what I've always wanted to do but never had the willingness to do it, nor the money or the circumstances, but I’ve always wanted to go backpacking,” he said.
“I have a wife who would very much not want to do it - it would be her ultimate nightmare to have a backpack on going around places.
“But I’ve always wanted to do it and so to do it with my daughter, I am absolutely delighted.”
Regarding their strategy for the race, they claim they are going to “enjoy every second”.
“We’re thinking about it all the time, but there is so much unknown,” Andrew added.
“You don't know where you're going; you don’t know what to pack - all those kinds of things. So, I guess strategy has not been a part that we have really thought about.
“We just want to experience the culture and see things. We haven’t spoken about winning, it’s about the experiences, but the competitive nature is there within us which will come out when it has to.”
Molly said winning is not the main goal for the Irish pair. “For us, winning would be second to doing it,” she admits.
“We’re competitive by nature and we will give it 100% no matter what, but if that's us coming last, or if that's us coming first, we will just do our best to do what we can.
“We haven't traveled like this before. We don't know languages so we’re maybe on the back foot in comparison to the other couples.”
Race Across the World begins tonight at 9pmAnd they have a few lucky charms from home in their luggage.
“I have the colours of our town on our backpacks, our local kind of football clubs and we've got sunflowers for daddy's friend that passed away, Marie, and then daddy's school colours on it,” Molly said.
“It’s very Irish of us to support our colours and be proud of where we're from and who we're doing this for.”
Andrew added: “The family has been so supportive of us and so excited.
“They’ve given us little trinkets but being where we’re from, it’s generally prayers to keep you safe.
“I have my father in law's old rosary beads and the crucifix from it, so it's more a prayerful thing.”
And their family and friends back home in Derry are already rooting for them.
“Everyone's been amazing,” Molly said. “We're very lucky, everyone is so excited.
“My grandad invited everybody around the house when we left because he thought it was live on TV. We have a big Irish family and so the excitement has taken over.”
Watch Race Across the World at 9pm on Thursdays BBC One and iPlayer.
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