Celebrity Race around the world (BBC1)
Here's an answer to Britain's overpopulation crisis. Let's send all the celebrities abroad to be adopted.
For some reason, cheerful farmers and hardworking craftsmen in the villages along the equator are fond of our semi-famous personalities.
Perhaps they are blinded by the whiteness of their teeth.
Happy guy Jeff Brazier and his 16-year-old son Freddie arrived at a cabin in the remote north Brazilin Celebrity Race Across The World, and were welcomed as prodigal sons.
Farmer José did not say much, but he was busy slaughtering half a cow hanging from a tree and laying pieces of meat on the corrugated iron roof of the hut to dry in the scorching heat.
Happy chap Jeff Brazier and his 16-year-old son Freddie arrived at a cabin in remote northern Brazil during the Celebrity Race Across The World and were welcomed like prodigal sons
Within a few hours, the Braziers were part of their new adopted family
In another state of this vast country, Radio 2 DJ Scott Mills and his partner Sam stayed with 80-year-old Elsa, who made her living boiling fruit to make jam and sweets.
With their bags packed, Scott and Sam arrived in Brazil with big smiles
But his radiant wife Maria welcomed the British with open arms and led them to her barn, where she ground corn into cornmeal.
Freddie was terrified of the skinny chickens that scurried beneath him, until Maria picked one up and thrust it into his hands.
A few hours later, the Braziers were part of the family. “I only had one child,” Maria cooed in Portuguese. “Now you’re another one.” And she added in English, “My son!”
In another state of this vast country, Radio 2 DJ Scott Mills and his fiancée Sam stayed with 80-year-old Elsa, who earned her living by boiling fruit and making jam and sweets.
They couldn't understand a word the other said. Even sign language failed them.
But Elsa loved taking selfies with the duo, and after they taught her to grin and say “Cheese,” she couldn't stop chanting it.
Then she danced with them and laughed, “These are Grandma's boys.”
With or without celebrities, Race Across The World has become one of the BBC's most successful formats.
It's a nice balance between showing parts of the planet we never dreamed existed and providing insight into the bonds between the participating couples.
Confessions on a boat: Former glamour model Kelly Brook, in love with her judo champion husband Jeremy, was in a hurry to tell us about herself
Actor Kola Bokinni, one of the stars of the AppleTV+ soccer sitcom Ted Lasso, is traveling with his niece Mary Ellen — but we've been seeing less and less of them, which is an intriguing sign
Former glamour model Kelly Brook, who is happily married to her judo champion husband Jeremy, was keen to tell us more about herself, clearly wanting to use the show as an opportunity to shed her old skin.
“My happy place is my garden,” she declared, “in my boots, with no makeup and my hair up. To think I was a pin-up who made calendars — it's all just an illusion, not who I am at all.
'Kelly Brook doesn't really exist, it's not even a real name and it has never appeared on my passport.'
Actor Kola Bokinni, one of the stars of the AppleTV+ soccer sitcom Ted Lasso, travels with his cousin Mary Ellen.
We've seen less of it so far, which is always an interesting sign in a reality show.
It was only a few weeks ago that brother and sister James and Betty made millions of viewers cry in the previous Race series in the Far East.
After growing apart as teenagers, they ended the show closer than ever. Who wouldn't want to adopt them?