Race Across The World fans only just realising it's narrated by a famous '90s movie star
Race Across The World is back for a new series on BBC One with five more pairings trying to make it to the finish line
It's become one of the most popular shows on TV and now travel challenge Race Across The World is back for a fifth series - but did you realise it's narrated by a very famous actor.
The Great Wall of China is the starting point of this year's epic race when five teams must navigate three of Asia's most diverse nations, China, Nepal and India, in a race of over 14,000km to reach the finish line, Kanniyakumari, the southernmost tip of India.
The teams include: sisters, Elizabeth and Letitia; former married couple, Yin and Gaz; brothers, Brian and Melvyn; teenage couple, Fin and Sioned and mother and son, Caroline and Tom.
Racing across vast distances without smartphones or bank cards, and armed only with cash amounting to the cost of flying the route, the teams will be pushed to their absolute limits as they race to the finish line to claim the £20k prize.
While the teams are busy pushing the travel boundaries, one man is back in the studio facing his own challenge - narrating the popular series.
The voice adding colour and detail to the clips is none other than Scottish actor John Hannah who starred in two of the biggest movies of the '90s - Four Weddings and a Funeral and Sliding Doors.
While many Race Across The World fans didn't realise it was the actor at first, with some thinking the Scottish tones belonged to Ewan McGregor, they soon rushed to X to praise him.
One said: "Good to hear the dulcet tones of John Hannah narrating the series. #TopTelly." While a second added: "Can we have some appreciation for John Hannah's narration on #raceacrosstheworld - every word is pitch perfect."
Another fan commented: "I will never tire of hearing John Hannah's voice #RaceAcrossTheWorld." And: "John Hannah makes this commentary #RaceAcrossTheWorld."
Born in East Kilbride, John, now 62, was nominated for a Bafta for playing Matthew in the Hugh Grant movie, Four Weddings and a Funeral, which became a 1994 box office hit and shot him to stardom. He went on to play Gwyneth Paltrow's love interest in the 1998 movie Sliding Doors, which was also a huge success.
Since then he's enjoyed an impressive career with TV roles in Spartacus, Cold Blood, Trust Me and The Last Of Us and films like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Damaged.
Married to actress Joanna Roth with two children, John has been entertaining Race Across The World viewers with his narration since the series started back in 2019.
Since the series launch there has been two celebrity editions with last year's being won by Radio 2 Breakfast show host Scott Mills and his husband Sam Vaughan who managed to out-wit other famous faces like Jeff Brazier and Kelly Brook.
After their win, which saw them racing through Brazil, Scott said he was "speechless".
He said: 'I can confirm it's the best feeling ever. It's been exhilarating, it's been tough, it's been so frustrating at times, but we've been there for each other, the good, the bad, the ups and downs. It just proves we're a great team – a winning team.'
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