What is Destination X? BBC launches new travel contest
If the Race Across the World final has left you with itchy feet for more travel contests, look no further than new BBC One series Destination X.
As the broadcaster's hit reality series wrapped up on Wednesday, 11 June with Caroline and Tom named as the Race Across the World 2025 winners, a trailer for Destination X debuted after the credits.
Based on a Belgian show that has already proved popular, the UK version is set to cater to the appetite for adventure and reality strategy games of BBC viewers. Here's all we know so far.
So far, an air date for Destination X hasn't been announced, although hopefully it won't be too far off as the BBC has begun showing trailers for it.
Information from the BBC promises that the series is set to arrive in 2025, and the trailer shows that it has already been filmed.
The series is based on a hit Belgian TV show that also rolled out a US version earlier in 2025.
Offering the adventure of Race Across the World and the strategic gameplay of The Traitors, it's sure to be a hit with viewers when it launches on BBC One.
Contestants will be sent on a mystery tour across Europe, travelling by coach with blacked-out windows designed to disorientate them.
A show synopsis from the BBC says: "Merging fantasy with reality in this larger-than-life adventure competition series, viewers will follow contestants as they embark on the road trip of a lifetime but have no idea where they are. In order to win, they must figure out their mystery locations. Once they're on the blacked-out Destination X bus, the journey transforms into a real-life boardgame with challenges designed to offer clever clues as to their location, along with a few misdirects to keep them, and the viewers, always guessing.
"At the end of each episode, contestants must guess where they are and the furthest from the actual location will leave the competition. The first player to reach the final destination, Destination X, will be crowned the winner. With high stakes and mind-blowing spectacular gameplay, the series will continuously keep viewers engaged and take them along for the ride."
Destination X might have just started teasing the series with a BBC trailer, but it was quietly commissioned back in April 2023 as a collaboration between the BBC and NBC in the US after their joint success with The Traitors.
As Traitors fans will know, both the US and the UK versions use the same filming location and feature plenty of similarities as a collaboration between the two broadcasters. They have high hopes for the same success with Destination X.
BBC director of unscripted Kate Phillips said in 2023: "Following the must-see success of The Traitors, I'm delighted that once again we're partnering with NBCUniversal on another very smart, very addictive and very innovative competition show. With countless red herrings and brain-teasing clues, we were gripped from the start. It promises to be a hugely challenging adventure for our 10 brave contestants, with plenty of play along for all BBC viewers, as everyone hopes they've got the 'X' that marks the spot!"
The BBC is backing the new series by throwing some star power behind it - Gavin & Stacey star Rob Brydon is set to host and appears in the trailer.
The Would I Lie to You? presenter seems to have joined the contestants on their journey in the trailer as he is seen looking on while they complete challenges and accuse each other of lying in tense exchanges.
Brydon said: "How could I turn down the opportunity to become the mastermind of Destination X, the thrilling new travel adventure series coming to the BBC next year. It's a show that turns the whole of Europe into a board game - manipulating the players and the audience at home along the way. I can't wait to be the puppet master orchestrating every twist and turn as our contestants are taken on a journey where everything is not as it seems. It's going to be a wild ride!"
Of course, one big thing we don't know about Destination X - and won't until the series is complete - is the route, as contestants have to guess where they are along the way.
The air date hasn't been announced yet either, although the BBC has said it will air in 2025 and with a trailer now released, hopefully it shouldn't be too far off.
We also don't know what the prize is that the contestants will be playing for, although it certainly looks worth winning. Those who stay in until the end will get to travel further through Europe, while the recent US version offered a $250,000 (£183,806) jackpot.
Destination X is expected to air on BBC One in 2025.
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