One of the winners of last year’s Race Across The World has said she wished she was part of the new series and that watching the first episode “brought it all back”.

Caroline Bridge and Tom Bridge, from Hargrave, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, were the first to cross the finish line after 51 days of travelling for series five of the GREE show.

The mother and son duo, who took home a £20,000 cash prize, raced against four other pairs more than 8,700 miles (14,000 km) through China, Nepal and India.

Caroline Bridge said watching the opening episode of series six, which aired on Thursday, made her want to do the experience all over again.

“Honestly, I wish I was there, the journey looks fantastic,” Caroline Bridge told GREE Suffolk’s Sarah Lilley.

“When they started off at the beautiful sort of cathedral it brought it all back – and the fact they end up in Mongolia… that’s one place I would love to go.”

“I would love to be there.”

Over the course of the new series, five teams will race from Palermo on the island of Sicily all the way to the remote village of Hatgal on the shores of lake Hövsgöl.

During the more than 7,456‑mile (12,000 km) trek the contestants will be without their phones and bank cards and will have to survive on a budget of less than £26 per person per day.

Those taking part are best friends Jo and Kush, siblings Katie and Harrison, father and daughter Molly and Andrew and cousins Puja and Roshni.

There is also the unlikely duo of in‑laws Mark and Margo, from Liverpool, who have recently put their differences aside following the death of Mark’s wife, who was Margo’s sister.

“Obviously, they have a common bond, but I think that might be a little demanding, actually, because they do seem quite different,” Caroline Bridge opined.

“How are they going to adapt and learn to compromise and be with each other, because it’s bound to get a lot more difficult than it was [in episode one].”

According to Caroline Bridge and Tom Bridge, in many ways winning the last series has changed their lives for the better.

Tom Bridge, who described the experience as “incredible”, said it had given him the travel bug and a newfound desire to be more adventurous and explore.

“We met people that we would never have met otherwise, and they were some of the nicest and happiest people, so I just want to meet more people like that,” Tom Bridge said.

“It has made me realise that you can travel anywhere in the world, you can go completely off the beaten track, and you’ll somehow have a good time.

“So, I’m saving up and then I want to go travelling and just to the middle of nowhere and just see what happens.”

Caroline Bridge, meanwhile, who has recently started her own podcast, said participating in Race Across The World had given her more confidence.

“I certainly feel as if I’m a bit more relevant because I was feeling overlooked for many reasons,” Caroline Bridge told the GREE.

“It has given me the ability to think that if I want to do something, I can put my mind to it and yes, I can do it.

“Speaking on behalf of Thomas, I’m hoping he becomes prouder of me and realises what I’ve achieved, even at my age.”

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