Race Across the World (BBC)

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House of Tea said:
I think the BBC didn’t have the best set of contestants for this show this year. The BBC has a checklist of inclusivity and got contestants based on that list rather than entertainment value and human interest.

Claudia and her dad were the white couple
The two brothers, a gay box ticked and the other was socially awkward and fearful of everything.
Ladi and Monique, the black contestants
Zainab and Mobeen, the muslims
The two women, the disabled box.

It’s great they are inclusive but only if the contestants are right. Of the contestants this year, only Ladi and Monique interest me, they have personality, they have a great relationship, Monique is funny and has visibly blossomed and her dad is so proud of her.

Zainab and Mobeen, he is sweet but I can’t warm to her at all. She is grumpy and speaks in a monotone voice that sucks all the joy out of what they are doing.

The two brothers, so dull. Nobody cared.

Claudia and her dad, wanted to bang their heads together. They were given an opportunity of a lifetime and they blew it by trying to buy their way to the end, to please (appease?) her at the beginning.

The two women, okay, kudos to someone with visual impairment taking on this epic trip but they are as dull as the two brothers that went.

They are going to continually hit this problem if they are picking people by categories rather than by interesting stories and personalities. I don’t believe this year’s contestants were the best that applied. But they were the best for the boxes that they could tick at the time.
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I really hate this 'tick box' 'diversity pick' narrative that is there for any ethnic minority people don't like or don't find interesting on TV. When will an ethnic minority be on TV just because they were chosen rather than a diversity pick? There has been plenty of boring striaght white people on TV and they do not get the scrutiny ethnic minorities get.
 
sazzles88 said:
I really hate this 'tick box' 'diversity pick' narrative that is there for any ethnic minority people don't like or don't find interesting on TV. When will an ethnic minority be on TV just because they were chosen rather than a diversity pick? There has been plenty of boring striaght white people on TV and they do not get the scrutiny ethnic minorities get.
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Why have you highlighted ethnic minority? I also mentioned gay, disabled too. Surely if you were being critical of me highlighting what I thought were the categories of contestants, why are you only focusing in on ethnic minorities?
 
sazzles88 said:
I highlight ethnic minorities as I am one and I notice this more, not just in TV but in job roles in general.

But yes I should have mentioned more in my post about disability and and sexuality.

Not every ethnic minority, disabled person and LGBTQ+ people are on TV shows as a box tick.
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They are on the BBC.
 
sazzles88 said:
And it's a shame that they have been just labelled as 'the black contestants'.
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You are making it sound like I highlighted only them as being black - when I categorised them all under inclusivity headings.

The BBC introduced as inclusivity programme a few years back. This extract backs up that this categorisation is taking place.

In October last year, TV presenter and campaigner June Sarpong was appointed as the BBC's director of creative diversity, as it pledged to ensure 50% of on-air roles will go to women by 2020, with targets of 15% for black, Asian and minority ethnic groups [BAME], 8% for disabled people and 8% for LGBT staff.
 
House of Tea said:
You are making it sound like I highlighted only them as being black - when I categorised them all under inclusivity headings.

The BBC introduced as inclusivity programme a few years back. This extract backs up that this categorisation is taking place.

In October last year, TV presenter and campaigner June Sarpong was appointed as the BBC's director of creative diversity, as it pledged to ensure 50% of on-air roles will go to women by 2020, with targets of 15% for black, Asian and minority ethnic groups [BAME], 8% for disabled people and 8% for LGBT staff.
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This doesn't make it any better that people think in 'tokenism' and use something that was put in place to try and address the bias in the first place.

I've actually found all the contestants interesting this year, the route not so much. I can see why all of them would have been picked, not because they tick a box.

Anyway, I realised I never actually commented on the lat episode which is what I came on the thread to do!

Really warming more and more to Zainab and they have a really good lead, I wonder if it's going to be close at the end!

Still hoping Monique and Ladi win but now I don't think I would mind any of them winning!

Glad Kevin and Claudia called it a day, no idea what the timescale was of where they were in the race of when it happened for them though.
 
sazzles88 said:
This doesn't make it any better that people think in 'tokenism' and use something that was put in place to try and address the bias in the first place.

I've actually found all the contestants interesting this year, the route not so much. I can see why all of them would have been picked, not because they tick a box.
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Below is an extract from my original post. I stand by this factual statement. I know what you are implying, that I am a bigot, but that is the interpretation you have decided to make, and one that I don’t feel the need to defend myself against. You saw what you thought was a slur against ethnic minority people and originally ignored the fact that I highlighted all of the contestants, and why the production company might have chosen them, until that was pointed out to you. Perhaps your own way of thinking isn’t as inclusive as you would like, you chose to only see the slur against the only category that interested you. Your posts after I pointed that out have only now included the other contestants, including how much you find them interesting.

The extract from my original email
They are going to continually hit this problem if they are picking people by categories rather than by interesting stories and personalities. I don’t believe this year’s contestants were the best that applied. But they were the best for the boxes that they could tick at the time.

The fact is that the BBC does have a policy in place to increase inclusivity, as evidenced by the extract in post #270. That policy extends to on screen as well as production and means they are picking contestants with that policy in mind. I am not thinking in tokenism, the BBC are thinking in categories for the best of intentions and that has an effect on the final output.

They have now started the process to recruit for the next series, and it looks like are doing the same again, consistent with their policy. They are not necessarily going to pick the most interesting personalities - they are going to pick the best under the categories they want to include. They are doing a positive thing but that might not be the best mix entertainment wise.


Edited - I have edited this post to include a reason for including this link. It explains the recruitment process for the next series. It has just closed.

CAST IT REACH

eu.castitreach.com eu.castitreach.com

I have not read the registration but it states
We are committed to creating diverse content. You are not obliged to answer the question* below but we encourage you to do so to help us ensure that we are attracting a diverse cast.

*The question was a diversity question

I hope we can now both move on from this.

So, to get back on track…
I am looking forward to the final, but the contestants and the journey across one country, albeit an enormous one, has been a dull one for me. Only Ladi and Monique have interested me because they have both grown as contestants.

The new recruitment process says you must be available for 8 weeks, and it looks like the filming is scheduled for September this year, so we will be getting something new to watch in 24. I assume people have to use annual leave, get special leave, be retired to be able to apply. That is a big chunk of time to take off and that in itself would perhaps prevent a large number of potential applicants.
 
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House of Tea said:
Below is an extract from my original post. I stand by this factual statement. I know what you are implying, that I am a bigot, but that is the interpretation you have decided to make, and one that I don’t feel the need to defend myself against. You saw what you thought was a slur against ethnic minority people and originally ignored the fact that I highlighted all of the contestants, and why the production company might have chosen them, until that was pointed out to you. Perhaps your own way of thinking isn’t as inclusive as you would like, you chose to only see the slur against the only category that interested you. Your posts after I pointed that out have only now included the other contestants, including how much you find them interesting.

The extract from my original email
They are going to continually hit this problem if they are picking people by categories rather than by interesting stories and personalities. I don’t believe this year’s contestants were the best that applied. But they were the best for the boxes that they could tick at the time.

The fact is that the BBC does have a policy in place to increase inclusivity, as evidenced by the extract in post #270. That policy extends to on screen as well as production and means they are picking contestants with that policy in mind. I am not thinking in tokenism, the BBC are thinking in categories for the best of intentions and that has an effect on the final output.

They have now started the process to recruit for the next series, and it looks like are doing the same again, consistent with their policy. They are not necessarily going to pick the most interesting personalities - they are going to pick the best under the categories they want to include. They are doing a positive thing but that might not be the best mix entertainment wise.


Edited - I have edited this post to include a reason for including this link. It explains the recruitment process for the next series. It has just closed.

CAST IT REACH

eu.castitreach.com eu.castitreach.com

I have not read the registration but it states
We are committed to creating diverse content. You are not obliged to answer the question* below but we encourage you to do so to help us ensure that we are attracting a diverse cast.

*The question was a diversity question

I hope we can now both move on from this.

So, to get back on track…
I am looking forward to the final, but the contestants and the journey across one country, albeit an enormous one, has been a dull one for me. Only Ladi and Monique have interested me because they have both grown as contestants.

The new recruitment process says you must be available for 8 weeks, and it looks like the filming is scheduled for September this year, so we will be getting something new to watch in 24. I assume people have to use annual leave, get special leave, be retired to be able to apply. That is a big chunk of time to take off and that in itself would perhaps prevent a large number of potential applicants.
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I never said you were a bigot.

I said I hate the tick box and diversity narrative, especially for ethnic minorities as I am one and its pointed out in most shows that they are a diversity pick. And yes same for disability and LGBTQ+.

You can send all the forms and bbc policy you like, it's not changing my mind. Why do you think diversity policy's were put in place?
 
sazzles88 said:
I never said you were a bigot.

I said I hate the tick box and diversity narrative, especially for ethnic minorities as I am one and its pointed out in most shows that they are a diversity pick. And yes same for disability and LGBTQ+.

You can send all the forms and bbc policy you like, it's not changing my mind. Why do you think diversity policy's were put in place?
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It was inferred.

For the benefit of the thread and the other readers I will no longer be discussing it with you.

Series Two contestants. I was interested in seeing how the contestant with cancer was doing. She is doing ok, although she had a recurrence of cancer and other issues but she has done more travelling with her son. Other highlights include a Pride of Britain award for charity work and a wine reviewer. Series two contestants were more memorable than one and three for me. I had forgotten the yellow coat. Apart from a son and father duo in the first series (father wasn’t particularly pleasant - think they may have won?) I don’t recall the other contestants from the first series.
thetab.com

Three years after their journey, where is the cast of Race Across The World series two now?

All of them met up for drinks in summer and now I'm crying
thetab.com thetab.com
 
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I’m looking forward to the final. I’m invested enough to want to see what happens , but not enough to have any favourites. I just want to see them all manage to complete their journey. Week by week it’s been very repetitive and for that reason not all that gripping or entertaining for me.

I understand the challenges coming out of the pandemic but hope the next series is an improvement.
 
House of Tea said:
It was inferred.

For the benefit of the thread and the other readers I will no longer be discussing it with you.

Series Two contestants. I was interested in seeing how the contestant with cancer was doing. She is doing ok, although she had a recurrence of cancer and other issues but she has done more travelling with her son. Other highlights include a Pride of Britain award for charity work and a wine reviewer. Series two contestants were more memorable than one and three for me. I had forgotten the yellow coat. Apart from a son and father duo in the first series (father wasn’t particularly pleasant - think they may have won?) I don’t recall the other contestants from the first series.
thetab.com

Three years after their journey, where is the cast of Race Across The World series two now?

All of them met up for drinks in summer and now I'm crying
thetab.com thetab.com
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I never inferred it. And for the record I also don't think people who have the same view as you are either.

But looking at people and thinking they are there to tick a box is ridiculous. Really think about why they have a diversity policy and what it's there for.
 
Runninggems said:
Yes I looked at the application and while I've not applied before, it suddenly hit me I have a child now and probably can't apply for 12+ years 🥴
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Yeah, I don’t know how you would get the time off work as well if you are employed. I wonder how long something like The Apprentice takes. Do they just do a few days a week for a set number of weeks? 🤷‍♀️

I would quite like a go at Race. My OH and I would end up divorcing. We have done a few road trips in US. We drove for too long during one leg without food. Boy were we hangry.
 
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