The ABC has confirmed that production is underway on a new version of its influential 1990s series Race Around the World.
First airing in 1997, the original format saw eight “racers” chosen from thousands of applicants and given a crash course in filmmaking before being sent backpacking across the globe with video cameras.
Each week, their short films were screened and judged on national television.
The show was a significant success and helped launch the careers of several high-profile media figures. However, it ran for only two seasons, ending in 1998 due to the high costs and logistical challenges of filming contestants in remote international locations.
Interest in the program’s legacy resurfaced earlier this year when a March episode of Australian Story reunited members of the first season to reflect on the pressures and opportunities of the competition.
“I was just thrown into this thing and had to work it out,” said John Safran, who transitioned from advertising copywriter to the season’s standout personality – a launchpad for his later career as a comedian, author and filmmaker.
“I just knew I wanted to do something odd or funny but I hadn’t worked it out yet.”
Original host Richard Fidler described the show’s impact as “one of those really happy accidents in TV history.”
Despite its cultural footprint, key figures from the earlier series expressed doubts that the format could succeed today.
“I don’t think Race Around the World would work just because of the way technology works now,” said David Caesar, a judge on the show’s initial run.
“You don’t need to have access to a television station or whatever. You can go out with your mobile phone and film a story, edit it on the phone itself, and then broadcast it through YouTube or any of the other video sites.”
Fidler also questioned whether the concept would translate in a modern media environment, arguing that “identity politics would be lathered over the whole thing.”
“Like, should you have gotten that kind of person? Does that person have the right to tell that story? I think we live in a kind of culturally constipated moment that wouldn’t want that.”
Despite those concerns, the ABC is confident there is strong audience appetite for a contemporary revival. The broadcaster has launched a national call for “the next big filmmakers, content creators and storytellers from across Australia” to apply.
“If you have curiosity, creativity, and the courage to produce a film every 10 days for 100 days across 10 different countries, this is your sign. A chance to captivate audiences with your imagination, voice and vision on a national scale awaits,” the casting announcement reads.
ABC Head of Entertainment Rachel Millar said she was “thrilled to bring back this iconic series to Australian audiences – to reignite that sense of creative adventure and champion a new generation of storytellers is really exciting.”
The revived Race Around the World is set to premiere on the ABC next year.
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