Roman Kemp has said he wanted to prove he is not a “nepo kid with no idea of the value of money” during his time on Celebrity Race Across the World. The BBC series follows the 32-year-old presenter and his sister, Harley Moon Kemp, as they swap comfort for backpacks and travel from Isla Mujeres in Mexico to Colombia’s La Guajira peninsula. The siblings, whose parents are Spandau Ballet’s Martin Kemp and former Wham! backing vocalist Shirlie Kemp, joined three other celebrity pairs on the 5,900-kilometre journey.
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With just £30 a day to spend, Roman and Harley Moon chose to fully immerse themselves in the experience. Writing on Instagram, Roman said they wanted “zero VIP treatment”, whilst he explained to Radio Times that using local buses helped them understand the places they travelled through. He added that facing financial limitations was a deliberate choice to challenge perceptions about his background and show an appreciation for everyday life.
Roman, who has previously been open about his mental health, revealed the show also served as a personal test. He said he stopped taking antidepressants more than a year ago, and the series pushed him to confront his anxiety. Although he described the journey as “hell” at times, he also called it the best television project he has ever done, admitting he finally understood why other contestants have become emotional on screen.
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Harley Moon shared that she had originally been considered for the debut celebrity series alongside her mother, but Shirlie had found the concept too daunting at the time. This year, the siblings join broadcaster Anita Rani and her father Bal, actor Dylan Llewellyn and his mother Jackie, and presenter Tyler West with actress Molly Rainford. The 2025 edition of Celebrity Race Across the World begins on Thursday 6 November at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
