ABC’s Race Around the World is returning, with Zan Rowe set to host the revived series and original breakout star John Safran joining as a weekly judge.
As per Variety Australia, the series will premiere on Sunday, June 7 and introduce a new generation of Australian filmmakers.
How the race works
The rules of the game are simple: six filmmakers will travel solo through 10 countries, delivering a new short film every 10 days, over 100 days.
Working entirely alone, they will shoot, write, edit and produce each film from start to finish, before dialling in from wherever they are in the world to share it with a live studio audience.
Each week, a rotating panel of expert judges, including Margaret Pomeranz, Claudia Karvan, Danny Philippou, Bruce Beresford, Wayne Blair, Gracie Otto and more, will join Safran to critique each racer’s work.
At the end of the season, the racer with the winning score will receive their own personal project produced and funded by the ABC.
Meet the new filmmakers
The six filmmakers selected for the 2026 season come from a wide range of creative and professional backgrounds.
New South Wales filmmaker Elliot works as a video content producer and is known for his interest in people-focused stories in volatile environments, drawing on a background in psychology and fluency in Spanish and Portuguese.
Northern Territory contestant Jayden is a marine biologist turned environmental photojournalist whose work spans conservation and climate change, including projects in Antarctica, while Victorian filmmaker Kate balances filmmaking with part-time work as a lollipop lady, creating observational nonfiction work marked by dry humour and inventive storytelling.
Top Image: Race Around the World