Jo Gardiner Dead: ‘Race Across The World’ Star Passes A Year After Son

PUBLISHED: August 24, 2026

Jo Gardiner, star of the second season of Race Across the World, has died. She was 61.

Gardiner’s family said she died after a “long and courageous battle with cancer.” Her passing comes a year after her son, Sam, lost his life in a car crash in 2025.

Jo and Sam competed together in Race Across the World, traversing Latin America for the BBC reality competition series, produced by Studio Lambert. They became firm favorites among fans of the show, finishing fourth in their race.

“She lived fully, fiercely and never did anything by halves,” Jo’s family said in a statement, shared with BBC News.

“She was blessed with countless friends, drawn to her extraordinary magnetism. Somehow, each one felt as though they were among her very best. To us, she was more than all of these things. She was our family, our joy, our safe place and our absolute treasure.”

In a statement, Studio Lambert and the BBC said: “We offer our deepest and heartfelt sympathies to Jo’s son Charlie, and her wider family and friends.

“Following the tragic death of Jo’s son Sam last year, we paid tribute to how integral Sam and Jo had been to series two. Millions of people remembered their transformative journey across Latin America in 2020 and we hold that memory in our hearts as we fondly recall Jo’s passion for life, her kindness, her strength, and above all her utter devotion to Sam and her family.

“At the time of filming, Sam described his mum as amazing – and that is how we will always remember her. Jo became the matriarch of the Race Across the World cast family, she leaves a lasting legacy in the many lives that she touched, both through the series and beyond. It was a privilege to share her story and she will be deeply missed.”

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