In brief
What happenedFormer Race Across the World contestant Jo Gardiner has died at the age of 61 following a battle with cancer. Her death occurs one year after her son and co-star Sam died when his car came off the road and crashed. Jo, who worked as a physiotherapist from Manchester, is survived by her son Charlie.
Why it mattersJo and Sam competed in the second series of the BBC One show in 2020, traveling across South America from Mexico City to Ushuaia against four other pairs. Jo entered the competition to share a travel adventure with Sam, who had ADHD. Following the news, producers from Studio Lambert and the BBC paid tribute to her as the matriarch of the cast family who touched many lives.
What's nextIn a tribute remembering her courage, kindness, laughter, and spirit, Jo's family noted she passed away after a long and courageous battle. Her family has asked for privacy following her death. They have also encouraged people to remember her by telling funny stories, raising a glass, and living life to the full.
Former Race Across the World contestant Jo Gardiner has died at the age of 61 following a battle with cancer.
Her death comes one year after her son and co-star Sam died in June 2025, when his car came off the road and crashed.
Jo, a physiotherapist from Manchester, is survived by her son Charlie.
Many of you will remember Jo from the second series of the BBC One programme, which aired in 2020. She and Sam took on an extensive journey across South America, competing in a race from Mexico City down to Ushuaia in Argentina.
The mother and son took on the route alongside four other pairs of contestants. Jo entered the competition because she wanted to share and experience a travel adventure with Sam, who had ADHD.
In a statement following her death, Jo's family said she passed away "following a long and courageous battle with cancer." They spoke warmly of the impact she had on those around her, noting that she was "blessed with countless friends, drawn to her extraordinary magnetism" and that "somehow, each one felt as though they were among her very best."
Her family added: "To us, she was more than all of these things. We know how deeply Jo was loved, and we take comfort in knowing that her laughter, her courage, her kindness and her wonderfully outrageous spirit will live on in the many people whose lives she touched."
While asking for privacy during their grief, her family urged "everyone who knew and loved Jo to do exactly what she would have wanted: tell the funny stories, raise a glass, have an adventure, laugh loudly and live life to the full."
Tributes have also been shared by the production team behind the programme. A spokesperson speaking on behalf of Studio Lambert, the BBC, and the wider cast offered their "deepest and heartfelt sympathies to Jo's son Charlie, and her wider family and friends."
The spokesperson described Jo as the "matriarch of the Race Across The World cast family," adding that "she leaves a lasting legacy in the many lives that she touched, both through the series and beyond."
As her loved ones, colleagues, and viewers remember her life and the journey she shared with her son Sam, I will make sure to keep you informed of any further developments. I'll be following this one.
Read the video transcript
Former Race Across the World contestant Jo Gardiner has died at the age of sixty-one, following a battle with cancer. Her death comes one year after her son and co-star Sam died when his car came off the road and crashed. Jo, a physiotherapist from Manchester, took part in the second series of the BBC One show, which aired in 2020. The mother and son travelled across South America together, competing against four other pairs of contestants in a race from Mexico City down to Ushuaia in Argentina. Jo entered the competition because she wanted to share a travel adventure with Sam, who had ADHD. Jo is survived by her son Charlie. In a tribute, her family said she died following a long and courageous battle, remembering her laughter, courage, kindness, and wonderfully outrageous spirit. They asked for privacy, but encouraged people to tell funny stories, raise a glass, and live life to the full. Our thoughts are with her family at this sad time Producers from Studio Lambert and the BBC also paid tribute, describing Jo as the matriarch of the cast family who touched many lives. You've been watching Steve Rowland News. Don't forget to like, follow, and share these videos with your friends.
Comments
Comments are closed on this story.