Race Across the World friends Jo and Kush open up on fame and family

Best friends Jo Diop and Kush Burman have become favourites with viewers of the latest series of Race Across the World.

The pair are racing across Europe and Asia on the BBC show, which sends contestants on a 12,000km trek with no phones and limited cash. The first pair to finish wins £20,000.

Kush, 20, says his friends have been slower to catch up on the episodes than their mothers. "All my mates' mums, they're loving it more than my mates are," he said.

The pair will not say who wins the final leg but expect a "high stress, very tense" episode. "Expect nothing, have no expectations," Kush said. "It's a wild place, Mongolia."

Jo, 19, added that there are no roads in parts of the country. "You might as well just not have the maps," he said.

So far the pair have been seen playing basketball and listening to Mongolian throat singing. A visit to a judo gym in Kazakhstan brought back memories for Kush of his stepdad, Matt, who took his own life during lockdown when Kush was 14.

Kush was filmed in tears saying he wished he could show Matt who he is now. Watching the scene back with his family was difficult, he told BBC Newsbeat.

"Usually when we talk about my dad it's in a more light-hearted context of, like, 'do you remember this?'," he said. "But when it's talking about the feelings and emotions behind it, it can be quite tough."

Kush said the public response had been heart-warming. "It's been such a big influx of messages and comments, but if I could say thank you to everyone, then this is my thank-you," he said.

He said having Jo with him during the emotional moment helped. Jo said the pair have known each other through their lowest points and know how to support one another.

The friends entered the show as a joke after finishing their A-levels. They say they would split the prize money equally if they win and plan to spend some on travel and clothes.

"If you want to go travelling, do it. If you don't, that's also fine," Jo said. "Just make sure you're not just doing things for the sake of it and you actually enjoy what you're doing."

The finale airs on BBC One at 20:00 BST on Thursday 21 May and on iPlayer.