Tonight | Race Around the World on ABC TV sees filmmakers battle exhaustion and setbacks – Tonight, Race Around the World on ABC TV pushes its contestants to the limit as six filmmakers face exhaustion, creative doubts and unexpected setbacks in their quest to complete a film in just 10 days.
The ambitious competition series continues with the teams racing across six countries, where every decision could make or break their chances of impressing the judges. With time running out, failed leads, culture shocks and technical challenges threaten to derail even the most promising projects.
As the pressure intensifies, the filmmakers must overcome language barriers, changing environments and the emotional toll of the competition, all while trying to craft compelling stories that stand out from the crowd.
This week’s films cover a diverse range of subjects, from intimate character studies and environmental portraits to comedic survival experiments and spoken-word storytelling, giving the judges plenty to debate.
Hosted by Zan Rowe, tonight’s judging panel features John Safran, Wayne Blair and Gracie Otto, who will assess the creativity, storytelling and execution of each filmmaker’s vision.
With the competition heating up and the finish line still some distance away, every challenge presents a new opportunity – or a new obstacle – for the remaining contestants.
Don’t miss Race Around the World, tonight at 7.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview
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Tonight | Race Around the World on ABC TV sees filmmakers battle exhaustion and setbacks
About the Show
ABC’s groundbreaking series Race Around The World returns on Sunday 7 June at 7.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview, introducing a new generation of Australian filmmakers.
Hosted by Zan Rowe, with original Race Around The World breakout star John Safran returning as weekly judge, the reimagined series will showcase the unique cinematic voice of six young Australians.
The rules are simple: six filmmakers 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 John 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.
Introducing the Race Around The World Class of 2026:
Elliot, New South Wales
Video Content Producer
Elliot is a people‑first filmmaker drawn to complex, hard‑to‑reach stories. Curious, compassionate and fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, he works independently in volatile environments, earning trust quickly. With a background in psychology, he finds humanity, contradiction and resilience where few cameras go.
Jayden, Northern Territory
Marine Biologist
Jayden is a marine biologist turned environmental photojournalist working solo in remote, high‑risk environments. Shooting, writing and producing end-to-end, he’s driven by strong ethics and optimism. Comfortable with isolation and extremes, his work spans conservation, people and climate change, including extensive work in Antarctica.
Kate, Victoria
Lollipop Lady
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Kate is an arts school graduate who works part‑time as a lollipop lady to fund her films. Her work blends sharp observation, dry humour and inventive restraint, revealing the odd logic of everyday spaces through cinematic revelatory nonfiction storytelling.
Lucinda, New South Wales
Author and Internet Personality
Lucinda is an author, comedian and internet personality best known as Froomes. She creates fast, instinctive, internet‑first work through her one‑woman studio, blending humour, sharp research and lived experience. Prioritising immediacy over polish, she uses comedy to probe beauty standards, gender, identity and culture.
Mikaela, Western Australia
Sports Marketing and Film Industry Freelancer
Mikaela is a Gen Z filmmaker with an instinctive grasp of digital culture. Her creative process is hands‑on and observational, building female centric stories from real moments. Blending social media vernacular with cinematic texture, creating emotive, people driven work grounded in everyday life.
William, Queensland
Data Scientist
William is an articulate, upbeat and quietly nerdy filmmaker with a background in AI and data science. An ideas first, people driven storyteller, his tongue‑in‑cheek style avoids formal interviews, favouring movement, humour and empathy. He brings warmth and intelligence to character‑led documentaries and music videos.
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Production credit: Race Around the World is produced by Endemol Shine Australia (a Banijay Entertainment company) for ABC. Endemol Shine Australia Executive Producer: Kate Paul. Endemol Shine Australia Director of Content: Amelia Fisk. ABC Executive Producer: Mark Sutton. ABC Head of Entertainment: Rachel Millar.
Media Release – ABC
