The ABC’s “Race Around the World” is returning next month, with a reimagined series showcasing the unique cinematic voice of six young Australians.
Hosted by Zan Rowe, with original “Race Around the World” breakout star John Safran returning as weekly judge, the series will introduce a new generation of Australian filmmakers. It will kick off on Sunday, June 7th.
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 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.
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.
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Also representing New South Wales, Lucinda – better known online as Froomes – is an author, comedian and internet personality, using humour and rapid-fire digital storytelling to explore identity, beauty standards and culture. Western Australian entrant Mikaela works across sports marketing and film, crafting female-driven stories grounded in everyday life and shaped by digital culture.
Finally, Queensland filmmaker William, who comes from a background in AI and data science, combines humour and empathy in character-led documentaries and music videos.
“Race Around the World” is executive produced by Kate Paul for Endemol Shine Australia, with Amelia Fisk serving as director of content. Mark Sutton is ABC executive producer, while Rachel Millar oversees the series as ABC head of entertainment.
“Race Around the World” will return on Sunday, June 7th at 7:30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview.