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Jo Gardiner, a former contestant on the BBC One series *Race Across the World*, has passed away at the age of 61, following a prolonged and brave battle with cancer, according to her family. Gardiner, a physiotherapist from Manchester, took part in the show’s 2020 second series alongside her son, Sam. The pair journeyed through South America, racing from Mexico City to Ushuaia, Argentina, competing against four other pairs on the adventure.
Tragically, Sam died in June 2025 after a car accident, a year before his mother’s passing. Jo and Sam had joined the competition because Jo wanted to share a travel experience with her son, who had ADHD. Gardiner is survived by another son, Charlie. Her family described her as someone who lived life with full passion and energy, never doing anything halfway, and said she was truly unique.
Her relatives spoke movingly about Jo’s extraordinary nature, saying she had a rare ability to energize those around her. They paid tribute to her magnetic personality and the deep connections she formed with friends and family, saying, “She was our family, our joy, our safe place and our absolute treasure.” They also expressed comfort in knowing that her laughter, kindness, courage, and spirited personality would continue to inspire those who knew her.
The producers of *Race Across the World* echoed the family’s sentiments, calling Jo “the matriarch” of the show’s cast family and praising the legacy she left behind. They conveyed their condolences to her family, highlighting the privilege of sharing her story and acknowledging the impact she had on many lives through her participation in the series. The family has requested privacy during their time of mourning but encouraged those who knew Jo to celebrate her life in the way she would have wanted—by sharing stories, laughing, and embracing life fully
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