Who are Anita Rani and Balvinder Singh Nazran? Meet Celebrity Race Across the World 2025 contestants

The series finale of Celebrity Race Across the World has arrived, with an epic push of over 1,000km to reach the finish line.

Tonight (11th December), it's time for the race to resume one last time, and it's up to the teams to either cut a course inland or follow the tourist trail along the Caribbean coast to reach the Guajira Peninsula.

Hoping to reach the finish line first are Anita Rani and her dad Bal, who always knew they were going to make it this far in the competition.

Anita said: "There’s obviously been disappointment so far about the things that have been out of our control, but there's a life lesson in that, isn't there?

"You know when Guatemala closed down, we miss a bus, or whatever, all those things are completely out of your control, and it's very frustrating, but that's part of the journey.

As the race nears the end, here's everything you need to know about the duo.

Who are Anita and Bal?

Relationship: Father and daughter

From: Bradford

Jobs: Radio and television presenter and semi-retired businessman

Instagram: @itsanitarani

Anita Rani is a radio and television presenter, best known for co-presenting Countryfile for the past 10 years and for BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour which she has presented since 2021. In 2015, the 47-year-old appeared on Strictly Come Dancing and made it as far as the semi-final.

She will be taking part in the race alongside her 69-year-old dad Balvinder Singh Nazran, who is a semi-retired businessman.

Speaking to Radio Times magazine, Anita shared that the father and daughter duo had their first bicker only an hour into the race after she "ran into the road" according to Bal.

"The cameras were rolling and Dad was telling me off about something and I turned into teenage me, stomping and pouting," said Anita.

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Why did Anita and Bal want to take part in Celebrity Race Across the World?

Anita said her dad signed up to do the race so they could spend valued time together travelling, something they missed out on when she was young.

"We didn’t really do holidays as kids, because my parents were too busy working. I don’t think Dad had much choice [about signing up]!" she told Radio Times magazine.

Bal added: "She said, 'Dad, are you up for an adventure?' I presumed it was a weekend away, but I’m not afraid of adventures and I wanted to get to know Anita better. We’re very similar: outgoing and independent, with the same sense of humour."

Celebrity Race Across the World continues on Thursday 11th December at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

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