Race Across the World fans were moved to tears as contestant Kush broke down in an emotional admission about his mental health struggles. The star, who is taking part in the gruelling BBC challenge alongside his best friend Jo, received an outpouring of support from viewers after opening up about his anxiety and the death of his father.
Best friends Jo and Kush are among the teams trekking through eight countries in the once-in-a-lifetime challenge, with a limited budget, no smartphones, internet access or bank cards, and miles away from home. The Liverpudlians have received widespread praise from viewers so far, despite concerns for how quickly they are using up their £26 per day budget.
Emotional Confession
In Thursday's programme, as they journeyed through Kazakhstan, viewers were given more of an insight into their close friendship. After opening up about his anxiety and the death of his father, Kush shared: “Every day is difficult day, everyday is a struggle. You have bad days, good days, off days, but every day is hard. I’m trying to learn how to function under high stress.”
Growing tearful, he went on to share his support for Jo, saying: “In the past couple of days I’ve realised how much I value having Jo here. I just really appreciate the fact that Jo is always up for looking after me. I don’t think he understands the difference it makes. He’s my best mate.” Wiping away tears, he added: “In this entire journey, I’ve got nothing, absolutely nothing at all but Jo, that is home.”
Supportive Friendship
This comes after Jo supported Kush through his anxiety earlier in the show, as he battled his mental health and admitted he was struggling, and later thanked Jo for calming him through the evening. He said: “Thanks for staying up with me last night. It actually made a big difference. I didn’t know if I’d be able to go to sleep. I just need my head to shut up for a minute. But you know how I get.”
Jo shared to the camera: “I do think Kush can be glass half empty, which is understandable since he has gone through a lot. I understand where that negative state comes from. I do let him rant, get it off his chest and then be like, ‘Ok, let’s look at this from a different point of view’.” Speaking about their friendship back home, he went on: “When Kush is not feeling good, we link up and go off on walks, on bike rides, to the park to play footie, honestly any activity, as long as we’re doing something, I can tell it improves his mood. Kush means a lot to me, definitely, and I want to show him that there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.”
Viewer Praise
The pair were praised by viewers for their emotional intelligence, with one writing on X: “Swear to god Jo and Kush have me in tears each week. It’s so nice to see how caring they both are of each other. Nothing toxic, just understanding and supporting each other. I’d love to see them both win this.” Another said: “Without a shadow of a doubt, Jo and Kush are the most likeable contestants in the entire history of #RaceAcrossTheWorld.” “Jo & Kush are so lovely, such a great friendship & support,” a third wrote, as another said: “Kush what a man opening up showing #itsokaynottobeokay. Brave brave brave. Big and strong.”
Father's Death
Last week, Kush had opened up about his father’s death, who tragically died by suicide during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns. He bravely shared: “I remember the day he passed. It was lockdown and it was a real big shock. He had really poor mental health and he took his own life. You never forget that shock factor. I still think about him all the time. Being on this journey has brought back little moments and I wish I could sort of show who I am now because when you're 14, I didn't know who I was and I was still a child.” He became overwhelmed with emotion as he said: “I made a lot of mistakes when I was younger and I feel like, if I could sort of show him what I've learned...”
Race Across The World continues Thursdays at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
