The Race Across the World star was left in tears during an emotional moment
Race Across The World star broke down in tears(Image: BBC)
Race Across The World’s Kush was reduced to tears after opening up about the death of his dad.
The 19-year-old contestant and his best friend Jo, 19, from Liverpool are the youngest competitors taking on the challenge of racing against one another across more than 12,000km from Sicily to Mongolia.
In pursuit of the £20,000 prize, the pair embarked on another leg of their journey during tonight’s (April 30) episode, which marks the halfway point of the race.
Together with their fellow competitors, they tackled the longest leg of the race, travelling through the world’s largest landlocked country, Kazakhstan, and onwards into Uzbekistan.
Midway through their journey, they seized the opportunity to visit a local gym and try their hand at judo, as Kush is a keen Muay Thai practitioner back home, reports the Liverpool Echo.
However, the experience stirred up memories of his late father, who tragically took his own life during lockdown.
Speaking directly to camera, he began: “Coming to this gym, it means a lot to me. It’s more than just throwing and hitting fighting. There’s a lot of meaning behind it.”
In a deeply personal moment, he revealed: “I think back to memories with my dad. I found it sick to do what your dad does. Being in the gym, I wonder what he’s thinking. He would be standing on the side with a particular sort of smirk on his face, watching me do judo throws.”
Clearly emotional, Kush recalled: “I remember the day he passed. It was locked down 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.
“I made a lot of mistakes when I was younger and I feel like, if I could sort of show him what I’ve learn’t…” The 19 year old was unable to finish his sentence as he dissolved into tears.
Viewers watching from home were left deeply moved by the heartbreaking moment, taking to social media to share their reactions. One fan wrote: “Poor Kush. He’s a lovely lad, they both are. #RaceAcrossTheWorld.”
Another said: “Kush opening up on the loss of his father at just 1 year old-oh man #RaceAcrossTheWorld.” A third wrote: “kush is breaking my heart omg #raceacrosstheworld.”
Yet another commented: “Damn! Kush lost 2 dads at such a young age. I’m sure they’re proud of him #RaceAcrossTheWorld.” While another added: “Such a heartbreaking leg for Kush and Joe – what humble lads they are #RaceAcrossTheWorld.”
Race Across the World is available to stream on BBC iPlayer