Jeff Stelling has revealed that he lost approximately a stone and a half during his participation in Celebrity Race Across The World. The Sky Sports presenter, 71, starred in the competition alongside his son Matt, navigating challenging conditions and a limited daily budget of around £25.
Stelling described the experience as "tough," recounting instances where he was forced to shower with cold water and use basic toilet facilities. He admitted that at one point, he felt like quitting and expressing his frustration, telling The Times, "enough is enough, I’m going home." However, he clarified that he had no intention of actually leaving the race.
During the initial episode, Stelling and his son were shown in a disagreement, with Jeff expressing reluctance to "slum it" for the sake of the race and prioritizing comfort and meals. Despite the early friction, the father-son pair reached the first checkpoint shortly after fellow contestants Princess and Junior Andre found themselves in last place.
Elsewhere in the competition, Princess and Junior Andre faced difficulties on a night bus where other passengers were reportedly vomiting. This led to viewer sympathy and concern for the siblings, who were a day behind their rivals at the first checkpoint.
Stelling, who is well-known for his 29-year tenure presenting Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday before departing in 2023, has since taken on a role on talkSPORT's Breakfast show. He had previously announced a temporary break from his radio duties to film the BBC show.