'BBC's new Traitors-style show Destination X has one big problem'

Yahoo

4 days ago

OPINION: The Destination X contestants do miss out on the very best elements of Race Across the World
BBC's new travel show Destination X steals some of its elements from The Traitors and Race Across the World, making it addictive TV.
Put yourself in the shoes of Destination X's contestants who are being guided by the gamesmaster, Rob Brydon. Imagine being blindfolded and led onto a luxury coach that has blacked-out windows, travelling through Europe. You must try to work out where you are — Destination X — with only vague and confusing clues to help you.
There is £100,000 at stake. The money on the table is much higher than the £20,000 winnings for Race Across the World and even better than The Traitors 2025's jackpot of £94,600 (this was split two ways at £47,000). Immediately, it sounds enticing.
Think The Traitors meets Coach Trip. You can play along at home too, although without the attractive monetary reward.
Destination X misses the best parts of Race Across the World
"It struck me as the best bits of The Traitors with the best bits of Race Across the World," its gamemaster Rob Brydon teased ahead of it landing on BBC One.
The Would I Lie To You? host is good fun and he has been taking inspiration from Claudia Winkleman's terrific hosting on The Traitors.
But Destination X does have one big flaw. The Destination X contestants do, in fact, miss out on the very best elements of Race Across the World. The majority of the filming so far takes place from the inside of the coach.
This does prove to be a limit of the new BBC series, especially where it has been pitched as a travel show.
The Destination X contestants don't get to interact with the locals or have the opportunity to freely explore within the countries they are travelling through.
Perhaps it would give away too much. All of the clues the contestants get are tightly controlled by production through challenges.
It would be great to see more of the Destination X contestants dropped in the middle of nowhere with the freedom to explore some of the surrounding area. Almost like a real life Geoguessr, where players have to work out the location from Google Street view.
Race Across the World contestants often tell Yahoo UK that exploring the countries and speaking to strangers are the two most rewarding things to get from the experience.
Being confined to two coaches (one for sleeping) on Destination X is like trapping all of the contestants of The Traitors in one room of the Scottish castle. Or putting them on a long overnight bus on Race Across the World. Race Across the World's 2024 winner Alfie previously complained to Yahoo UK that boredom on those endless coach journeys was the toughest part of the show.
It seems a shame not to make more of the stunning locations Destination X's coaches are travelling through. I want to see more moments like the second episode's cable car challenge in the Switzerland mountains. It's gripping and the scenery is spectacular.
Rows and casting
But the claustrophobia on the coach does have its advantages. It will work well for escalating the tension among the cast. I expect explosive rows to break out in that small space as the trip goes on, nearing its final destination.
There are a lot of different personalities onboard you could see clashing. Destination X's bosses have cast a variety of different characters from endurance athlete Nick who isn't afraid to speak his mind even when he doesn't agree with others, to E-commerce Manager James who doesn't mind stirring up the drama, to relaxed and trusting London taxi driver Daren.
Like The Traitors, everyone plays the game differently. Some people onboard are quick to form secret allegiances. There are the people who tell the truth and others who want to tell lies. You can't help but wonder how you would play the game.
But there are no banishments here; its the person who guesses the furthest away from the location who will be sent packing.
Understandably, the first episode feels like a slow burn until the contestants board the coach to embark on their adventure. Once it gets underway, Destination X promises to be a thrilling ride.
Watch Destination X's first two episodes on BBC iPlayer.