Roman Kemp and his sister Harleymoon experience a frightening brush with danger in tonight’s episode of Celebrity Race Across the World, after BBC producers were forced to implement an emergency lockdown to protect the siblings during a sudden outbreak of violent civil unrest in Guatemala.

The pair were travelling across the country as part of the competition when nationwide protests escalated dramatically, bringing their journey — and the entire race — to an immediate standstill. What begins as a challenging leg of the race quickly spirals into a real-life crisis.

In tense scenes airing tonight, Roman and Harleymoon receive a chilling alert on their satellite phone, notifying them that the race has been “paused due to safety concerns.” The siblings appear visibly shaken as they take in the gravity of the situation and the realisation that they are now caught in the middle of an unstable and increasingly dangerous environment.

BBC halts production as political crisis worsens

Roman reads the urgent message aloud:
“A national strike has been announced in Guatemala and many major roads have been blocked. For safety reasons, your race will be paused. This is an ongoing situation and an update will be issued later today.”

Narrator John Hannah adds further context for viewers:
“In Guatemala, local protests have turned into a national uprising with all major highways blocked and violent clashes in the cities.”

The episode then cuts to real news footage from the region, showing fires burning in the streets, protesters confronting police, and masked crowds filling public squares. One reporter notes that there had been “reports of gunshots in the vicinity earlier in the morning” — reflecting similar updates provided by international outlets at the time (source: Reuters).

According to BBC News, Guatemala saw significant demonstrations in late 2023 and early 2024 related to political tensions and accusations of governmental interference, with major transport disruptions affecting civilian movement nationwide (source: BBC). The show’s production team were monitoring developments closely during filming.

Other contestants trapped amid the chaos

Further south in Guatemala, fellow racers Anita Rani and her father Bal also become stranded when their bus abruptly stops and passengers are forced to disembark onto the street.

“We’re in lockdown in Guatemala. So basically, we’re trapped now,” Anita tells her father, their confusion and concern mirroring the Kemps’.

It is believed the four celebrities were halted overnight before the Guatemalan government ultimately backed down to protestors’ demands, allowing road access to reopen. However, the fallout of the blockades — damaged roads, stranded vehicles, and massive traffic congestion — continued to wreak havoc on travel plans for days afterwards (source: The Guardian).

Chaos continues even after the all-clear

Once given permission to move again, Roman and Harleymoon attempt to board a public bus, only to be ordered to get off due to impossible traffic conditions.

Harleymoon asks, bewildered:
“Where are we?”
Roman replies: “I have no idea where we are. Obviously because of all this strike stuff that’s been going on — this is what’s leftover.”

Harleymoon adds:
“I never thought it would be this hard to get through a country. It’s wild.”

The pair are left with no choice but to continue on foot, navigating unfamiliar streets and disrupted routes. Meanwhile, Anita and Bal manage to secure a taxi, though even that proves challenging with roads clogged and diversions in place.

Race tensions rise as safety warnings intensify

Tonight’s episode sees the remaining four teams — Roman & Harleymoon, Anita & Bal, Molly Rainford & Tyler West, and Dylan Llewellyn & his mum Jackie — attempt to push forward from Guatemala towards El Zonte, El Salvador. But before setting off, every team receives a stark instruction:

“For safety reasons, travel after dark is not allowed on this leg.”

Narrator John Hannah explains that elevated crime levels, trafficking activity, and unpredictable conditions across several Central American regions make nighttime travel too dangerous for contestants (source: Reuters).

Molly and Tyler, along with Dylan and Jackie, avoid the worst of the unrest by diverting to alternative routes — but with daylight limited and tensions high, what should have been a straightforward competitive journey has quickly turned into the most perilous stage of the competition yet.

When to watch

Celebrity Race Across the World continues tonight (Thursday, November 13) at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with the race entering its most intense and unpredictable phase so far.