Jo and Sam Gardiner appeared on series two of the BBC show, which aired in 2020

NEED TO KNOW

• Race Across the World star Jo Gardiner has died aged 61 after “following a long and courageous battle with cancer,” her family said in a statement
• Her death comes a year after her son and co-star Sam Gardiner died following a car crash in May 2025

• The mother-and-son duo competed on BBC’s Race Across the World in 2020, with the series seeing them travel around Latin America

Race Across the World‘s Jo Gardiner has died a year after her son and co-star, Sam Gardiner, died in a tragic car crash.

Her family confirmed in a statement that she died aged 61 “following a long and courageous battle with cancer,” per U.K. outlets Metro and The Independent.

Jo and Sam, from Stockport, England, appeared on the second series of the BBC show, which aired in 2020. It followed the mother and son traveling from Mexico City with the aim of reaching Ushuaia in Argentina.

Jo was described by her loved ones as “our joy, our safe place and our absolute treasure,” in a statement, per the outlets.

“We know how deeply Jo was loved, and we take comfort in knowing that her laughter, her courage, her kindness and her wonderfully outrageous spirit will live on in the many people whose lives she touched,” her family added.

“As we grieve, we ask for privacy, but we also ask everyone who knew and loved Jo to do exactly what she would have wanted: tell the funny stories, raise a glass, have an adventure, laugh loudly and live life to the full,” the statement said.

They said Jo “never did things by halves” and described the physiotherapist as “one of a kind.”

She is survived by her son, Charlie, according to local outlet the Manchester Evening News.

The Race Across the World team also posted their own tribute to Jo on X, offering their “deepest and heartfelt sympathies” to her family and friends.

“Millions of people remembered [Jo and Sam’s] transformative journey across Latin America in 2020 and we hold that memory in our hearts as we fondly recall Jo’s passion for life, her kindness, her strength, and above all her utter devotion to Sam and her family,” the statement said.

“At the time of filming, Sam described his mum as amazing – and that is how we will always remember her,” it added. “Jo became the matriarch of the Race Across the World cast family, she leaves a lasting legacy in the many lives that she touched, both through the series and beyond. It was a privilege to share her story and she will be deeply missed.”

Her death comes one year after her son Sam died aged 24 following a car crash, PEOPLE previously reported.

He was driving a white Volkswagen in Manchester, England, when the car veered off the road and “rolled before landing on its side” on May 26, 2025, according to a statement by Greater Manchester Police.

The landscape gardener was taken to the hospital, where he succumbed to life-threatening injuries three days after the crash.

At the time, his parents, Jo and Andrew, said they were “devastated” by the loss of their son, per a Greater Manchester Police release.

“Sam left us far too soon, and whilst words will never fully capture the light, joy and energy he brought into our lives, we hold on to the memories that made him so special,” they said.

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“Sam brought warmth, laughter and a smattering of chaos wherever he went,” the tribute added. “He leaves behind a huge hole in our hearts. We will miss him endlessly, but we’ll also remember him with smiles, tall tales, and a depth of love that will never fade”.

Jo went on the TV show because she wanted to “teach her son how to explore the world,” per their BBC profile.

“My son and I get on so well and he is desperate to travel, but I’m nervous of him going off on his own,” she said at the time. “I want the trip to help him grow, and see how the world works. To watch him experience this will be fantastic. He’s come such a long way and I would love to see him achieve his dreams.”

Sam previously said he and his mom “often think or say the same things” and took part in the show because he thought it would be “fun” to travel the world with her.

“She always seems to get things right, she can speak to people and fix things,” he said at the time, before describing his mom as “amazing.”

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