The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition kicked off on Monday night in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with 11 teams of celebrities and their loved ones embarking on the adventure of a lifetime.
Unfortunately, we had to part ways with one of our teams almost as soon as the race started, and the last to check in were comedian Luke McGregor and his mother Julie.
“I was really sad to get knocked out during the match,” Luke told 10 Play. “Even though we are in competition with each other, we really enjoy being together and create camaraderie.
“It was a shame that we were eliminated so quickly and that my mother’s nemesis, Ian Thorpe, made it through because my mother always wanted to beat him. You can’t beat him in pool, so she went to The Amazing Race. I was hoping to beat him in that,” he joked.
The sensual detour proved difficult for the family team participating in the race as the team overcame challenges and toured Argentina’s iconic landmarks. With two challenges to choose from, teams could either cook 24 choripan sandwiches or learn the steps and perform a tango in front of the judges.
Luke and his mother choose tango, but almost immediately regret it when they see the instructor perform a dance that celebrates an intimate embrace.
“I don’t think we’ll bring this up at Christmas,” Luke said, adding: “We’ll probably pretend it never happened.”
“I thought dancing would be easier because I thought it was something you had a partner, learned to dance, and danced with professionals,” he explained. “We never thought we’d end up dancing with each other.”
They also thought the National Sandwich Challenge could have been made with more unconventional foods. “But I was disappointed after the call because it was such a delicious snack,” Luke added.
Luke and Julie, attempting to learn tango, are put off by the closeness and intimacy of the dance as well as the physical demands of the challenge, and choose to take a 30-minute time penalty rather than complete it. did.
“It’s difficult because you want to give it a good crack,” Luke explained. work! ‘”
Luke compared the show to a video game, where you travel around the world and solve puzzles, and said it reminded him of the classic “Where Is Carmen Sandiego?” “Except I’m Carmen Sandiego, I’m with my mom and the cameraman,” he laughed.
“I think this was the hardest thing I’ve ever done on TV. It reminded me of when I was a kid running cross country.”
Luke, who had no idea where the other teams were in the running order or how much work remained to race to a pit stop, said the whole experience was a reminder of the dangers of social media. spoke.
“It’s like Instagram, you look at Instagram and you think everyone is doing better than you and you get sad. That was my attitude during the race. There’s no one I haven’t met. So I thought maybe they killed me. It’s not a healthy attitude, but that was my attitude,” he said with a laugh.
But despite the further challenges, the time penalties still hung over their heads and Luke and Julie, who reached the first pit stop mat in 8th place, sat for half an hour, watching the other teams check in. I had to serve out.
“It was horrible. It was so awkward just sitting there. It was a long time having to sit there and make small talk with your mom while watching people beat you up.”
With just a few minutes left in the penalty period, the last team arrives and Luke and Julie are eliminated from the race. “It was a real shame that we couldn’t do more because (my mom) sacrificed so much to get there. It hit us harder than I thought it would,” Luke said. I admitted it.
Luke and Julie entered the race for a good cause, Luke explained, representing Mazin Gall, a “drop-in center for indigenous women and vulnerable families.”
“This is an Indigenous-run organization that’s doing great work in Sydney. It’s one of those places that can provide a safe space and resources for people.”
Here you can find out more about Mudgin-Gal and all the charity work these celebs are involved in.
The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition continues on Tuesday, September 10 at 7.30pm, followed by 10 Days and 10 Plays on Sunday at 7pm and Monday at 7.30pm.
