Plot Synopsis

Pairs of contestants compete for the one-million-dollar grand prize as they travel around the world, complete physical challenges, and work to avoid finishing last in each leg of the race. When players finish each leg of the race, the pair to finish first earns a special bonus prize while the pair that finishes last is usually eliminated -- though the race does have a few non-elimination legs. When only three teams remain, the competitors race to the finish line with the winning team taking home the grand prize. During the race, these three teams travel more than 35,000 miles, visit at least four continents, and enjoy more than 20 cities. Typically, each pair has some common bond -- father/son; sisters; fraternity brothers; husband/wife; NFL cheerleaders; Harlem Globetrotters; girlfriend/boyfriend -- and this race forces the two people to work together under extreme duress. Most often the race brings the pair closer together, but sometimes it just rips them apart.

THE AMAZING RACE returned for its 24th season on Sunday, February 23, 2014 at 8pm ET/PT on CBS, as eleven former teams -- all fan favorites -- came back for another sprint around the globe on a special All-Star themed edition of this series. Season 24 competitors included The Globetrotters (Seasons 15 & 18), The Cowboys (Seasons 16 & 18), Brendon & Rachel (Season 20), Dave & Connor (Season 22), The Afghanimals (Season 23), Jennifer & Caroline (Season 22), John & Jessica (Season 22), Margie & Luke (Seasons 14 & 18), The Twinnies (Season 21), Joey & Meghan (Season 22), and Bopper & Mark (Season 20).

On September 26, 2014, Season 25 of THE AMAZING RACE premiered on CBS on a new night: Fridays at 8pm ET/PT, with 11 new teams competing.

THE AMAZING RACE returned for its 26th season on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 from 9:30-11pm ET/PT, moving to its regular time period on Friday, February 27 from 8-9pm ET/PT. Season 26 features 11 new teams of all dating duos with a twist: six who are preexisting couples, and five duos who will meet for the very first time at the starting line when they are set up on the most extreme blind date ever. The pre-existing dating teams traveling around the world include New Kids on the Block member Jonathan Knight and his partner Harley Rodriguez, and Olympic medalists Aly Dudek and Steven Langton. Dudek won bronze at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics in short track speed skating and Langton won two bronze medals at the 2014 Sochi Olympics in bobsledding. Those being set up on the blind dates of a lifetime include a Navy physician and a registered nurse and two lawyers.

On Friday, September 25, 2015 at 8pm ET/PT, CBS premiered the ten-episode 27th season of THE AMAZING RACE. For the first time, the Race travels to the country of Zimbabwe and the city of Rotterdam, Netherlands. The 11 new teams depart from Venice Beach, CA, and travel to their first destination, Rio de Janeiro, where they immediately encounter a potentially game changing fast forward. Along the route, teams race through five continents, 10 countries and more than 34,000 miles. They learn a tango with a twist in Buenos Aires, Argentina, drop mics with a French rapper in Paris, France, partake in a high-flying water show in Macau, China, and freefall more than 200 feet into the Batoka Gorge and swim with crocodiles. The teams include: cousins Alex Manard (age 22; hometown: Champaign, IL) & Adam Dingeman (24; Des Moines, IA); married couple Cindy Chac (36; San Diego, CA) & Rick Chac (38; San Diego); mother-son team Denise Williams (51; Prattville, AL) & James Earl Corley (26; Prattville, AL); brothers Ernest Phillips (29; Boston, MA) & Jin Lao (26; Boston, MA); best friends Jazmine Lewis (23; Moreno Valley, CA) & Danielle Littleton (23; Riverside, CA); engaged couple Justin Scheman (30; Bronx, NY) & Diana Bishop (30; Sharon Hill, PA); TMZ co-workers Kelly Berning (37; Los Angeles, CA) & Shevonne Sullivan (31; Taunton, MA); dating co-workers Kelsey Gerckens (25; Ventura, CA) & Joey Buttitta (26; Simi Valley, CA); dating couple Logan Fazio (36; Miami, FL) & Chris Gordon (46; Miami, FL); best friends Tanner Kloven (26; Fort Worth, TX) & Josh Ahern (28; Dallas, TX); and former NFL cheerleaders Tiffany Chantell Torres (28; Little Falls, NJ) & Krista DeBono (28; New York, NY).

Season 28 of THE AMAZING RACE premiered on Friday, February 12, 2016 at 8pm ET/PT on CBS, as 11 teams of social media stars depart from their own homes all across the country and head for Mexico City, where they set off fireworks and dig deep at an archaeological Roadblock to start their journey to the $1 million grand prize. The teams include: PSYCHOBABBLE! co-host Tyler Oakley and Korey Kuhl, who are best friends; boyfriend/girlfriend Burnie Burns and Ashley Jenkins; BFFs Erin White Robinson and Joslyn Davis, who are also work wives; mother/son team Sheri and Cole LaBrant; husband/wife team Zach and Rachel King; fiancees Dana Alexa Borriello and Matt Steffanina; BFFs Jessica VerSteeg and Brittany Oldehoff; mother/daughter team Marty Cobb and Hagan Parkman; father/daughter team Scott and Blair Fowler; BFFs Brodie Smith and Kurt Gibson, who are also ultimate frisbee teammates; and brothers Darius and Cameron Benson.

On Thursday, March 30, 2017 at 10pm ET/PT, CBS premiered the 29th season of THE AMAZING RACE. In a brand new twist, all 22 Racers are complete strangers who meet on the starting line. Before "Go," Racers immediately compete in a challenge that determines the order for picking a Teammate, based on nothing but first impressions. These new pairs of Teammates then have mere moments to learn their traveling companion's name before beginning a race around the world that spans 9 countries, 17 cities and 36,000 miles. Participants in the 29th Race around the world include an Army Drill Sergeant, a pro snowboarder, a Wall Street banker, an auctioneer and a college drum major, among others. They begin their journey in Los Angeles and head to their first destination, Panama City. Along the route, Racers are challenged with building and delivering desks and school supplies to children in Tanzania, skydiving in Norway and bungee jumping 240 feet into the Corinth Canal in Greece.

Season 30 of THE AMAZING RACE premiered on Wednesday, January 3, 2018 at 8pm ET/PT on CBS. Teams for this milestone thirtieth season include IndyCar drivers Alexander Rossi and Conor Daly; retired NBA All-Stars Cedric Ceballos and Shawn Marion; X-Games champions Kristi Leskinen and Jen Hudak; dating nationally ranked debaters Henry Zhang and Evan Lynyak; BIG BROTHER power couple Cody Nickson and Jessica Graf; competitive eaters Joey Chestnut and Tim Janus; goat yoga instructors April Gould and Sarah Williams; dating musicians from Well Strung, Trevor Wadleigh & Chris Marchant; ring girl and Instagram models Dessie Mitcheson and Kayla Fitzgerald; dating lifeguards Lucas Bocanegra and Brittany Austin; and twin brother firefighters Daniel & Eric Guiffreda.

On Wednesday, April 17, 2019 at 9pm ET/PT, CBS premiered the 31st season of THE AMAZING RACE, a Reality Showdown that features eleven teams comprised of racers from past seasons of THE AMAZING RACE as well as castaways from SURVIVOR and houseguests from BIG BROTHER. The 11 teams compete on the 25,000+ mile journey around the world to be crowned winners of the $1 million prize. Phil Keoghan returns to host. In the season opener, "You're in Our Race Now," the race around the world begins with the first reality showdown among some of the most memorable and competitive players from THE AMAZING RACE, SURVIVOR and BIG BROTHER. Teams for Season 31 include: Art Velez (age 49) & John James "JJ" Carrell (49) from THE AMAZING RACE 20; Colin Guinn (38) & Christie Woods (40) from THE AMAZING RACE 5; Becca Droz (28) & Floyd Pierce (23) from THE AMAZING RACE 29; Leo Temory (31) & Jamal Zadran (30) from THE AMAZING RACE 23 and THE AMAZING RACE: ALL-STARS; Tyler Oakley (31) & Korey Kuhl (33) from THE AMAZING RACE 28; Chris Hammons (40) & Bret Labelle (44) from SURVIVOR: MILLENIALS VS. GEN X; Corinne Kaplan (39) & Eliza Orlins (35) from SURVIVOR: GABON and SURVIVOR: CARAMOAN (Corinne); SURVIVOR: VANUATU and SURVIVOR: MICRONESIA (Eliza); Rupert (54) & Laura (49) Boneham from SURVIVOR: PEARL ISLANDS, SURVIVOR: ALL-STARS, SURVIVOR: HEROES VS. VILLAINS, SURVIVOR: BLOOD VS. WATER (Rupert), and SURVIVOR: BLOOD VS. WATER (Laura); Janelle Pierzina (38) & Britney Haynes (30) from BIG BROTHER 12 and BIG BROTHER 14 (Britney); Rachel Reilly (34) & Elissa Slater (32) from BIG BROTHER 12, winner BIG BROTHER 13, THE AMAZING RACE 20, THE AMAZING RACE: ALL-STARS (Rachel) and BIG BROTHER 15 (Elissa); and Nicole Franzel (26) and Victor Arroyo (28) from BIG BROTHER 16, winner of BIG BROTHER 18 (Nicole), and BIG BROTHER 18 (Victor).

Season 32 of THE AMAZING RACE premiered on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 at 9pm ET/PT on CBS. The globe-trotting teams begin their adventure, which filmed prior to the global outbreak of the coronavirus, from the iconic Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, and travel to their first destination, Trinidad and Tobago. Along the route, teams will travel to France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Brazil and more. The team that crosses the finish line first will be crowned the winners of THE AMAZING RACE and the $1 million prize. The 11 teams in Season 32 include: Former NFL stars DeAngelo Williams (36) and Gary Barnidge (34); Olympic hurdlers Kellie Wells-Brinkley (37) and LaVonne Idlette (34); Will Jardell (30) and James Wallington (31), who are dating; siblings Eswar (24) and Aparna Dhinakaran (26); father-son Jerry (61) and Frank (25) Eaves; sisters Kaylynn (30) and Haley Williams (31); married parents Chee Lee (38) and Hung Nguyen (39); Leo Brown (31) and Alana Folsom (29), who are dating; sisters Michelle (34) and Victoria Newland (33); best friends Nathan Worthington (39) and Cody Buell (33); and pro volleyball players Riley (31) and Maddison McKibbin (29).

THE AMAZING RACE returned for its 33rd season on Wednesday, January 5, 2022 from 8-10pm ET/PT on CBS, with host Phil Keoghan. The series began airing in its regular timeslot -- Wednesdays from 9-10pm -- starting January 12. Season 33 kicked off filming in February 2020, but after three legs was forced to halt production due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over one and a half years later and the longest pitstop in the show's history, THE AMAZING RACE resumed and concluded production Fall 2021. The globe-trotting teams begin the season from their homes and travel to London, England, where they must find "The Queen" and "Boris Johnson" having a nosh. They then travel to Scotland, where the nearly 20-month pitstop began. Keoghan utters the iconic words "the world is waiting for you (again)" at the re-start line of leg four in Switzerland, and most (but not all) teams returned to travel through France, Greece, Portugal and Los Angeles, where the team to cross the final finish line first will be crowned the winners of THE AMAZING RACE and the $1 million prize. Teams include: married educators Akbar Cook Sr. (45) and Sheridan Cook (44); childhood friends Anthony Sadler (29) and Spencer Stone (29); father-daughter team Arun Kumar (56) and Natalie Kumar (28); dating couple Caro Viehweg (23) and Ray Gantt (25); married couple Connie (37) and Sam (39) Greiner; Internet personalities Kim (45) and Penn (47) Holderness; twins and radio hosts Marianela "Lulu" (37) and Marissa "Lala" (37) Gonzalez; singing police officers Michael Norwood (36) and Armonde "Moe" Badger (42); flight attendants Raquel Moore (31) and Cayla Platt (30); best friends Ryan Ferguson (37) and Dusty Harris (38); and YouTube sensations Taylor Green-Jones (38) and Isaiah Green-Jones (31).

Season 34 of THE AMAZING RACE premiered on Wednesday, September 21, 2022 at 10pm ET/PT on CBS. This season, for the first time, the 12 globe-trotting teams will begin the race outside of the United States, traveling to Munich, Germany for the starting line. The show also visits the ancient city of Petra, in Jordan, where teams will ride a train and experience a scene reminiscent of the 1963 Oscar-winning film "Lawrence of Arabia," perform a Jordanian folk dance and learn the Arabic alphabet. Also, for the first time in THE AMAZING RACE history, there will be no non-elimination legs. Plus, THE AMAZING RACE celebrates 400 episodes with 12 new teams who go on their journey of a lifetime when host Phil Keoghan kicks off the new season. Teams for Season 34 include: Aastha Lal (33, VP of Operations) & Nina Duong (34, Director Business Dev.); Abby Garrett (24, Data Scientist) & Will Freeman (25, Accountant); Aubrey Ares (29, Dance Studio Owner) & David Hernandez (29, Helicopter Mechanic); Derek Xiao (24, Product Manager) & Claire Rehfuss (25, AI Engineer); Emily Bushnell (36, Law Firm Admin) & Molly Sinert (36, Healthcare Admin); Glenda (41, Insurance Underwriter) & Lumumba Roberts (41, Middle School Teacher); Luis Colon (34, Firefighter) & Michelle Burgos (34, Dancer); Linton (50, Assistant Principal) & Sharik Atkinson (23, Masters Student); Marcus (38, Army Tank Commander) & Michael Craig (30, Air Force Fighter Pilot); Quinton Peron (29, Choreographer) & Mattie Lynch (27, Dance Coach); Tim Mann (40, Probation Officer) & Rex Ryan (59, ESPN Analyst); and Rich Kuo (32, Life Coach) & Dom Jones (35, Gym Owner).

On Wednesday, September 27, 2023 from 9:30-11pm ET/PT, CBS premiered the 35th season of THE AMAZING RACE. This season, one of the 13 teams trekking around the world is eliminated at the end of every leg. Also in Season 35, the show returns to commercial travel and brings back the race-changing Express Pass and a twist on the infamous U-Turn. At every destination, each team competes in a series of challenges -- some mental and some physical -- and when the tasks have been completed, they learn their next destination. The teams set off on a 23,800-mile adventure around the world traveling to Thailand, India, Germany, Sweden, Ireland and Washington state, where the first team to cross the final finish line will be crowned the winner of THE AMAZING RACE and win the $1 million prize. Also, the teams visit a new country, Slovenia, known for its beautiful landscape and dramatic scenery. Here, teams will fly in a gravity defying glider, 2,000 feet over Lake Bled, cross-country ski indoors and climb 1,110 steps to the top of Planica's tallest ski jump, among other once-in-a-lifetime challenges. Each team is comprised of two people who have a pre-existing relationship with one another. The 13 teams in the new season are: Jocelyn Chao (49, Grocery Store Manager) and Victor Limary (49, Grocery Store Manager) -- Married from Albuquerque, NM; Liam Hykel (23, Navy Veteran) and Yeremi Hykel (24, Marine Corps Veteran) -- Brothers from Cheyenne, Wyo., and San Marcos, TX; Malaina Hatcher (45, Tax Examiner Technician) and Andrea Simpson (44, Director of Credit Management) -- Best friends from Philadelphia, PA; Joe Moskowitz (35, Head of Business Development for a Commercial Real Estate Tech Platform) and Ian Todd (40, Sr. Director of New Business for a Marketing Tech Start-Up) -- Engaged from New York, NY; Steve Cargile (54, Residential/Commercial Paint Contractor) and Anna Leigh Wilson (28, Speech Pathologist, Private Flight Attendant, Influencer) -- Father and daughter from Petty, TX, and Royse City, TX; Morgan Franklin (31, Marketing Executive) and Lena Franklin (29, Marketing Executive) -- Sisters from Brooklyn, NY, and Los Angeles, CA; Ashlie Martin (38, Hospitality Account Manager) and Todd Martin (38, Special Education Teacher) -- Married from Chino, CA; Robbin Tomich (41, Stay-at-Home Mom) and Chelsea Day (41, Stay-at-Home Mom) -- Childhood best friends from Kirkland, WA, and Shoreline, WA; Greg Franklin (25, Software Developer) and John Franklin (27, Product Manager) -- Brothers from New York, NY, and Mountain View, CA; Rob McArthur (48, Teaching Assistant and Assistant Football Coach) and Corey McArthur (25, Senior Manager of Client Strategy and Analytics) -- Father and son from Riverside, CA, and New York, NY; Joel Strasser (42, Auto Claims Training Specialist) and Garrett Smith (43, Delivery Driver) -- Best Friends from Kuna, ID, and Meridian, ID; Elizabeth Rivera (52, Retired Lieutenant) and Iliana Rivera (27, Entrepreneur) -- Mother and daughter from Tampa, FL; Alexandra Lichtor (34, Consultant) and Sheridan Lichtor (29, Consultant) -- Siblings from Chicago, IL.

Season 36 of THE AMAZING RACE premiered on Wednesday, March 13, 2024 from 9:30-11pm ET/PT on CBS. Host Phil Keoghan kicks off the RACE from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where the 13 new teams must participate in a traditional Mexican rodeo and lasso their way to the finish line without coming in last. The stakes are high because there are no non-elimination legs, and the team to finish last in each leg will be eliminated. Along the route, Racers will go paragliding in Colombia, rally car racing in Argentina, and visit two new countries -- swimming through waterfalls in the Dominican Republic and visiting music superstar Rihanna's childhood home in Barbados. This season on THE AMAZING RACE, one of the 13 teams trekking around the world will be eliminated at the end of every leg. Each team is comprised of two people who have a pre-existing relationship with one another. At every destination, each team competes in a series of challenges -- some mental and some physical -- and when the tasks have been completed, they learn their next destination. The locations that teams will travel to include Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Barbados, Dominican Republic and Pennsylvania state, where the first team to cross the final finish line will be crowned the winner of THE AMAZING RACE and win the $1 million prize. The 13 teams are: married couple Derek (57, retired chief of police) & Shelisa Williams (55, retired sheriff's lieutenant); mother and son Danny (27, university resident director) and Angie Butler (55, seventh grade teacher); married couple Rod (46, former NFL player/owner of Gshred Supplements) and Leticia Gardner (38, fitness business owner); married couple Michelle (39) and Sean Clark (46), owners of Double Dutch Aerobics; dating couple Yvonne Chavez (40, global strategy and operations lead) and Melissa Main (38, investigator for U.S. Navy special operations); best friends Sunny Pulver (41) and Bizzy Smith (37), firefighters; dating couple Amber Craven (30) and Vinny Cagungun (37), nurse anesthetists; dating couple Ricky Rotandi (34, preschool teacher) and Cesar Aldrete (34, food stylist); best friends Juan Villa (29) and Shane Bilek (29), Air Force pilots; twin brothers Anthony (26) and Bailey Smith (26), recruiters; cousins Kishori Turner (26, senior marketing strategist) and Karishma Cordero (22, student); siblings Maya (20, student) and Rohan Mody (23, master's student) and father and daughter Chris Foster (60, receptionist) and Mary Cardona-Foster (27, marketing manager).
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On Wednesday, May 15, 2024 from 9:30-11pm ET/PT, CBS premiered "The Longest Minute of Your Life," the Season 36 finale of THE AMAZING RACE. In the penultimate leg, the final four teams compete for the chance to make the final three and one racer receives the surprise of a lifetime after their elimination. Then, in the final leg, the remaining three teams get schooled in American history, and after eight countries, 14 cities and 11,711 miles, one team will be crowned the winners of THE AMAZING RACE and win the $1 million prize. The remaining four teams are:

- dating couple Amber Craven (30) and Vinny Cagungun (37), nurse anesthetists
- best friends Juan Villa (29) and Shane Bilek (29), Air Force pilots;
- married couple Rod (46, former NFL player/owner of Gshred Supplements) and Leticia Gardner (38, fitness business owner)
- dating couple Ricky Rotandi (34, preschool teacher) and Cesar Aldrete (34, food stylist)