Andrew and Molly for Race Across The World S6 / BBC
Relationship: Daughter and Father
Ages: Molly, 23 and Andrew 54
From: Northern Ireland
Jobs: Molly, Junior Doctor and Andrew, Geography Teacher
What made you want to take part?
Molly: “We keep calling it a joke gone too far. We were sitting watching it on TV one night, and the option to apply came up and every time we watch it, we always say that we would love to do it. The next day, the ad popped up on daddy’s Facebook, and so we put an application in thinking nothing of it, and it’s kind of just been a whirlwind since then.”
Andrew: “I am living a dream here. This is what I’ve always wanted to do but never had the willingness to do it, nor the money or the circumstances, but I’ve always wanted to go backpacking. I have a wife who would very much not want to do it – it would be her ultimate nightmare to have a backpack on going around places. But I’ve always wanted to do it and so to do it with my daughter, I am absolutely delighted.”
Do you have a strategy?
Molly: “Enjoy every second, and what we get out of it is what we get out of it.”
Andrew: “We’re thinking about it all the time, but there is so much unknown. You don’t know where you’re going; you don’t know what to pack – all those kinds of things. So, I guess strategy has not been a part that we have really thought about. We just want to experience the culture and see things. We haven’t spoken about winning, it’s about the experiences, but the competitive nature is there within us which will come out when it has to.”
Molly: “For us, winning would be second to doing it. We’re competitive by nature and we will give it 100% no matter what, but if that’s us coming last, or if that’s us coming first, we will just do our best to do what we can. We haven’t traveled like this before. We don’t know languages so we’re maybe on the back foot in comparison to the other couples.”
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Molly: “I can talk to anyone. I’m happy to walk up to someone and be stupid and go, ‘Where am I? What am I doing?’ That comes naturally to me and so that will probably be a strength.”
Andrew: “Her weakness is that she never shuts up. I kind of just go and lead by directness, and I need to rein that in every now and then, but Molly is quite good at reining that in for me. I can sometimes get caught in my own world instead of externalising it which in some ways is good, but I need to work on it.”
Which home comforts will you struggle to live without?
Molly: “I love hair dryers. I enjoy a shower, drying my hair and I enjoy going to the tap and getting clean water and not having to go to a shop and buy water. I will miss communication between friends as well. I love the gossip so If I can get TMZ on the TV, that will be going on.”
Andrew: “My wife, the dog and just home, I think.”
Do you think the race could change anything about your relationship?
Andrew: “I wouldn’t want it to change anything. I know her ins and outs, and I know her intricacies, and I know what kind of makes her think. Before leaving, my wife was saying you know ‘make sure Molly…’ and I know Molly, I know how she operates. So, I would like it to just confirm what we already know. She’s at a stage of her life now where she’s becoming a young adult, and I would see my job as kind of finished. It’s a different relationship now and that’s what this is about, to change from that daddy daughter relationship and form more of an equal partnership.”
Race Across The World continues Thursdays at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
