Celebrity Race Across The World delivered one of its most emotional episodes yet, leaving viewers in tears as a heartbreaking story unfolded onscreen. Dylan Llewellyn, the 33-year-old actor known for playing lovable “Wee James” in Derry Girls, has been competing in the BBC One competition with his mum Jackie. The pair have become fan favourites, praised for their warmth, humour, and deeply moving bond as they push through the physical and emotional challenges of the race. But during their latest leg of the journey—travelling toward their fifth or sixth checkpoint as they approached Colombia—Jackie revealed a second devastating family tragedy, one even more harrowing than what viewers had already learned.
Earlier in the series, Dylan opened up about the death of his brother James, sharing how that loss had shaped the entire family. But in Thursday night’s episode, it was Jackie’s turn to speak, and what she revealed left fans stunned and heartbroken. While stopping at a serene waterfall during a stretch through Panama, something about the quiet beauty of nature opened a door to memories Jackie rarely speaks about publicly. Standing in the cool water, she admitted that being surrounded by nature made her feel closer to heaven—closer to the people she had lost.
“When I’m in nature, I feel like I’m close to heaven or something,” she told the cameras, her voice gentle but laden with emotion. “Through the losses I’ve had, I feel closer to them when I’m in moments of serenity and beauty.” It was clear that the peaceful surroundings awakened painful memories, but also a sense of connection to those no longer with her.
She then began sharing a story that even longtime fans of Dylan had never heard in full. Jackie explained that before she became a mother of three boys, before she built the life viewers now see glimpses of on the show, she had already faced unimaginable tragedy. She met her first husband when she was just 22, and soon after, they were expecting their first child together. That child was James—who viewers would later learn died at age 20, many years after his father.
With visible pain, Jackie recounted the moment her world shattered. She had been due to give birth to James on December 19. Two days later, on December 21, there was a knock at her door. When she opened it, she saw two people wearing fluorescent jackets—the type no one ever wants to see standing outside their home. They told her that her husband had been hit by a car and killed instantly. She described the moment as if she were reliving it, the shock still etched into her voice decades later. It was a tragedy that not only took her partner from her but also left her facing new motherhood completely alone.
After James was born, she struggled profoundly. “I had James and I found it very difficult on my own,” she said. Grief, new motherhood, and the sudden responsibility of raising a child without the support of a partner created a storm that she eventually had to weather alone. But over time, she found a way to cope and build a life again. She did not minimize how challenging it was; she simply explained how she learned to survive. There was even a moment of lightness as she giggled softly, remembering a later period of her life: “I had three little boys under three. It was absolute chaos.”
But that laugh only briefly interrupted the emotional weight of her story. Jackie became tearful as she continued to speak about the long-term impact of her losses. Her voice thickened as she explained, “Losing two people very close in my life definitely has changed me as a person.” These two losses—the tragic death of her first husband and the later loss of her eldest son—cut into the core of her identity. She revealed that when James died, she internalized everything, attempting to stay brave for her remaining children. “I’d internalised trying to be brave and put on a brave face for the boys,” she admitted. But grief does not disappear simply because someone must be strong. “It took me a while to be strong again,” she said quietly, “but I’ve had to be strong as a mother to my boys.”
The rawness of her confession hit viewers hard. As the scenes aired, fans quickly took to social media to express how deeply moved they were. Some found themselves crying along with Jackie, shaken by the powerful honesty of her story. One viewer wrote, “God, this show is destroying me tonight.” Another commented, “Christ, this poor woman’s been through a lot.” Many expressed that they hadn’t been prepared for the emotional intensity of the episode, with one remarking, “Could do without the emotional stuff on #raceacrosstheworld,” a sign of just how heavy the content felt for some.
While Jackie shared her past, viewers also recalled the emotional episode earlier in the series when Dylan bravely discussed the death of his brother James. At age 20, James took his own life. Dylan, who was only 16 at the time, described how his brother’s death devastated the entire family. “It just hit us all hard, so hard,” he said in that earlier confessional. His reflections added another layer to the grief his mother described in the newer episode. Not only had she lost her husband tragically while pregnant, but she later endured the unbearable trauma of losing the child she had raised alone.
Dylan’s participation in the race, he said, is motivated in part by honouring his brother’s memory and in part by giving his mum a meaningful experience. “Doing this race is like doing it for my brother and my mum,” he explained. “He would have loved to do something like this. I think she’d like to have that kind of journey with a son.” His words painted a picture of a family who had endured more than most, yet continued to support each other through thick and thin.
The waterfall encounter in Panama became a defining emotional moment in the series, one that deepened viewers’ understanding not only of Dylan and Jackie’s relationship but also of the resilience behind Jackie’s warm, cheerful exterior. She has been a highlight of the show for many—funny, grounded, patient, and loving—but this episode revealed the immense strength beneath those qualities.
By opening up about her past, Jackie reminded viewers that every person carries their own history, including stories of loss and pain that shape who they become. Her vulnerability made the journey she is sharing with her son not just a race, but a profound experience of healing, memory, and connection. For many watching at home, the episode was a powerful reminder of the resilience of the human spirit—and the unbreakable bond between a mother and her child.
