Race Across the World's Jo and Kush set powerful example for young people

Their Scouse charm warmed the hearts of seven million viewers and now the example set by Race Across the World winners Jo and Kush is impacting their former school.

Lee Ratcliffe, head teacher at Calderstones School in Liverpool, says he felt a "gush of pride" at seeing the teenage friends triumph in the BBC series' finale this week.

Aged 19, the pair were the youngest competitors in a 12,000km adventure from Italy to Mongolia - taken without mobiles phones.

Mr Ratcliffe told BBC Radio Merseyside his assemblies "have completely changed now off the back of this".

"They will now be about the notion that these boys had the courage, the ambition - they took the risks to go."

The friends have said they will use their shared £20,000 prize to invest in getting on the property ladder after both their mums had been renting.

Mr Ratcliffe described the former students as "magnificent, young gentlemen".

The pair were praised by viewers for their mutual support during the two-month trip, which showed Kush's struggles after his much-loved stepdad Matt took his own life during the coronavirus lockdown.

Before the journey, Kush said he could get "very anxious" and viewers saw Jo provide space for him to decompress and – on at least one occasion – stay awake the night to let his friend get things off his chest.

In the reunion episode, which followed straight after the final airing on BBC One, Kush talked about seeing a counsellor to "help process my emotions and it's really, really helped", adding: "The one thing the race did teach is that it's ok to ask for help."

There were also memorable lighter moments in the show, including when they struggled to recall the four Beatles band members. Although Kush says "the biggest takeaway from the race is now we know all The Beatles".

Calderstones pupil Ben described the friends as "really entertaining" and "a good advert for enjoying yourself and finding new things to do".

"They've obviously enjoyed themselves a lot and are quite a credit to the school."

Ratcliffe said "it felt like the whole city was rooting for them" as the friends proudly represented Liverpool abroad, teaching the Scouse slang "boss" to a homestay host in Kyrgyzstan and bonding with a Turkish farmer in broken English over Liverpool FC and Mo Salah.

Paul Richards, head of the school's sixth form, said he'll be using the friends' abilities to "meet and befriend strangers to get their journey done and to do it in such a positive way" as inspiration for current students.

"Against all odds, they're two young boys [competing] against older adults who have perhaps got more life experience - travelling that distance with nothing."

Their success means the school – whose former pupils include Beatles star John Lennon - plans to invite the pair to present at their awards evening this year, instead of asking alumni who are established in the business sector.

Chris Spruce, who was the friends' former teacher, describes Jo and Kush as "a beacon example to our future students".

"I think we'll be using them for many years to come to show what you can do if you put your mind to it."