Fans in Canada and the United States mourn the loss of Jo Gardiner, a beloved participant in the BBC adventure series Race Across The World, who died at 61, a year after her son's fatal crash.
The duo competed in the BBC's global travel competition during its second series in 2020, journeying across South America together.
Ms Gardiner died "following a long and courageous battle with cancer", her family said in a statement.
The physiotherapist, from Manchester, was "an intrepid adventurer, brave, kind, witty and endlessly loving", they added.
Jo Gardiner's legacy
She had a rare gift for making everyone around her feel more alive. She lived fully, fiercely and never did anything by halves. She was blessed with countless friends, drawn to her extraordinary magnetism. To us, she was our family, our joy, our safe place and our absolute treasure.
The family asked for privacy while encouraging people to share funny stories, raise a glass, have an adventure, laugh loudly and live life to the full.
Impact on North American fans
The series was broadcast on the BBC and streamed in Canada and the United States, where it attracted a dedicated following. Canadian viewers often cited Jo's spirited approach as an inspiration for their own travel ambitions.
Her other son Sam, with whom she appeared in the TV show, died in June 2025 at the age of 24, after his white Volkswagen Golf R estate came off the road and rolled before landing on its side.
The landscape gardener had been working on an isolated estate on the west coast of Scotland and was home in Manchester for a family gathering.
The mother and son competed on Race Across The World because Gardiner wanted to experience a travel adventure with Sam, who had ADHD.
They competed against four other pairs of contestants racing from Mexico City down to Ushuaia in Argentina.
In a statement, a Race Across The World spokeswoman said: "On behalf of the Studio Lambert production team, the BBC and the whole Race Across The World cast, we offer our deepest and heartfelt sympathies to Jo's son Charlie, and her wider family and friends.
Jo and Sam Gardiner took part in the second season of the BBC reality show. "Following the tragic death of Jo's son Sam last year, we paid tribute to how integral Sam and Jo had been to series two.
Millions of people remembered their transformative journey across Latin America in 2020 and we hold that memory in our hearts as we fondly recall Jo's passion for life, her kindness, her strength, and above all her utter devotion to Sam and her family.
Jo became the matriarch of the Race Across The World cast family, she leaves a lasting legacy in the many lives that she touched, both through the series and beyond.
Ms Gardiner, who lived with type 1 diabetes, was an ambassador for Diabetes UK and her family has set up a JustGiving page in her name, with all donations supporting Diabetes UK.