Who is Melanie Blatt and her mum Helene? Celebrity Race Across the World 2023 cast

Mel Blatt and her mum Helene have teamed up for Celebrity Race Across the World.

By Grace Henry

Published: Wednesday, 20 September 2023 at 07:00 AM

Four celebrities and their loved ones are about to strap on their backpacks and running shoes for a special season of Celebrity Race Across the World.

They’ll be making their way from Marrakech, Morocco to Tromsø, Norway – which is known as the Arctic capital – and will have to do this without the use of phones or internet access.

Hoping to complete the race is singer Melanie Blatt and her mother Helene, who are looking forward to the “challenge”.

Asked why she signed up for the show, Mel said: “Basically, the unknown… This was a chance to challenge myself to do things I’d never usually do in a million years.”

They’ll compete against the likes of McFly’s Harry Judd and his mum Emma, British racing driver and pundit Billy Monger with his sister, Bonny, and broadcaster Alex Beresford who is travelling with his dad, Noel.

So, who exactly is Mel Blatt, and why did she decide to take on this race with her mother?

As Celebrity Race Across the World comes to BBC One, here’s everything you ned to know about the contestants.

Who is Melanie Blatt?

Melanie Blatt wearing a white and black spotty shirt
Melanie Blatt.

Melanie Blatt is an English singer who is best known for being part of the girl group All Saints, which she became a member of in 1997.

Mel has also released music as a solo artist, including single Do Me Wrong and See Me. In 2o13 and 2015, she was a judge on The  X Factor NZ.

And this wouldn’t be Mel’s first reality TV stint. Last year she took part in Celebrity MasterChef and made it to the finals alongside McFly’s Danny Jones and Lisa Snowdown, who was eventually crowned the 2022 winner.

Why did Mel choose to do Celebrity Race Across the World with her mum Helene?

Despite having lived next door to one another for the past 10 years, Helene wasn’t Mel’s first choice.

Speaking in an issue of Radio Times Magazine, Mel explained: “She wasn’t my first choice! It had been offered to me and Shaz from All Saints, but I was pretty sure she wouldn’t be up for it, as she’s got two young kids. Mum was exactly the right person – she loves travelling, and the show.”

But Helene wasn’t upset about being Mel’s back-up, saying: “At my age, any experience is good, so I was ready to give it a go.

“My husband and I once took a year off to travel the world on a budget, but a lot of these countries – and languages – were new to me.”

When does Celebrity Race Across the World 2023 start?

The celebrity version of the BBC One show will kick off on BBC One on Wednesday 20th September at 9pm. 

It will see all four teams setting off from Morocco, as they prepare to take on a journey that will span 24 countries and over 10,000km.