AXN, the number one entertainment channel in Asia, today revealed the 11 fearless teams who will compete for USD$100,000 in The Amazing Race Asia Season 5. Pinoy power is strongly represented with two energetic teams: beauty queens, Parul and Maggie, and married couple Rona and Eric.
“We were overwhelmed by the response to our casting call for The Amazing Race Asia,” Mr. Ang Hui Keng, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia, said at the official announcement today. “This season’s audition videos were creative, witty, clever and very surprising, so it was a tough selection process. We’re thrilled with the 11 teams – they embody AXN’s brand personality, which is passionate, determined, unexpected and high-octane. This is not just a show – it’s an adrenaline-fueled adventure for everyone involved, including our viewers.”
Slated to premiere in October, the fifth instalment of the popular reality adventure series will be hosted by Asian-American actor Allan Wu, who was the ‘face of the race’ for AXN’s first four seasons, and most recently the host of The Amazing Race China: Celebrity Edition.
“This season is going to be a huge adrenaline rush and a race like no other. The racers and AXN viewers can expect more thrills, more drama and more twists than ever before,” said Allan. “The teams will be transformed during the race, for better or worse – but one thing is for sure, it will be the ultimate adventure of a lifetime!”
Sharing the pit-stops and co-hosting with Allan during selected legs of the race will be the stunning Indonesian movie star Tara Basro, who in 2015 won a Citra Award at the Indonesian Film Festival for Best Leading Actress for her role in A Copy of My Mind. Tara’s appearance in The Amazing Race Asia Season 5 marks the first time a co-host has been cast in the series.
“I’m excited to join Allan and the racers in The Amazing Race Asia. I have always loved the series, and now I get to be up close and right in the heart of the action. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to introduce the teams to some of my favorite destinations in Indonesia,” said Tara.
The 11 chosen teams hail from seven countries across Asia and represent a true cast of characters with diverse personalities, backgrounds, talents and relationships. They range from popular Singaporean DJs to Filipino beauty queens and promise viewers a highly entertaining and edge-of-your-seat journey. The team lineup includes:
Rach and Vicky: Travel Hosts, Indonesia
Louisa and Treasuri: Childhood Friends, Indonesia
Yvonne and Chloe: Beauty Queens, Malaysia
Alex and Will: Brothers, Malaysia
Brandon and Alphaeus: Old School Mates, Malaysia
Eric and Rona: Married, Philippines
Parul and Maggie: Beauty Queens, Philippines
JK and Mike: Radio DJs, Singapore
Rei and Kenji: Siblings, Singapore
Tom and Anita: Dating, Thailand
Lisa and Nicole: Life Partners, Vietnam
Production of The Amazing Race Asia Season 5 kicks off next week. Award-winning international production company, Profiles Television, founded by globally renowned producers Bertram Van Munster and Elise Doganieri, is producing the series.
The Amazing Race Asia Season 5 is supported by presenting sponsor Wonderful Indonesia, and partners Garuda Indonesia, Grab and Great Eastern.
About The Amazing Race Asia
In this latest season, 11 teams of socially savvy, fearless racers from all over Asia will embark on a once-in-a-lifetime experience, traversing the globe and proving their mettle on a quest to be crowned the all-out champion.
Travelling to multiple countries in the shortest amount of time, each team will arrive at a new destination where they must compete in a series of physical and mental – and often emotional – challenges. Only when the tasks are completed will the teams learn of their next exotic location. Teams who fall the farthest behind will gradually be eliminated as the contest progresses, with the first team to arrive at the final destination winning The Amazing Race Asia and the USD$100,000 cash prize.
