Race Across The World contestant, 20, in tears over ‘intense’ grief as he remembers late mother-Danni Scott-Entertainment – Metro

Race Across The World’s Alfie was reduced to tears over his mum (Picture: BBC)

Race Across The World viewers were left in floods of tears as young contestant Alfie broke down over lantern tribute to his mum.

Tasked with travelling from Japan to Lombok against the clock, this week saw the gap widen between the leaders and those lagging behind as they headed to Cambodia.

Teams must race 15,000 kilometres in several countries — ditching smartphones, any internet access and bank cards — in the hope of winning a £20,000 cash prize.

During their time in Hoi An, Vietnam, the 20-year-old and his best friend Owen stopped and took time to light a lantern for Alfie’s mum who died when he was five.

‘I just want that sensation of being able to see her again,’ he heartbreakingly shared, tugging on viewers heartstrings.

Alfie revealed it was discovered she had a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer while breastfeeding him as a newborn but she had held on for him.

‘Even though I try not to admit it, I do miss her intensely and I still dream of what was,’ he shared as he broke down in tears after releasing a lantern into the water.

He had explained the lanterns were very close to his heart due to a tradition his family had begun after her death.

‘When my mum passed away, we set [a lantern] off every year with a message attached so to be able to reignite that would be incredible,’ continued Alfie.

Releasing the lights onto the river is considered a way of paying respect to ancestors, with hundreds spread serenely across the water amid the boats.

The 20-year-old opened up about his loss (Picture: BBC)

His family used release lanterns with messages to her (Picture: BBC)

Alfie was just five when she succumbed to her breast cancer (Picture: BBC)

He showed a memory box she had made him before she died, explaining she had been given just six weeks to live but was determined to see him have his first day of school.

Alfie added: ‘She said “Well if I’m going to die, I’m at least going to die while he’s in school.” So she managed to take me to school on the first day, I think this was a very proud day for her.’

After this triumph, his mum had a rapid deterioration and had ‘pushed it as far as she could’ before dying in Christmas of 2008.

Releasing his lantern into the water, Alfie choked up and let out a sob as he was ‘inundated with emotions’ he hadn’t felt ‘since [he] was a little kid’.

She had been diagnosed while he was a newborn (Picture: BBC)

He choked up over her memory (Picture: BBC)

Alfie said he misses her terribly (Picture: BBC)

Viewers were deeply moved by the moment as his explanation of the lanterns touched their hearts, with cries of ‘Oh Alfie’ flooding X.

‘And now I’m crying,’ wrote Cez as Ryan Glendenning added: ‘Really want Alfie to win now after opening up about his mum.

‘He deserves this and his mum would be proud of him. He’s gone through so much!’

‘Oh Alfie my love! This is terrible. So sad 😢,’ wrote Sarah Lawson while Ryan Love shared: ‘Alfie has absolutely broken me 💔.’

‘No what the hell this has me in tears,’ shared Ellie of the heart wrenching moment which could have lost the boys precious time.

Ultimately Alfie and Owen secured first position for the stretch and arrived safely at the checkpoint in Cambodia, hopefully with the former feeling a little lighter.

Race Across The World continues on Wednesday at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

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