‘The Amazing Race’ Season 35 Visits This Country for the 1st Time in Show History
CBS’s The Amazing Race Season 35 feels like a return to form. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic threw a wrench into how the show happened. While the creators and producers worked hard to adjust to the challenges that the pandemic created, there was only so much they could do. Thankfully, it’s 2023, and we love how the game’s played thus far. The producers also spoke about how contestants in the new season headed to a country the show’s never visited.
‘The Amazing Race’ Season 35 visits Slovenia for the first time in show history
Those who’ve previously watched The Amazing Race are familiar with some of the most popular countries the show visits. The series has visited over 80 countries, and we often see competitors racing to China, India, France, Italy, and Thailand — and, of course, all across the U.S. Competitors have been asked to raise across every continent except Antarctica, which is no easy feat for producers to organize.
Now, in The Amazing Race Season 35, the show’s headed to a destination it never raced to before. Co-executive producer Elise Doganieri and executive producer Bertram van Munster said during Paleyfest 2023 that the new season will show Slovenia.
“This is, again, very simple,” Munster said in regards to picking Slovenia as a season 35 destination. “Elise said, ‘Why don’t we go to Slovenia?’ And I said, ‘Slovenia? That’s not a bad idea.’ That’s always my answer. And that’s the reason. It turns out to be a spectacular country, wonderful people, high tech, very high tech, exceptionally clean. The streets are so clean, you don’t see this anywhere in the world anymore. Wonderful people, spectacular locations, and a lot of good things to do.”
Munster mentioned he loved Slovenia so much that he’s ready to vacation there next.
“Watch out, Slovenia tourism, because we’re going to expose your country, and people are going to flock there because it is stunning,” Doganieri added. “It’s like, the best of the Alps, the best of European countries, it’s really stunning.”
Weather, crowds, and political unrest factor into where the contestants travel
The Amazing Race Season 35 executive producers are undoubtedly excited to showcase all that Slovenia has to offer. Host Phil Keoghan echoed the sentiments of Elise Doganieri and Bertram van Munster during the Paleyfest interview, adding that Slovenia is only 30 years old. “The people are just lovely, warm, inviting, great sense of humor,” Keoghan added. “It was exciting for all of us.”
Given the raving reviews, Slovenia may remain a staple for future Amazing Race seasons. A lot goes into choosing where to travel each season. Weather and crowds post-coronavirus shutdowns factor in, as does political unrest.
“Every season, Bertram and I look at the map and think about places we want to go to, and then we sit down with the security team to see what we feel is safe to go, where we haven’t been,” Doganieri told Variety. “Sometimes, we want to go places we think are safe, and then we hear things. It’s a puzzle to put together, and the world is ever-changing. One year, we can go one place, and then six months later, we can’t. It’s just a matter of doing due diligence.”
We love hearing that The Amazing Race has found a new country they want to visit again. Perhaps Slovenia will make the list of most-visited countries featured in the show.
The Amazing Race Season 35 airs Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET on CBS.
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