Heartbreaking tragedy as BBC star d!es aged 61 after c@ncer battle — just one year after beloved son was k!lled in h0rror crash
BBC star d!es at 61 a year after co-star son was k!lled in h0rror crash
The Race Across the World star was just 61 years old.
Race Across the World: Sam looks forward to making memories with his mum
BBC Race Across the World star Jo Gardiner has died at the age of 61, a year after her co-star son Sam was k!lled in a car crash. Sam and Jo competed together in the travel competition in 2020, in its second series, where they travelled across South America together. Now Jo has sadly died “following a long and courageous battle with c@ncer”, her family confirmed.
A statement released by the family described her as “an intrepid adventurer, brave, kind, witty and endlessly loving”. It added: “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. Somehow, each one felt as though they were among her very best.
“To us, she was more than all of these things. She was our family, our joy, our safe place and our absolute treasure.
Jo Gardiner has died at the age of 61 (Image: BBC)
“We know how deeply Jo was loved, and we take comfort in knowing that her laughter, her courage, her kindness and her wonderfully outrageous spirit will live on in the many people whose lives she touched.
“As we grieve, we ask for privacy, but we also ask everyone who knew and loved Jo to do exactly what she would have wanted: tell the funny stories, raise a glass, have an adventure, laugh loudly and live life to the full.
“She was one of a kind. There will never be another her.”
Jo’s death comes just a year after her son Sam died at the age of just 24, after his white Volkswagen Golf R estate came off the road and rolled before landing on its side.
Jo died a year after her son Sam (Image: BBC)
He was set to attend his aunt’s birthday party when the heartbreaking accident happened on the A34 in Stockport on May 26, 2025. Detective Constable Simon Venguedasalon, of Greater Manchester Police, said: “A lot of the witnesses had slowed down due to the lack of visibility and the standing water on the road. His driving was not consistent with the conditions at the time.”
During his court appearance, Police Constable Adam Dixon stated that the road surface was “very wet” due to “bad weather”. The court heard how the tyres on Sam’s vehicle had insufficient tread depth, which was likely to contribute to the accident.
The BBC star was rushed to the hospital and put into an induced coma due to severe injuries. Tragically, he couldn’t be saved and died three days later.
Jo is survived by her other son, Charlie.
