In September 2025, the new season of the world-famous travel television show “The Amazing Race Australia” premiered on Australia’s Network 10 and the streaming platform 10 Play. One of the central highlights of the season was filming in Uzbekistan — primarily in Samarkand — where the competition tasks were designed around the country’s rich local culture and traditions, according to the Tourism Committee under the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan.
The Uzbekistan episodes featured challenges such as performing the “Andijan Polka,” playing the karnay (traditional trumpet), washing handmade carpets, sorting dried fruits, making pomegranate juice, planting potatoes in the tourist village of Tersak, and other cultural activities. This marked the very first appearance of Uzbekistan in the show’s more than 20-year history.
The first week of the broadcast drew an audience of 1.2 million viewers in Australia and around the world. The Amazing Race franchise continues to hold a prestigious reputation — the American version has won 15 Primetime Emmy Awards and, in 2025, was again nominated in the category of Outstanding Reality Competition Program.
The Uzbekistan episodes featured well-known Australian personalities.
Participants spoke highly of their experience filming in Uzbekistan. Comedian Steph Tisdell described the country as “a unique experience,” highlighting “incredible people” and the “visually stunning” locations. Other contestants praised the hospitality and comfort of filming in Samarkand. These impressions echoed the reactions of viewers, for whom the Uzbekistan episodes became key highlights of the season.
Filming for the season took place from March 18 to 25, 2025, in Samarkand and the village of Tersak in Urgut district of the Samarkand region, with the support of the Tourism Committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, and the Samarkand regional administration.
“The show has been an incredible success, and Uzbekistan’s participation opened a new path for promoting the country abroad. Many international producers are now showing interest in filming in Uzbekistan,” said Stanislav Solovkin, CEO of Next Field International.
