‘Some people who I think will struggle just ace challenges’

Beau ryan hosts Amazing Racing Australia: Celebrity Edition

Host Beau Ryan likes to lead by example, dabbling in challenges along the way 
on The Amazing Race. 
But one challenge this season has left 
a bad taste in his mouth – literally.

“We made them eat buffalo spinal cord and stomach filled with bone marrow,” Beau tells TV WEEK. “You can’t shake the taste for a day. The texture of that one really got me!”
(Credit: 10)
The fresh-faced 40-year-old says that he is surprised by the cast every year and reveals which celebrity he was most excited to meet. You can read the full list of contestants here.

“My wife’s a reality TV junkie, so I was really keen to meet Aesha Scott,” he says of the Below Deck star.

“Some people who I think will struggle just ace challenges. Then you’ve got big guys whinging – like Fev (Brendan Fevola).”

No template / Incompatible templateRyan has previously told TV Week that fans can expect lots of “drama” from this season.

Speaking of his wife, Kara, 40, her favourite of all reality shows is Real Housewives, which brings him to a career goal you might not expect from the former Cronulla Sharks NRL player.

“You know the reunions?” he asks. “That’s something I’d love to do – host one of them; mediate the drama.”

Beau and Kara share daughter, Remi, 12, and son, Jesse, 8. He admits to missing them a lot when he’s away filming. This season was shot over five weeks in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Java and, in a world first, Uzbekistan.

“It’s really hard when I’m away,” he says. “That’s time I’ll never get again with my family. When I’m back, I try to set out time when I won’t have my phone and I’m dedicated to the kids.”

Another job that takes him away is Top Gear Australia. It’s a gig he loves, where he gets to work alongside best mate Jonathan LaPaglia, recently fired as the host of Survivor Australia.
Beau has (jokingly) offered Top Gear Australia co-host Jonathan LaPaglia the hosting gig next season. (Credit: 10)
“It’s never good when anyone loses their job,” Beau says. “As a friend, I felt for him and it was a tough chat. I just lent my support and jokingly said, ‘Well mate, you can host The Amazing Race next year.’ But the more I think about it, I don’t want to give him a go… What if he’s better than me?”

It’s a touchy subject in the industry, with Beau experiencing the same in 2017 when The Footy Show was axed.

“I thought I would work on it for ever,” he explains. “I was there for 
10 years. But things change and now 
I couldn’t be happier.”