Following their wild introduction to their global adventure in Brazil, our three teams, Team Gold, Team Scarlet and Team Navy await their second drop of the competition. As they reach the end of the countdown and remove their goggles and headphones, they are greeted with the sound of the dawn call to prayer, standing amidst the ancient Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey – a stark contrast to the chaos of Rio Carnivale. Despite their initial confusion, the teams are awed and overwhelmed by the prayer and the beauty of their surroundings – some of the contestants find it a euphoric, even sacred experience.
As the call to prayer plays through the mosque, the teams receive a watch ping – the first clue from host David Genat “DG” – A chamber of water, the largest of its kind. A cistern beneath the city, ready for you to find. Once they’ve solved the clue, the teams must make their way to the Basilica Cistern, where they’ll be greeted by DG and provided with their budget and dossier for the remainder of their time in Turkey.
The race is on, and Team Gold is the first to solve the watch clue, thanks to Saxon’s knowledge of Istanbul. Finding the location, however, is decidedly more difficult, as there’s very few people around to ask at such an early hour of the morning. However, Team Gold is lucky enough to discover a map left on the ground, leading them straight to the entrance of the Cistern, and to DG, who informs them they’re the first to arrive. Hot on their heels however, is Team Navy, in second place.
Meanwhile, Team Scarlet wanders the streets in search of the Cistern, given multiple wrong steers by the locals. Tensions flare slightly between Fiona and Adam, but they eventually manage to find a helpful local who points them in the right direction. They arrive to DG in last place, and hastily collect their dossier before running out of the Cistern towards their first mission.
Teams must now make their way to the city of Bursa, where they are to locate a Hammam and experience a traditional Turkish massage – a far less relaxing task than it might sound. Team Gold forgoes a taxi, deciding instead on a cheaper ferry. However, the hour and a half wait for a boat knocks them from first to last place, as Team Navy decide to bite the bullet and spend the money on a taxi. While on the ferry, it becomes clear there is a growing connection between Team Gold members Saxon and Lola.
Team Navy arrives first in Bursa, and immediately make their way to a Hammam. Not long after, Team Scarlet arrives second, but have the unfortunate luck to pick Team Navy’s hammam, leaving them begging at the door to be let in. Navy members Tommy and Tylen endure a brutal massage, before leaving for their second mission in Cumalikizik. After being forced to wait, Team Scarlet finally get their chance to undergo the extremely unrelaxing treatment, Adam enduring a particularly rough “therapy”.
Last to arrive in Bursa, Team Gold search for a Hammam. CEO Priscilla is frustrated by the team’s lack of direction and attempts to take charge. They finally manage to find a Hammam and undergo the arduous massage, potentially having the roughest time out of all the teams.
The teams now head to Cumalikizik, the oldest Ottoman village in the country, where they must acquire traditional Turkish delight and bring it to DG at the Escape Zone, 300 kilometres away in Canakkale. Team Navy manage to get some for free, but still don’t have enough money to pay a taxi driver to take them to the Escape Zone. Getting desperate, Sofia sells her jewellery in another town to make up the remainder of the payment, allowing them to get back on the road. However, this delay allows Team Scarlet to gain ground. Completing the mission, Team Scarlet decides to catch a bus for the remainder of the route to the Escape Zone.
Team Gold arrives last in Cumalikizik. However, CK and Priscilla acquire the wrong Turkish delight, instead buying tiny manufactured versions – “Allens Snakes” as CK puts it. Priscilla insists they’re the correct kind, but the rest of the team, particularly Saxon, is sceptical. All three teams are now en route to the Escape Zone.
In the taxi, Team Gold notice the meter steadily rising, and realise they won’t have enough money to pay the taxi fare by the end of the trip. Priscilla tells the driver this is all the money they have, who promptly pulls over at a bus station and kicks them out of the taxi. Priscilla suggests they all come up with ideas and put them under scrutiny. CK feels frustrated his idea to work for money isn’t being listened to. While the team negotiates with the driver, Priscilla begs random strangers for money, frustrated at the lack of action from the others. With no taxi, and unable to afford even a bus fare, Team Gold is utterly stranded.
Team Navy and Team Scarlet close in on Canakkale. Team Scarlet find their way to the Trojan
Horse and reach DG first. Not long after, Team Navy arrives in second place. Meanwhile, Team Gold, still stranded, receives a watch ping informing them DG has sent a taxi to collect them, and they are last to arrive. Given their place in the race, the team are forced to vote one of their team members out. Priscilla warns CK that the bond is strong between Saxon and Lola and that they need to break them up. CK ignores the advice and joins Saxon and Lola in voting her out. Priscilla is eliminated from the competition, leaving CK uncertain on where he stands in the team.
