Race Across the World… and into the power of personal brand

Did you get hooked on the BBC’s Race Across the World? Here, Ellen Widdup, Managing Director of Satsuma Group, explains how hosting the show’s winners, Caroline and Tom Bridge, at The Swan at Lavenham revealed the power of personal brand – from five minutes of fame to building something that lasts.

Last night I swapped my desk for a microphone and found myself centre stage at The Swan at Lavenham, compering a very special evening with Caroline and Tom Bridge, the nation’s favourite mother-and-son duo and winners of Race Across the World.

Now, I’ve interviewed five Prime Ministers, grilled Hollywood stars and once got stuck in a lift with Babyshambles frontman Pete Doherty in Crown Court – but nothing prepared me for keeping a room full of Suffolk folk entertained while Laurent-Perrier fizz and the promise of TV gossip flowed.

Here’s what struck me most: compering isn’t just about timings and table shuffles. It’s about personal brand.

The minute you pick up the mic, you’re not just “the host” – you become part of the event’s story. People remember how you made them laugh, how you kept things flowing, how you made them feel. That’s brand, in action.

And Caroline and Tom? They are living proof of it. Their win wasn’t just about 8,700 miles, makeshift maps and whiteboard scribbles.

It was about resilience, honesty and that brilliant, very human bond between mum and son.

Caroline showed that mums can do anything – even when self-belief wobbles. Tom showed that openness about his cerebral palsy created connection, not distance. That authenticity won the hearts of millions of viewers and the 80+ guests at one of The Hotel Folk’s most beautiful hotels.

This proves that right now is their moment. After all, a win like this creates a window of opportunity: speaking engagements, partnerships, ambassador roles, even books or media projects.

But without direction, those five minutes of fame risk fading into nothing more than a “remember when” dinner party story.

Handled right, though, the event last night could be the foundation of a lasting personal brand.

Their story can inspire families, challenge perceptions of disability, and prove that adventure doesn’t have an age limit.

With the right PR and branding (not to mention social media presence), Caroline and Tom could take their national moment and turn it into a platform that creates impact for years to come.

That’s what we do at Satsuma: take extraordinary stories and make sure they don’t just sparkle for a night, but shine for a lifetime.

Caroline and Tom brought the heart, The Swan brought the sparkle, and I just tried not to trip over the mic cable. But as I reminded the audience – and myself – the real magic isn’t in the moment itself. It’s in what you do with it afterwards.