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Luke McGregor would have liked to have taken his wife, author Dr Amy Thunig, on the celebrity version of Ten’s globetrotting competition The Amazing Race. But with Thunig tied up in academia, the comedian turned to his second choice of travel companion: his mum, Julie.
“I would have rather shared a hotel room with my wife,” says McGregor. “But whenever I see Mum, it’s always Christmas or some family thing, and we hadn’t really gone on a holiday together. And I thought Mum would say less problematic things on television than Dad would.”
Comedian Luke McGregor and his mum Julie in The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition.
His Rosehaven co-star Celia Pacquola, with whom he would “travel with any day”, was also busy hosting Thank God You’re Here.
The McGregors chase clues across Argentina, South Africa, Namibia and Thailand, competing against 10 other pairs comprised of at least one celebrity (they include Peter Helliar, Ian Thorpe, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Billy Brownless and Matildas players Chloe Logarzo and Emily Gielnik), all playing for charity. For McGregor, who has until now turned down offers to appear in reality shows, “the idea of going around the world and solving puzzles seemed right up my alley”.
“What makes me scared is that maybe the edit will show me being mean to someone,” he says. “That was my goal the whole time: just don’t be mean.”
That resolve was at times tested by the practicalities of travelling with a film crew of two.
Luke and Julie McGregor attempt the tango in Argentina in The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition.
“My natural instinct is to hold the door open for them when we come into a place, but you’re not allowed to because they need the shot of you entering without looking like you’re with people, obviously,” he says. “I just have to barge through the door and let it close on them and that was hard to do. I’m hoping my opening-doors ways will come back to me.”
Although the rigours of even regular travel can test relationships, McGregor and his mum grew closer. She used her people skills honed in real estate to ask for directions, while her son “ran around in circles with a map”. The pair overcame awkwardness to dance the tango in Buenos Aires on the first leg of the journey.