Peking Express 2026: Route, Couples, and Hosts for the Far East Edition

The 2026 season of Peking Express, titled “L’Estremo Oriente” (The Far East), premiered on Thursday, March 12th, on Sky Uno and NOW. The competition features ten couples navigating a 5,450-kilometer route across Indonesia, China, and Japan, culminating in Kyoto.

Host and Correspondents

Costantino della Gherardesca returns as the host for the 13th consecutive time. This season introduces three field reporters: Lillo, covering Indonesia. Giulia Salemi, focusing on China; and Guido Meda, accompanying the teams through Japan. Della Gherardesca has described the season as “cinematic,” suggesting a heightened level of production value.

The Couples Competing

The cast includes a diverse range of personalities and backgrounds:

• The Funny: Biagio Izzo and Francesco Paolantoni
• The Recommended: Chanel Totti and Filippo Laurino
• The DJs: Jo Squillo and Michelle Masullo
• The Rappers: Dani Faiv and Tony 2Milli
• The Exs: Steven Basalari and Viviana Vizzini
• The Comedians: Tay Vines and Assane Diop
• The Creators: Elisa Maino and Mattia Stanga
• The Blondes: Gaia De Laurentiis and Agnese Catalani
• The Albicelests: Candelaria and Camila Solórzano
• Fiona May and Patrick Stevens

The Competition

Contestants will travel with limited resources – a backpack and a daily budget of one euro per person in local currency – relying on resourcefulness to secure transportation and lodging. Each stage concludes with a ranking revealed at the “Tappeto Rosso” (Red Carpet), where the lowest-ranking team faces the “Busta Nera” (Black Envelope), potentially leading to elimination or a second chance.

Chanel Totti’s Story

Chanel Totti, competing with Filippo Laurino, shared a personal story about her parents, Francesco Totti and Ilary Blasi, expressing that having separated parents was not easy. She demonstrated maturity and authenticity, speaking candidly about the situation.