The Amazing Race is gearing up for its 34th season, and the information released so far is promising. The season will follow the well-received season 33, which was the most unique season in the show's history. The Amazing Race 33 began filming in the spring of 2020 but was forced to shut down production due to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly two years later, the season resumed filming with major changes in the production protocol and race schedule. Instead of using public transportation, the teams traveled on a chartered jet, and the legs were filmed exclusively in Europe.
Airing in the early months of 2022, The Amazing Race 33 was a success for the show, especially given the extremely difficult circumstances of its production. The strength of the season was due primarily to its cast, who were exceedingly competitive, leading to a thrilling finale that saw a very close final leg. Ultimately, YouTube stars Penn and Kim Holderness pulled out the win over Raquel Moore and Cayla Platt just moments before Raquel and Cayla crossed the finish line themselves.
Season 34 of The Amazing Race will be looking to follow season 33's success. So far, not too much is known about the specifics of the season, as an official release date and cast list has yet to be released by CBS. However, the show did officially announce that season 34 will debut in the fall of 2022 and will air immediately following Survivor 43 on Wednesdays. Although The Amazing Race's airing schedule has changed many times over the years, Survivor's has remained steady for over a decade. Presumably, Survivor will air in its usual 8/7c time slot, and The Amazing Race will follow in the 9/8c slot. Additionally, through promotion of the upcoming season, host Phil Keoghan confirmed that the charter jet will be returning in season 34, meaning that contestants probably won't be utilizing much public travel, unlike in pre-pandemic seasons.
Apart from official announcements, there have also been a few rumors on social media about what season 34 has in store. Internet sleuths have determined that the travel plan for season 34 won't be limited to Europe, as racers have been spotted in several non-European countries in recent weeks. Additionally, a rumor has emerged that Big Brother 23 couple Claire Rehfuss and Derek Xiao will be one of the competing teams. First reported by Instagram user Realitytv_fan, Claire and Derek's participation seems legitimate. Claire and Derek (who went by Derek X. on Big Brother) weren't a showmance on their season but formed a strong bond that blossomed into a romantic relationship after their time in the house. Both competitive players, they'll likely make for a strong Amazing Race team.
Despite the little information released so far, it's exciting to have a new Amazing Race season in the works. It's especially refreshing that the season won't be entirely hamstrung by the pandemic. Given that it was only two years ago that the state of the world made it seem far-fetched to imagine the show ever coming back, season 34's imminence is good news for fans of The Amazing Race.
Sources: The Amazing Race/Twitter, Realitytv_fan/Instagram