Havana Brown and Stephanie Wood face a surprise elimination after a tough leg on The Amazing Race Australia Celebrity Edition. Discover what went wrong.
In Monday night’s instalment of The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition, airing on Channel 10, viewers witnessed an emotional twist during the fifth leg as the remaining seven teams raced through Soweto, South Africa.
Host Beau Ryan surprised the teams with a Virtual Pit Stop, signalling no elimination but an immediate continuation of the race, offering them little reprieve.
Without delay, teams pressed on to Magaliesburg, where they encountered their next challenge: a Detour. This gave them the option between two tasks – “High Kick” or “Paint Slick.”
In “Paint Slick,” contestants were tested on memory and precision, as they replicated a detailed design of painted lines, dots, and colours on a vessel. “High Kick,” on the other hand, demanded physical prowess, requiring teams to master a Zulu tribal dance.
While many celebrities struggled with the athleticism required to complete the dance, Havana Brown and Stephanie Wood performed it flawlessly on their first attempt, securing an early lead.
The teams then journeyed to a nearby wilderness reserve for a night’s rest, which included the chance to serve breakfast to some of the local wildlife the following morning. After a brief respite filled with campfire songs and a BBQ, the race resumed with a daunting Road Block.
In this task, only one team member was allowed to participate as they dug through an archaeological site in search of a complete set of human teeth.
Unfortunately for Havana and Steph, this was where their luck ran out. Despite their earlier success, Steph struggled to find the final tooth, causing their team to fall behind. As the last to arrive at the Pit Stop, the duo was eliminated from the race.
Reflecting on their loss, Steph shared,
“It felt a bit hopeless, but once you make peace with that, we were still there together and still having an amazing time… Everything happens for a reason and, when it was our time, it just meant we finished on a high, had a great experience and were doing well!”
She added with a laugh,
“I’ve never been afraid of going to the dentist, but I feel like my next dental appointment I’ll probably have nightmares.”
Throughout their time on the show, Havana and Steph were competing for Salvation Army Melbourne 614, an organisation dedicated to supporting individuals facing homelessness, mental health struggles, addiction, and social exclusion. The pair spoke passionately about the cause. Steph noted,
“With all the cost-of-living pressures that are going on, people have an idea of someone who is ‘down and out’ and what they’re like or what they’ve been through, but it can really be anyone… Anyone can find themselves on the street at any point in their lives and I think people forget that.”
Havana added,
“A lot of people who are experiencing homelessness feel isolated and this is a place where they can feel like they’re part of a community… respected, not invisible.”
She praised the work of Melbourne 614 for fostering hope and dignity.
Though Havana Brown and Stephanie Wood have been eliminated, the race continues with the remaining celebrity teams.
