Derry Girls actor Dylan Llewellyn experienced an emotional breakdown during Thursday's episode of Celebrity Race Across The World as he revealed his brother's tragic suicide.
Heartbreaking Revelation Around Campfire
The 33-year-old actor bravely shared his family's painful story during an ancient ceremony in South America, surrounded by fellow contestants including Roman and Harleymoon Kemp, Molly Rainford and Ty West. The emotional moment unfolded on BBC One on November 13, 2025, leaving viewers and participants deeply moved.
As the group gathered around a fire for a traditional ceremony, a female spiritual guide encouraged them to release emotional burdens. "This is a special moment for you to let go today anything you no longer need to be carrying in your heart, your life and your mind to find peace and love," she advised.
Family Tragedy Revealed
The ceremony prompted Dylan's mother Jackie to become emotional first, expressing she felt "a sense of peace and connection to people I have lost in my life." This opened the door for Dylan to share their family's painful secret.
Fighting back tears, Dylan explained: "Me and my mum lost someone close to us. I lost my brother and my mum lost her son. His name is James." He continued emotionally, "I just wish he could take my place and do this, do all this and travel the world. But he never got to."
In a separate piece to camera, Dylan revealed the devastating details: "My eldest brother James, he took his life when he was 20. I was 16. It just hit us all hard, so hard."
Emotional Support From Fellow Contestants
The raw emotion prompted an outpouring of support from fellow competitors. Roman, who was also crying, comforted Dylan saying: "He's with you the whole time. He'd be sat right here, he'd be laughing at everything you're going through."
Managing a smile, Jackie responded positively: "We've certainly had a lot of laughs so far!" Dylan described his brother as someone who "lived life to the full" and was "so popular, he had so many friends. He was my hero."
Jackie added comforting words to her son: "He's your guardian angel. He's racing with us."
Dedication to Brother's Memory
Dylan explained that participating in the race held deeper meaning for him and his mother. "Doing this race is like doing it for my brother and my mum. He would have loved to do something like this. I think she'd like to have that kind of journey with a son," he shared.
In another emotional interview, Dylan reflected on his brother's qualities: "James was everything I wanted to be with his confidence. I really want to get out of my comfort zone and support my mum, because I want to look after her on this trip because she deserves it. He would be proud of me I think."
Following the powerful ceremony, both Dylan and his mother confided that they felt a "sense of relief and release" after sharing their story.
Viewer Reactions
The emotional scene resonated deeply with viewers who took to social media to express their support. One viewer wrote on X: "Dylan and his mums story about their brother/son is absolutely heartbreaking #CelebrityRaceAcrossTheWorld."
Another commented: "Dylan opening up about his younger brother James who took his own life at the age of 20 ?? Heartbreaking!!!!! #CelebrityRaceAcrossTheWorld #RaceAcrossTheWorld" while others expressed protective feelings toward the actor, writing "Protect Dylan at all costs #celebrityraceacrosstheworld."
The episode demonstrated how reality television can provide a platform for important conversations about mental health and family tragedy, with Dylan Llewellyn's brave disclosure highlighting the lasting impact of suicide on families.
