The Amazing Race season 36: next episode, cast and everything we know about the reality TV show

Phil Keoghan on The Amazing Race
Phil Keoghan on The Amazing Race (Image credit: CBS)

The entire world is the playing field in The Amazing Race, with a group of teams jetting off once again with The Amazing Race season 36. Arriving quickly on the heels of The Amazing Race season 35, this new season has some interesting things that fans of the long-running reality TV show are sure to want to know about.

Chief and foremost is the return of 90 minute episodes. Season 35 was the first time that The Amazing Race (and its CBS buddy Survivor) aired 90 minute episodes for the entire season, but that trend is going to continue with this latest season.

What else do you need to know about The Amazing Race season 36? When does it premiere? Who are the teams? Where are they traveling? Read on for everything we know about the new season.

The Amazing Race season 36 next episode

The Amazing Race continues with a new episode on Wednesday, May 1.

Season 36 is arriving just four months after season 35 concluded. Part of the reason for the quick turnaround was that filming for The Amazing Race season 36 was actually done before season 35. Let us explain. 

Because of the writers and actors' strikes that took place in 2023, CBS made the decision to make Survivor and The Amazing Race 90 minutes long. What is now going to be The Amazing Race season 36 was filmed first, but not with the intention of airing as 90 minute episodes, while the competition that ended up becoming The Amazing Race season 35 was, which resulted in the two being flipped. The season 36 episodes were then re-edited to work with the new 90-minute runtime.

The Amazing Race season 36 will air live on CBS, which is available through traditional pay-TV subscriptions or live TV streaming services like Fubo, Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV. It'll also be available to watch on Paramount Plus, live if you are a Paramount Plus with Showtime subscriber or on-demand for all subscribers. Past seasons of The Amazing Race are also available to watch on Paramount Plus if you are interested.

The Amazing Race does not air in the UK, though they have their own spin on it, Race Across the World.

The Amazing Race season 36 host

For 35 seasons, Phil Keoghan has been the host of The Amazing Race, and that's not stopping for season 36. The native New Zealander is once again shepherding teams and the viewers on the global adventure, something that has seen him earn four Emmy nominations for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program. 

The Amazing Race season 36 premise

Fans of The Amazing Race pretty much know the gist, but if you're still new or looking to start watching The Amazing Race this season, here's the basics.

The Amazing Race sees teams of two compete in a race around the globe for a $1 million prize. The teams will travel to different locations in each episode (now in a post-COVID world, they are responsible for finding their own transportation again) and are required to complete different challenges that test them physically and mentally while also highlighting different historical and cultural aspects of the places they are. Each location is its own leg and if you are the last to finish that leg, then you are eliminated from the competition. The first team to cross the final finish line is the winner.

The Amazing Race season 36 cast

Here are the 13 teams that started The Amazing Race season 36, with a X marking who has been eliminated thus far in the race.

  • Danny and Angie Butler
  • Yvonne Chavez and Melissa Main
  • Michelle and Sean Clark (X)
  • Amber Craven and Vinny Cagungun
  • Chris Foster and Mary Cardona-Foster (X)
  • Rod and Leiticia Gardner
  • Maya and Rohan Mody (X)
  • Sunny Pulver and Bizzy Smith (X)
  • Ricky Rotandi and Cesar Aldrete
  • Anthony and Bailey Smith (X)
  • Kishori Turner and Karishma Cordero (X)
  • Juan Villa and Shane Bilek
  • Derek and Shelisa Williams (X)

Find out a little bit more about the cast and keep up with their standings in the race with our The Amazing Race season 36 cast feature.

The Amazing Race season 36 locations

The Amazing Race season 36 is kicking off in Puerto Vallart, Mexico, before it heads off to other countries in South America, including Colombia and Argentina, as well as two new countries in the Dominican Republic and Barbados.

The Amazing Race season 36 trailers

Check out these previews and sneak clips of The Amazing Race season 36:

Michael Balderston

Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. Spending most of his time watching new movies at the theater or classics on TCM, some of Michael's favorite movies include Casablanca, Moulin Rouge!, Silence of the Lambs, Children of Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Star Wars. On the TV side he enjoys Only Murders in the Building, Yellowstone, The Boys, Game of Thrones and is always up for a Seinfeld rerun. Follow on Letterboxd.