Sam Gardiner: Race Across The World star, 24, died after driving at 'significant speed' in 'appalling conditions'

The 24-year-old was killed in a road traffic accident in May after he lost control of his adapted Volkswagen Golf vehicle on the A34 road in Stockport. Sam had appeared on the second series of hit BBC competition show Race Across The World alongside his mum Jo, which aired in 2020.

An inquest into his death was opened, with his family, including mum Jo, in attendance as details of his final moments were shared. The court heard that Sam, a landscape gardener, had been travelling back from work in Scotland and was due to attend his aunt’s birthday party.

Witnesses told the inquest that Sam had been “overtaking and undertaking” during heavy rain on the A34. His car then hit the central reservation and his vehicle left the road at around 10pm.

The court also heard that the tyres on Sam’s car had insufficient tread depth, which likely contributed to the resulting crash. Jo had also spoken in court to confirm that Sam had modified his VW Golf, including taking the silencer off of the exhaust to make the car noisier, according to the Daily Mail.

Sam was rushed to hospital following the crash and placed in an induced coma after suffering severe head injuries. He died three days later.

A statement from his family said: “Following the inquest, we want to thank all the witnesses who stopped to help Sam and all the emergency services involved. Whilst we are heartbroken over the loss of Sam, the generosity of people towards helping others with FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) is inspiring.”

Jo and her husband Andrew previously issued a statement when news broke of Sam’s death. They said: “We would like to thank the BBC, Studio Lambert and everyone at Race Across The World production, fellow contestants and fans of the show for all their support at this terrible time. It has been very comforting to know that Sam touched so many people.”