Originally published on 10/29/25

For 24 years, Phil Keoghan has hosted the highly popular CBS competition show The Amazing Race. In doing so, he has traveled to a variety of countries and met a ton of new people, something that he says never gets old. Keoghan does a ton off-camera as well, sharing exclusively with Woman’s World that he helps write the clues and the scripts for the show. To learn why that is, and what else the 58-year-old has to say about his time on The Amazing Race, keep scrolling! 

Phil Keoghan shares behind-the-scenes secrets about ‘The Amazing Race’ 

The Amazing Race is a reality competition show that follows teams of two as they travel around the world in the hopes of winning $1,000,000. Currently, the show has 38 seasons, and despite visiting places like Africa and Asia during that time, Keoghan said that his favorite places are either his home country, New Zealand, or somewhere brand new. 

“I love going back there and showing off New Zealand to the world,” he said. “My other favorite places are ones we’ve never been to before. We were in Bulgaria for the very first time and we were in Slovenia for the very first time a few seasons back. I find that super exciting.” 

“I’ve visited places like India, China and France, 20 plus times. So not that they’re not always exciting to go to,” he continued, “but there’s something super exciting about flying into a new country I haven’t been to before and not knowing what to expect. It’s almost like I get to experience it the way the Amazing Racers do, and that I find really exciting.” 

Speaking of which, Keoghan says that Antarctica and space are at the top of his list. 

“I’ve already written the clue for how our space episode would work,” he joked. “I want the teams to go up into space and have a cup of tea with Richard Branson at the International Space Station. They have a nice cup of tea, some scones, strawberry jam and some whipped cream, pick up a clue and then come back down to earth. I think something like that would be good.” 

Phil Keoghan spills on what else he does on the show 

When he’s not hosting the show, Keoghan said that he can often be found in the writers’ room, working the clues and the scripts. 

“The clue copy is much more technical than information-based. It’s very instructional,” he explained. “Then for the script, it’s there to pull the audience in and get them interested in where we’re going and why we’re there. We explain to the audience exactly what’s going on and what the teams have to do, so that they can get invested in watching them try and complete a particular challenge.” 

Phil Keoghan opens up about what he does in his off time

When he’s not traveling around the world with The Amazing Race, Keoghan can be found running the NYC Marathon produced by New York Road Runners (NYRR) to help raise money for the nonprofit Back on My Feet. 

“I’ve never run a marathon. I’ve never run over 13 miles and I’ve had an issue with my hamstring. Last weekend, I tested it and I couldn’t go more than four miles before having to stop. So I’m hoping that I make it, quite frankly,” he said. “I do want to thank the Back on My Feet organization for giving me this opportunity and giving me the motivation to run.” 

“It’s a fantastic organization that literally helps get people who don’t have homes back into jobs and back into working through the motivation of training for a goal,” he continued. “I wouldn’t be doing it if it wasn’t for Terence Gerchberg from Season 13. He’s been asking me to do this marathon for 17 years. But, there’s never been a perfect time to do it, because I’m always filming a season of The Amazing Race, so there’s no time to train, but I finally had to just suck it up and stop making excuses.” 

To learn more about NYRR and to donate to Keoghan’s fundraising page, click here. 

Link to original: https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/celebrities/phil-keoghan-shares-amazing-race-secrets-after-24-years-excl