Appearing on The Amazing Race Australia is a dream come true for Below Deck star Aesha Scott, who’s competing on the Celebrity Edition of the series with her fiancé Scott Dobson. Born and based in Tauranga, the reality TV superstar reveals, “When I first joined with my agent, I told them my biggest goal has always been to be on The Amazing Race. They went after it with guns blazing.” We are so fortunate!”
She and bar manager Scott, both 34, who say their “Kiwi ingenuity” was a huge advantage on the show, chat to Woman’s Day about their globe-trotting adventure, the family tragedy that inspires
her and their upcoming wedding…
What was the biggest highlight of your time on The Amazing Race?
Aesha: The other teams were all incredible people, and we did a lot of trauma-bonding, so we made life-long friends. Unfortunately, we’d already done the wedding invites, so there’s no room for new mates!
Scott: I enjoyed the food challenge. I really wanted to give it a crack because it’s one of those things I’ve always seen on TV, like from Fear Factor.
And what was the toughest thing?
Scott: It was daunting being surrounded by cameras and being watched all the time. I was very cautious about how I was coming across.
Aesha: Also, because it was the Celebrity Edition, everyone there had main-character energy. We’d all bounce off each other, getting louder and louder. This was quite draining for Scott, who has a limited social battery. For me, it was the food challenge – my body just wanted to reject everything I put in my mouth!
What surprised you the most?
Aesha: I was shocked with how close all of the teams were. When I’ve watched The Amazing Race on TV, people sometimes arrive hours or even a day after the leaders. But in our experience, we would all end up at the finish line within half an hour almost every time. This was really stressful and resulted in a lot of running races. I really didn’t know who was going to win because the teams were so well-matched.
What skills did you bring to the race?
Scott: Logical thinking, rationale and taking time to read everything thoroughly, but I wasn’t necessarily listened to…
Aesha: Yeah, I’m a chief stew and I don’t like to be told how to do something! But I’m so happy I did the race with a strong man because there were some really physical challenges and Scott is an absolute beast, which was really helpful.
Scott: I’m usually really picky when it comes to sharing food and even cutlery, but I learned that when push comes to shove, I can eat Aesha’s vomit.
Aesha: See, he’s a beast!
Where does your zest for life come from?
Aesha: My late brother Reuben has impacted my life a lot. I’m 34, so I’m already 10 years older than he got to live to. It’s always in my mind to just be so grateful to be alive, to enjoy every day and to live life to the absolute fullest. That definitely translated into doing the show and not backing down from any challenge. How dare I not make the most of every opportunity that’s put in front of me!
What was it like for you when your brother passed?
Aesha: We were best friends. Reuben was in the army and, one day, he went to a wedding, where he had trouble holding his knife. He thought he had carpal tunnel syndrome, but he had tests at Wellington Hospital, and there was nothing wrong with his hands, so they did an MRI that showed two giant golf balls in his brain. I was standing in the room and my stomach just dropped. The tumours were so deep that they couldn’t operate. I was 19 and felt so helpless. It was horrible watching this person I love slowly decline over time, but he had such an amazing spirit and tried to make the best of it.
What reality show is next for you guys?
Aesha: The Traitors would be really cool, but my goal is to move into hosting shows, like Big Brother.
Scott: I’d like to do something physical like Ninja Warrior or SAS – nothing that requires me to be too much of a central character!
You guys are getting married in March. What can you tell us about the wedding?
Aesha: Everything’s pretty much good to go. I’m going to pick up my dress next month. I’ve organised for Mr Whippy to be there with his ice cream van and our DJ will be playing all the Kiwi bangers, like Fat Freddy’s Drop, Six60 and LAB. Our ceremony is happening in beautiful native bush. I’m so excited to show off New Zealand to all of our US friends and family!
The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition screens 7pm Saturdays on TVNZ 2 and streams on TVNZ+.
