The Amazing Race 27 is the twenty-seventh season of the American reality competition show The Amazing Race. Hosted by Phil Keoghan, it featured eleven teams of two, each with a pre-existing relationship, competing in a race around the world to win US$1,000,000. This season visited five continents and ten countries and traveled over during twelve legs. Starting in Los Angeles, racers traveled through Brazil, Argentina, Zambia, Zimbabwe, France, the Netherlands, Poland, India, Hong Kong, and Macau before returning to the United States and finishing in Southampton, New York. New twists introduced in this season include an Express Pass that had to be given to another team after it was used and a U-Turn placed at the Detour decision point. The season premiered on CBS September 25, 2015, and concluded on December 11, 2015.
Dating news reporters Kelsey Gerckens and Joey Buttitta of KEYT-TV were the winners of this season, while engaged couple Justin Scheman and Diana Bishop finished in second place, and dating paparazzi Logan Fazio and Chris Gordon finished in third place.
Production Development and filming
Similar to The Amazing Race 25, the show's Twitter page announced an open start at Venice Beach in Los Angeles, California, and invited fans to join in sending the new teams off on June 22, 2015. The open start revealed that teams would first head to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Filming concluded on July 14 in the Hamptons of Long Island in New York.
This season covered across five continents and 10 countries, including a first-time visit to Zimbabwe.
Contestants The cast included TMZ editor Kelly Berning and post production supervisor Shevonne Sullivan, former New York Jets cheerleaders Tiffany Torres and Krista DeBono, former America's Best Dance Crew contestants Ernest "E-Knock" Phillips and Jayjion "Jin Lao" Greer, Justin Scheman and Diana Bishop, who were known for their viral Amazing Race proposal video, and reporters Kelsey Gerckens and Joey Buttitta from KEYT-TV.
ContestantsAgeRelationshipHometownStatus 37Co-WorkersLos Angeles, CaliforniaEliminated 1st(in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) 31 22Cousins Champaign, IllinoisEliminated 2nd(in Buenos Aires, Argentina) 24 Des Moines, Iowa 29BrothersBoston, MassachusettsEliminated 3rd(in San Antonio de Areco, Argentina) 26 23Best Friends & AthletesLos Angeles, CaliforniaEliminated 4th(in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe) 22 36NewlywedsSan Diego, CaliforniaEliminated 5th(in The Hague, Netherlands) 38 26Best FriendsDallas, TexasEliminated 6th(in Agra, India) 28 51Mother & SonPrattville, AlabamaEliminated 7th(in Agra, India) 26 28Former NFL Cheerleaders Hoboken, New JerseyEliminated 8th(in Macau) 28 Staten Island, New York 36Dating PaparazziMiami Beach, FloridaThird place 46 39EngagedPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaRunners-up 30 25Dating News AnchorsSanta Barbara, CaliforniaWinners 26 Future appearances After the season aired, Kelsey & Joey got engaged during their interview on Home and Family, and eventually married on August 25, 2017. On January 22, 2020, they both appeared on an episode of CBS's Let's Make a Deal while Kelsey was pregnant with their oldest son.
On May 25, 2016, Kelsey & Joey and Tiffany & Krista appeared on an Amazing Race-themed primetime special episode of The Price Is Right.
On November 1, 2017, Krista DeBono appeared as the Pit Stop greeter for Leg 2 of HaMerotz LaMillion 6, the Israeli version of The Amazing Race, at Times Square in New York City.
Justin & Diana appeared on season 30 in attendance at the starting line.
On March 1, 2020, Alex Manard appeared on an episode of Discovery Channel's Naked and Afraid and lasted the full 21 days in the Amazon rainforest of Yasuni, Ecuador.
Results The following teams are listed with their placements in each leg. Placements are listed in finishing order. A placement with a dagger () indicates that the team was eliminated. An placement with a double-dagger () indicates that the team was the last to arrive at a Pit Stop in a non-elimination leg, and had to perform a Speed Bump task in the following leg. An italicized and underlined placement indicates that the team was the last to arrive at a Pit Stop, but there was no rest period at the Pit Stop and all teams were instructed to continue racing. There was no required Speed Bump task in the next leg. A indicates that the team used an Express Pass on that leg to bypass one of their tasks. A indicates that the team used the U-Turn and a indicates the team on the receiving end of the U-Turn. +Team placement (by leg) Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Kelsey & Joey 8th 7th 3rd 4th 4th 3rd 2nd2nd 2nd2nd 2nd 1st Justin & Diana 9th 1st 2nd 1st 2nd 1st1st 1st 1st 1st3rd2nd Logan & Chris 5th 4th 5th 6th 6th 6th5th 4th 3rd 4th1st 3rd Tiffany & Krista 10th 6th 8th 8th5th 2nd3rd 5th 4th 3rd Denise & James Earl 4th 3rd 6th3rd 1st 7th 6th 3rd 5th Tanner & Josh 1st 2nd 1st 2nd3rd 4th 4th Cindy & Rick 3rd 5th 7th 5th 7th 5th Jazmine & Danielle 2nd 8th 4th 7th Ernest & Jin 7th 9th Alex & Adam 6th Kelly & Shevonne Notes
Race summary
Leg 1 (United States → Brazil)
Episode 1: "A Little Too Much Beefcake" (September 25, 2015) Prize: Express Pass (awarded to Tanner & Josh) Eliminated: Kelly & Shevonne Locations Los Angeles, California (Venice Beach) (Starting Line) Marina del Rey (Mother's Beach → Burton Chace Park) Los Angeles → Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Rio de Janeiro (Lagoa Heliport → Urca Hill) Rio de Janeiro (Clube São Conrado Free Flight) Rio de Janeiro (Copacabana Beach) Rio de Janeiro (Arpoador Lookout) Episode summary From Venice Beach, teams had to travel by taxi to Mother's Beach, choose a water-bike, and then pedal it to Phil Keoghan in Burton Chace Park, where they received plane tickets to their first destination: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The first team to complete this task received the only tickets on the first flight, while all of the other teams departed a half-hour later on the second flight. Once there, teams had to travel to Lagoa Heliport in order to find their next clue. In this season's only Fast Forward, one team would have had to ride a hang glider from Pedra Bonita and soar above the city. Due to windy weather conditions, no teams won the Fast Forward, since they did not want to wait until weather conditions might have improved. Teams who chose to not attempt the Fast Forward had to travel by helicopter to Urca Hill, flying past Christ the Redeemer en route. After landing, the heliport manager asked the teams the name of the monument they passed during the flight, and if teams answered correctly, they received their next clue. This season's first Detour on Copacabana Beach was a choice between Sand or Sidewalk. In Sand, teams had to play footvolley against local professional players, who could not use their hands while the racers could, and score six points before the pros scored 18, in order to receive their next clue. In Sidewalk, teams had to solve a giant geometric slide puzzle derived from the Portuguese pavement style of the Copacabana pavement in order to receive their next clue. After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: Arpoador Lookout. Additional note Kelly & Shevonne completed the Detour, but never made it to the Pit Stop. After all of the other teams had already checked in, Phil came to Copacabana Beach to inform them of their elimination.
Leg 2 (Brazil → Argentina)
Episode 2: "Get in There and Think Like a Dog" (October 2, 2015) Prize: A trip for two to El Jadida, Morocco (awarded to Justin & Diana) Eliminated: Alex & Adam Locations Rio de Janeiro (Arpoador Lookout) Rio de Janeiro → Buenos Aires, Argentina Buenos Aires (Basílica María Auxiliadora y San Carlos) Buenos Aires (Palermo Neighborhood Gabriel del Campo Antiques & Lezama Park) Buenos Aires (Bartolomé Mitre 4272) Buenos Aires (Campo Argentino de Polo) Episode summary At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Once there, teams had to locate the church where Pope Francis was baptized, which teams had to figure out was the Basílica María Auxiliadora y San Carlos. The next morning, teams entered the church, one at a time and in the order in which they had arrived, where a priest gave them their next clue. This leg's Detour was a choice between Cartoneros or Fletero. In Cartoneros, teams traveled to the Palermo Neighborhood, where they had to select a cart, collect cardboard from recycling bins, and transport it to a truck to be weighed. Once they'd collected at least , teams received their next clue. In Fletero, teams traveled to Gabriel del Campo Antiques near Plaza Dorrego, picked up the pieces of a statue, and brought them to a truck. One team member sat in the front and give the driver directions, while the other held the pieces in the back until they reached the gazebo at Plaza Intendente Sebeer. At the park, teams had to properly reassemble the statute in order to receive their next clue. After the Detour, teams had to travel to Bartolomé Mitre 4272 in order to find their next clue. In this season's first Roadblock, one team member had to properly perform a tango routine, including a portion where they were harnessed and danced on the wall, in order to receive their next clue. After the Roadblock, teams were instructed to find the Pit Stop at "The Cathedral of Polo", which they had to figure out was the Campo Argentino de Polo.
Leg 3 (Argentina)
Episode 3: "Where My Dogs At?" (October 9, 2015) Prize: A trip for two to Siem Reap, Cambodia (awarded to Tanner & Josh) Eliminated: Ernest & Jin Locations Buenos Aires (Campo Argentino de Polo) Buenos Aires → San Antonio de Areco San Antonio de Areco (La Porteña) San Antonio de Areco (Plaza Principal) San Antonio de Areco (Boliche de Bessonart & Riverside La Cinacina Estancia) San Antonio de Areco (Parque Criollo y Museo Gauchesco Ricardo Güiraldes) Episode summary At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel by bus to San Antonio de Areco. Once there, teams were driven to La Porteña, where they found their next clue. In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to properly hang two racks of lamb and one rack of beef ribs onto a set of metal grills to cook the meat asado-style, with the bones oriented in the correct direction and properly skewered on all sides, in order to receive their next clue. After the Roadblock, teams had to deliver a roasted lamb to a festival at Plaza Principal in order to receive their next clue. This leg's Detour was a choice between Horse or Carriage. In Horse, teams had to pick a polo mallet from the plaza and walk to Boliche de Bessonart, where they changed into polo gear. They then had to walk to the riverside and pick out a fake horse that needed to be properly tacked and pushed back to the plaza. In Carriage, teams had to pick a buggy whip from the plaza and travel by foot to La Cinacina Estancia. There, they had to don gaucho clothing, clean a carriage, and then push it to a team of waiting horses. Once the horses were harnessed to the buggy, they had to ride back to the plaza. At the end of both Detour tasks, teams had to present either the fake horse or the buggy whip to the judges in order to receive their next clue. After the Detour, teams were instructed to travel by foot to the Pit Stop: the Parque Criollo y Museo Gauchesco Ricardo Güiraldes.
Leg 4 (Argentina → Zambia → Zimbabwe)
Episode 4: "Good Old Fashioned Spit in the Face" (October 16, 2015) Locations San Antonio de Areco (Plaza Principal) San Antonio de Areco → Buenos Aires Buenos Aires → Livingstone, Zambia Kazungula District (Mukuni Village) Livingstone (Batoka Aerodrome) Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park (Victoria Falls – Knife's Edge Bridge) Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe (Shoestrings Backpackers Lodge) Victoria Falls (The Big Five Co-Op Victoria Falls Hotel) Victoria Falls (Rose of Charity Orphanage) Episode summary