Ben and Jackie Gillies are one of the only teams on The Amazing Race Australia where both contestants are famous.

However, despite Ben’s background in the public eye, Jackie has revealed that The Amazing Race Australia is one of the only reality TV shows he would consider.

“Reality TV isn’t really Ben’s thing, he only went on Housewives to support me,” Jackie told WHO. “But when this opportunity came up, he said, ‘These are the amazing experiences that people chase and no one gets to do this.’ So we had to do it.”

Jackie on why she and Ben made a good team on The Amazing Race

Jackie was a fan favourite on The Real Housewives of Melbourne and has a substantial amount of experience when it comes to reality TV.

“I thought I was going to go in there and kill it but it was really Ben with his calm and level head, who really likes to take his time and do things properly, who was the most valuable player,” she explained.

But, RHOM is a whole different ball game to The Amazing Race, which Jackie said came as a bit of a surprise.

“As women, it can be hard to take time like this, but I really think that making time for yourself and your partner makes you a better mother, a better lover and a better everything. It’s a lesson we’ll take home with us too, that we need to take more time out to nurture our relationship.”

The contestants didn’t stay in luxury hotels

Viewers aren’t privy to where the contestants stay when they’re not racing. However, Jackie dished the dirt on what their digs are like.

“We were definitely slumming it,” she revealed. “I grew up very humbly so was OK, but at the end of the day it would have been nice to relax with a wine and a little luxury because who doesn’t love that? But no, that wasn’t the case.”

The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition airs on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. on 10 and 10Play.

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