Amazing Race winners make reality TV history in emotional finale

After travelling all around the world competing in gruelling challenges over the past month, The Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition came to an emotional end on Thursday night.

For the first time in the history of the international reality competition, three teams finished at the exact same time and shared the prize money.

Darren McMullen and his nephew Tristan Dougan were the first team to reach the finish line in Kuala Lumpur, however, they made the generous decision to wait for the remaining two teams so they could jump on the mat together and split the $100,000 prize.

“We're not ready to come on,” Darren told a very confused Beau Ryan. “We think everyone should come on at the same time.

“Those girls are phenomenal and an inspiration and I think they deserve to be here with us and stepping on first place.”

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Fellow finalists Emma and Hayley Watkins and Alli and Angie Simpson both became emotional as Darren told them the news that they had decided to share the winnings.

“We're so thankful that you guys didn’t step on the mat, thank you,” Hayley said, while her sister Emma burst into tears.

“How special for our charities!” Alli added.

The three teams then joined hands and jumped on the mat together, cementing their shared victory as the winners of season seven.

“Darren and Tristan, Emma and Hayley, Alli and Angie, you are all the first team to check in,” Beau told them.

“You've all raised well-earned money for your charities, and you are the winners of The Amazing Race Australia!”

The $100,000 prize money will be shared amongst each of the teams’ charities: Feel the Magic, The Leonie Jackson Memorial Fund, and Dementia Australia.

'Phenomenal experience'

While the series ended with one of the most heartwarming finales in Australian reality TV history, Darren tells Yahoo Lifestyle that his experience on The Amazing Race was much more difficult than fans might expect.

“The Amazing Race was truly, really, really hard,” he shares. “People ask, ‘Was it fun?’. I don’t think fun is the right adjective, it was kind of horrendous. It was one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done in my life, I'll say that, but it wasn't fun during it.

“You're not really eating much, you’re kind of starved, you're definitely not sleeping well, you’re getting on these awful flights, red eye flights sometimes flying 5, 6, 7 hours - they’re always delayed three or four hours - and you're just a bit delirious and you've got these horrendous smells and this insane heat wherever you go. So by the end of it, you’re just kind of completely battered and bruised.”

However, he says the hardships were all worth it to raise money for their chosen charity, Feel the Magic.

“One thing I said to Tristan going into is no matter how hard this gets, and it will get hard, just remind ourselves why we're here and that's for the charity and that'll get us through some of the tougher points,” he details.

“But also really stay present during it and enjoy the ride because I guarantee you'll miss it when it stops. As bad as it's going to get, it’s going to be a phenomenal experience to look back on in years to come.”

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