"Relative Race," BYUtv's Award-Winning Family History-Based Reality Competition Program, Returns For Third Season

New season features first ever father/son and sister teams as they travel across the U.S. to explore their roots, debuts March 4th with 90-minute episode

PROVO, Utah, Feb. 6, 2018 -- BYUtv will debut the third season of the first genealogy-based competitive reality show, "Relative Race," on Sunday, March 4 at 9pm ET/7pm MT. "Relative Race" follows four teams on a 10-day journey throughout the United States as they complete challenges, discover unknown relatives identified through DNA testing and compete for a $50,000 grand prize. For the first time ever, season three features a father and son team, as well as two sisters, in addition to two married couples. This original, unscripted reality series continues to take viewers along for the ride as the couples test their emotional, mental and physical endurance while learning more about their heritage.

Armed with only paper maps, a loaner car and a flip phone with a camera, each day the couples receive instructions via text message to navigate to a designated city and complete two challenges that lead them to their previously unknown relatives. These duos make surprising family connections on the first day, prior to the competition officially beginning and are permitted to text each other throughout the 10-day race. The last team to finish each day receives a strike, and after three strikes, a team is eliminated. Season three of "Relative Race" begins in Washington, D.C.

"We are thrilled to announce that 'Relative Race' will air for a third season this spring with a new format and four new dynamic teams," said Michael Dunn, managing director of BYUtv. "This season, we have changed the structure of the show to allow each of the teams to meet a bonus relative before the race officially begins, increasing the time the contestants get to spend with their loved ones and allowing them to further explore their family histories and discover their roots."

For the third consecutive year, BYUtv teamed up with Utah-based veteran reality TV and documentary production company, Lenzworks, to create the race and challenges.

"Relative Race" is hosted by Dan J. Debenham, Lenzworks' Principal, Executive Producer and former ESPN executive producer, who has been working in the television and production industry for 29 years. The four enthusiastic teams racing across the country this year are professional musician sisters Jamie Harper and Morgan Nichols from Los Angeles, CA; husband and wife duo Troy and Nicole Hitt from Humble, TX; father and son team Michael and Dylan Anderson from Concord, NC; and husband and wife team Rebecca and Johnathon Hoyt from McAllen, TX.

"We are proud to join forces with BYUtv once again to produce a third season of 'Relative Race' and are excited to share with viewers a few new aspects of the series, including new routes, new contestants, new cities and new challenges," said Debenham. "This season continues to deliver the heartwarming drama, shocking discoveries and surprising adventures that audiences have come to love and expect from this show."

Co-winner of the 2016 Cynopsis Media Best New Competition Reality Series award, the third season of "Relative Race" will air 10 episodes. In addition to "Relative Race," BYUtv's original programming slate includes the long-running sketch comedy series "Studio C," which touts over 1 billion views on YouTube and "Random Acts," an unscripted hidden-camera reality show that highlights the altruistic nature of human beings by featuring real people who are the recipients of random acts of kindness. BYUtv is available in every state of the country via cable, satellite and multiple digital media platforms including byutv.org, AppleTV, Xbox ONE, Xbox360, Roku, Amazon FireTV, iOS and Android.

About BYU Broadcasting

Owned by Brigham Young University, BYU Broadcasting operates BYUtv and BYUradio from its state-of-the-art production studios and distribution facility in Provo, Utah. BYUtv is a high definition cable television network that creates original programming the entire family can enjoy together, including sketch comedy, history, music and documentary offerings. The non-commercial station is available in more than 80 million households in every state on Dish Network, DirecTV and over 800 cable systems. It offers approximately 1,200 hours of original programming annually, including 500+ hours of live HD collegiate sports and is streamed free of charge over the Internet at www.BYUtv.org.