The start date for the Celebrity Race Across the World 2023 series has been postponed due to an earthquake in Morocco that has claimed the lives of more than 2,000 people.

It was originally meant to air on BBC One on Wednesday, September 13 but it is now not on the schedule.

The postponement is related to a powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Morocco on Friday (September 8), which is where much of the first episode of the series takes place.

Tremors hit the High Atlas mountains south of Marrakesh, and destroyed many rural and remote villages.

A total of 2,681 people are known to have died, which is the country's deadliest incident in 60 years.

When will Celebrity Race Across the World air?

The BBC has not yet said when the series will now begin.

A tweet put out on the Race Across the World account read: "The BBC has announced that in light of the earthquake in Morocco, the first episode of Celebrity Race Across the World will be postponed.

"We of course started off our journey in Marrakesh – it’s a beautiful city and we were so warmly welcomed by everyone during filming. Our hearts go out to the people of the country, and our thoughts are with them."

The series was filmed at the end of 2022 and the journey will span across 24 countries and over 10,000km, the Radio Times reports.

It will feature the likes of McFly drummer Harry Judd and his mother, broadcaster Alex Beresford and his father, singer Melanie Blatt and her mother and British racing driver and pundit Billy Monger and his sister.

There will be six episodes in total and, much like the previous seasons, the racers will be stripped of all modern luxuries.

They will have to rely on their skills and hard work to win the race.