Phil Keoghan Reveals His Dream ‘The Amazing Race’ Partner

Following the finale of “The Amazing Race” Season 37, which aired on May 15, long-time host Phil Keoghan has been more active in the interview sphere, not only commenting on the recently wrapped-up season, but also looking forward to Season 38, which is set to begin airing on CBS this fall. 

As part of his recent press junket, Keoghan sat down with TV Insider to discuss the show. The interview, published the day of the Season 37 finale, saw the host get emotional as he revealed the one person he’d love to take on “The Amazing Race” with.

Keoghan Names his ‘Ultimate Partner’ in Emotional Interview

Over the course of its 37 seasons, “The Amazing Race” has seen countless duos compete in a high-stakes race around the world, with the winners of each season receiving an impressive grand prize of $1,000,000. In the past, teams have been composed of parents and their children, best friends, siblings, and co-workers. 

Most recently, best friends and gamers Carson McCalley and Jack Dodge emerged victorious from “The Amazing Race” Season 37, with siblings Han and Holden Nguyen finishing the race in second place. 

While Keoghan has played host since the series’ debut in 2001, the 57-year-old television personality has never taken on the race himself. Despite having no plans to compete on the show, Keoghan revealed to TV Insider that, in a perfect world, he’d love to take on the race with his father, John Keoghan. 

“Unfortunately, my dad is not doing so good right now,” admitted Keoghan. “It’s just a recent thing, and so I treasure the adventures that I’ve had with him throughout my life, but when I think about the ultimate partner, he’s the first one that comes to mind. I get to spend time with him.”

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John, who is now in his 80s, previously appeared on “The Amazing Race” as a Pit Stop greeter on Season 13 in 2008. Keoghan similarly revealed that his father has been incredibly supportive of his son’s journey on the show, going as far as to use social media reactions across a number of platforms to compile data analysis on the show’s Top 50 best moments. 

Keoghan Opens Up About his Relationship with his Father

While Keoghan admitted that he’d like to take on “The Amazing Race” with his father just to have the opportunity to spend more time together, he added that his father would also be a formidable competitor. 

“My dad is like a walking encyclopedia, just a wealth of knowledge,” continued Keoghan. “He’s well-traveled. He’s a plant scientist. He’s very physical, but he’s also super smart and good at puzzles.”

Despite being born in New Zealand, Keoghan told TV Insider that his father has been the driving force behind his wanderlust, recalling the countless trips they’ve taken across the globe. 

“We’ve traveled on a lot of adventures together ever since I was 3, being on his shoulders walking down to the Grand Canyon to retracing the 1928 Tour de France, and he was the support for me. I rode across America raising money for M.S. [multiple sclerosis] and he was driving the support vehicle,” revealed Keoghan. 

Though Keoghan will likely never compete on “The Amazing Race” with his father, the host revealed that he’s “making the most” of the time they have left together. 

“I just got back from New Zealand yesterday and I flew down to spend some time with him and we went on another adventure together,” Keoghan concluded. “We went driving through the South Island in New Zealand, so I’ve been making the most of my time with him.”

Phil Keoghan will return as the host of “The Amazing Race” Season 38 this fall on CBS.