Season 9 of Asia Express, also called ‘Silk Road’, will bring a mix of stars like never before. The new season is set to shoot in spring 2026 in areas such as Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
The new season will bring to life the idea of a route that, for centuries, has connected East and West, showing how commercial, cultural and technological influences continue to shape the people and the spaces they cross.
Cheloo and Mihai Ban, his partner from Dakar, will participate. They are joined by Maurice Munteanu and his good friend, Connie Preda, founder and creative director of a cultural events platform.
The list also includes Mirela Vaida and her friend, popular music singer Oana Tomoiagă, as well as comedian Radu Isac, along with Eduard Hordilă.
The footballer Gabi Torje also participates, together with the wrestler Alin Alexuc Ciurariu. Among the competitors are former TV assistants Loredana Chivu and Anamaria Mocanu, as well as influencers Valerie Lungu and Alex Gâlcă.
Mirela Retegan participates with her daughter, Maya, and What’s UP comes with his wife, Miky.
They will venture into the middle of the unknown, without phones and without money, having at their disposal only their own ingenuity and the kindness of the locals, plus one euro a day from Irina, in an attempt to reach the final point of the journey, namely the Pearl in Shanghai.
Cheloo and Mihai Ban
“We have a thousand reasons to participate, but we’re not going to tell you any of them”, said Cheloo and Mihai Ban.
Mirela Vaida and Oana Tomoiag
“Sometimes in life you reach a point where you feel you need to step out of your roles a little bit… Asia Express comes to me as a personal challenge and a form of freedom. I want to discover myself again. I want to see what I’m like when I’m not in control anymore, when I don’t know what’s coming in an hour or where I’m going to sleep that night. I leave with a longing for my family in my heart, but also with the curiosity of a child who wants to discover the world. I think Asia Express is the experience I’ve been waiting for a lifetime. And I am ready to live it seriously, with emotion and with the joy of discovering each moment exactly as it comes.”
Loredana Chivu and Anamaria Mocanu
Loredana Chivu:I expect an intense experience that will take me completely out of my comfort zone. I leave with emotions, but also with a lot of enthusiasm. I leave the comfort of my home and my loved ones for a unique adventure. I feel that such experiences change you as a person. It’s not just a competition, it’s a lesson in courage, adaptation and how much you can take when you really want to.“
Anamaria Mocanu:I am sure that it will be an experience that will remain in my heart for the rest of my life and will be full of unexpected moments. PS: Get ready, because you’re going to laugh a lot, really bad! I leave with emotion, curiosity and the desire to enjoy everything that follows. And, above all, with the thought that I am not alone — Loredana is by my side and together we are a team that will make every moment count.“
Mirela Retegan and her daughter, Maya
“I’m leaving in Asia Express with the hope that I will live with Maya the experience of life. For me, life is a reason for joy in itself and I want to make sure that I don’t let any incident spoil this celebration. As a mother, I am going on the Asia Express because I owe Maya an experience that is only ours.
As an entrepreneur, I am leaving because I want to confirm that I have built something that works even without me. My departure also means a test of maturity for the business: I have a ready team and I trust that Zurli can move forward without my daily intervention. As a man, I go to Asia Express to see how other people live, what life is like beyond what I already know”, said Mirela Retegan.
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Radu Isac and Eduard Hordilă
“My expectations are to return home unharmed, untraumatized and with money to buy a Logan. I’ve never been to Asia or to a hit show, and that’s how I solve two at once. I’m leaving a bit disappointed because I don’t think I know what I’m getting myself into. Otherwise, confident. I know the way to Otopeni well. I am also happy that I will spend more time with Eddy. We both run away from responsibilities in different directions and don’t get to see each other often.”
Maurice Munteanu and Connie Preda
“I look at this experience first and foremost as a personal journey—one that I hope will help me understand and maybe even heal a form of anxiety that has always accompanied me. The destinations seem absolutely fascinating to me — Uzbekistan and China, on the legendary route of the Silk Road. There is something almost mythological about this route. Another thing that makes me happy is the fact that I managed to overcome my fear of flying recently. I have a lot of faith in my partner, Connie Preda. We are different, but precisely in our differences I believe that the strength of the team lies”, said stylist Maurice Munteanu.
“It seemed extremely romantic to venture into the unknown like this with Maurice, we being old, good friends; but also because I felt the need to escape from a daily life full of responsibilities. I leave without any script. I decided to be as present as possible and to be surprised throughout our journey by people, unknown… I expect that we will be quite demanding and that it will be difficult for us at times, but I think it will also be very funny in the company of Maurice, who has a remarkable sense of humor. I hope we’ll both be flexible, spontaneous and overcome some fears along the way… and I hope we’ll win!”
Valerie Lungu and Alex Gilca
“We chose to go to Asia Express because we feel it’s time to completely step out of our comfort zone. For us it’s more than an experience, it’s a personal challenge to overcome our fears and see what we’re really capable of. We want to reset our lifestyle, and at the end of this experience we want to be a better version of ourselves, more present, more empathetic and able to truly enjoy every moment”, said Valerie Lungu.
Asia Express returns with a spectacular season. Competitors will set off on the “Silk Road”, an impressive route through Uzbekistan and China
What’s UP and Miky
“For our family, this experience is a dream that we have both carried in our hearts for a long time. We have been on the same road for 5 years, and now it seems that life is taking us, literally, on the Silk Road. It will be a unique experience, which we will certainly tell our grandchildren. We are a united, strong and competitive team, and if luck and fate will smile on us, we hope to reach the finals. God help!”said What’s Up.
