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| Divas Hit the Road Season 8 Sets Sights on Antarctica: Release Date, Cast Rumours, and What Makes This Season Different (Photo: Weibo) |
Divas Hit the Road Season 8 hasn’t aired a single episode yet, and somehow it already feels like one of the biggest variety show events of the year. At a time when travel reality shows are everywhere, this long-running Mango TV hit is betting on something bolder: extreme contrast, generational chemistry, and a journey that doesn’t play safe. From tropical heat straight into polar cold, Season 8 is shaping up less like a holiday diary and more like a full-on human stress test.
Divas Hit the Road, also known as Hua Er Yu Shao (花儿与少年), is a long-running travel reality series produced by Hunan TV and Mango TV. Each season throws a group of celebrities together and asks them to manage their own travel, budgets, routes, and daily decisions. It first aired back in 2014, and Season 8 marks its return in early 2026 with scale, ambition, and expectations turned all the way up.
Divas Hit the Road Season 8 is officially scheduled to air every Saturday at 12:00 noon on Mango TV, with a TV broadcast following at 10:00 pm on Hunan TV. While Mango TV has not announced an exact premiere date, industry chatter suggests Divas Hit the Road Season 8 is likely to launch in late February or early March 2026.
The timing fits Mango TV’s usual first-quarter variety show strategy and allows the show to ride early-year audience momentum. With the official poster already released and the broadcast slots locked in, many viewers believe the countdown has quietly begun and that a firm date could be confirmed at any moment.
The dual time slot clearly targets both mobile-first viewers and traditional TV audiences, making it one of the most strategically placed variety shows this year.
What Makes Season 8 Different?
The biggest talking point is the route. This season’s journey reportedly starts from Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island, moves through Malaysia and New Zealand, crosses the Drake Passage, and ends in Antarctica at the Great Wall Station.
The temperature difference across the trip is said to reach nearly 70 degrees Celsius. This isn’t just travel anymore, it’s relocation under pressure.
Unlike typical sightseeing-focused shows, Season 8 leans heavily into physical challenges and adaptation. Activities reportedly include ice drilling, sample collection, skydiving, and ice diving.
Several cast members have already shared that they trained months in advance just to meet the physical demands. The show has also stated that part of its proceeds will support glacier research, adding a layer of social responsibility that rarely appears in mainstream variety TV.
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Rumoured and Reported Cast Lineup
While the full confirmed list remains intentionally vague, multiple sources have named a mix of veterans, mid-career stars, and younger faces.
Names circulating include Ye Tong, Liu Yuning, Zhang Zifeng, Zhang Linghe, Chen Jingke, Zhang Liangying, Jin Jing, Zhang Xiaowan, and others. Another widely discussed rumoured lineup includes Lu Yuxiao, Ao Ruipeng, Ke Ying, Ren Min, and Chen Feiyu.
The three-generation format is a key selling point.
Older cast members bring experience and risk awareness, while younger ones are expected to handle the physical load and fast-paced execution. The show isn’t hiding these differences either. Instead of forcing drama, it appears to be leaning into cooperation, negotiation, and adjustment.
Rather than loud conflicts or exaggerated tension, Season 8 seems focused on how people function together in extreme environments.
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Viewers can expect moments of exhaustion, quiet breakdowns, shared meals in freezing conditions, and real-time problem solving. The drama isn’t in arguments, but in decision-making under pressure.
Early footage and production notes suggest fewer suspense-style trailers and more raw process-driven storytelling.
Cameras linger on hands setting up tents in blizzards, on failed attempts that require retrying, and on small gestures of support between generations. It’s less about who shines, and more about who holds the group together.
Even before broadcast, the show has generated massive attention. Topic reads reportedly passed five hundred million during the rumour stage alone, with millions joining online discussions.
Short video platforms are filled with edits, guesses, and route breakdowns, pushing views into the hundreds of millions.
Reactions are sharply divided, which is exactly what’s keeping the buzz alive. Some viewers are excited about the scale and realism, calling it a return to form for the franchise. Others are more sceptical, especially around newer cast members and perceived favouritism.
Interestingly, these opposing views haven’t cancelled each other out. They’ve fuelled continuous conversation instead.
Since the Antarctica route was revealed, searches related to polar travel and research experiences have reportedly surged. That kind of spillover effect suggests the show’s influence goes beyond entertainment and into real-world curiosity.
A decade ago, the show was known for chaotic street arguments and raw culture shock. Season 8 reflects how both audiences and creators have changed. The focus has shifted from manufactured conflict to collective survival and trust. In a market saturated with fast content, this slower, more observational approach feels deliberate.
This season truly lives up to its pre-broadcast hype remains to be seen. The journey from tropical beaches to Antarctic ice is long, physically and emotionally. But if nothing else, Divas Hit the Road Season 8 has already proven one thing: attention is still earned, not guaranteed.
Now it’s your turn. Do you think this season will live up to the expectations, or is the hype doing most of the heavy lifting? Which rumoured cast member are you most curious about, and would you actually watch a variety show that pushes people this far?