🎸💀 UP THE IRONS, BUTT! Who needs a compass, Google Maps or a fancy travel agent when you’ve got the power of IRON MAIDEN on your side? Eurovision sensation SAM RYDER has revealed how his favourite heavy metal band appeared to send him a little help from the rock gods during the BBC’s Celebrity Race Across The World. And the extraordinary moment brought back memories of a battered Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son CD that changed his musical future forever!
Stranded in Indonesia and struggling to find somewhere to sleep, Sam spotted a local man wearing an IRON MAIDEN T-shirt. What happened next convinced the singer that his heavy metal heroes had brought him another moment of good fortune. And as it turns out, this isn’t the first time Maiden have appeared in his life when he least expected them!
Well, bloody hell, Riff Report crew!
We’ve heard some strange stories involving IRON MAIDEN over the years.
Bruce Dickinson flying the band’s own aircraft around the world.
Eddie the Head appearing in just about every terrifying form imaginable.
Steve Harris galloping across stages with that unmistakable bass guitar.
And enough legendary heavy metal performances to fill an entire library of rock history.
But helping a Eurovision star find somewhere to sleep in Indonesia?
That’s a new one, mun! 😂
Yet that’s exactly the wonderfully unexpected story that unfolded during the latest episode of the BBC’s Celebrity Race Across The World, broadcast on Wednesday 4 November 2026.
British singer Sam Ryder, who famously finished second for the United Kingdom at Eurovision in 2022, is competing in the programme alongside his best friend and tour manager Kaz Coles.
The pair are attempting to travel thousands of miles across Southeast Asia and Australia without the usual comforts of modern celebrity life.
No flights.
No smartphones.
No bank cards.
And a travel budget that would barely cover a few rounds at the festival bar!
During the second episode, Sam and Kaz found themselves in Indonesia, struggling to arrange somewhere to stay for the night.
Things weren’t looking particularly promising.
Until Sam spotted something that immediately caught his attention.
Not a hotel sign.
Not a helpful map.
Not a conveniently placed tourist information office.
AN IRON BLOODY MAIDEN T-SHIRT!
And suddenly, the entire mood changed.
🦇 Sam Ryder Spots An Iron Maiden Fan In Indonesia!
The memorable moment began when Sam noticed a driver wearing an IRON MAIDEN shirt.
For anybody else, it might have been just another person wearing a band T-shirt.
But for Sam?
It was practically a message from the heavy metal heavens.
He immediately recognised the design and excitedly approached the man.
After all, this wasn’t just any rock band.
IRON MAIDEN ARE SAM RYDER’S FAVOURITE BAND!
The singer enthusiastically explained that he’d seen the British metal legends live around 15 times.
Now, that’s what we call dedication!
Some people collect stamps.
Others collect football shirts.
Sam Ryder apparently collects IRON MAIDEN concerts.
And fair play to him!
Unfortunately, there was one small problem.
The driver didn’t speak English.
Which meant that while Sam had successfully located a fellow member of the global Maiden family, he hadn’t actually solved the accommodation problem.
But Sam wasn’t ready to give up on the moment.
He called out:
“Up the Irons! Iron Maiden forever!”
And then something rather extraordinary happened.
🤯 A Stranger Appears And Saves The Day!
Just as Sam and Kaz appeared to be running out of options, another man approached.
Unlike the original driver, this stranger could speak English.
And crucially, he was able to help the pair find somewhere to spend the night.
Problem solved!
Sam couldn’t believe the timing.
First, a man wearing a shirt from his favourite band appeared.
Then, almost immediately afterwards, another person arrived who could actually help.
And for the singer, the sequence of events felt far too perfect to ignore.
He told the cameras:
“I knew it right?!”
Sam was delighted by the coincidence, convinced that spotting the Maiden shirt had been a sign that everything would work out.
Now, to be clear, the person wearing the IRON MAIDEN T-shirt wasn’t the one who arranged the accommodation.
That assistance came from the English-speaking stranger who appeared moments later.
And no, Bruce Dickinson and Steve Harris didn’t personally arrive in Indonesia with a spare hotel key!
But that wasn’t really the point.
For Sam, the shirt symbolised something much more personal.
It reminded him of the band that had inspired his entire musical journey.
And it brought back memories of another completely unexpected encounter with IRON MAIDEN many years earlier.
Because this isn’t the first time a bit of Maiden-related luck has changed Sam Ryder’s life.
🎸 ‘Fate Put Iron Maiden Into My Life, And It Changed My World!’
During the episode, Sam explained why IRON MAIDEN mean so much to him.
And the story is absolutely wonderful.
Long before Eurovision.
Before the viral videos.
Before the enormous television appearances.
And before sharing a stage with members of QUEEN, Sam was simply a schoolboy discovering the music that would shape his future.
He attended a Catholic school.
And during a school trip to a nunnery, something completely unexpected happened.
Sam climbed aboard the bus and noticed a CD lying on the floor.
It was facing upwards with its shiny side showing.
Curious, he picked it up and turned it over.
And there, staring back at him, was the extraordinary artwork from IRON MAIDEN’s 1988 album:
SEVENTH SON OF A SEVENTH SON!
Imagine that for a moment.
You’re a young lad on a school trip.
You find a random CD on the floor of a bus.
And it turns out to be one of the most celebrated albums in British heavy metal history.
That’s a pretty tidy discovery, butt!
But the story gets even better.
💿 The CD Was So Scratched That Only One Song Worked!
Sam has told the story in previous interviews, including conversations with Rolling Stone UK, NME and Classic Rock.
According to the singer, the disc was badly damaged.
So badly, in fact, that only one track would play properly.
And what was that song?
The Evil That Men Do.
Oh, come on!
Of all the songs that could introduce somebody to heavy metal, that’s an absolute belter!
Those soaring guitars.
Bruce Dickinson’s unmistakable vocals.
The enormous melodies.
The galloping rhythm section.
And the kind of musical energy that makes you want to run straight into the nearest guitar shop and spend your pocket money.
For Sam, the experience was life-changing.
He explained during Celebrity Race Across The World:
“Fate put Iron Maiden into my life, and it changed my world.”
And there’s something genuinely lovely about that.
No expensive music lessons.
No carefully planned introduction to heavy metal.
No algorithm recommending what to listen to next.
Just an abandoned CD.
A battered disc.
And one brilliant song.
Sometimes all it takes is four minutes of music to change the direction of somebody’s entire life.
And in Sam Ryder’s case, those four minutes helped start an extraordinary journey.
💀 Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son – The Album That Created A Future Eurovision Star!
Now, let’s talk about the record responsible for Sam Ryder’s heavy metal awakening.
Because Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son isn’t just any old IRON MAIDEN album.
Released on 11 April 1988, the band’s seventh studio album remains one of the most ambitious recordings in their extraordinary catalogue.
Produced by Martin Birch, the record explored a conceptual story involving prophecy, supernatural powers and the struggle between good and evil.
And musically?
It’s an absolute monster!
The album combined Maiden’s trademark galloping rhythms, twin-guitar harmonies and Bruce Dickinson’s soaring vocals with more progressive arrangements and atmospheric keyboard textures.
The recording features the classic line-up of:
- 🎤 Bruce Dickinson: Lead vocals
- 🎸 Dave Murray: Guitar
- 🎸 Adrian Smith: Guitar
- 🎸 Steve Harris: Bass guitar
- 🥁 Nicko McBrain: Drums
🎶 The Original 1988 Tracklist
Track
Song
1
Moonchild
2
Infinite Dreams
3
Can I Play With Madness
4
The Evil That Men Do
5
Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
6
The Prophecy
7
The Clairvoyant
8
Only The Good Die Young
And the song that first captured Sam’s imagination?
Track four.
The Evil That Men Do.
It’s a remarkable starting point for somebody discovering heavy metal.
The song combines Adrian Smith and Dave Murray’s distinctive guitar work with one of Bruce Dickinson’s most memorable vocal performances.
The melodies are enormous.
The rhythm section drives the entire composition forwards.
And the chorus is pure IRON MAIDEN.
It’s little wonder that hearing it left such an impression on a young Sam Ryder.
And perhaps the most extraordinary part is that he only discovered it because somebody had dropped a CD on a school bus!
🤘 From Iron Maiden Fan To Heavy Metal Musician!
Here’s something that surprises people who only know Sam Ryder from Eurovision.
Before he became a major pop-rock star, Sam spent years performing in rock and metal bands!
That’s right, butt.
Beneath the enormous smile, flowing hair and positive personality is a proper metalhead.
And not somebody who simply owns a couple of band T-shirts.
We’re talking about a musician who spent years playing in vans, rehearsing, writing guitar-driven songs and trying to establish himself in the heavy music world.
🎸 The Morning After
One of Sam’s earliest bands was The Morning After, a rock and metal group he joined during his teenage years.
Their sound drew on influences including IRON MAIDEN, MEGADETH and SUM 41.
The band performed extensively and even secured a slot at Download Festival.
Now that’s a proper introduction to the music industry!
While most of his schoolmates were probably thinking about exams and weekend plans, Sam was dreaming about guitar solos and performing at Donington.
And fair play to him.
🔥 Blessed By A Broken Heart
Sam subsequently performed with Canadian melodic metal band Blessed By A Broken Heart.
The group combined heavy guitars with enormous choruses and a flamboyant rock attitude.
Their music drew on elements of metalcore, glam metal and hard rock.
It was another important chapter in Sam’s musical development.
🤘 Close Your Eyes
He also spent time fronting American post-hardcore outfit Close Your Eyes.
The experience introduced him to a different style of heavy music and provided further opportunities to develop as a vocalist and songwriter.
So while millions now recognise Sam for his Eurovision success, his musical foundations were built through years of performing rock and metal.
And that makes his unexpected IRON MAIDEN encounter in Indonesia even more entertaining.
He didn’t just spot a cool T-shirt. He spotted a reminder of the music that had shaped his entire life.
🌟 From Heavy Metal To Eurovision – Sam Ryder’s Extraordinary Journey!
Of course, Sam’s career eventually took him in a very different musical direction.
After spending years recording and touring, he began posting performances on social media.
His extraordinary vocal range and infectious enthusiasm attracted international attention.
And in 2022, he was selected to represent the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest in Turin, Italy.
His song?
Space Man.
And what happened next was extraordinary.
Sam finished second overall, receiving 466 points and winning the jury vote.
It was the United Kingdom’s best Eurovision result since 1998.
Suddenly, the singer who’d spent years performing with heavy rock bands had become one of Britain’s most recognisable musical personalities.
But here’s what we particularly love about his story.
He never abandoned his enthusiasm for the music that inspired him.
Sam continued talking about IRON MAIDEN.
He continued celebrating heavy metal.
And he continued demonstrating that you don’t have to choose between loving pop music and loving enormous guitar riffs.
You can enjoy Eurovision AND IRON MAIDEN, butt. There’s no bloody law against it!
👑 Sam Ryder Even Performed With QUEEN At Wembley Stadium!
If you needed further proof of Sam’s rock credentials, just remember what happened on 3 September 2022.
That evening, some of the biggest names in rock gathered at Wembley Stadium for the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert.
The event celebrated the life and legacy of the late FOO FIGHTERS drummer.
Among the performers were musicians associated with QUEEN, FOO FIGHTERS and numerous other legendary acts.
And Sam Ryder found himself sharing a stage with Brian May and Roger Taylor.
Together, they performed QUEEN’s classic Somebody To Love.
And what a moment that was!
Sam delivered an enormous vocal performance, tackling one of Freddie Mercury’s most demanding songs in front of a packed Wembley Stadium.
It was another extraordinary chapter in his musical journey.
From discovering IRON MAIDEN on a school bus to performing with members of QUEEN.
And now finding a little encouragement from an IRON MAIDEN T-shirt during a television adventure in Indonesia.
Somebody ought to turn this bloke’s life into a rock musical!
Although knowing Sam, he’d probably insist on including at least one ten-minute guitar solo.
And frankly, we’d be absolutely fine with that.
🌍 What Is Celebrity Race Across The World?
For anybody who hasn’t been following the programme, here’s a quick explanation.
The BBC’s Celebrity Race Across The World takes famous personalities away from their usual lifestyles and challenges them to travel enormous distances with limited money and resources.
No luxury flights.
No smartphones.
No bank cards.
And no simply asking somebody to book a hotel through their management company.
Instead, contestants must rely on maps, public transport, local knowledge, their own resourcefulness and the kindness of strangers.
The fourth celebrity series began on Wednesday 28 October 2026.
This year’s route covers approximately 7,500 kilometres, beginning in Kuching in Malaysian Borneo and finishing in Melbourne, Australia.
The journey takes participants across three countries and two continents.
And each contestant has a budget equivalent to just £26 per person per day.
Now then.
If you’ve ever attended a British music festival, you’ll know that twenty-six quid can disappear frighteningly quickly.
A couple of overpriced drinks.
Something resembling a burger.
And perhaps a packet of chips.
Suddenly you’re financially ruined before the headline band has even started, mun! 😂
So imagine trying to travel thousands of kilometres on that sort of daily budget!
🧳 Meet The Four Celebrity Teams
Celebrity
Travelling companion
Sam Ryder
Best friend and tour manager Kaz Coles
Ella Eyre
Childhood friend Nana Pepera
Jeff Stelling
Son Matt Stelling
Princess Andre
Brother Junior Andre
Each partnership brings something different to the competition.
For Sam and Kaz, there’s an additional advantage.
They’ve spent years travelling together during music tours.
The pair met in 2013 and have been close friends ever since.
So they’re already familiar with the joys of cramped transport, unexpected delays and trying to find accommodation while travelling.
But doing it without the usual conveniences is another challenge entirely.
And that’s why the IRON MAIDEN moment was so entertaining.
At a time when the pair were struggling, something familiar appeared in an unfamiliar place.
A little reminder of home.
A connection to music.
And, moments later, the assistance they needed.
🎸 The Power Of A Band T-Shirt – Heavy Metal Really Is A Worldwide Community!
Here’s something we particularly love about this story.
The man in Indonesia probably had absolutely no idea that his IRON MAIDEN T-shirt would become part of a British television moment.
He was simply wearing a shirt celebrating a band he liked.
And yet that one piece of clothing immediately caught Sam’s attention.
Because that’s the remarkable thing about music.
It connects people who might otherwise have absolutely nothing in common.
Different countries.
Different languages.
Different cultures.
But one shared appreciation for a band.
And suddenly there’s a connection.
You see it constantly at concerts and music festivals.
Somebody spots your T-shirt.
They recognise the band.
A conversation begins.
And before you know it, you’re discussing your favourite albums, memorable gigs and which version of Eddie looks the most terrifying.
It’s one of the reasons rock and metal communities remain so special.
You can be thousands of miles from home and still find somebody who understands why Hallowed Be Thy Name is an absolute masterpiece.
And that’s a pretty wonderful thing.
Of course, there’s no evidence that IRON MAIDEN themselves arranged Sam’s good fortune.
Nobody from the band’s management turned up with a hotel reservation.
And we’re fairly certain Eddie wasn’t hiding around the corner with a spare sleeping bag.
But the coincidence clearly meant something to Sam.
And considering how the band first entered his life, it’s easy to understand why.
🐉 A Little Welsh Perspective – We’ve All Had That One Band That Changed Everything!
Now then, Riff Report crew.
Here’s something we can all relate to in Wales.
Everybody remembers the band that made them fall in love with music.
Perhaps it was IRON MAIDEN.
Maybe BLACK SABBATH.
AC/DC.
METALLICA.
QUEEN.
Or one of the incredible artists to emerge from Cymru.
For some, it might have been BUDGIE, whose music helped influence generations of heavy rock musicians.
Others might remember hearing MANIC STREET PREACHERS, STEREOPHONICS, SKINDRED or BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE for the first time.
And for younger fans, perhaps it was a grassroots band playing a tiny venue in Cardiff, Swansea, Newport or the Valleys.
But whatever the band, the feeling is usually the same.
You hear something.
It connects with you.
And suddenly music becomes more than background noise.
You start buying albums.
Watching live performances.
Learning about musicians.
Perhaps even picking up an instrument yourself.
And before long, you’re standing in a field at Download Festival wondering why you thought spending three days in the rain was a brilliant idea!
Because once rock music gets its claws into you, butt, there’s usually no turning back.
And Sam Ryder’s story is a brilliant reminder of that.
One scratched-up CD helped inspire a musical journey that eventually took him from small rock venues to Eurovision, Wembley Stadium and international recognition.
That’s extraordinary.
And it all started with somebody leaving an IRON MAIDEN album on a bus.
📺 Where Can You Watch Sam Ryder’s Iron Maiden Moment?
The scene appeared in Series 4, Episode 2 of Celebrity Race Across The World, broadcast on Wednesday 4 November 2026.
The episode is available on BBC iPlayer for eligible UK viewers.
Watch Celebrity Race Across The World On BBC iPlayer
New episodes are scheduled for Wednesdays at 8pm on BBC One, with catch-up viewing through BBC iPlayer.
And if you’ve not yet watched the episode, it’s worth catching the moment for yourself.
Because Sam’s reaction to spotting that T-shirt is absolutely priceless.
It’s the sort of excitement you simply can’t manufacture.
One minute he’s worrying about finding somewhere to sleep.
The next he’s absolutely delighted because he’s spotted the logo of his favourite band.
That’s a proper metalhead, mun!
🔥 The Riff Report Verdict – Once A Metalhead, Always A Metalhead!
Well then, butt.
What a wonderfully entertaining story.
A Eurovision star.
A BBC travel competition.
A stranger wearing an IRON MAIDEN T-shirt.
And a musical memory stretching all the way back to a school trip.
On paper, it sounds completely ridiculous.
But somehow, it works beautifully.
Because beneath the humour is something genuinely meaningful.
Sam Ryder has never forgotten the moment that helped inspire his love of music.
He might have gone on to become internationally famous.
He might have represented Britain at Eurovision.
And he might have performed with members of QUEEN at Wembley Stadium.
But inside, he’s still the young lad who discovered a battered IRON MAIDEN CD on a bus and immediately fell in love with heavy metal.
And when he spotted another Maiden fan thousands of miles from home, those memories came flooding back.
The original driver didn’t actually arrange the accommodation.
Another helpful stranger did that.
But for Sam, the timing felt like a sign.
And after everything he’s experienced throughout his career, we reckon he’s entitled to enjoy a little heavy metal coincidence!
The story also reminds us just how powerful music can be.
A song can introduce somebody to a whole new world.
An album can inspire a career.
And a simple band T-shirt can create an instant connection between people living thousands of miles apart.
That’s something no streaming statistic or social media algorithm can ever fully explain.
It’s the community.
The memories.
The shared experiences.
And the extraordinary feeling of knowing that somebody else loves the same music you do.
So fair play to Sam Ryder.
Fair play to the kind strangers who helped him and Kaz.
And fair play to the unknown IRON MAIDEN fan whose T-shirt created one of the most entertaining moments of the series so far.
As for Bruce Dickinson and the boys?
Well, if they ever fancy starting a travel assistance company, we reckon they’ve already got their first celebrity testimonial!
IRON MAIDEN TRAVEL SERVICES: NO PRAYER FOR THE HOTELLESS! 😂
Sorry, butt.
We couldn’t resist that one.
UP THE IRONS! 🤘💀🔥
💬 Have Your Say, Riff Report Crew!
Right then, you wonderful bunch of rockers and metalheads!
What do YOU think of Sam Ryder’s extraordinary IRON MAIDEN moment on Celebrity Race Across The World?
Did you know he was such a massive heavy metal fan?
And have you ever experienced something similar while travelling?
Perhaps you’ve spotted somebody wearing your favourite band’s T-shirt on the other side of the world.
Or maybe you’ve made a lifelong friend after discovering you both love the same music.
And here’s the big question.
Which album or song first made YOU fall in love with rock and metal?
Was it Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son?
The Number Of The Beast?
Paranoid?
Back In Black?
Master Of Puppets?
Or something completely different?
We’d love to hear your stories.
Because you never know how one song might change somebody’s future.
And sometimes the greatest musical journeys begin in the most unexpected places.
Even on the floor of a school bus.
Keep those riffs loud, support your fellow metalheads and never forget the band that started it all, butt!
UP THE IRONS! UP THE RIFF REPORT! 🐉🤘💀
