Pilgrimage The Road to Holy Island celebrity pilgrims reflect on their journey and the power of the experience - "I'd do it 500 times over"

BBC Two and iPlayer’s annual Easter Pilgrimage is back for an eighth series as seven well-known personalities of different faiths and beliefs set off on a spectacular route across the wild landscapes of North East England. In Pilgrimage: The Road to Holy Island, the group follow a remarkable 390km network of trails through the heart of the North East England, which celebrate early Celtic Christian saints while exploring their own beliefs and learning more about each other along the way.

Across three 60-minute episodes, the celebrity pilgrims visit significant landmarks including Whitby Abbey and the UNESCO World Heritage site of Durham Cathedral, before arriving at their final destination: the Holy Island of Lindisfarne.

Taking part in this unique journey are Ashley Banjo, practising Christian and leader of dance troupe Diversity; Hermione Norris, Spooks and Cold Feet actor, who believes the divine can be found in all living things; Tasha Ghouri, TV personality and atheist; Hasan Al-Habib, stand-up comedian and observant Muslim; Jayne Middlemiss, radio presenter, who self-describes as spiritual; Ashley Blaker, comedian, previously ultra-Orthodox and now a non-practising Jew; and Patsy Kensit, actor and self-proclaimed "à la carte" Catholic.

• Watch Pilgrimage: The Road to Holy Island on iPlayer from 5 April - add to your Watchlist now

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Meet the Pilgrims

Ashley Banjo

What were you expecting to discover on this pilgrimage?

My expectations going in were really more historical. I wanted to find out more about the history of the Christian faith, discover new things, and have some good conversations with people in the context of faith and religion. I wanted to discuss it with people who had different world views, all while being outdoors and not being on my phone as much. I just wanted a generally refreshing couple of weeks. That was the aim.

And do you feel like you got that?

I do, actually. Weirdly, I was expecting more of a challenge than what actually happened. I think everyone gelled really well and it was a great learning curve. You know what it's like when it comes to religion and belief, sometimes people can be really steadfast. So, I was maybe expecting a little bit more friction at points, not arguments, but just a bit of push and pull. But actually, everyone was really, really respectful. It was a brilliant group.

Did you do anything to prepare before going in - either for the walk or mentally?

Not particularly, nothing at all really, I just kind of turned up. Well, I did sit down with the vicar from my church for a chat beforehand. I suppose the one thing I was aware of was that I was going to be like a Christian on telly. So, I was suddenly thinking, is what I think, what you think? I'd never really questioned it before. But I learned in that conversation not to question myself in that respect, just be me, and everything will be fine. Apart from that, nothing much.

Looking back at your Pilgrimage experience, did any of your views change? You were speaking to people with different faiths and backgrounds - did it teach you anything about yourself?

It taught me to be even more grateful for what I believe in. And I think the main thing I took away from the Pilgrimage was to be more forward-facing, more vocal. It didn't necessarily grow the confidence in my faith itself; it grew the confidence in me wanting to speak more openly about it. So in a way, it absolutely helped me grow on my faith journey. I've never really spent such a long period of time with a group of people, especially on camera, having these discussions. It gave me this new sense that this is the place where I feel most comfortable, not my least comfortable. What it really did was help me link the dots between public TV Ashley and who Ashley is everywhere else.

Is there anything different you would now do in terms of your faith?

That's a tricky one. It didn't change my faith but it really helped me transition and link those dots between who I am publicly and privately. That's the bigger shift for me.

Were there any conversations that really stood out or stayed with you?

Getting to know Hasan in general was a really lovely thing. He's a really cool, genuinely kind-hearted man. I loved seeing him being dedicated and just getting up to pray every day. We had so many conversations, most of them off camera, so what you'll see in the programme is just a small representation of that relationship. But in general, getting to know both Hasan and Tasha was great. We formed a tight little group. We still chat in our little group now. They both came to watch me do panto season, and they come and watch me on tour. They're great. Getting to know Hasan's faith, in particular, was really interesting.

You also went to the Islamic prayer room with Hasan. Had you ever done anything like that before?

No, never. First time. It was really interesting, really eye-opening actually. I think it's really nice that it showed the multicultural world we live in. For me, it's less about the specifics of what we experienced and more about how, even if people think differently, you can still live and converse in harmony. You can be on the same page as human beings even if you have different world views.

Did anyone surprise you, or was there anything that caught you off guard?

I didn't really know much about Ashley Blaker beforehand. He's a great guy, and I found his journey fascinating - going from being so orthodox to so non-orthodox and seeing how his world views have changed. I've just never met anybody who had done such a U-turn on such a deep-set of beliefs after such a long time. I think Ashley Blaker was probably the biggest surprise for me as a human being in this story.

You weren’t part of the group who visited the synagogue in Newcastle but there was a really interesting reaction from those who did, especially from Ashley Blaker, who, as a former orthodox Jew didn’t feel connected to this reform synagogue. You appeared fascinated by Ashley’s reaction. Can you tell us about that?

I found it interesting that he still felt such a strong sense of defence towards his orthodox beliefs, even though he no longer follows them and in fact actively goes against the rules in the way he lives his life. What I found fascinating was how deeply he wanted to defend that faith even though it's not his anymore. It made me think, are you taking a break? Underneath all those tattoos, are you still orthodox? What's the deal? I found that really fascinating. But I also think it just shows that he's still Jewish and it's still just part of him. And that's quite a nice thing, actually.

You saw so many different landscapes and landmarks. Was there a favourite, or one that felt particularly special?

There was one day when we were at the top of some hills and I had literally never seen an uninterrupted 360-degree view before. I'd seen open views in front of me, but I did a complete 360 and I could only see open landscape in every direction, nothing else. I'd never seen anything like it. That's something that will really stick with me.

What about places with a religious connection — the cave, Durham Cathedral? Did you feel anything at those?

Not particularly at those specific ones. But Durham Cathedral was a great experience. When everyone had lunch, I went to the morning service, and then we all went to see the St Cuthbert shrine. I didn't know I was going to do it, it just happened. The cathedral was otherworldly, just beautiful, and the service was intimate and special despite the incredible scale of the place. That was a real tick for me.

Describe how it felt to finally reach Lindisfarne?

That was probably my favourite moment of the whole trip. In the walk over, approaching the island, and being there, it was just a real encounter for me. Not in a big, dramatic way that anyone else might have felt, but it was beautiful. It was spiritual. I loved it.

Did it bring the whole experience to a nice conclusion?

Definitely. It was really, really lovely being there and just feeling what I felt on the island, seeing the environment, taking in the atmosphere. Just lovely.

Is there anything you would have changed on the pilgrimage?

Not really. I think everything is meant to be how it was. It was a lovely trip with a lovely group of people, and I learned a lot.

What about the weather - wasn't it pretty wild at times?

We had a nice mix actually. There was one day where me and Tasha got absolutely hammered, it was so windy and rainy, we were practically being blown off our feet. But then the next day it was glorious, t-shirt weather. It was a nice mix, to be honest.

Who did you bond with the most on the trip?

Honestly, I had a slightly different bond with everybody. I got on really well with Hermione. Me and Ashley Blaker always had good, interesting conversations. But in terms of the closest bond, it was probably me, Tasha and Hasan. We're still chatting in our little group now. So yeah, me, Tasha and Hasan.

Would you do another pilgrimage?

Absolutely. It opened my eyes to actually wanting to go and do my own one someday. I would definitely do a pilgrimage again.

Is there anywhere in particular you'd want to go?

Before the pilgrimage, I always thought, why can't we go abroad? But I actually really loved doing it at home. There's something about doing it in our own country that makes it feel real and rooted, like this is our history, this is what happened here. That made it feel almost more special by the end. You never look under your own nose, do you? You always want to look further afield. But it's nice to be home.

Ashley Blaker

What were you expecting from your Pilgrimage experience?

I think a lot of walking and a lot of talking, and that was really it, because I didn't know who I'd be with. But I was excited to find out. And I guess a lot of interesting conversations with interesting people.

Did your experience meet your expectations?

We had some challenging moments, some moments that made me reflect on my own journey and probably some lasting friendships, hopefully.

Did you do anything to prepare yourself for this Pilgrimage?

I did quite a bit of walking in readiness. Quite a few hikes in the home counties to try and get ready for those Cheviot Hills. Because that's the stuff that really gets you - the elevation, going up some quite steep inclines. Those are the really hard bits. Even Ashley Banjo, who's one of the fittest people I've ever met, struggled at times. So if even he was struggling, I didn't have to feel too bad.

How did you find the mix of celebrities on the group?

It was quite interesting actually. Obviously we all got on very well, but in terms of the group, there were three younger ones and then four older ones. Three fitter, and then four of us relatively close in age in our 50s. I was comfortable among them. No one was too dissimilar in age where it felt like anyone was falling behind.

Was there anyone that you got on well with? Any interesting stories from them?

We were together for quite a long time, so it was an opportunity to have conversations one-on-one with everyone and bond over different things. Obviously we talked about those big spiritual questions, but all kinds of things. Hasan and I, two comedians, we obviously had a lot in common. I chatted a lot about being a father, which I really enjoyed with Hermione about, but also, I had a lot of long conversations with Patsy.

Was there any part of your experience that stood out? Obviously everyone comes from different backgrounds, different faiths, everyone's got a different story and a different way that they see the world. Was there anything during the journey, or anywhere you went, where somebody's views on a particular subject really stood out to you?

I think it was really interesting how different people reacted to different things. When we went to St. Cuthbert's tomb in Durham, Jayne took herself to the side and just contemplated. She did that quite a few times on her own, to think about how it felt to her. Everyone reacted in different ways like that. Hasan is always ready with a joke wherever we are. People reacted to different things, and it's surprising how some people would react to certain things. We all kind of had our moments. It's quite an arduous process, quite a long time and sometimes sharing accommodation together, three of us in a room can be interesting. Ashley Banjo is like six foot seven, so he takes up half the room himself! There were times when everyone needed a bit of quiet, or needed to just have a sit down and be apart a bit. I spoke a lot in the show about the challenges of being the only neurodivergent person in the group.

You visited a Reform synagogue, which is quite different to the Orthodox synagogue you were used to in your more observant days. Did that spark an interesting discussion between you and the other pilgrims as many people outside the religion are unaware of the different denominations of Judaism?

I think people who aren't Jewish do find it confusing, because it is confusing and it's something that people who are Jewish have lived with their whole life and understand.

When we went back to the house after visiting the Reform synagogue, the other pilgrims - Banjo and Jayne - who hadn’t joined us there wanted to hear about it. Even when I tried to explain it, I think they were still a little baffled, which makes sense. It's a baffling thing. But being Jewish is so much more than a religion. You wouldn't say "I'm Christian, but agnostic" those two things are kind of mutually exclusive. You either believe in God and Christ as the son of God, et cetera, or you don't. But lots of Jews are irreligious – they come from Jewish heritage, but not observant. So yeah, it is quite different.

You were once an extremely observant, Orthodox Jew, but now you don’t practice anymore. How would you describe this transition?

The way I describe it is quite similar to when I used to be a fanatical Liverpool supporter and used to go to every game home and away. I don't do that anymore. I don't feel the need to go to games, but I still follow it on TV. And in the same way, that's kind of how I feel about Judaism. I'm an armchair Jew. I'm happy for other people who can go to the synagogue for me. I don't need to go myself but I still have that connection, the same way I still follow the same football team.

It's something quite hard to understand. It's also such a massive part of my identity. It's all I've ever known. And it's not like I live in the heart of the shtetl (a small Jewish town or village). My children go to Jewish schools and I'm very much part of the community. You don't just shake that off. Just because you don't want to keep kosher anymore, or keep the Sabbath anymore, it doesn't change who you are.

What was the change for you from being Ultra-Orthodox to non-practising?

Just changing, not practising as much. I think that's a really hard one to boil down to a sentence, it's a whole book. But I've described it as the end of a hyperfixation.

During the series, I joked to Banjo that I completed it. And it does sometimes feel like that. I finished it. That's a little bit flippant, and there's obviously a bit more to it than that. But it is like that. It's something I did, and that hyperfixation probably went on a little bit too long. But ultimately, whatever way I describe it, the fact is that for some reason, for a long time, I needed to do that stuff - to go to synagogue three times a day, to keep all the rules and so on. And then I stopped feeling the need to do it. You know I used to go to the gym five times a week, or I used to go to every football match, and then I stopped. I just kind of didn't feel the need to do that anymore.

I'm always amazed at the people I know who go to the same synagogue day in, day out, week in, week out, year in, year out. I'm kind of amazed they don't get bored. But I suppose they've just got something that maybe I never quite had. I just got to a point where I felt I'd done it.

Did the experience make you feel more connected to your Judaism?

No. You won't be seeing me back in synagogue anytime soon. But I think if you watch back the three episodes, some of the experiences I had, not that this was ever particularly in doubt, affirmed my standing as a Jewish person. I'm certainly not going to be converted any time soon. I didn't feel anything going to places like Durham Cathedral, not that I expected to.

The quite visceral reaction I had to the Reform synagogue, affirmed it. If I had any doubt, that settled it. I'm always going to be supporting the same team. Maybe not with the same passion I used to have, but Reform Judaism feels to me like supporting Everton or Man United.

How did you find the cultural landmarks you visited? Did you feel any connection to them?

They're very beautiful. Amazing scenery, very privileged. Some breathtaking places. Durham Cathedral, for example I didn't feel any connection to it in a spiritual way, obviously, and felt quite alien to it. It doesn't feel like mine. Going into a church, there's just this feeling I did speak about it. A feeling of deep down, something within you almost fighting it, like you're not quite meant to be there. But that said, it was amazing to walk through Durham Cathedral and see St. Cuthbert's tomb and places like that.

Some of the scenery on the big walks up the Cheviot Hills were incredible and obviously then the walk to Lindisfarne, across Pilgrims Way, is pretty amazing, and the island itself is quite a spectacular place. I was privileged to have the chance to do that. It wasn't at the top of my list, but it was great that I had the chance.

What do you hope that viewers will take away from watching you take part in the series?

I think there will be viewers who relate to my experience particularly, as I talked about a lot in episode three, about the feeling of being a bit of an outsider in the group. I think other neurodivergent people might connect with the experience of struggling within a group and feeling like you don't quite fit. I think that's probably the biggest takeaway.

What are you looking forward to seeing when you watch the series?

I hope it's an entertaining watch. It’s always interesting when pilgrims speak about their own experiences. In my case I speak a lot about the Jewish thing, but even more so about being neurodivergent. It'll be interesting for me to watch it as a viewer.

How was it finally getting to the end at Lindisfarne?

I was very proud. I think I pushed myself outside my comfort zone a bit. I mean, I was the only one who did it properly everyone else kept their boots on. I rolled up my trouser legs and walked barefoot for two hours across Pilgrim’s way, which I was proud of. As a true pilgrim, if you're going to do it, do it properly. That's the story of my life. No one else would do it. No one else would go barefoot. It was very slippery, very muddy underfoot. I needed people to help me a bit. Jayne was holding my hand at one point because of how slippery it was. But we got there.

When I got to Lindisfarne. everyone else had wet feet having walked through the water - their boots were completely sodden. They were trying to dry their stuff out, walking in wet fields. And I just dried my feet and put my dry socks and boots back on. So that was great.

It was a sense of achievement. It's not like winning I'm A Celebrity or being the winner of some competition but I felt, secretly, like I'd won. I'm quite competitive, so that helped.

Would you do it again?

Oh, I'd definitely do it again. I think it's an opportunity to push myself a bit. And if I did it again with different people, all those variables will change the experience.

Hasan Al-Habib

What were you expecting to discover on the pilgrimage?

I wanted to get an understanding of what faith means to the other people, particularly people of different religious convictions, or of no religious conviction at all. I wanted to understand how people without a particular religion operate on a day-to-day basis with regards to ethics and morality. And I also wanted to learn more about the origins of Christianity in this country, because despite growing up here I can't really profess to have much knowledge of that, certainly the origins at least.

Do you feel like you got that from the experience?

Yeah, definitely. The thing that always sticks in my head is that nearly every morning, Ashley Banjo would take time to read the Bible and engage with the origin text of his religion. And I remember thinking, God, that's something I don't ever do. I should do that with the Quran. I should engage with it daily. I could see the effect that routine had on him. He's a very calm guy, and I wonder if that daily practice of reminding yourself of who you are in this world, what your role is, and how you believe you should live contributed to that. I really felt like I'd learnt something from someone of a different religion to me. And it just so happens to be the lead of a dance group called Diversity.

There were quite a few people on the trip who either didn't believe in a God or weren't sure about their faith. Did you have any interesting conversations? Did anyone find something new, or did you find something new yourself?

Every single day. That was one of the great things about that show. I remember Tasha telling me about her experience growing up as a deaf woman in a family where she was the only deaf person, and the idea of reconciling faith and God with the existence of suffering. Why does suffering exist? That was really illuminating to me as an able-bodied person thinking about how disability intersects with faith and religion. I had loads of conversations with Jayne and Hermione about spirituality and the differences and similarities between that and more formalised religions like Christianity, Islam or Judaism.

And then of course there was Ashley Blaker and his relationship with Judaism and how that has changed over time, the dynamism of religion and faith. Every day was a learning day. You were surrounded by people of different perspectives and backgrounds, and crucially, that was the entire purpose of the trip, to talk about this stuff that we often don't have time to discuss in our normal lives.

Were there any conversations that really stood out? Anything that surprised or stayed with you?

The conversation with Tasha is really fixed in my memory, talking about disability and faith, and how you reconcile the two, and the wider question of why suffering exists if there is a God. That one really stuck with me. I also remember conversations with Ashley Blaker about his dynamic relationship with faith and his views on the different sects within Judaism.

I actually didn't know that much about Judaism, even though some of my closest friends are Jewish. And one of the first things I learned was that, just like in Islam, there are different sects with different beliefs. Hearing Ashley Blaker talk about his relationship with faith over time was fascinating. He's such an eloquent, considered person. It was really great to hear what he thought on all of these topics.

It’s wonderful to see you share a bit of your culture with Tasha and Ashley Banjo, particularly going to the Islamic prayer room. How was that experience for you?

Really nice. What was especially lovely was the conversation the evening before, over dinner, about who was going to come with me. Only two people were going to join while everyone else did something different. What was so nice was that basically everyone wanted to come. As a Muslim growing up in this country, you kind of develop this default assumption that people don't like your religion, or don't like you as a result of it. So when suddenly you're in a situation where everyone is saying, I'd love to learn more about your religion, that's such a wonderful feeling.

Particularly with Ashley and Tasha, because we'd all got on so well on the trip. Even though I hadn't known them that long by that point, when someone expresses genuine interest in your religion and wants to learn more, it's almost like another level of friendship. It's a part of your life you wouldn't normally share with friends in that way. It felt very, very special. It's one of the most precious memories I take from the whole experience.

How did you find going to the Reform synagogue? Had you ever been to a synagogue before?

I don't think I had, no. It was wonderful. The people there had amazing stories. One of them told us about how her parents had come to the UK fleeing religious persecution, which was really shocking to hear. And then hearing how, as a result, she felt a responsibility and duty to work with refugees in the present day, that was really moving. As well as just learning about Reform Judaism, what a synagogue looks like, what happens inside one, and the sense of community they had there in the North East.

In Islam, we refer to Christians and Jews as Ahl al-Kitab, People of the Book, because the Bible and the Torah are considered revelations from God in Islam too. Seeing those similarities between the Abrahamic faiths was actually a theme that ran throughout the whole pilgrimage.

How was it praying in the synagogue?

It was really nice that they let me do that. The crew had got quite used to me by then. I remember the first time I asked to pray on the show, they said, if you can't ask to pray on this show, you can't ask to pray anywhere. So when the time came at the synagogue, I asked, and they said yes of course.

I've always had that kind of openness around me. At university, the chaplain of my college chapel was always happy to let me pray there when there wasn't a dedicated prayer room. Growing up, my dad had prayed in churches too. This is a building built for the worship of God. Why wouldn't you pray in there? It just made sense.

How was did you find the walking?

The challenging part was the weather at times. The rain could be quite intense. But the walking itself was really enjoyable, especially when you're doing it with people whose company you genuinely enjoy. It made it either much more tolerable or much more enjoyable, depending on the conditions. I never hike. I'm from Birmingham and live in London, so it's not something I'd done before, and honestly haven't done since. But you also get the benefit of connecting with nature, which I think is such an effective conduit for spirituality for a lot of people. It was really nice to experience that.

Did you do anything to prepare beforehand?

I bought the clothes, the hiking boots, the coat, the fleece, which was necessary. But beyond that, no real preparation. I'm relatively young and able-bodied, so the physical side of it was fine.

What was your favourite landscape or landmark that you visited?

I'm tempted to say Holy Island, where we ended up, just because of the walk to get there. When the tide came out and we walked across that stretch of land that had just been covered with water, that felt really special. And then hearing about the significance of the island, the fact that it was the destination we'd been walking towards the entire time. Durham Cathedral was really beautiful too. We saw castle ruins, vast open green spaces, coastline that was absolutely stunning. I remember seeing dolphins a couple of times, which I had no idea were even in UK waters. Like I said, every day was a learning day.

Did you feel any spiritual connection to any of the landmarks?

Durham Cathedral, I think, just because of the history, how old it is and the people buried there. It also had the most visitors of anywhere we went, people from all over the world just coming to see it. And I remember Jayne being from that part of the country and having visited Durham Cathedral as a child, so seeing that personal connection she had to it made it stick in the memory even more.

Did taking part in the series make you feel more comfortable speaking about your religion on a deeper level?

I think I'd always been comfortable doing that, depending on who I’m speaking to. If someone comes with an open mind and genuinely wants to understand, then yes. I grew up in a very small village about half an hour outside of Birmingham. I was the only Muslim and the only Arab in my school. I was very used to constantly having to explain why I can't eat certain things, why I need to do certain things. So I'd grown up being able to have those conversations.

If anything, what was different on this show was that I wasn't explaining things out of circumstance. I was explaining because people were genuinely interested. That's a much nicer feeling. It also works the other way: when people ask you questions, it interrogates your own knowledge and exposes the gaps. I tried to be careful on the show to say, just because I'm saying this doesn't mean it's 100% accurate. I would never claim to be an expert on Islam. But when you realise there are things you don't know, it makes you want to find the answers.

What do you want viewers to take from watching the series, and from watching you in particular?

I think my desired outcome from any conversation with anyone is for people to think, you know what, these Muslims aren't so bad after all. If I've achieved that, I've done a great job. I do gigs all across the country where I'm definitely the only Muslim in the room, and I might well be the only Muslim those people have ever met. I remember someone from my madrasa, madrasa being the Arabic word for school, saying we have a responsibility to be street Muslims, or to be cool Muslims, because you want people to get a sense that Muslims are normal, nice people, given how much information there is in the media to the contrary.

If people come away thinking, oh, that's interesting, I didn't know that about Islam, or even just start a conversation with their Muslim colleague and learn a bit more about them and their faith then that would be amazing.

What were your emotions in those final moments when you reached Lindisfarne?

Partly a sense of sadness that the trip was coming to an end. But also, a real sense of accomplishment. Throughout the trip we'd been trying to mirror history, to mirror the pilgrimage that people had taken to this island. And in that final moment I felt the closest connection to what those actual pilgrims had done. We'd got there, to the end. It's such a beautiful place. I remember speaking to the person in charge of the chapel dedicated to St Cuthbert, and it just felt like a real sense of completion. Like, yes, I get it now.

There is something about this place that is just divine. The way the early morning light reflected off the sands as we walked across to the island is stunning. I remember Ashley Banjo saying, “guys, this is crazy.” You just understood in that moment why people would travel so far to come here.

Would you do another pilgrimage? Have you done the pilgrimage to Mecca?

I've been to Mecca. When I was very young, I went with my parents when they did Umrah, which is a non-mandatory pilgrimage you can do outside of the Hajj season. So, I've been there and I've seen the Kaaba, but I haven't yet done Hajj itself. As a Muslim, you have to do Hajj if you're financially and physically able, at least once in your lifetime. It's in the plan, for sure. And following this pilgrimage, that desire has only grown stronger. I think Hajj is going to hit something different when I do it, insha'Allah.

Hermione Norris

What were you expecting from the series? What made you take part?

My faith has been the most significant relationship in my life, I suppose. The most consistent. And I'm just always sort of open to learn more and discover more. It was just an amazing opportunity to listen to other people's experiences and to really think about my faith and what that means to me. It's been very clarifying actually, and it continues to be. It's continued even though we've finished. I could honestly say, which feels quite odd to say, that it's made me feel less religious. I've really thought about it a lot. But I’m always thinking maybe I'll discover something new. I'm always open to discovering.

What is your faith? What religion do you subscribe to?

I don't subscribe to religion. I'm not a religious person. I would describe myself as having a relationship with a power, a grace, a source, an essence, a power of love. An all-encompassing source, really. The divine that I experience when I'm in nature, and experience when I'm with people. I see it in other people, I see it in nature.

Has that always been the case with you? Is that how you were brought up?

No, I was brought up Church of England, with a 1970s education. The Church of England was very much part of it - Church of England junior school, the Lord's Prayer and your times tables at the end of the day. My education was Christian. I was raised as a Christian.

And then what made you move away from that?

I don't really think I've moved away from it. Somebody close to me took their life and I found that the condemnation was really quite challenging. I just don't believe in shame and condemning. I don't like that. It doesn't sit comfortably with me. I just believe in love and tolerance, and I find Christianity is quite condemning and judgmental, and that doesn't sit comfortably with me.

Have you considered following different religions?

Yes. When that happened, I was young, and I looked at all sorts of religions to see what different faiths felt and thought about that, where those religions thought you'd gone (after death), what happens to you when you die. There wasn't really any religion that felt right. It all felt pretty harsh.

While you were on the pilgrimage, were there any revelations? Or was it more that when you came back you had those feelings of being less religious? Was it a gradual thing throughout the journey? Were there things that happened, places you went, or conversations you had that resulted in you feeling like you wanted to be less religious?

The whole experience, being with other people, hearing their take on it and following their path, following Cuthbert and Oswald. And just really, really seeing that somewhere like Lindisfarne has an incredible energy. It's teeming with life and light and really seeing that that was there before any religion came to it. I think people, as human beings, try to make sense of things and give meaning to something that is a natural phenomenon. It's in nature. I just experienced that very strongly. And I'm just uncomfortable with rules and regulations and certainties, this is this and that is that. That doesn't sit comfortably with me.

Did you find that was in contrast with some of the other pilgrims? Some people find that rules provide comfort or structure.

Oh, listen, I'm quite envious actually of people who believe something rigidly. I think that's probably hugely comforting. But it's just not for me.

All respect to whatever faith or denomination. And I think that's one of the really great things about pilgrimage, which is quite rare today: the ability to hold space for people with different opinions, different faiths, different ideas, difference in any way, shape or form, and respecting and honouring that. It being a positive thing, not a negative thing or something to judge or condemn, just allowing everyone to have their own beliefs. I think that's really important.

Is faith something you've felt comfortable discussing amongst peers or friends or in the public domain? It's quite a private thing, isn't it, to talk about faith?

It's a very private thing. Particularly today, everyone's full of judgment. You're bad if you do this, you're wrong if you say that. But I think, you know, I'm nearly 60. If you can't say what you think and feel now, then when can you?

Did you feel uncomfortable having these conversations at first, or did it feel quite natural within the group?

I think because we were all up for the experience, and it was a shared experience, it was nice to listen to everyone's different faiths and beliefs and differences. It's quite a privilege just to hear. I've always been very mindful to be respectful around things that people hold quite closely and that matter to them deeply. But I'm not uncomfortable with my own difference from somebody else.

Since you've come home from the pilgrimage, have you done anything differently or felt like you want to behave or act differently when it comes to faith?

It is that thing of really understanding that everybody is allowed to have their own truth and their own reality. That tolerance for what everybody does is a really good thing to hold onto.

Would you have opened up about that kind of conversation in the past?

I would have, yeah, definitely with my friends. Nothing's off limits with my friends. I'm very lucky like that. I've got people who would talk about that sort of thing all the time. But it's different if it's a television programme. You're more vulnerable.

What did your friends and family think when you said you were going on a faith programme?

My family weren’t surprised by that at all. I’m invited to do all sorts of things, and I thought Pilgrimage would make sense to me as a person more than most other things I've been invited to do.

So did you learn a lot about yourself on that journey?

Yes. I think being raised a Christian and just that question of whether you have to conform to anything. Because of the way I was raised, and because of people's judgments, and my brother being a vicar, I didn't want to upset anybody by saying I'm not religious. But actually I'm fine with that. I got more comfortable with that.

When you decided to move away from observing Christianity, how did your family react? Or was there not really a moment of moving away? Was that similar to Ashley Blaker’s journey, moving away from being observant Jew but still feeling intrinsically Jewish. Is it similar for you, in that you potentially still feel Christian but don't believe in following the rules?

That's, obviously, been a huge journey in his life. I don't feel like I've been a practising Christian in the same way. I don't think Christianity is quite as strict as what he was observing. So there wasn't anything comparable. I really don't feel like I moved away from anything.

My sisters probably have a similar view to me. Our faith is really important to us, but we're away from religion.

Did the experience highlight any strengths or weaknesses within you?

I was quite pleased to keep up physically with the walking. I didn't actually prepare in advance. I didn't have time. I just didn't know how long we'd be walking or what would be required physically. So I was quite gratified that that aspect of it was all right.

Would you want to do another pilgrimage without cameras?

Yes, probably. I'd quite like to do the Camino. I do think that would be quite an amazing walk. There is something very powerful about walking and meditation and thinking and having time to reflect. My mum died 18 months ago and my children have just left home. So this is the first time I've been without children at home. It's just those chapters in life, a time to think and reflect.

Would you want to do it alone or with other people?

I'd want to do it with my husband or my sisters or people close to me. I think that's a really nice thing to share with people. It would be interesting to compare that with the experience of doing it with strangers. That was quite strange as well, doing it with a bunch of people you've never met before, with very differing beliefs. And also because it is a pilgrimage, people automatically presume that you are religious. So to say you're doing a pilgrimage and realise you're becoming less religious along the way is an odd one. But as I said, my faith has been a really significant aspect of my life and my journey. It's just not religious.

Did you find the experience emotional, eye-opening or enlightening?

I think if you approach something with an open heart, there's an openness. If you commit to doing something like a pilgrimage, you immediately open yourself up to something. And there was a moment at Durham Cathedral, and it wasn't on camera, where a young priest came before us and he was just so present and open and generous-hearted. That was quite a moment. But again, that's just a human being, being so lovely and open and kind and generous. Just sweet.

Reflecting on the experience now, I have much more clarity about it all than I did on the journey. I've had time to reflect.

Did you meet lots of people like that along the way?

Yes. I think the nature of being on a pilgrimage is that you tend to come across open people, open to questioning and thinking, generous spirited.

Were you surprised by any of your fellow pilgrims' reactions to anything, or anything you discovered about any of them?

Not really. People are funny, aren't they? Everyone has their own reactions to things. It's just the nature of humanity that everybody's so different. It's all elements of yourself that you're bumping into. There wasn't anything that made me think, oh, blimey, no.

Was there anything that surprised you about yourself?

Just that it's lovely to be with people who are being open, and to feel safe enough to be open yourself, knowing that the people around you would be kind.

What do you hope that Pilgrimage viewers will take away from watching you take part in this series?

I think it is that thing of asking themselves questions about who they are, where they are, what they think and feel and believe at this chapter in their lives. And to know that wherever they find themselves, that's okay. You're allowed to be and think and feel how you want to be, think and feel. And that can be different from the person sitting next to you, and it doesn't make them an enemy. We can all move shoulder to shoulder alongside each other.

How did you feel when you got to the end? Was it emotional? Did it feel like an emotional climax to the journey?

I've been to Lindisfarne before and it is amazing. That whole Northumbrian area is absolutely alive, spiritually really charged. It's a magical, magical land. Lindisfarne has a real power. The sea, the light, the birds. The land is absolutely magical. And Durham is gorgeous as well.

What is it about this moment in your life that feels poignant?

My mum dying and my children leaving home. It feels like the end of a chapter. A real moment to reflect, think and re-evaluate everything. Where are you? What do you think? What do you feel? What do you believe? There would have been a time in my life when I would have felt bad for saying I'm not religious. And actually I don't feel bad. I've examined it and looked at it, and I'm pleased with where I find my faith and what it means to me. I'm not missing out on anything. I'm happy with the way I believe and what my faith gives me and my own spiritual practice.

Did you find that because you were doing a religious journey, reflecting on your past and your Christianity, that you felt a connection to your mum? Were you thinking about her a lot while you were there?

I think we're so indoctrinated from being tiny. We're so conditioned to think and feel and believe certain things through our education systems and our cultures. It's always good to question everything. To be open and curious and to ask questions is just vital.

It does leave you in a strange place. You're with people you don't know, asking really big questions of yourself and what you believe, and it's all on camera. It takes me a while anyway to think and reflect and consolidate what the experience was. I have much more clarity about it now than I did on the journey.

What about the group? Do you think it was a good mix?

I've spent my life being in casts and groups of disparate people all brought together. You get what you get, and every group you're in is a privilege really, or just its own unique experience. I can't imagine doing this pilgrimage with any other group of people. That was my experience, that was our journey. And therefore they'll always be quite special to me.

Did you know any of them beforehand?

I had met Jayne years and years ago. I think I'd met Patsy years and years ago. I obviously knew who Ashley Banjo was because of Diversity. I hadn't met Tasha, Ashley Blaker or Hasan. So yeah, it was nice.

Did you make some really close connections that you'll continue with?

Yeah, I think so. I just wish them all so well. Actually, that makes me feel quite emotional. Because also, we're all in different chapters of our lives. Tasha has got it all in front of her, bless her, and I so want her to get all that she wants. I'm in another chapter in my life entirely, and that was quite interesting to be very aware of. We shared a journey talking about the different chapters in our lives. You wouldn't normally spend time with people who are all at different stages. It's lovely.

And that's all about faith as well, what's in front of you and what you want and what you hope for. A lot of mine is sort of behind me now. The map's been laid out. And that changes the way you feel about things.

Jayne Middlemiss

What were your expectations going into the experience?

I've been on pilgrimages before, across the world, and for this one I tried to allow the journey to inform me rather than going in with a fixed idea of what I'd find. I really tried to leave it open as an experience, and I'm glad I did.

What other pilgrimages have you done?

I spent a long time in India and did many pilgrimages over there to various sacred spots.

There was a powerful moment in the series when you connected deeply at Durham Cathedral. Describe that experience for you?

It was a big surprise, Durham Cathedral. I grew up C of E and I'm from Northumberland, so St Cuthbert is very personal to me. The saint of the church I was christened in, where everyone in my family gets married, that was St Cuthbert's Church. I went to Sunday school there. So St Cuthbert was always someone I knew about from childhood. What I wanted from this experience was to go home and reconnect to those roots, to my ancestors, because all my family have always lived there.

What really surprised me about Durham Cathedral was that you can't make that stuff up. You don't know when it's going to hit you. There was a man who worked there, a Verger, and he was so open-hearted that it knocked me off my feet. And then being given the St Cuthbert token, that just blew me away. I've done a lot of yogic work, I work with energy, and in that place, there was just something happening for me. I really, honestly, could never have anticipated that, because I'm not big on organised religion. I'm big on spirituality. It was mind-blowing.

Do you feel like anything from that experience has stayed with you or changed your spirituality?

No, it didn't change what I believed. It was insightful and it was a powerful experience, but I think of all of life as a journey. Pilgrimage is just a condensed, contained version of that, and as a consequence, things tend to be more intense. But no, it didn't change me. What I loved, though, was the learning. I loved learning from everybody on that trip.

Were there any conversations that really sparked something for you?

Islam is not a religion I know that much about, and I've always been deeply fascinated by it. I've done a lot of learning about different religions over the years, primarily, because I'm a yogi, around Hinduism and the yoga teachings of Patanjali, and Tantra yoga, which is all about the divine feminine. But Islam was something I really wanted to learn more about. I had a beautiful conversation with Hasan at Whitby Abbey that will stay with me for a very long time. He was so open, and he really helped to educate me. That's what I love, learning from people who are committed to finding a bigger meaning in life, and exploring all the different spiritual traditions and the masts they've been built around. That was a really special moment for me.

Why did you want to take part in this Pilgrimage?

It was in the northeast. It felt like a full circle moment for me. Yoga has primarily been my teaching tool and my way in, but there was something about going home and finding out more about who I am in this lifetime, where it all comes from, my ancestors, all of that. It felt very special. I'd always wanted to do the St Cuthbert's Trail. And it was an experience I couldn't turn down, especially because of everything I was taught as a kid about St Cuthbert and the journey of his remains across Northumberland. I'm very proud of where I'm from.

When I was younger I used to say I was from Newcastle because nobody knew where Northumberland was, but now I'm proudly Northumbrian. I'm from Bedlington. It felt like a real privilege to be on that journey, showing Northumberland through the eyes of people who were seeing it for the very first time. That made the beauty of the place even more intense for me. I've always thought it was the most beautiful place in the world.

Had you been to any of the landmarks before?

Most of them, yes. Holy Island, Lindisfarne, is somewhere I've been many, many times. But there were some I hadn't seen. Dunstanburgh Castle, for example, which is crazy because it was absolutely stunning. And that was the moment where we were followed by a pod of dolphins from Whitby all the way down the coast. They just kept appearing. I had no idea there were dolphins in the UK. There's a huge pod in the northeast called the superpod. I just stood there completely blown away by this moment that you could not have scripted. It was just a beautiful little nudge, like, yeah, it's all good.

Was there anything different about reaching Lindisfarne this time, having been before?

I've never walked across to the island. I've always driven on the causeway. You won't find many Northumbrians walking across the sands, we drive like normal people, it takes literally three minutes! Walking across it at sunrise, I'd never done that. It doesn't look that far, but bloody hell, it was far. Poor Ash took his shoes off, our shoes got absolutely soaking. But once I got there, I just felt really proud of myself. It was a completely different experience doing it as a journey. Two weeks of walking to get there made arriving feel genuinely earned.

How was all the walking?

The walk on St Cuthbert's Way up to Wideopen hill in the Cheviots, I really loved that. I like a difficult walk. And I loved using the walking poles, I'd never used them before, and they really do make a difference. Gets the core involved. As for the weather, it was brilliant. I was very worried because northeast weather is not always compliant with what you want, but it was extraordinary, especially for when we filmed. When it did rain, we all had the right kit, so my legs would get wet and then the sun would come out and within five minutes they were dry. The last thing you want is horrible weather the whole time.

Did you do anything to prepare before going in?

I'm pretty fit, so I didn't really need to physically prepare. And honestly, you can't prepare for something like this anyway. When you make plans, the universe just laughs. That's very true. I just wanted to let go and be open to the experience. There was nothing I could have done to prepare. Although, there was one moment I was definitely not prepared for, and that was sharing a tiny room with Hermione and Patsy in the middle of Northumberland, in the middle of nowhere, in bunk beds that I don't even think had ladders. I wish I'd done some bunk bed survival training, genuinely. But looking back, it's one of my favourite memories from the whole trip.

Was there a standout favourite moment for you?

Definitely when I cooked for everyone at the hostel. It had been a really long day. We'd walked, it had rained, we were all pretty done in. It was right in the middle of the journey when it really kicks in. I'd ordered all the ingredients and I just thought, right, I'm going to do this. I'm a pretty good cook, and I believe that at our essence we are all just love. That is who we are, and all our personality and everything else is just what we're conditioned into. There's something about cooking for people, looking after them, seeing the joy on their faces and how grateful they are, that just lit me up. I remember Hasan saying something like, wow, is this from Italy? Cooking for people is really part of my love language. To be able to do that, to be in service to the group, it felt really beautiful. It also brought a bit of home into the pilgrimage, which felt right.

What do you want viewers to take from the show?

I want them to see how beautiful Northumberland is, firstly. But beyond that, I'd like people to see that you can have a connection to whatever you think it is, or not. That's entirely up to you. The connection to universal love can be really beautiful and kind and not cruel. That's what I'd like people to take from it. Kindness.

Would you do this again?

No. And I say that not because it wasn't a wonderful experience, but because I've done it. I'd love to go to Jerusalem. I'd love to see all of that. And wherever I go in the world, I always visit the sacred spots, because it's not about the religion, it's about the energy. When people come together to connect with something bigger, it's visceral, you can feel it. I went to the Beatles ashram in India once, sat in one of the little pods, and the energy was live. My meditation practice is very strong, so in a way I do my own pilgrimage on a daily basis. I keep connected. But I'm not feeling the need to do it again in the formal sense, at least not right now.

Patsy Kensit

What were your expectations going into the show? What were you expecting discover from it?

Well, I watched the show. I was a fan of the show. And it's right up my street, all that kind of stuff. I started meditating eleven years ago now and it took me on a really great path. I like to meditate every day. I like that I have a higher power to believe in as a Catholic, but I am also very spiritual. Whether it's Krishna, God, the Universe, whatever, I do have a belief in a higher power. I was just thrilled to be asked to go on the pilgrimage and get some walking in.

I thought, oh God, I'm going to lose weight on the show. We were fed so well, so I think I ended up gaining. The uphill walks were brutal for me, and the other guys are so sweet because I was a bit of a lame dog coming up the back. Banjo and Tasha would always come back and walk the last bit with me. Everyone was so kind. Ash, I've become really good friends with him. Hermione, wonderful, just beautiful. And of course my relationship with the beautiful Tasha. She was just so sweet to me. And I love Jayne. And Hermione is just the woman that I want to be. She's just so fabulous.

Was there anything specific that you learned from them that you didn't know before? Maybe about their faith or their religion?

I think it's fascinating, people's beliefs. We see sometimes how devoted people are to their beliefs, and suddenly this power would come through. It was just interesting to see people being protective over their beliefs and sharing them so openly and just having a great sense of humour about it. These are troubled times and it's just wonderful. My happiest day on the shoot was one day in the middle, where we all stopped for lunch after this mammoth climb. We all sat around just eating sandwiches, and the sun was shining, and we were at the side of this beautiful cliff. It was one of the happiest days of my life. It was so, so great.

And Banjo said to me that when he first met me, he felt I had a lot of walls up, that there was something there. And he said it was really nice to see them come down. And I said, you're absolutely right. I've been hurt by people in the past, and so I might tend to find my way a bit awkwardly into a group activity. It was so good for me. I was reborn on the other side of it.

How was all the walking?

I struggled. The other guys were so fast, just like goats. I'm useless in the cold. But everyone got in the North Sea at the end, apart from me. And now I feel so bad. I could have at least paddled. It was just so freaking cold.

It was a euphoric moment for everyone. My journey had ended. We'd walked across to the island when the tide was down. I felt like I'd had my moment in the sand dunes, as it were. But I loved it. I'm really grateful to have done it. There's nothing negative I can say. We were treated and welcomed by everyone with such kindness. It was great.

Did you do anything to prepare beforehand?

I just did the treadmill.

Obviously you saw loads of landmarks and landscapes. What was your favourite?

I loved Runswick Bay on the Way of St Hild. I loved being there and then going down to the beach and finding all the rocks. The ammonites. That was really good. It was so dramatic and cinematic being on this beach, and the weather was beautiful. And I was quite happy there, hammering away, trying to find these rocks with the ammonites in them, which looked like snakes. The story is that St Hilda cast a spell on the area and all the snakes turned to stone. That to me was great. Durham Cathedral, again, amazing. Every day I got something good out of it. I cried a lot as well. Yeah, I got emotional a few times.

Did you feel anything spiritual during the Pilgrimage?

Yeah, some things more than others. I just feel that I went into the show maybe holding a lot of anger about stuff from my childhood. I've worked every year of my life since I was four. I've been in this industry my whole life. So, I came in with a lot of anger, and I really left that behind. And that's remained. Because of course, as much as you're doing it with six other people, it's your own journey. It's your own pilgrimage.

How would you describe your faith currently?

I'm an “à la carte” Catholic. I was born and raised Catholic. I went to a convent and I still go to mass. There are so many things about the religion that I don't agree with, but I love going to mass and the pomp and circumstance of it. I believe in manifestation and positivity. I weave in and out of days of completely nailing it, and then you dip a bit, but I just have this belief in a higher power. God, Krishna, Buddha. I'm very moved by spirituality. But it was the Catholic Church that was helpful for me when my mum died. I say my prayers every night and every morning. I get out of bed every day, I put one foot down and I say thank you, and I put my other foot down and I say thank you, and I've said thank you about 55 times before I get in the shower. Just gratitude.

Do you feel like going on this pilgrimage taught you anything new? Maybe you learned new things from the other pilgrims?

I just loved Hermione's elegance and her commitment to just being this amazing woman. Her and Tasha really inspired me. I love Jayne, Jayne's wonderful as well. We're all still in touch.

Was sharing rooms with the others difficult?

It's hard. I've got to say it's hard. I took to eating fruit pastels in bed one night. I'd fallen asleep and one had gone on the floor, and Hermione went to the loo in the middle of the night and said she stepped on this thing and thought it was a beetle. It was one of your bloody fruit pastels, Patsy. But we laughed about it. We laughed a lot.

There was no one that was an outsider. There were days when some of us were quieter than others. There could always be someone that winds you up a little bit, and there just wasn't time for that. There was just no time for it.

You had an interesting conversation with Ashley Blaker after he visited the synagogue in Newcastle. How did you find it visiting the synagogue and seeing Ashley's reaction to it?

I adore him. We're mates. But it really surprised me how stoic he became about the Reform element, down to the point of challenging the members there about something that was different to the type of Judaism he is used to. He wouldn't let that go, even off camera. He was really fighting his corner on it, and I thought it was lovely. Being outside with him and going, come on, let's go to the synagogue together. I think it was great that it triggered something in him. And I'm so happy to have been able to experience that with him.

I know Tasha and Banjo went to the Islamic prayer room and they were so moved by it, the same way I felt really moved by the synagogue.

Was there anything that surprised you?

That we'd be as well fed as we were. And Jayne cooked a couple of delicious meals. All the girls and guys were mucking in. And then you're just shattered at the end of the day. But I knew that would be the case because the fresh air knocks it out of you. I was surprised at how good the pastoral care was. I thought it would be harder, that we wouldn't have been given such a wonderful experience. It was really hard some days, but everything around it was made to make us feel as comfortable as possible. I have no complaints. It was fantastic.

Prior to this pilgrimage, had you ever found yourself discussing your faith with people from different faiths?

With the “à la carte” Catholic thing, I take from it what I love and can conceive. But I'm open to it all. I don't have any strong dislikes or real opposition to what other peoples’ faith is.

What do you want viewers and the audience to take from the show?

I just think it's wonderful that all age groups are in this show, and that it shows this multicultural place that we live in, and all of the different beliefs, and how we can all carry on peacefully alongside each other.

What were your feelings and emotions when you reached Holy Island?

I felt ready for it to end. I walked through those parted waters at the tide times to where Cuthbert used to be, where the Otters used to breathe on his feet to keep them warm because he would be in the water. And it all came to a really wonderful conclusion for me.

I just couldn't face getting in the sea. I was freezing. My feet had been wet all day. And one of the others, I won't say who, wasn't going to do it either. So I thought, okay, there's two of us. So I'm sitting there like the old grumpy one. I should have paddled or something, but I swear to God, I was freezing.

What would you say was the one key moment that stood out for you from the whole thing?

Just having done the Pilgrimage with wonderful people who've become friends, and crew who have become friends. People pay a lot of money to get to do an experience like that. This is right up my street. It spoke to me in every denomination with religion. I just loved it.

Would you do it again?

I would. Yeah. I like the fact it was here, but 100%. I'm so grateful to the show for having me and for how people were really kind to me on the show, and I'm just really grateful.

Tasha Ghouri

What were you expecting to find and experience during this pilgrimage?

I feel like I went in with no expectations because I didn't know what to expect. It's one of those shows where you kind of have to go with an open mind. So I went in just going for it, being really open-minded, taking the whole experience in with the most positive mindset as possible and just really taking it all in.

You know, it's a unique experience, something I would never have considered doing. But when the opportunity came, I said absolutely. I went in as an atheist, somebody that didn't really believe in a religion or anything, so I really wanted to go in and learn from other people and their perspectives and their understanding of their beliefs and faith. I think it's the perfect show to do that.

Do you feel like the Pilgrimage opened your mind more to faith?

For me it was definitely a journey of learning so much and it opened me up in so many different ways. At that point last year I kind of just needed an escape. It was two weeks of being outside in nature, connecting with people, having real conversations, leaving the industry at home, going in just to be you. And that's what pilgrimage is about. Stripped back.

You don't have to worry about your hair and makeup, you can just be yourself. And what that does is it creates such unique friendships that are so real. I definitely came out believing in something more than I thought there was, and that's purely because of conversations I had with the other pilgrims. I learned so much from them. I said, actually I do believe there is something out there, but I don't know what it is. I don't know whether that's God or that's a spiritual thing. But it definitely made me open those gates a little bit to explore that.

What was everyone like? Who did you bond with?

I bonded with everybody. Honestly, I was so buzzed when I saw the cast. Ashley Banjo was somebody I looked up to as a dancer from Diversity. I was so ecstatic when I saw him. Then you've got someone like Patsy Kensit, just an inspirational woman, so strong, with such incredible stories to share.

Hermione and Jayne, I never really knew them but they both became like mums to me, which was really nice. They really looked after me and were so supportive. Then there was Ashley Blaker and Hasan. I'd never met them before either, and they were both just so welcoming. We all bonded with each other in our own ways. Not once was there an argument or bickering. We were all just so happy to be there. We all wanted to go in with a positive mindset, to have a positive experience and to support each other, no matter what religion or beliefs we had. That was something really, really special.

Did anyone's beliefs make you question your faith?

It was definitely Hasan. In the episode where I went into a prayer room with him, he's Muslim, and I think that definitely made me feel a spark of something because it connected me to my family. My granddad was Pakistani and quite westernised. He was Muslim but a very westernised Muslim, so he didn't really practise it. And my dad was not religious either. But being sat there in that prayer room with Hasan and this lovely lady, it was such a raw moment.

Me and Banjo were sat in the corner just to observe respectfully. And just that moment of wow, seeing the synchronisation of how they prayed together. It's quite unique and special. It definitely opened up a lot of conversations between me and Hasan. I talk about it to this day. It really was something special.

What landscape or landmark stood out to you the most?

Holy Island, I would say, was a standout moment. I remember we had to walk across the sand to get there. We all stood there thinking, it doesn't look that far, we can do this in about half an hour. We started walking and got halfway and could see so much more sand ahead of us. It took a good two hours. But what was so magical was the sun was so bright that it was reflecting on the water and the sand, and we were walking towards it. It was just something that you see when you have this image of heaven. That's kind of what it was like.

And I remember Banjo getting really emotional over it. He was just like, I'm just so emotional because it's just, look at what we have in front of us. Something beautiful.

So yeah, Holy Island was truly magic.

How was the whole walk? Was it a struggle at all?

I enjoyed the walking. The walking aspect of it all was quite enjoyable. There was one day it was literally torrential rain, windy, it was awful. It was me and Banjo up on the cliffs and we both just said, let's just have a laugh with this and enjoy the weather. And we both just had a really good time because we were there doing something that meant something, so the rain didn't matter to us. I really enjoyed all the walking aspects of it.

What would you say was the biggest challenge throughout the whole thing?

I would say the biggest challenge was on the walks because I have to lip read, and in group scenarios it's quite difficult. Especially when the paths were so narrow, it could only be two or three abreast. When people were having conversations I was really struggling to pick up on what was being said. That was probably the most challenging part, something I had to really work around. When you're in a big group it's so difficult to hear what people are saying, especially when it's windy and the wind muffles the microphone. I was like, I don't know what's being said right now.

There's a moment where you talk with Hasan about your beliefs, suffering, and God. Did that conversation raise new questions for you, and what was it like to have that discussion with him?

That's something that stops me from truly believing in God, because part of me thinks, if there's a God, why is there so much suffering? Why is there war? Why is there conflict? Why are people born with disabilities? Why do people have cancer? That's the part I struggle to understand when it comes to God being all-loving. So that conversation with Hasan really opened that up, but it was more about how I felt about it, and he was so respectful towards that. He said, you know Tasha, I can't give you the answer to that. It's something you have to find for yourself.

For me, it's still a question I ask. It's a hard one. But then at the same time, maybe it is a gift to be inspiring and to help people. So it can be that as well. But then it's also, well, why me? None of my family are deaf. It definitely was a tough conversation, but I'm glad I was in such a comfortable space to be able to open up and voice that.

Is there anything that you want viewers to take from that?

I think I'd want people to take from that that it's okay to open up, and you don't have to believe in the exact same thing as everybody else. I was quite scared I was going to get shut down, but actually people are understanding. They will understand why you think like that.

I want people to take away that having open, honest conversations can really be a weight off your shoulders. After that conversation, I just felt like, oh, I feel like I'm not going crazy. People can understand my perspective and not judge me. Not everybody is going to judge you for something that you believe in.

Were there any other conversations that really stood out to you?

I had so many. There were such beautiful ones. Everyone's got such different stories and everyone had different things to share. Hermione and I had great conversations, more from an industry perspective. She's been in this industry for years and she gave some really great advice on how to navigate it all. She's really awesome for that. Banjo as well, I had great, in-depth conversations with him. It's a hard one, because it was all such deep conversations.

Do you feel like it was more of a personal journey, or was there also a group aspect to it?

It was a bit of both, definitely. It was absolutely a group journey because we're all going in the same direction, all figuring things out together. And there's also your own personal journey. I definitely wanted a personal journey. I was going through a really hard time at the time, and I think like I said before, it was that escape. I just wanted to be with amazing people who had amazing things to share. And I really dug deep, really, really dug deep. I get quite emotional about it. But yeah, it was definitely a good one.

Do you feel different about your faith coming out of this journey?

Coming away from this Pilgrimage, it just made me so much more open-minded to everything. Going forward now, I'm never going to close myself off towards faith or different religions. Like I said, before going in I was more of an atheist, and I came out more agnostic. I definitely want to explore more with that and try and open up that door a bit more and understand what I'm feeling and what I'm experiencing. I really, really do believe there's something there. It's just a question of what it is. Is it more spiritual? Is there a certain religion that I connect with more? I think I just need to go on that journey now to see more of that.

How was it sharing rooms with everyone for that long?

It's funny, because I've done that before. I shared with like 10 people in one room. So for me it wasn't anything new. And I don't wear my cochlear implant when I sleep, so I don't hear anyone snoring or walking around or making noise. For me it was actually quite exciting.

Even cooking in the kitchen all together, making pasta, things like that, was so lovely. I remember this one place we stayed in, this really nice cottage with a fireplace. We put the fire on, we had pasta, we had salads, and it was just so cosy. I really loved that aspect of just bonding and having fun conversations.

I was completely switched off. Most of the time we had no signal because we were in the middle of nowhere. But I used it as an opportunity, as a cleanse, just to be away from social media and the outside world. And I'm so glad that I did switch off.

I remember the last day on Holy Island we met this amazing, remarkable woman, and we shared things on pieces of paper as part of our pilgrimage journey. I got really emotional. And this lady came to me and said, just don't let the world come rushing in when you get home. That moment stayed with me. I always think about it. I think it really changed my mindset a lot.

Had you ever been to any of the landmarks before?

I'm from Yorkshire, but I'd never actually been to any of those places. It was all new to me. Durham Cathedral was absolutely stunning. I walked in and I was like, wow. That's where Harry Potter was filmed, wasn't it? It was just beautiful. And it's interesting to have such different landmarks. We had the cave as well, this cave where monks actually sheltered. Cold inside, spiders everywhere. But that's where someone lived. It was just interesting how all of it was so different.

Did you feel a spiritual connection to any of the places you visited?

Yeah, at Holy Island there's this small tidal island just a few steps away from the main island. A few of us went on there and we all just had this moment where we looked out. There's a cross there with rocks all around it, and each rock had a little message: someone had got engaged, rest in peace, love notes. It was just so beautiful to see all these little rocks and the messages on them. We all just looked at them and went completely silent, just taking it in. I think we all just felt something. We all had a hug and a little cry, which was nice.

Would you do it again?

Absolutely. If they asked me to come back, I'd do it 500 times over. And anybody who wants to do it in the future, I 100% recommend it.

Is there anywhere else you'd want to go? Any other pilgrimage?

I'd be happy with anywhere. I like the unknown of where it's going to be. I think that would be much more fun, not knowing where you're going to do it. You just go there and get thrown into it.

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