A long and winding road

PILGRIMAGE: THE ROAD TO SANTIAGO BBC2, Friday, 9pm

STRIP celebrities of their everyday comforts and it’s bound to make good TV. But add in two weeks of gruelling hikes and things start to get a little more interesting.

Far from your run-of-the-mill reality set up, BBC Two’s new three-part travelogue series, Pilgrimage: The Road to Santiago, invites seven famous faces to live as modern-day pilgrims as they set out on the famous Camino de Santiago.

With just over a fortnight to tackle this ancient path, actor Neil Morrissey, entertainer Debbie McGee, comedian Ed Byrne, singer Heather Small, Rev Kate Bottley, journalist Raphael Rowe and TV presenter JJ Chalmers journey through France and northern Spain to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and the shrine of St James.

The group – made up of a variety of faiths and beliefs – will live simply, staying in traditional hostels and carrying everything they need on their backs.

But will this “spiritual” journey change the way they think about themselves and their faith? The results are in.

NEIL MORRISSEY, 55

What were you hoping to experience on the pilgrimage? I WAS looking forward to seeing new surroundings. I hadn’t been to Galicia before, so was looking forward to seeing the area, and then, of course, the cathedral.

I was also looking forward to the companionship. Did your journey impact on your own beliefs about faith? NOT really, if anything it compounded my own humanism and atheism. But I can recognise the sense of achievement people on the pilgrimage trail must feel, and how important it is to them. What was the most surprising thing you learned? PROBABLY what surprised me the most and also the thing I enjoyed the most, was the commonality of the experience while on the walk itself. The shared community feeling with everyone you meet, wherever you go.

ED BYRNE, 45

What were you hoping to experience on the pilgrimage? I WAS looking forward to a decent walk. I’m a big fan of hiking so I was looking forward to a bit of scenery and maybe some outdoor adventuring. Did your journey impact on your own beliefs about faith? CAN’T say that it did. I think, as we get older, we get more settled in our beliefs or lack thereof. I don’t think anybody’s beliefs were impacted particularly strongly. What was the most surprising thing you learned? THERE was one evening when myself, JJ and Neil made dinner for everyone – and while we were chopping the spuds, Neil told us about his childhood. I’d met Neil before and I knew he grew up in care, but I didn’t realise just how rough his upbringing was.

HEATHER SMALL, 53

What were you hoping to experience on the pilgrimage? I WAS just open and I always wanted to do a pilgrimage, so when I got the chance I thought I would learn something, either about myself or my faith. Did your journey impact on your own beliefs about faith? I WAS a believer before I set off, but this trip made me realise my faith and beliefs were much stronger than I had realised. What was the most surprising thing you learned? SOMETIMES you feel like you could always do better – with everything. I think that where I am in my faith and how I live my faith, the day-to-day beliefs that I have and how I treat people, I’m closer to that than I expected.

DEBBIE MCGEE, 59

What were you hoping to experience on the pilgrimage? I WANTED to find out what previous pilgrims had found so enlightening. Did your journey impact on your own beliefs about faith? NOT at the time, but it made me think about my faith afterwards. What was the most surprising thing you learned? I COULD rough it with more ease than I would have expected.

REV KATE BOTTLEY, 43

What were you hoping to experience on the pilgrimage? I WAS hoping to meet great people, have conversations and find out more about myself.

I also wanted to understand why people would put themselves through something so physically tough in order to find enlightenment. Did your journey impact on your own beliefs about faith? I WAS hoping to find a revelation, some sort of home on the Camino. But I didn’t find it in the walk, I found it in my companionship with the people next to me. What was the most surprising thing you learned? I DIDN’T expect to meet quite so many people doing it that weren’t doing it for religious reasons – I expected everybody on the Camino to be doing it because they wanted to get closer to God.

RAPHAEL ROWE, 49

What were you hoping to experience? I WANTED a challenge like I’ve never encountered before. The physical and mental ask of walking the Camino provides just that and the restrictions, in terms of belongings and accommodation, made the adventure an exciting and bonding experience. Did your journey impact on your own beliefs about faith? THE pilgrimage reinforced my belief that faith is a personal journey that comes in many different shapes and sizes. The journey left me as confused about religion and faith as I felt before. What was the most surprising thing you learned? I WAS scared of what I might pick up The seven celebrity ‘pilgrims’ prepare to set out on their journey of discovery along the way, religiously. But I was surprised.

OK I didn’t go into the chapels or the churches, but I wasn’t as fearful of discovering why people are so faithful or religious.

JJ CHALMERS, 30

What were you hoping to experience on the pilgrimage? IT was an opportunity to go on an adventure.

I’ve learned in life you say “yes” and find out what the question is later – that’s got me into the best and worst situations of my life, but it’s got me into being here right now. Did your journey impact on your own beliefs about faith? IT didn’t change my beliefs, but if anything it confirmed to me that I will never be sure of what I truly believe – and that’s alright. What was the most surprising thing you learned? IT was interesting to get to know my fellow travellers – especially who you think you know because you have seen them on the telly!

My over-arching memory of it was how much we laughed.

We had the greatest time and that was absolutely it, embodied.

THE STARS OF BBC2’S PILGRIMAGE: THE ROAD TO SANTIAGO TALK TO GEMMA DUNN AND REFLECT ON HOW THEIR EXPERIENCE AFFECTED THEM