BBC Two’s Pilgrimage series returns this Spring with a new three-part series in which seven well known personalities of differing faiths and beliefs, including Hi-De-Hi star Su Pollard, journey along the northern route of Portugal’s Fatima Way.
Pollard, who was raised Church of England, is joined by Jewish actress Rita Simons; Pentecostal Born-Again Christian, Shane Lynch of Boyzone fame; reality TV star and influencer, Vicky Pattison, who is agnostic; Bobby Seagull, a practising Catholic, maths whizz and TV personality; Nabil Abdulrashid, a comedian and practising Muslim; and Paralympian skier Millie Knight, who is non-practising Church of England.
The group’s destination is the Sanctuary in the city of Fatima, where in 1917 several apparitions of the Virgin Mary were reported. What was once a small village is now one of the biggest Catholic pilgrimage destinations in the world.
For the first time in the series, the celebrities are on a deadline: they need to arrive in time for a major celebration which ends with a spectacular night-time candlelit vigil, attended by nearly 70,000 pilgrims who have travelled from across the world to celebrate the story of the apparitions.
Tackling this 364km pilgrimage over 15 days, the celebrity pilgrims will travel through the heart of northern Portugal’s stunning landscapes.
Carrying their own backpacks, they’ll sleep in rough and ready pilgrim hostels, a basic campsite, as well as a working fire station. It’s a tough challenge, so will they all make it to Fatima on time?
Pilgrimage: The Road through Portugal is a CTVC production and was commissioned by Daisy Scalchi, BBC Head of Religion and Ethnics. The series is Executive Produced by CTVC’s Caroline Matthews and Michele Kurland.