BBC’s Pilgrimage star Patsy Kensit: “The treatment I had over the years from the media was pretty awful”

by

Six people meet on a cliff near Whitby, each seeking a deeper spiritual experience, or even enlightenment. At the moment, their only shared trait is that they’re all publicly known figures.

Ashley Banjo leads the dance troupe Diversity, while Hermione Norris is an actress recognized for her roles in shows like Cold Feet and Spooks. Tasha Ghouri gained fame on Strictly Come Dancing and now campaigns for deaf awareness. Completing the group are stand-up comedians Hasan Al-Habib and Ashley Blaker, and radio presenter Jayne Middlemiss.

The pair will follow a scenic, winding path across the northeastern part of England, journeying through North Yorkshire, County Durham, and Northumberland. Their destination is the historic Holy Island, also known as Lindisfarne, where Saint Cuthbert, a bishop from the seventh century, once lived and worked.

A woman with blonde hair blowing in the wind, wearing a beanie and carrying a backpack, comes into sight. It’s clearly the actress Patsy Kensit, and she’s the seventh person to arrive. She walks toward the group a little cautiously, but seems to gain confidence as she greets them.

She admitted after we watched the first episode that she’s a bit of a control freak – she likes having everything planned out. But she also said she had to let go and trust the process, which was hard at first. She kept telling herself to just keep going, and honestly, the scenery was so breathtaking it helped a lot.

For people like Al-Habib, a British Iraqi who grew up in Birmingham, the wide-open moorland, lush valleys, and dramatic cliffs were a stunning discovery. He described being deeply moved by the landscape, saying it gave him a powerful sense of the creator he worshipped and the beauty of their creation.

Pilgrimage is celebrating its eighth season, and will receive a special Trustees’ Award at the Sandford Saint Martin Awards in June at Lambeth Palace. This recognition comes as more and more people, like the new Archbishop of Canterbury who recently walked to her cathedral, are seeking slower, more thoughtful ways to travel.

As a film and travel doc buff, I was really intrigued by this new route Kensit and her group took. It turns out they were walking paths historically used by pilgrims following in the footsteps of three saints – Cuthbert, Hild, and Oswald. It doesn’t have quite the same buzz as the Camino de Santiago, which they’ve covered before, but it’s clear this area is steeped in centuries of religious history and tradition. It felt less about the spectacle and more about a genuine connection to the past.

As the group travels, they’re walking through the ancient kingdom of Northumbria. Their first stop is Whitby Abbey, a beautiful, ruined building with a rich history. In the 7th century, it was a monastery led by St. Hild, who founded a center of learning there. Legend says she even turned snakes to stone, and locals now call ammonite fossils ‘snake stones’ because of the tale. “I’m really captivated by Hild and that era,” explains Norris. “You can still sense the history and its strength in that area.”

The BBC’s group of pilgrims began their journey with varying degrees of faith. Kensit identifies as a “choose-your-own-religion” Catholic, embracing the aspects of her upbringing that resonate with her most. Norris, raised Church of England, experiences spirituality through the world around her. Al-Habib is a devout Muslim, and Banjo is a dedicated Christian. Ghouri considers herself an atheist, Middlemiss has explored spirituality through prayer retreats in India, and Blaker humorously portrays his attempts to fully embrace Orthodox Judaism.

Many travelers on this pilgrimage are carrying more than just backpacks. Journalist Jackie Kensit has faced constant public attention regarding her personal life since the 1980s, including scrutiny of her relationships with four husbands, notably musicians Jim Kerr of Simple Minds and Liam Gallagher of Oasis.

Patsy Kensit felt the media created a false image of her over the years, saying the ‘character’ they portrayed wasn’t the real her. She’s learned some tough lessons, and now jokingly advises others – including a contestant on her show – that they don’t need to marry everyone they date.

Norris carries a personal sadness with her, stemming from a tragedy she experienced in her youth. In the first episode, she shares that someone she loved died by suicide, which deeply impacted her. She questions how this affected her faith, explaining that while people often offer comforting words like ‘time heals’ or ‘they’re at peace,’ her Christian upbringing viewed suicide as a sin, leading to the belief that a person who took their own life would not go to heaven.

Norris moved away from the Anglican Church, but she remained interested in spirituality. Kensit stayed with her church and feels it provided her with support during her time in the public eye. “Going to mass regularly really helped me,” she says, while also emphasizing her personal freedom to define her own beliefs.

I find a lot to connect with in the Catholic Church, but also some things I struggle with. That led me to explore other practices, like meditation. People often associate meditation with specific images – chanting ‘Om’ or doing complicated yoga poses. But really, prayer can be a form of meditation.

It struck me that Patsy Kensit reminded me of Saint Cuthbert – he was famous for his quiet contemplation on Lindisfarne and is now buried in Durham Cathedral, which is a stunning, UNESCO World Heritage site. As the pilgrims walk into the cathedral, it’s not just about uncovering the history of the area, but also learning about each other. I found it particularly touching to learn that Al-Habib prays five times a day – it revealed a really personal side to him and added another layer to the journey.

He felt fortunate to be among such open and curious people, and he also learned a lot from them. One morning in the Durham hills, he photographed Ashley Blaker, who is Jewish, thoughtfully reading a religious text. He felt Ashley was not only studying the text, but also reaffirming his identity and beliefs.

Though Al-Habib is early in his career, and Kensit and Norris are seasoned professionals, they all found the show appealing for two reasons: learning about a little-known historical England of kings and saints, and connecting with each other. Kensit explains he usually keeps to himself, but this experience was different. “I really felt like part of the group for the first time in a long time, and that means a lot to me.” Norris shares a similar sentiment, calling the people he worked with “my pilgrimage” and saying he’ll always cherish the experience.

Authors

Michael Hodges

Read More

2026-03-31 02:35