Comics in next series of BBC faith show

Comedians Hasan Al-Habib and Ashley Blaker are taking part in the next series of Pilgrimage.

They will join five other celebrities of various faiths on a trail across the landscapes of North East England to the Holy Island Lindisfarne.

Al-Habib, 31, said: ‘For a practising Muslim like me, this show is an incredible opportunity. If, on the Day of Judgement, Allah asks me why I didn’t perform the mandatory Islamic Pilgrimage of Hajj, I can now say, "Sorry, I didn’t realise BBC Two’s Pilgrimage Series 8 was set in Northumberland."’

And 51-year-old Blaker, who was once a practising Orthodox Jew and is now agnostic, said: ‘I’ve been on quite the journey with my faith over the past few years, so I’m looking forward to having time to reflect and work out where I am now. 

‘I’m excited to see who I’ll be walking with and to hear their stories. I’m sure we’ll all learn a lot from each other.’

The other pilgrims are Diversity dancer Ashley Banjo, a practising Christian; Spooks and Cold Feet actor Hermione Norris, who ‘believes the divine can be found in all living things’; atheist TV personality Tasha Ghouri;  radio presenter Jayne Middlemiss, who describes herself as spiritual;  and actor and self-proclaimed ‘à la carte’ Catholic, Patsy Kensit.

Over the three-part series the celebrities will take in Whitby’s  cliff-top abbey, and Durham Cathedral  on their route to Lindisfarne along a curated network of trails celebrating three 7th century Northern saints from Nothern England: Hild, Oswald and Cuthbert

Travelling on foot and by bus, the pilgrims carry their own backpacks, and stay overnight in locations including small wooden pods, an off-grid hostel and a basic bunkroom.

Travelling north on the way of St. Hild, the pilgrims take the coastal path to the ammonite beaches of Runswick Bay, before heading inland towards Durham. Here 224 steep and uneven steps, locally known as the ‘Steps of Doom’, lead them to their first glimpse of Durham Cathedral where they are invited to take part in the medieval pilgrim tradition of foot washing, before visiting the shrine of St Cuthbert.

Heading out of Durham towards Heavenfield, where St Oswald won the battle to claim the Kingdom of Northumbria in the 7th century, they face an amber weather warning as they discover Housesteads Roman Fort on Hadrian’s Wall.

Along the way the pilgrims visit several places of interest including Newcastle’s Reform Synagogue, founded in the early 1960s by the local community, including Jewish refugees who fled the Nazis during the Holocaust. They also visit the ‘Nether Springs’ Retreat centre, where the daily lives of this community are inspired by the 7th century northern saints.

From here, they join St Oswald’s Way towards the stunning North East coast where they visit a medieval hermitage in the grounds of Warkworth Castle which is carved into a rocky outcrop and only accessed by boat.

In the Scottish Borders, the pilgrims’ last trail, St Cuthbert’s Way takes them to Cuthbert’s Cave where monks are said to have sheltered with his coffin when fleeing Viking raids on Lindisfarne.

After 12 demanding days, the group finally reach Pilgrims’ Way where for more than 1,000 years pilgrims have walked across the dramatic and dangerous tidal sands to reach Lindisfarne.

Banjo, 37, said: ‘As a Christian I wanted to do this pilgrimage, to continue my journey of discovery through discussion, by asking questions, and to be asked questions in the context of faith. But I’m also taking part to have a really good hike! ‘ 

Norris, 58, said: ‘Embarking on this pilgrimage allows me this rare opportunity to set aside time to walk, to question and to notice. For me, this is an uncommon gift.’

Kensit, 57, said: ‘I’m joining Pilgrimage at a time when I feel the need to slow down and really listen, to myself, to others and to something beyond the noise of everyday life.  I’ve spent much of my life moving forward but this feels like a rare chance to pause and reflect.  

‘I’m not sure what I’ll find along the way but I hope the journey will help me reconnect with what matters most and give me a deeper sense of perspective, gratitude and understanding - both of myself and the world around me.’

Ghouri, 27, said: ‘Although I’m not religious, I want to take part in Pilgrimage because I’m genuinely curious and eager to step into something unfamiliar with an open heart and an open mind.   For me, this is about growth, reflection, and understanding faith from the inside out, not through assumptions or what other people say.’

Middlemiss, 56, said: ‘I have travelled across the world taking pilgrimage in far flung places and have always wanted to return home and do the pilgrimage of my homeland. To go back and walk in the steps of ancestors and to connect to not only my past but the past of my family. It was an opportunity I wanted to very much embrace.’

Other comedians to have taken part in previous Pilgrimage series include Ed Byrne, Nabil Abdulrashid, Tom Rosenthal,  Shazia Mirza, Eshaan Akbar and, last year, Helen Lederer and Daliso Chaponda 

The next series is expected to air around Easter on BBC Two and iPlayer.

Published: 8 Feb 2026