The Wanted’s Jay McGuiness ‘cried more than ever’ as he opens up on loss of bandmate Tom Parker on BBC’s Pilgrimage
IT’S a series that follows a group of celebrities walking from Austria to the Swiss Alps on a journey of self-discovery.
But for The Wanted’s Jay McGuiness taking part in BBC2’s Pilgrimage was more than just an opportunity to find out more about faith.
The singer was keen to search for answers to his questions about the afterlife, after the passing of his bandmate Tom Parker following a battle with terminal brain cancer in 2022.
Jay said: “With Tom, they knew it was serious quite quickly and there wasn't really lots they could do, and I think it felt really senseless.
"While he was sick, I definitely had moments that I would say I prayed, and then when he passed away, I sort of felt like, 'I wonder if he can hear me now'.
“That did sort of ignite a lot of questions that I've left unanswered, and I’m really open to the idea there’s something out there.
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“I felt that did really sort of ignite a lot of questions that I've left unanswered, and in some ways, I know I'm searching for that catharsis, I’m really open to the idea there’s something out there.
“If we do all go into some global consciousness, that we call God or whatever, then Tom would be there, and I’d be able to speak to him, but whether he can speak back is another question.”
It was an emotional rollercoaster for Jay, who admitted he let the waterworks flow on the trip.
He added: “I cried more on the show than I had ever cried on television, which is a scary thing.
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“Talking about Tom’s passing and how that feels and how that’s left life for his family, it was part of processing the grief and the conversations we had, you can see me actively grieving.
“It comes in start-stop moments for me, but I felt like I was stuck on my own grieving, and not grieving well any more, whereas with someone else talking about it, I felt I could do that more fluidly.”
Nonetheless, while he’s not had all the answers about the afterlife, Jay still makes sure to keep Tom updated about his life, even after his passing.
Jay added: “The conversations are always coloured with, ‘I don’t know if you can hear this’, but I have.”
Jay joins The Traitors' Harry Clark, comedian Helen Lederer, presenter Jeff Brazier, Paralympic athlete Stef Reid, Britain’s Got Talent star Daliso Chaponda and journalist Nelufar Hedayat on the series.
Pilgrimage returns to BBC Two on April 20 at 9pm
