Jay McGuiness breaks down in tears during BBC Pilgrimage as he reflects on death of friend Tom Parker: ‘It’s hard’
The Wanted singer Jay McGuiness has revealed his emotional struggle whilst filming BBC Two’s Pilgrimage: The Road Through The Alps, breaking down in tears when discussing the death of his bandmate Tom Parker.
The 34-year-old singer became visibly overcome with emotion during Monday night’s episode when having a heart-to-heart conversation with fellow pilgrim Helen Lederer.
McGuiness was forced to temporarily halt filming as grief overwhelmed him as he admitted: “I cried more than I’ve ever cried.”
In a poignant moment captured on the programme, McGuiness excused himself during filming and told Lederer: “One second. I’m just going to have a little cry in the toilet.”
The emotional scene occurred during episode two when McGuiness, who was raised Catholic but is now agnostic, was discussing his thoughts on what happens after death.
This led to conversations about Parker, who passed away in 2022, with the singer reflecting on how his friend’s death prompted spiritual questions he had previously left unanswered.
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“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’,” he revealed.
When Lederer asked if Parker’s death made him believe less in God, McGuiness responded: “I think as much as you can be, I’m agnostic. I’m really open to the idea that there’s something, but I haven’t got a clue.”
He added that he’s “searching for that catharsis” following his friend’s passing.
Parker died at the age of 33, following a battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer called grade IV glioblastoma, with the singer having first shared his diagnosis with fans in October 2020, revealing he had an inoperable brain tumour.
At the time, Parker posted a heartfelt message on social media alongside a photo with his wife Kelsey and daughter Aurelia Rose, which read: “We are all absolutely devastated, but we are gonna fight this all the way.”
He had been married to Kelsey since 2018, and the couple had two children together, Aurelia and Bodhi.
Pilgrimage: The Road Through The Alps is a three-part BBC Two series featuring seven celebrities of different faiths and beliefs.
McGuiness is joined by comedian Helen Lederer, presenter Jeff Brazier, Traitors winner Harry Clark, comedian Daliso Chaponda, Paralympic athlete Stefanie Reid and journalist Nelufar Hedayat.
The group embarked on a challenging 186-mile trek from Austria to Einsiedeln Abbey in Switzerland over 12 days and at one point during their journey, the celebrities navigated a snow-covered mountain peak.