Harry Clark, winner of season two of the UK reality TV show The Traitors, has met Pope Leo XIV.
Televised by the BBC, Harry Clark Goes to Rome will air on Thursday April 2 at 10.40pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The documentary shows the 25-year-old, accompanied by his mother, on a deeply personal pilgrimage to the Eternal City in search of answers about the Catholic faith. Clark was particularly keen to know “whether there is such a thing as a good or bad Catholic”. He further explained: “I felt very much like a bad Catholic” and that he “drank, smoked because what do you think a guy is doing in his 20s, let’s be real, he is not being loyal to God”. The one-hour documentary also explores the reality TV star’s life, including his relationship with his girlfriend, Anna Manyard, as well as his family and friends.
During the visit, Clark visits important spiritual sites of Catholicism, but is also on a mission to meet the Pope. Among a group of others, he is introduced to the Pope. They share gifts, with Clark giving the Pontiff a Chelsea Football Club shirt, explaining that the most important things in his life are “my faith, my family, but also Chelsea”. After the exchange, the Pope takes Clark to one side and asks whether he has five minutes for a chat, inviting Clark and those with him to join him in his office.
One topic Clark was particularly keen to speak to the Pope about was mental health. Clark, who has suffered with poor mental health, particularly during his six years serving in the British Army, said that when he was at rock bottom “it was always my faith that saved me”. On the topic, Clark said the Pope reflected: “People need to realise that whether you have God in your life or not, life is worth living.”
During the meeting, Clark also prayed for the 80-year-old Pontiff, explaining: “I asked him if I could pray for him, because I thought that is your job, you pray for everyone all the time but how many times a day does someone pray for you?”
After the meeting, Clark said: “I never thought the Pope would want to meet me but here we are. It was a life-changing experience and it was great to do it alongside my mum. It’s one of the coolest experiences of my life.”
The experience seems to have had a positive effect on Clark’s own faith, who said: “On the Catholic side of things, well I now go to church every Sunday” and that is the one time that he feels “at peace”.
Clark and the Pope shared gifts, with Clark giving the Pontiff a Chelsea Football Club home shirt, explaining that the most important things in his life were “my faith, my family, but also Chelsea”.
