Harry Clark meets Pope Leo XIV in latest BBC One documentary

A latest BBC One documentary follows Traitors winner Harry Clark on a private journey to Rome as he explores his Catholic faith and unexpectedly secures a personal meeting with Pope Leo XIV.

Harry Clark Goes to Rome, which aired on Thursday and is out there on BBC iPlayer, centres on Clark’s try and understand his beliefs and identity more deeply while asking what it means to live as a Catholic today.

The programme builds towards an audience with the Pope, a moment presented because the emotional high point of the documentary.

Clark, who travelled along with his mother, Georgia, described the meeting as probably the most extraordinary experiences of his life.

He shared: “I never thought The Pope would want to satisfy me but here we’re. It was a life changing experience and it was great to do it alongside my mum. It’s one in every of the good experiences of my life.

“It was the primary time in my life my mind was blown and I assumed wow, I’m just a child from a council house in Slough and here I’m sitting opposite Pope Leo XIV … My message to other young people is to never let anyone tell you possibly can’t achieve or accomplish something. Keep dreaming big.”

During the encounter, they discussed topics including mental health and football, and he presented the Pope with a custom Chelsea shirt.

The documentary traces a wider spiritual journey as Clark reflects on the role faith has played in his life. Speaking ahead of the show airing, he said faith sustained him during some essentially the most difficult periods, including serious mental health struggles, painful personal setbacks, and the lack of direction he experienced after serving in the military.

He says his faith “saved” him, describing it as central to the person he has grow to be, and prayer steadily becoming a source of strength when he felt overwhelmed.

Clark describes himself as a “modern Catholic,” saying he believes in God while still wrestling with some Church teaching and traditions, and the way religion connects with younger generations.

The trip to Rome is framed as an effort to confront those questions directly by chatting with senior Church figures on the centre of Catholicism.

His mother’s presence is a key a part of the story. Clark says she was the one who first grounded him in the religion and later encouraged him to return to prayer during one in every of the bottom points in his life, making it especially meaningful that she was beside him for the journey and the papal meeting.

He shared: “My mum is a superwoman. She had five kids and while she was raising us, getting us to highschool, pressing out uniforms, and getting everyone fed, she was studying for a nursing degree. She’d go to uni, come back, pick us all up, cook food, put us all to bed, after which study.

“We’d never been on holiday together … She’s never really travelled. Neither had I, despite joining the military to see the world. So being in Rome in any respect was simply enough for each of us. Plus, I’m going for favourite child, and I feel I’ve secured that title for no less than a 12 months.”

The documentary also includes Clark’s visits to significant religious sites, in addition to moments of worship and reflection.

He has been moved by seeing major places of Catholic history for himself and says the experience modified his understanding of religion from something inherited in childhood to something more consciously embraced.

He also suggests the programme is aimed not only at believers, but in addition at those that could also be curious, sceptical or trying to find meaning.

Clark said: “Like, what would you relatively? A life where you suspect in faith, but you are incorrect, or a life without faith, and also you’re incorrect? It doesn’t make sense to me as someone who would wish to not imagine after which be incorrect, because you then’re not going to have a turn of your happiness. But then, if you happen to do imagine, and also you’re incorrect, no less than you have lived your life with peace in your life. At least you have lived your life treating other human beings as human beings, with peace.”

He says he wants viewers to see that faith and modern life wouldn’t have to be in conflict, individuals with different beliefs should still find a way to live with mutual respect, and that life has value whether or not someone has faith.

Clark added: “If I can discuss my religion wherever I need, other young people definitely can. And I need kids to see that. You will be cool and still imagine in God. You can do each. And I feel if that is what all of us attempt to do, just attempt to be higher and help people, the world could be a a lot better place.”