The Traitors winner and Harrogate Army Training College graduate Harry Clark on faith and Pilgrimage

The former lance corporal - who attended the Army Foundation College in Harrogate at the age of 16 and went on to train as an aviation technician with the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers – had left the forces and had just returned home when his mental health plummeted. He felt he had lost everything, and that things were spiralling out of control.

Even though he had loved ones around him, the now 24-year-old experienced suicidal thoughts. But it was also around this time that he rediscovered his Christian faith as a Catholic.

And it’s one of the reasons why The Traitors UK season 2 winner wanted to go on a challenging 300km pilgrimage through the Austrian and Swiss Alps to Einsiedeln Abbey, for the seventh series of BBC Two’s Pilgrimage: The Road Through the Alps.

For two weeks, seven pilgrims will confront their views on faith as they embark on an emotional and spiritual journey.

Joining Clark is former member of boy band The Wanted Jay McGuiness, 34, TV presenter Jeff Brazier, 45, and Malawian stand-up comedian Daliso Chaponda, 45. Also taking part are Paralympic athlete Stefanie Reid, 40, comedian Helen Lederer, 70, and Afghan-British journalist and presenter Nelufar Hedayat, 37.

Clark, who also hosts the podcast The Harry and Paul Show with his Traitors co-star Paul Gorton, 36, opens up about why people need to talk about faith more openly, and how this pilgrimage has changed him for good.

How does he think his own experience on Pilgrimage will help others articulate their thoughts around faith and belief?

"People think you can’t talk about religion – especially the youth – because there’s something wrong with it, or it seems like if you believe in one particular religion, you hate all others. But that’s not what it is. It doesn’t have to be that deep. Everyone makes it so serious. If you believe, you believe. If you don’t believe, you don’t have to, and it’s not the end of the world. So I just want people that watch it to see that authenticity in us. If you want to talk about faith, talk about it. If you don’t, then don’t, simple as that.”

And for thoe who are feeling lost, how would he encourage them?

"Life isn’t meant to be understood. It’s meant to be felt. No one’s got it perfect, and no one ever will. But working as hard as you can and being as happy as you can, a little bit of excellence will come along the way. Enjoy every second and be present. When you’ve been in the army, you see how quickly it can be taken away. And you honestly never know when your last day is.

“So wake up with a smile on your face because you’re still here, but always remember to hug someone a little bit tighter. See it as it’s your last day on earth. If I said your last day was tomorrow, you wouldn’t wake up worrying about next week’s uni project or something like that. You’d be thinking, OK, what makes me truthfully happy? And once you get that switch, that’s just how you view and appreciate life so much more. Taking a moment and trying to find that in yourself is the key to unlocking happiness.”

Pilgrimage: The Road Through the Alps comes to BBC Two and BBC iPlayer on Sunday, April 20