Jay McGuiness shares fears for Tom Parker's family after breaking down over tragic death

The Wanted's Jay McGuiness has opened up about grieving his late bandmate Tom Parker in the public eye after breaking down on Two's Pilgrimage about his tragic death. Jay, 34, is currently starring in the latest series of Pilgrimage, where he takes a trip from Austria to Switzerland over 12 days alongside presenter, winner and comedian among others.

The three-part series sees , who died in 2023 after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. Speaking to about the emotional moment, Jay said: "It's hard isn't it because with grief, often there's a lot of shame with grieving publicly and it's easy to feel like, 'I don't want to cry.' I hate the idea of crying.

"I am also considering Tom's family and friends, wife and kids - every time I'm talking about him whether I'm asked about him or not, that's a reminder about something that could be painful. It could be the wrong day for them to hear about it."

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He added: "I want people to remember that he was a massive life force. He was hilarious. He'll be laughing his a** off at me now when I say something stupid. I want people to remember the good as well as just remember how things ended."

In BBC Two's Pilgrimage, the winner breaks down in tears during a conversation with Helen Lederer as they speak about Jay's death. The star took a break from filming after telling Helen: "I need to have a little cry in the toilet."

"I cried more than I've ever cried," he said afterwards, adding that he has spoken to the late bandmate in the past. "It's a conversation which [will] always be coloured by the question of, like, 'Can you even hear this?' 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.'

"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."

He continued: ""If we do all go into some global consciousness... 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."

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