Harry Clark, the 24-year-old champion of The Traitors series two, left his army engineering role after claiming nearly £100,000 in prize money. Yet, he reveals feeling profoundly “lost” without the familiar structure, despite his triumph as the first Traitor to win the BBC competition in 2024. In a dramatic finale, he outmaneuvered his close ally Mollie Pearce.
Since his victory, Clark has tackled new challenges, including Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, BBC Two’s Pilgrimage, and an upcoming documentary, Harry Clark Goes to Rome, where the young Catholic embarks on a spiritual journey to meet Pope Leo XIV.
Navigating Life Without Army Routine
The transition proved challenging. “The first months were a struggle that people didn’t really see because I was lost,” Clark admits. Enlisting at 16, the army defined his life for six years, leaving him haunted by job uncertainty. “The army was all I ever knew since I was 16 so even now it feels like I’m going to go back next week. Having that worry of, ‘Am I going to be working next week?’ is the scariest thing in the world,” he explains.
Shifting to TV and media pursuits, Clark cherishes unchanged personal ties. He remains with girlfriend Anna Maynard, whom he met before the show, and lives with his family in Slough. “I could get invited somewhere crazy like the Baftas for example, but then I get a taxi home back to my council house in Slough and I’m just Harry again who has to fight his brothers and sisters for the toilet and then sit on the PlayStation with my mates. That hasn’t changed at all,” he says. Relationships have only deepened, with no one treating him differently.
Gary Neville’s Key Assistance
Former Manchester United player Gary Neville provided crucial support. Meeting in the BBC Breakfast green room post-Traitors, they swapped numbers. Despite Clark and his father’s loyalty as Chelsea fans—once prompting jeers at Neville on TV—the ex-footballer proved generous. “He was lovely,” Clark notes. Worried about exploitative contracts, Neville connected him with a manager.
“That was mental,” Clark reflects, crediting his faith for such fortune. Neville scrutinized the contract for two weeks without compensation, requesting only a birthday message for his 14-year-old daughter. They stay connected, with Clark occasionally messaging about Manchester United’s struggles.
Reconnecting with Faith
Clark’s Catholicism faced tests during army mental health battles. “I like suffered massively in the army with my mental health, and I felt like I’d used up all my resources,” he shares. His mother urged prayer, reigniting his belief. Post-victory whirlwind sidelined faith temporarily—”I was still a Catholic and I still believed in God but it just took a backseat because life was crazy.”
Pilgrimage served as “the cloth that wiped the lens,” confirming he was on the right path. “I am who I am because of my faith,” Clark affirms. His documentary Harry Clark Goes to Rome premieres Thursday, April 2, at 10:40pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
