Is Harold Fry a real person? It’s the question everyone is asking since The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry made its Netflix debut on Saturday, December 27, 2025. While the heartwarming and heart-wrenching story of a 65-year-old man walking hundreds of miles to save a former colleague feels incredibly authentic, Harold Fry is not actually a real person. However, the story and character were inspired by one.
Directed by Hettie Macdonald, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is a gripping film adaptation of Rachel Joyce's beloved debut novel. The character of Harold—played by Jim Broadbent—was inspired by her real-life dad, who was battling cancer at the time. "Looking back, doing the book was about trying to keep my dad alive," she told The Guardian in 2012. Joyce has also previously shared that Queenie's character (Linda Bassett) was based on things she witnessed while her father was battling his illness.
Read on to answer all of your questions about The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry—including where to watch the movie, what happened to his son and more.
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The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is the film adaptation of Rachel Joyce's acclaimed novel, which was released in 2012. The true story behind The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is that Joyce was inspired to write it—first as a radio show—when her dad was battling cancer.
While Joyce knew she could not save her dad, she thought writing this story would be a way to keep his memory alive. "The more I thought about an ordinary man doing something extraordinary in a very ordinary way, the more I knew, that's what I want to focus on," she told The Guardian.
Where was the Harold Fry movie filmed?
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry filmed all across England and production followed the same order of Harold's journey. The locations included Kingsbridge (Harold’s home), Bath, Gloucestershire, Derbyshire and Yorkshire.
SPOILER ALERT: We learn through flashback scenes that Harold's son, David (played by Earl Cave) was a very intelligent young man who attended Cambridge University. Unfortunately, he battled depression and succumbed to it around 20 years before Harold's pilgrimage begins.
Another devastating detail is that David died by suicide in the family's garden shed and Harold was the one to find him. This tragedy gravely impacted Harold's marriage to Maureen (Penelope Wilton). While the two are still together, it feels like they are living in different worlds because of their different ways of grieving the profound loss of their son.
How far did Harold Fry walk?
Harold walked 627 miles in 87 days.
Harold Fry (Jim Broadbent) on his 627-mile journey.The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is now streaming on both Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, but you must be a subscriber.
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Where can I watch 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry' for free?
If you're not a Netflix or Prime subscriber, we've got good news: It's available to stream for on Tubi, an ad-supported and completely free streaming platform that features movies, television shows and live channels.
Penelope Wilton as Maureen Fry
Earl Cave as David Fry
Monika Gossmann as Martina
Is 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry' based on a book?
Penelope Wilton as Maureen Fry
Earl Cave as David Fry
Monika Gossmann as Martina
Is 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry' based on a book?
Monika Gossmann as Martina
Is 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry' based on a book?
Yes, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is an adapation of Rachel Joyce's 2012 novel of the same name. Joyce first created a radio show, which ultimately turned into the page-turner.
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry book coverAmazon
Watch the official trailer for 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry'
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