JEDDAH – Former MTV presenter Kristiane Backer went to Makkah this year to perform hajj, sharing her experience during the life-time journey in a video published last week, the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported.

In her interview with SPA, Backer praised the Kingdom’s efforts to offer improved services to pilgrims during hajj, admiring the huge change carried out in Saudi when she visited after 12 years.

The German Journalist, a presenter on MTV Europe interviewed major artists, musicians, and Hollywood stars and enjoyed the red carpet, but felt lonely and empty from inside.

She was first introduced to the spiritual journey to Islam “not by a long-bearded Imam with a flowing robe, but by a famous Pakistani cricket star, Imran Khan,” who has recently become the new Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Backer converted to Islam in 1995.

“I also learned how verses from the Qur’an can help me in my daily life.”

Since then she has been engaged in interfaith and intercultural dialogue to show the people the beautiful Islam that she found.

In 2001, she performed Umrah and visited Madinah. In 2006, she performed Hajj rituals after which she wrote her famous book “From MTV to Makkah: How Islam Inspired My Life.” In this book, she wrote about her eventful journey from entertainment to ‘inner-tainment’.

The best-seller book is currently translated into Dutch, Turkish, Arabic, and English.