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Thrill-seeker Ewan McGregor gets ready for daring new TV challenge
Ewan McGregor has revealed the training he has undergone ahead of a new sailing adventure, in which he and three others will cross the Atlantic from Oban in Scotland to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The 55-year-old actor, who admits he cannot sail, will join childhood friend and experienced sailor Eric Strickland as captain, along with a producer and cameraman, for a voyage that will be filmed for a documentary called True Wind, made by the team behind his Long Way motorbike series with Charley Boorman.
McGregor said preparations have included a survival course in a wave tank, complete with rough seas, darkness and rain machines, designed to teach the crew to use life rafts and life jackets. The trip was originally planned around restoring a boat Strickland inherited from his father, but after costs proved too high, the team instead bought a 1988 55ft oyster boat for just £1. The four-strong crew, which also includes Long Way producer Dave Alexanian, will set off later this month on the roughly 5,000-mile journey, which will also form the basis of an accompanying book; no broadcaster or streaming platform has yet been announced.
In short
- Ewan McGregor to sail Atlantic from Scotland to Brazil for new documentary
- Actor has been training despite having no sailing experience
- Crew bought a £1 boat after original restoration proved too costly
Explained simply
Ewan McGregor is a Scottish actor who has also made travel documentaries with his friend Charley Boorman. Their Long Way series followed long-distance motorbike journeys, filmed as the pair travelled and met people along the way.
Sailing across an ocean is a different kind of expedition, involving long periods at sea and risks such as rough weather and emergencies. McGregor is joining childhood friend Eric Strickland, an experienced sailor, alongside producer Dave Alexanian and a cameraman; the crew’s preparations include practising how to use life rafts and life jackets.
The voyage is planned to cover about 5,000 miles, from Oban in Scotland to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. It is intended to become a documentary and a book, though no broadcaster or streaming service has been announced.
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