Celebrity biker Charley Boorman hails first-ever NW200 and says upcoming documentary featuring Glenn Irwin 'something special'
Charley Boorman is currently in Northern Ireland to make a documentary about racing legend Glenn Irwin and the North West 200 at large, and tells the News Letter: “It’s going to be something special.”
The adventure biker and TV personality was speaking to the News Letter from the circuit today, where he and Glenn were jointly opening this year’s race with an 8.9-mile parade lap of the Triangle Course.
Charley had posted online this week that the NW200 is “one of the craziest road races in the world”, adding he will be following Glenn this week because “I’m making a little documentary about him”.
Director Luke Whatley-Bigg told the News Letter that the documentary, titled: ‘Bigger… Better… Faster’, will be “a bit of a mixture”; it will be about the NW200 in general, “but he [Glenn] is the focus”.
Charley told the News Letter: “It’s my first time here at the North West 200, and it has been simply incredible.
"The guys at Zerofit [the biking baselayer brand] pitched the idea of making a film about the event to me, and when I started to look into it in detail it was clear this was going to be a super-interesting project.
"Bigger… Better… Faster’ is going to showcase the NW200 like it’s never been seen before.
"The whole history of it, and the legends who have competed here, make it utterly compelling.
"Glenn Irwin returning this year is the headline story, as he goes to add to his 11 victories as the most successful Superbike rider in the history of the event.
"Then there’s Alastair Seeley, aiming for his 30th win here, plus so many amazing sub-stories across the race classes.”
He said that a crew had been over in April to capture B-roll (background footage, largely of places around the north coast), adding: “It’s such a beautiful place.
"I am really fortunate to be here, and everyone has been so helpful, friendly and welcoming.”
He also extended “special thanks to event director Mervyn White and the NW team - they’ve given us ‘access-all-areas’ to shoot this film, and it’s going to be something special”.
The documentary is going to be out later this year, and is expected to be between 75-90 minutes long.
Where it will be shown is still to be confirmed.
Charley is probably best known for his “Long Way...” series of shows: Long Way Round, Long Way Down, Long Way Up, and most recently Long Way Home, following him and Ewan McGregor on epic motorcycle journeys traversing much of the planet.
He will be at the ‘Meet The Stars’ event at Coleraine Town Hall from 1pm on Friday, before discussing the documentary at what is described as a “Pit Lane Patter Chat Show VIP Night” at 8pm in the Paddock’s Hospitality marquee, alongside Shakey Byrne, Rhys Irwin, Alan Irwin and Jeremy McWilliams (tickets £11, from this link).
After today’s practice day, there will be a further practice session running from 9am to 3pm tomorrow, followed by competition racing from 4.45pm to 9pm, and on Saturday from 9am to 7pm.