Spencer Matthews has addressed his fans following the release of delayed documentary Finding Michael. The film was set to drop on Disney+ on March 3 but the streamer pulled it just hours before launch.
The documentary follows Spencer, 34, and a 10-man search crew as they embark on a mission to bring home the body of brother Michael, who vanished on Everest in 1999 aged 22. Michael had become the youngest Brit to scale the world’s highest peak but just three hours later, he had disappeared.
The former Made in Chelsea star took to Instagram on Wednesday to thank fans for their “patience and support” after the five-day delay. Spencer wrote: “Delighted to let you know that ‘Finding Michael’ is now streaming on Disney+.
READ MORE: Finding Michael: Spencer Matthews on searching for brother's body on Everest
“Thank you so much for your patience and overwhelming support. Really proud to finally be sharing Michael's story with you all...”
Executive produced by Bear Grylls, Finding Michael sees Spencer head to Nepal with record-breaking mountaineer Nims Purja to search Everest’s notorious ‘Death Zone’, where Michael is thought to have disappeared. More than 200 of the 310-plus adventurers to die on Everest are still on the deadly slopes.
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But Finding Michael – which took two years to film – was delayed so scenes showing the bodies of climbers on the mountain could be cut, The Mirror reported. Spencer was said to be “furious” about the sudden decision, with one source saying: “This was a real disaster. After endless viewings, two official screenings and an entire campaign building up to a release on March 3 it was decided with hours to go that footage of bodies might be deemed insensitive.
“Everest is often too dangerous to recover those who died in the death zone, and the film reflects that. The fact this was only raised with hours to go before the release – and public screenings – is astonishing.
“So the premiere date was just dropped. Meanwhile, Spencer is doing interviews in which he has to fudge the date. He was absolutely furious and there have been some very heated conversations this week.
“This has been two years of Spencer’s life and it isn’t just a documentary for him – it’s his brother.”
On Friday, Spencer posted on Instagram: “Apologies to everyone trying to watch Finding Michael on Disney+. The debut has shifted and we’ll update you as soon as we have new timings.”
Disney wrote: “We are shifting the debut of Finding Michael and we will update the release date soon.”
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