Spencer Matthews shares attempt to find his brother Michael on Everest ahead of new Disney documentary

The Made in Chelsea star’s brother, Michael, went missing on Mount Everest in 1999.
Spencer Matthews climbs Mount Everest to find missing brother. (Getty Images)Spencer Matthews climbs Mount Everest to find missing brother. (Getty Images)
Spencer Matthews climbs Mount Everest to find missing brother. (Getty Images)

Spencer Matthews has discussed his mission to find his late brother’s after he died while climbing Mount Everest.

The former Made In Chelsea star, 34, from London, opened up about the loss of his brother ahead of new Disney + documentary titled Finding Michael, which details the 22-year-old’s disappearance and an expedition to recover him

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In 1999, Michael Matthews became the youngest Briton to summit Mount Everest, but three hours later, upon descending, he went missing.

Spencer appeared on ITV’s This Morning and recalled the heartbreaking moment his parents told him his brother had died.

"My parents called me up to his bedroom. Initially, I thought I had done something wrong," the former Made in Chelsea star explained.

"I was walking in there thinking why the serious nature of the meeting at that age. They said Michael has been lost on the mountain, for me, I was like ‘let me know when you find him’. I didn’t process the fact that meant it was more than likely that he was dead."

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The 34-year-old, who was just 10 when Michael went missing and died, thought of his late brother as a “superhero” and “couldn’t wrap my head around” his death.

He continued: "If there is anything to be grateful for it is that I was that age - I was not hit by it in the same way that it hit the rest of my family. Michael felt like a bit of a superhero for me. I couldn’t wrap my head around how he could have died."

"My parents did such a great job - I feel very thankful that I was quite sheltered from it. Our family moved through it with pain, but I look back at that time, and I was certainly able to live my life,” Spencer added.

In 2017, the Matthews family received a picture of a body that looked as if it could be Michael due to the clothing that he was wearing at the time.

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Spencer explored the possibility of “body recovery” and hired mountaineering expert Nirmal Purja, who holds the record for summiting the world’s 14 highest peaks, to lead a search.

Before heading to Nepal, Spencer met with British adventurer and Man vs Wild star Bear Grylls, who knew Michael and inspired him to climb Everest.

Mount Everest is considered one of the most dangerous mountains in the world to climb, and more than 300 people have died trying to reach the summit.

Michael went missing at above 8,000 metres, in what is known as the “death zone,” meaning the search and rescue efforts are incredibly risky.

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“We were very aware that there were some risks attached, but Nirmal was able to assure me and the family that it was possible and that he could do very minimal risk to his team given their experience. I think that was what pushed us over the edge to actually accept that this might be something we would do.”

He added: “As far as documenting the journey, I’ve always wanted my brave young brother to have some kind of legacy. The fact that he lost his life when he was 22 in such a tragic manner. I’d just like him to have a place in some people’s hearts.”

Finding Michael is streaming on Disney Plus from 3 March.

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