Joanna Lumley has confirmed a documentary about a scientist dubbed the ‘human swan’ who was injured in a mid-air crash that killed a member of her film crew will air after it received the go-ahead from both families.
Sacha Dench, biologist, fell from a paraglider in the air after colliding with a member on her support crew.
Dan Burton, 54, was killed in a separate paramotor accident. Sacha, 43 (a relative of Dame Judy Dench), remains in hospital with serious injuries.
Joanna, 75, had met with the scientist to film her upcoming ITV documentary, Joanna Lumley and the Human Swan, ahead of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow next week.
Joanna, in an interview with The Times, stated that although she initially wanted ‘backaway’ from the project at first, Sacha’s and Dan’s relatives encouraged her to broadcast the documentary next Wednesday as planned.
Dan Burton, 54, died last month after a horror mid-air crash near Unapool in the Scottish Highlands while working as a cameraman on a round Britain charity flight in a motorised paraglider
Joanna Lumley (left), and Sacha Dench (right), met before their horrific crash in which another flier was killed, to film their upcoming ITV documentary ahead the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.
“But Dan’s brave, courageous family said, “Please!” This is what it is for’. Sacha sent a message through her hospital bed saying, “For goodness sake show the film, this is why it was done”,” added Joanna.
Paragliders were on the last stages of a circumnavigation in the country as part the Round Britain Climate Challenge, when disaster struck near Unapool, Scotland.
Originally from Australia and now living in Bristol, Sacha is known for global expeditions with migratory species but has turned her focus to climate change after losing her family home in Sydney to bushfires last year.
Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Dame Judi, and Dame Judi have backed other missions, including a flight through the Atlas Mountains. Sacha was flying a modified machine that enabled her to take-off and land anywhere she wanted to recharge for her latest challenge.
Pictured left, Sacha with her adapted electric paramotor at Glasgow Science Centre. Right Dan Burton, preparing to fly from Stevenson beach on the west coast Scotland.
Joanna, who lives in Stockwell, south London, said that the news was all the more difficult to hear knowing how skilled both Sacha and Dan were, adding that they always ‘put safety first’ while flying.
She stated that it was difficult to accept the news, knowing how skillful they were.
Safety was their number one priority, just like mountaineers. Before every flight, they went through the checklist.
Elsewhere in the interview, Joanna also shared her thoughts on Insulate Britain, the environmentalist group which has become infamous for its ‘campaign of civil resistance’.
Joanna stated that, while she wouldn’t join in on such a demonstration, she can sympathise and understand the anger of those involved.
After colliding with a member her support crew, Sacha, a biologist, fell from the sky during her 3,000-mile trip around Britain in a motorized paraglider.
‘You can understand why people get so infuriated they’re driven to do these difficult and horrible things to draw attention to themselves.’
Lumley is an advocate for the environment and animal welfare. He has been a vegetarian since 1970s and made headlines earlier this week when he claimed that rationing could be the solution to climate change.
The Absolutely Fabulous star suggested legislation was needed “for the sake of this beautiful Earth”.
She said that these are difficult times. ‘We might even have to go back to some kind of rationing, where you’re given a certain number of points and it’s up to you how to spend them – whether it’s buying a bottle of whisky or flying in an aeroplane.’
Joanna, who has previously campaigned against single-use plastic, also said people should cut back on weekend breaks abroad and stop eating meat.
Speaking to Radio Times, she added: ‘We’ve got to think that everything we do will make the place better – every plastic bottle you don’t buy, every piece of litter you pick up, every piece of meat you don’t eat. Every little thing counts.